Israel and Lebanon : “Insensitive” and “Stone-Hearted” Nations & People Watch the “FUN”
I haven’t yet heard of any peace march or demonstration in any part of this Planet Earth despite the ongoing cold-blooded killings of children and women in Israel and Lebanon (or for that matter in Afghanistan and Iraq). Have people in all the countries become totally “insensitive”?
Is this what economic liberalization and globalization all about? The naked dance for economic advantage/prosperity…and in the process forgetting any human values/concerns. Will the new slogan be shaped by this hedonist path…”We live to eat…and damn the world”.
These sad/alarming thoughts came to mind when I read the following report – “Toll of a war that shames the world” – in The Independent dated 08 August 2006.
29 Lebanese Army soldiers have been killed. 3,293 Lebanese have been wounded. 45 per cent of the casualties have been children. 913,000 Lebanese have been displaced (300,000 of whom are children). 94 Israelis have been killed and 1,867 wounded.
10,000 Israeli soldiers are currently fighting Hizbollah in southern Lebanon. 3,000 rockets have been fired at Israel by Hizbollah. The average number of rockets fired daily by Hizbollah in the first week of the conflict was 90. Over the past five days, it has been 169.
Israel has flown 8,700 bombing sorties, destroying 146 bridges and 72 roads. Damage caused to Lebanon’s infrastructure is estimated at $2bn. Up to 30,000 tons of oil have spilled into the Mediterranean since an Israeli air strike on Jieh power station.
The international community (apart from Britain and the US) has called for an immediate ceasefire. As yet, the number of UN resolutions: 0
Then there is Robert Fisk’s column where he writes about the “Crocodile tears of leaders as city burns”.
And the world leaders play their own games at the United Nations. “Efforts at the UN to approve a Security Council resolution demanding a suspension of fighting in Lebanon were set back by at least another 24 hours last night after diplomats agreed to listen first hand to objections being raised by foreign ministers of the Arab League.”
17 Responses to “Israel and Lebanon : “Insensitive” and “Stone-Hearted” Nations & People Watch the “FUN””
There have been both pro-Israel and anti-Israel demonstrations in Amsterdam.
Swaraaj
There has been demonstrations, but its not getting the media coverage. Though I agree, there should be more. At least here in the U.S. there should be a heck of a lot more public dissent at least over Iraq. Unfortunately Israel took Iraq out of the media eye, or, the media is using Lebanon as an excuse not to cover the mayhem in Iraq anymore. I am very suspicious about this.
There is no draft so all our kids have to do is simply not join the military and it does not affect them. Very much unlike Vietnam. No reason for them to fear being drafted into a war. Young people can remain separate from it all, put it out of their mind, live as if it does not exist. Who wants to contemplate war 24/7 anyway?
I would say that any popularity for the Iraqi war is all but gone. The slaughter is disgusting and the shear failure of our politicians and our military will cause many to vote against those whom have advocated this war in Iraq. Oh the die hard war supporters will cry “9/11� and beat their breasts but the fact remains that we still don’t have Usama Bin Ladden and we have no troops in Pakistan where he is apparently hiding out. Iraq is such a mess now, even if Saddam himself master minded 9/11 the invasion of Iraq would still be considered an ignorant idea.
I also find it interesting that nobody is saying whom is arming the Insurgents in Afghanistan or openly accusing Iran of arming Shia insurgents in Iraq. Surely these weapons are being manufactured in either Russian or China. Why no official outcry against those supplying the weapons in Iraq and Afghanistan, but big wailing and gnashing of teeth over Iran supplying hezbullah weapons?
This is a foolish statement. Read any Lebanese blog and you will find references to demonstrations all over the globe (including in Israel) against this awful war. And the demos HAVE been covered by the MSM. So no excuse there either. While your sentiments are laudable, pls. do some more homework before you make such statements.
I was talking about the pubic domain – the media coverage. Ordinary people don’t visit blogs to know what is happening in small pockets somewhere. Let any one say with honesty that there has been some public expression of sympathy and grief over the continuing violent and barbaric incidents. Frankly, I don’t know of any such demonstrations.
Can somebody please explain to me why Israel keeps attacking Lebanese Christian towns? I’m frankly more bothered by Israel’s attacks against non-Hezbollah areas than I am against heavily populated Hezbollah areas. It may be callous to attack a Hezbollah rocket launcher that happens to be located near a civilian area, knowing dozens of civilians will die. But it is downright stupid to attack the very elements in Lebanon that could dismantle Hezbollah if it had the chance.
There have been lots of public peace events.
Toledo Blade: Hundreds attend interfaith service for peace, justice
Elrod, either a) Hezbollah is in those towns or b) it’s a mistake.
Another falsified photo coming from Reuters!
And guess what: some more falsified war photography.
This time I’m not joking. I think we should be careful believing what we read. Even what we see with our own eyes is not always the truth.
israel has also attacked port facilities used by hezbollah.
I attended a rally in support of Israel and against Hezbollah, as my way of supporting real peace.
Salmenio
Elrod
I think the Israelis just like to kill. Its a small pecker problem.
Ok , I think this rises to an anti-semtic remark. Would anyone like to tell me where I am wrong ?
Elrod said :
It may be callous to attack a Hezbollah rocket launcher that happens to be located near a civilian area, knowing dozens of civilians will die.
To do otherwise might be suicidal . Stick to teaching History despite your ability to learn anything from it .
Elrod said :
But it is downright stupid to attack the very elements in Lebanon that could dismantle Hezbollah if it had the chance.
Is that an example of the critical thinking you claimed professors try to teach? You posed the question, Answer it yourself!
Elrod :
Can somebody please explain to me why Israel keeps attacking Lebanese Christian towns?
I have more respect for Salmenio for having the balls to say what he means .( and I have virtually no respect at all for the nut) But I am more offended by artful gadflies who lack the courage of their convictions. Pose all the questions you like but be prepared to answer them as well.
Salmenio
Elrod
I think the Israelis just like to kill. Its a small pecker problem.
I can’t let this remark go . While I am a big advocate of freedom of speach and can debate in the strongest terms without becoming offended I feel this has crossed the line . I’m calling out the owner of this blog and all of the contributing writers .Is everything fair game here ? Can I use the N word ? How about overtly mysoginist comments ?
If EVERYTHING is permissable I am fine with it . But to take a stand against that kind of speach and allow this is simply ANTI_SEMETIC IN AND OF ITSELF !
This is just not acceptable on a blog that has been so respectful of it’s readers and commenters .
Joe Gandlman , WHERE DO YOU STAND ? I pose the same question to the rest of the writers .I am furious at the double standard I see here .
Wow . I spelled speech wrong twice
A reminder that the tone in comments needs to be a bit higher than we’ve seen in some instances. I’ve just deleted a comment by someone and emailed him privately. We won’t do deletions and emails too many times. Please note that comment sections are sort of like letters to the editors pages. We do very little editing and moderation of them on this site but that assumes we don’t have to…and there really is no TIME to do it. So we’ve deleted this comment.
Fake outrage.
This is Kaliyug……..the era of Kali……so what do you expect.All such trouble spots are centered around the Middle East……..where there is sweet jaggery flies are sure to come.The mighty US of A comes to the Middle East, Israel has been relocated there (apart from historical reassons why not elsewhere?)……..so everything is as it should be……running it’s natural way,. …for you are and will always stay.
To Kali
We talk about creation
and creativity
What about destruction
and destructivity
Mother Shyama
smiles in the darkness
with sword in hand
and skulls around her neck
she destroys
to create again
It is her play,
when the autumn leaves fall
and the earth is filled
with the smell of humus
the air is charged
with the promise of
a new beginning
Beginnings have ends
that have beginnings
“O� Mother what is thy sport
Let me be free of
ends and beginnings
like the kite whose thread is cut
and drifts free
no more an actor
but a spectator
free to float
and experience
new realms of being
Why dost thou hold me
with thy thread
Better to be severed
by the sword of Kali
Than to be caught
in the world of Maya
Kiran Chauhan