Israel suspending air bombing

[Downthestretch55]

Seems to me that this is the only way that Israel and the US could prevent further deterioration in the Arab world. And all the while, I thought we were creating fewer terrorists. And NO, I don't condone Hezzbolah's actions.

Story:
JERUSALEM (AP) - Israel agreed to a 48-hour suspension of aerial activity over southern Lebanon after its bombing of a Lebanese village on Sunday that killed a number of children, the U.S. State Department said.

The attack marred Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's mission to halt the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.

The suspension of over-flights was announced by State Department spokesman Adam Ereli. He said Israel has reserved the right to attack targets if it learns that attacks are being prepared against them.

"The United States welcomes this decision and hopes that it will help relieve the suffering of the children and families of southern Lebanon," Ereli told reporters traveling with Rice.

In Jerusalem, the Israeli army spokesman's office said it knew nothing of an agreement to halt airstrikes in Lebanon for 48 hours. Government officials were not immediately available for comment.

A State Department official, who spoke on condition of anonymity about the evolving situation, said Rice had been working on such an agreement for some time before the attack on Qana, Lebanon. The airstrike early Sunday killed more than 50 people, including many children.

Ereli said that Israel will coordinate with the United Nations to allow a 24-hour period of safe passage for all residents of south Lebanon who want to leave the region.

"We expect that Israel will implement these decisions so as to significantly speed and improve the flow of humanitarian aid," he added.

At the United Nations today, Secretary-General Kofi Annan urged the Security Council, meeting in emergency session, to condemn the Qana attack and to call for an immediate cease-fire.



Condemn the attack... NO. Apologies for the deaths yes. Hezbollah appears to have been firing 20-30 yards from the building the children in. WITF is Kofi smoking? How about condemning Hezbollah for firing where they KNOW civilians will be killed.

Originally Posted by Downthestretch55

Seems to me that this is the only way that Israel and the US could prevent further deterioration in the Arab world. And all the while, I thought we were creating fewer terrorists. And NO, I don't condone Hezzbolah's actions.

Story:
JERUSALEM (AP) - Israel agreed to a 48-hour suspension of aerial activity over southern Lebanon after its bombing of a Lebanese village on Sunday that killed a number of children, the U.S. State Department said.

The attack marred Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's mission to halt the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.

The suspension of over-flights was announced by State Department spokesman Adam Ereli. He said Israel has reserved the right to attack targets if it learns that attacks are being prepared against them.

"The United States welcomes this decision and hopes that it will help relieve the suffering of the children and families of southern Lebanon," Ereli told reporters traveling with Rice.

In Jerusalem, the Israeli army spokesman's office said it knew nothing of an agreement to halt airstrikes in Lebanon for 48 hours. Government officials were not immediately available for comment.

A State Department official, who spoke on condition of anonymity about the evolving situation, said Rice had been working on such an agreement for some time before the attack on Qana, Lebanon. The airstrike early Sunday killed more than 50 people, including many children.

Ereli said that Israel will coordinate with the United Nations to allow a 24-hour period of safe passage for all residents of south Lebanon who want to leave the region.

"We expect that Israel will implement these decisions so as to significantly speed and improve the flow of humanitarian aid," he added.

Israel did what they are supposed to do. When the US tells them to jump, they say how high. The US should have done this days ago. If Hezzbollah keeps fighting then Israel should do whatever they want, but when you take US money, you do what we tell you. Atleast they got that straight.

[Downthestretch55]

Originally Posted by boldruler

Israel did what they are supposed to do. When the US tells them to jump, they say how high. The US should have done this days ago. If Hezzbollah keeps fighting then Israel should do whatever they want, but when you take US money, you do what we tell you. Atleast they got that straight.

Pgardn and Bold Ruler,
While I certainly respect your intelligent opinions, I think there is something much more important at stake.
Israel is hell bent on dragging the US into this conflict (besides the US supplied weapons). Hezzbolah rides the point for the Arab world.
Despite a short term cease fire to evacuate the innocents, this situation has ramifications that will escalate very quickly.
In the current state of affairs, it's very easy to point fingers and accuse each side of being "animals".
Unfortunately, that doesn't bring resolution to the matter.
Blaming continues to incite.
The Arab world is "on fire" now.
In my view, it's time to take a deep breath.

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/0729-02.htm

Originally Posted by Downthestretch55

Pgardn and Bold Ruler,
While I certainly respect your intelligent opinions, I think there is something much more important at stake.
Israel is hell bent on dragging the US into this conflict (besides the US supplied weapons). Hezzbolah rides the point for the Arab world.
Despite a short term cease fire to evacuate the innocents, this situation has ramifications that will escalate very quickly.
In the current state of affairs, it's very easy to point fingers and accuse each side of being "animals".
Unfortunately, that doesn't bring resolution to the matter.
Blaming continues to incite.
The Arab world is "on fire" now.
In my view, it's time to take a deep breath.

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/0729-02.htm

Of course Israel is trying to drag the US into this conflict. Any idiot can see that. If Bush does that though he will lose the House and the Senate in the fall. Let Israel sink or swim on its own. The US should stop giving them aid and then the Arab world won't have supporting Israel to hang around our neck. It is much more important that the Arabs like us than the Israelis. We need support from the average citizen in these arab countries if we are ever going to get rid of the crazies, and we will never get it as long as we support Israel.

[somerfrost]

Originally Posted by boldruler

Of course Israel is trying to drag the US into this conflict. Any idiot can see that. If Bush does that though he will lose the House and the Senate in the fall. Let Israel sink or swim on its own. The US should stop giving them aid and then the Arab world won't have supporting Israel to hang around our neck. It is much more important that the Arabs like us than the Israelis. We need support from the average citizen in these arab countries if we are ever going to get rid of the crazies, and we will never get it as long as we support Israel.

Been reading this thread and two things are obvious:
1. you really hate Israel, so much so that you refuse to see what is so very obvious...no use continuing, you are blind.
2. you think very simplistically...the same folks who blame us for supporting Israel blame us for existing. If Israel falls, we lose a friend and the world loses a democracy...and what country do you suppose the Israeli-hating terrorists will target next?
We support Israel because it is the right thing to do...sure the bomb makers and other special interest groups have financial motives, but the average guy in the street can tell a democracy from a nest of psuedo-religious fanatics! You cannot reason with terrorists...why can't you understand that?? If Israel should fall, that solves nothing and emboldens them further. You negotiate with sane folks who want peace, you kill terrorists!

Originally Posted by somerfrost

Been reading this thread and two things are obvious:
1. you really hate Israel, so much so that you refuse to see what is so very obvious...no use continuing, you are blind.
2. you think very simplistically...the same folks who blame us for supporting Israel blame us for existing. If Israel falls, we lose a friend and the world loses a democracy...and what country do you suppose the Israeli-hating terrorists will target next?
We support Israel because it is the right thing to do...sure the bomb makers and other special interest groups have financial motives, but the average guy in the street can tell a democracy from a nest of psuedo-religious fanatics! You cannot reason with terrorists...why can't you understand that?? If Israel should fall, that solves nothing and emboldens them further. You negotiate with sane folks who want peace, you kill terrorists!

Agree totally.

Originally Posted by pgardn

Agree totally.

I am just going to guess the both of you have an allegiance to two countries. That is why you think my taxes should buy a military for your other country.

Originally Posted by somerfrost

Been reading this thread and two things are obvious:
1. you really hate Israel, so much so that you refuse to see what is so very obvious...no use continuing, you are blind.
2. you think very simplistically...the same folks who blame us for supporting Israel blame us for existing. If Israel falls, we lose a friend and the world loses a democracy...and what country do you suppose the Israeli-hating terrorists will target next?
We support Israel because it is the right thing to do...sure the bomb makers and other special interest groups have financial motives, but the average guy in the street can tell a democracy from a nest of psuedo-religious fanatics! You cannot reason with terrorists...why can't you understand that?? If Israel should fall, that solves nothing and emboldens them further. You negotiate with sane folks who want peace, you kill terrorists!

See the following post.

Originally Posted by somerfrost

Been reading this thread and two things are obvious:
1. you really hate Israel, so much so that you refuse to see what is so very obvious...no use continuing, you are blind.
2. you think very simplistically...the same folks who blame us for supporting Israel blame us for existing. If Israel falls, we lose a friend and the world loses a democracy...and what country do you suppose the Israeli-hating terrorists will target next?
We support Israel because it is the right thing to do...sure the bomb makers and other special interest groups have financial motives, but the average guy in the street can tell a democracy from a nest of psuedo-religious fanatics! You cannot reason with terrorists...why can't you understand that?? If Israel should fall, that solves nothing and emboldens them further. You negotiate with sane folks who want peace, you kill terrorists!

From reading this thread I can tell you care more about Israel than you do America and its citizens.

I don't hate Israel. I just don't care about them. I have cities in my own country that are in need of money, but instead my dollar is going to build a military for a country that can afford its own military. If your first allegiance is to another country, maybe you should move.

You however are clueless. We support them because "it is the right thing to do" is ridiculous. The right thing to do is take care of my own country, not some other.

Israel should do whatever it wants, just do it with their own money. I am a realist, we get nothing from Israel. Nothing. The Arab countries atleast have oil, so I see why we have to make a deal with that devil, but there is no reason to make a deal with a devil that has nothing to give you in return.

[Rupert Pupkin]

Originally Posted by boldruler

From reading this thread I can tell you care more about Israel than you do America and its citizens.

I don't hate Israel. I just don't care about them. I have cities in my own country that are in need of money, but instead my dollar is going to build a military for a country that can afford its own military. If your first allegiance is to another country, maybe you should move.

You however are clueless. We support them because "it is the right thing to do" is ridiculous. The right thing to do is take care of my own country, not some other.

Israel should do whatever it wants, just do it with their own money. I am a realist, we get nothing from Israel. Nothing. The Arab countries atleast have oil, so I see why we have to make a deal with that devil, but there is no reason to make a deal with a devil that has nothing to give you in return.

You are truly hopeless. The US is always going to help their allies. We have a long history of doing so. If we didn't help Britain and France in World War II, we would have been in trouble. If you were in charge back then, Germany would have taken over the world.

Luckily for us, support for Israel is a bi-partisan thing in Congress. I guess you need to explain to all the policy-makers on both sides of the aisle that supporting Israel is not in our interest.

I got a kick out of your post where you called Israel "the devil". I know that you also called the Arabs the same thing, but how could you say that about Israel? Here is a tiny country that is just trying to survive and you think they are "the devil" for defending themselves. It's a joke.

Originally Posted by Downthestretch55

Pgardn and Bold Ruler,
While I certainly respect your intelligent opinions, I think there is something much more important at stake.
Israel is hell bent on dragging the US into this conflict (besides the US supplied weapons). Hezzbolah rides the point for the Arab world.
Despite a short term cease fire to evacuate the innocents, this situation has ramifications that will escalate very quickly.
In the current state of affairs, it's very easy to point fingers and accuse each side of being "animals".
Unfortunately, that doesn't bring resolution to the matter.
Blaming continues to incite.
The Arab world is "on fire" now.
In my view, it's time to take a deep breath.

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/0729-02.htm

I respectfully disagree most vehemently. HEZBOLLAH wants to drag the US into a conflict. Do you guys remember that the southern border had been peaceful until this group of animals decided the time was right to kidnap Israelis in Israel?