I haven’t had the time to jot down a word on two on this blog in a while; the reason being that I’m simply at a loss for words. What is happening in the already volatile region ails me to no end. From Gaza to Iraq and now to Lebanon, things are deteriorating from bad to worse. Israel’s actions in Lebanon are yet another form of collective punishment that the Jewish State has so skillfully mastered over the years, with the latest example being Gaza where dozens of civilians, including women and children, have perished. Someone, somehow, must put an end to the carnage. It really is beyond comprehension.
What Hizbullah did was provocative and stupid. I see it as Hizbullah’s way of flexing their muscles. They say their attack across the border was to show solidarity with the Palestinians. What I see is that they not only drug their whole country to the bring of war, and killed civilians from both sides of the conflict, but, ironically, they have managed to distract the world’s attention away from the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Lebanon occupies a special place in my heart. I have visited this beautiful country so many times and every time I go there I fall even more in love with this breathtaking place. I have a number of Lebanese friends who I admire greatly and have the utmost respect. My heart goes out to you in these very difficult times. My heart also goes out to the Gazans who are also being bombarded for the actions of one group who also chose the now trendy regional game of muscle flexing.
My heart also goes out to the Iraqis who are now immersed in a civil war. My heart also goes out to the Syrians, the Egyptians, the Jordanians, the Somalis and eventually to humanity itself for what we are witnessing nowadays is a sheer insult to our state of being.
Firas,
I figured that you were referring to this forum, and you make a good point. Duly noted.
Jim,
You as well have made very good points. Well said.
Woof.
I’m very sorry that some of the people I know through this website are being attacked. Natasha and Karen are two people whom I greatly respect. I would also say that some of you lack the most basic of manners and that burden is one your parents must bare.
In all honesty I wouldn’t mind seeing Hizbullah, as Natasha spells it, consigned to the dustbin of history. I’ve seen some of their textbooks from their schools translated and it’s mostly “zionist” this and “zionist” that and a bit of “Muslim theocracy” added in for the benefit of Iran and Syria who’ve funded so many of their foul efforts. Both are regional troublemakers that, were I a practicing Muslim living in Jordan with some of the benefits of western civilization like the internet and birth control, would scare the daylights out of me.
Several of you have taken swipes at America in your comments and that’s fine. I would point out that Natasha is currently living here and at no point has she been asked to convert to some form of religion, been told to dress a certain way, attend a Nascar event, swear allegiance to Chimpy Mc Bu$hitler, fund an IDF prayer breakfast or shoot an Native American. Stunning but lost on the tinfoil hat wearing society.
Am I pleased that innocent civilians are caught in the crossfire? No. Do I take my thought points from Al Jazeera, CNN, Daily Kos or any of the other slanted and skewed viewpoints out there? No. I watch and read and try to cut the b.s. I get buried under.
On that note let me mention that the publically disclosed records of the former Iraqi government have done more in my mind to merit liberating that country than any other arguement I’ve heard, anywhere. The Mubahkarat, sorry for the poor spelling, and the various arms of the President were among the most evil I’ve ever heard of. There’s also a lot of damning evidence pointing to things moved to Syria that is equally unsettling.
I’ve always thought of Natasha as a marvelous bridge of the the Western and Middle Eastern worlds. A progressive, modern woman whose cultural upbringing isn’t threated by new ideas or has to be displayed through violence and threats. She certainly doesn’t strike me as willing to fall for everything she’s ever been told, a trait many of you don’t seem to bear.
God bless Natasha. You and the hubby are always welcome to come visit.
Best,
Jim
Dm, yes, agreed.
But I was referring to this forum.
If such BS is killing people, we shouldn’t follow in its footsteps here.
It’s because of the “political BS” that thousands of innocent people are being killed.
Keep the political BS for another day.
Save the people of Lebanon.
http://epetitions.net/julywar/
3gola: “What is even more sickening is that everytime you see a story about an Israeli family on CNN, it starst with something like “Aron moved to Israel from New York 3 years ago”. “Sharon moved to Israel from Russia 8 years ago” etc…”
“And Palestinian lives continue to be ruined and homes demolished. How can the world be so silent about this injustice, I don’t get it.”
The problem is that you’re seeing it, as you said, on CNN. The U.S. government has an alliance with Israel, so you’ll never hear about anything happening in Palestine that’s bad for the Palestinians, or anything that will give Israel a negative image, through majority of the American media. It’s the same way with Iraq. If you listen to a conservative media, then you’ll hear about the good that is happening over there. Likewise, if you listen to a liberal media, then you’ll hear nothing but the horrors of the war. Majority (notice I didn’t say all) of the media is slanted, one way or the other.
As someone born and raised in the United States, I have to admit (and it’s obvious), that Israel historically has always been looked at as the victim by the American government, so growing up that’s what I always believed — not because I was raised by my parents to think that way or anything like that (because I wasn’t), but because that’s all the media portrays. Politics at its best. However, now that I’m an adult and realize that there’s two sides to every story, I choose not to “take sides” per se because of the slanted view given to the U.S. public. Due to this, there’s so much that I’m not aware of, which is why I read the Christian Science Monitor for foreign news, as I find it to be quite objective, and have learned a lot from it. It’s one of the very few sources of news where I don’t feel like I’m being coerced to believe one thing over another. Other than that, where do I go for the truth, instead of what someone wants me to believe is the truth? Unfortunately, I simply don’t have the answer.
I confess that I do not know enough about the details in a truly objective manner to form an opinion, either way. I have, however, been reading up as best I can on the recent crisis involving Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, etc, and it drives me to frustration! How much more fighting and killing has to happen until there is an end to the madness?
At any rate, innocent people are being killed every single day. Innocent people in Iraq, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, and every other country involved in this mess at the hands of their governments, no matter who’s right or wrong. The common citizens of these countries are not the ones to blame, yet they’re the ones suffering the consequences. The loss of innocent life…that’s what troubles me the most, and no one will stand up and put an end to it regardless of blame. In my opinion, the finger pointing by these governments is only making things worse. What these governments need to do is seriously think about how to bring peace to this situation rather than concentrate on who’s fault it is — that is, however, just my own opinion.
This is getting way beyond sickening. People are dying, kids are dying, infrastructure of a whole nation is being demolished. Our people are suffering in Palestine and Lebanon.
Israel will probably attack Syria next, maybe Iran if they dare, who knows.
This is so sick, how can the world let all this happen. Well I guess they’ve allowed it to happen for many many years already.
What is even more sickening is that everytime you see a story about an Israeli family on CNN, it starst with something like “Aron moved to Israel from New York 3 years ago”. “Sharon moved to Israel from Russia 8 years ago” etc…
And Palestinian lives continue to be ruined and homes demolished. How can the world be so silent about this injustice, I don’t get it.
sanction have been blessed by many…..
as we find our way in the post cold war world
Having first seem logical to me, I see they are
as efective as a labotomy. Justified as far less crule than war, the logic is sickening.
getting back to the topic of Lebanon (and syria), Israel and Palestine
what do people suggest as initial and long term steps for a bit of peace? must palestine have a new govenment? must lebanon use syria to protect it boarders? what? I dont know any more
dm,
yeah she does say she regrets saying it for certain reasons, but some of them deal with the very fact that terrorist organization use her comment as a reason to fight the americans. here is an interesting piece that shows how terrorists took advantage of that comment, on Wikipedia:
————————————————-
In 1996, she made highly controversial remarks in an interview with Leslie Stahl on CBS’s Sixty Minutes. Asked by Stahl with regards to effect of sanctions against Iraq: “We have heard that half a million children have died. I mean, that’s more children than died in Hiroshima. And, you know, is the price worth it?” Albright replied: “I think this is a very hard choice, but the price — we think the price is worth it.” [3]. When asked about this remark in 2005 she said “I never should have made it, it was stupid”, but she still supported the concept of tailored sanctions [4].
The lawyers of Mohamed al-‘Owhali, convicted in the 1998 bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya, would later play back Albright’s Sixty Minutes comment in an attempt to save the terrorist from the death penalty. [5]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madeleine_Albright
————————————————-
also, if you want to see the infamous clip that CBS does not show anymore because i think they were asked by Albrights people to stop showing it, you can see it on youtube at this link:
http://youtube.com/watchv=foGkRxZO5is&search=Albright
welcome 3ogla!
Linda
Thanks for clarifying. I wasn’t sure because you started your post by saying Albright gave the answer. Anyway I’m sorry I misunderstood and thats why I asked before I said anything else.
dm:
Yes also Albright claims that after 60 years of her life she discovered that her parents were in the holocaust. yeah and I just discovered that my parents house was demolished by Israel. LOL
Albright is a hypocrit and no better than the extreme rigth wing.