If the other thread deteriorated it was because Ithaka made some pretty juvenille comments on an issue that he obviously know's nothing about, which was bound to offend and upset people. The current Lebanon/Israel is a touchy topic, no matter how you put it.
I don't pretend to be an expert, I am most certainly not, but I have studied the Israel/Arab situation a couple of times in university. So I will say this. Keep in mind that I am not supporting either the Israeli government or the Hezbollah.
Israel has never ever made a secret of the fact that any perceived slight to their soverignty would result in the maximum use of force. They have always maintained this, and they have always reacted according to it. This is a result of post Haloucaust thinking, and the result of being surrounded by people who want them dead. The Hezbollah know this and acted knowing what the result would be. The Palestinians do the same thing.
Whether this is right or wrong is a touchy subject. They do have the right to defend themselves, but do they have the right to kill innocent civilians to do it?
Keep in mind that innocent civilians are killed in every war, regardless of who is the antagonist and who the victim. That is war, it is messy, dirty and bloody. In my opinion war is never the answer.
Also what you said about what actually caused the war is somewhat of a moot point. Every action taken by Israel or Hezbollah or Hamas is a reaction to another action to another reaction to another action and henceforth down the line for the last 3000 years.
Also Israel is only taking its cue from the United States. Look at Afghanistan it is the same situation, what right did the US have to go in there and destroy a soverign government (or Iraq for that matter)even if it was one they disagreed with? I disagree with the Bush administration, does that mean I have the right to invade the US and destroy it? I believe the US supports teorrism (all the IRA's money comes from Boston and New York after all) does that mean I have a right to wage war against the entire country to rid it of those terrorist cells?
Rules of Engagement and Rules of Conduct in war are just slips of paper and attempts to bring order from chaos. War is war, there are no rules, people get hurt. It sucks, but it's a fact of life.
Israel is doing what it believes to be the right thing, as is Lebanon as is Hezbollah. Eventually nations that are not involved in this will think of someway to undermine the soverignty of both countries and impose a ceasefire or some agreement. Which will probably result in more bloodshed and chaos. It's a nasty circle, but its how international diplomacy works.
If the other thread deteriorated it was because Ithaka made some pretty juvenille comments on an issue that he obviously know's nothing about, which was bound to offend and upset people. The current Lebanon/Israel is a touchy topic, no matter how you put it.
I don't pretend to be an expert, I am most certainly not, but I have studied the Israel/Arab situation a couple of times in university. So I will say this. Keep in mind that I am not supporting either the Israeli government or the Hezbollah.
Israel has never ever made a secret of the fact that any perceived slight to their soverignty would result in the maximum use of force. They have always maintained this, and they have always reacted according to it. This is a result of post Haloucaust thinking, and the result of being surrounded by people who want them dead. The Hezbollah know this and acted knowing what the result would be. The Palestinians do the same thing.
Whether this is right or wrong is a touchy subject. They do have the right to defend themselves, but do they have the right to kill innocent civilians to do it?
Keep in mind that innocent civilians are killed in every war, regardless of who is the antagonist and who the victim. That is war, it is messy, dirty and bloody. In my opinion war is never the answer.
Also what you said about what actually caused the war is somewhat of a moot point. Every action taken by Israel or Hezbollah or Hamas is a reaction to another action to another reaction to another action and henceforth down the line for the last 3000 years.
Also Israel is only taking its cue from the United States. Look at Afghanistan it is the same situation, what right did the US have to go in there and destroy a soverign government (or Iraq for that matter)even if it was one they disagreed with? I disagree with the Bush administration, does that mean I have the right to invade the US and destroy it? I believe the US supports teorrism (all the IRA's money comes from Boston and New York after all) does that mean I have a right to wage war against the entire country to rid it of those terrorist cells?
Rules of Engagement and Rules of Conduct in war are just slips of paper and attempts to bring order from chaos. War is war, there are no rules, people get hurt. It sucks, but it's a fact of life.
Israel is doing what it believes to be the right thing, as is Lebanon as is Hezbollah. Eventually nations that are not involved in this will think of someway to undermine the soverignty of both countries and impose a ceasefire or some agreement. Which will probably result in more bloodshed and chaos. It's a nasty circle, but its how international diplomacy works.