newprotest.org: BACK FROM VACATION

BACK FROM VACATION

July 31, 2006
by: jovial_cynic
I just got back from a family vacation in Western Montana. I had hoped that everything in the Middle East would have settled down by the time I got back, but no such luck.

Boo.

Anyhow, here's some fun facts about what's going on in Lebanon right now.

According to a report by the Christian Science Monitor:

The stakes are high for Hizbullah, but it seems it can count on an unprecedented swell of public support that cuts across sectarian lines.According to a poll released by the Beirut Center for Research and Information, 87 percent of Lebanese support Hizbullah's fight with Israel, a rise of 29 percent on a similar poll conducted in February. More striking, however, is the level of support for Hizbullah's resistance from non-Shiite communities. Eighty percent of Christians polled supported Hizbullah along with 80 percent of Druze and 89 percent of Sunnis. (emphasis mine)

80 percent of Lebanese Christians?! 89 percent of Sunnis?! How can this be?

Well, when you read that Israel's Justice Minister Haim Ramon ordered the Israeli army to flatten every village they encountered in Lebanon with air strikes, it starts to make sense.

Large numbers fled the south after the Israeli military dropped leaflets warning of attacks. Others have been unable to leave, often because they have not found the means. The Israelis have taken that to mean that they are therefore Hezbollah.

Israeli Justice Minister Haim Ramon announced on Israeli army radio Thursday that "all those in south Lebanon are terrorists who are related in some way to Hezbollah."


Since we have over 87% of the Lebanese population supporting Hezbollah (since they view them as freedom fighters), Israel's military objective seems to be to level all of Lebanon. With such a high rate of support, every Lebanese citizen effectively is Hezbollah. And since Israel is the one flattening villages and hospitals instead of building them (as we know Hezbollah has done), it's no mystery at all.
np category: politics
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COMMENTS for BACK FROM VACATION


Luke said:
Great to have you back. You missed a great bible study last week. The mountains crumbled, the oceans roared, and I left with a glow about my face that I veiled for obvious reasons.

Regarding your post:

Some of that is probably true, but that's always the case when the people polled have the most to lose. Plus there's no way to tell who is terrorist and who is civillian. The Hezies dress like civillians, and when they're killed are made out to be innocent civilians that the evil Jews killed out of spite. Also it's been reported that the majority of people in southern lebanon are Hezbollah (terrorists any way you put it) supporters, friends, and family members. These people are the enemy as I see it. They may not physically fight the battles but they support them which makes them just as bad.

There has been a lot of media spin with Hezbollah sympathizers following Hezie leaders upon their request, but only reporting what the Hez leader allowed them to report; only video recording the areas the Hez leader shows them. There's no way to tell if the people are civilians or terrorists/supporters.

Recently a big building crumbled killing children and others in a mostly civilian area where the Hezies were sending off rockets (I saw the video of the rockets launching at the site). The problem is that building didn't fall for 8 (eight) hours after the attack. Who's to say that the Hezies didn't blow the building up to gain more sympathy from the rest of the world?

These are just some things to think about, not a slam by any means.

Looking forward to seeing you on Wednesday, you better be tan.

July 31, 2006


luke said:
In that last paragraph I meant that, "Recently a big building was attacked by Israel and crumbled..."
July 31, 2006


jovial_cynic said:
Given the number of women and children in the Lebanese death count, I don't know if the "Hezies dress like civilians" argument works much. It doesn't really add up that way.

And for a greater sense of the disproportionate scale of the conflict: Death Count. That site has been regularly updated, and since I think it's a pretty big deal, I'll probably post it in a regular blog post as well.

August 01, 2006


jovial_cynic said:
also... of course the Lebanese people support Hezbollah. Hezbollah is responsible for shielding the people against Israeli aggression, and for the building of schools, hospitals, and clinics. They are the people's government, as far as the Lebanese are concerned. And when you have 89% of the Lebanese population in tow, are you going to argue that 89% of the Lebanese people should be wiped out, because they support Hezbollah? They're not going to stop Hezbollah, because in their eyes, Hezbollah are "the good guys." They're the one protecting them against the aggressor, Israel. What you are suggesting is the destruction of an entire people.
August 01, 2006


Luke said:
No I'm not suggesting that. What I AM saying is that I do not make distinctions between terrorists and those who directly support them. Supporting them in spirit (like most civilians you were talking about) are not those I'm referring to. The people who directly support the Hezbos financially and with weapons etc... are one and the same to me.
August 01, 2006


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