Definitely, the most sensible thing i have seen in a long time….

israel/lebanon and the disproportionate bombings: i assume there is a great deal more realpolitik going on here than i’m aware of. assuming the iranians via the syrians have in recent months upped the arming of the hezbollah, then one might see the reason for israel to go all out and destroy the hezbollah bases. i do not condone bombing of civilian targets in response to the kidnapping of 2 soldiers, but one might see the rationale of a larger offensive in the face of a bigger looming threat.

on kashmir: the ISI of Pakistan is a curious establishment. since the soviet invasion of afghanistan in 1979, the ISI was the main conduit for the US to funnel money and armaments to the rebels – it operated almost like a state within a state. the powers-that-be saw the windfall of american money and arms as an opportunity to get back at india for the loss of bangladesh (east pakistan) in the 1971 war, and diverted money and arms to train terrorists – initially in the Punjab in the early 80s (the indian prime minister, indira gandhi, was killed by them). That insurgency died out towards the end of the decade, to be replaced by sponsored terrorism in kashmir in 1991.

The only truly indigenous rebel movement in Kashmir was the JKLF – once banned, it has now become a valid political party and participates in elections.

There are a myriad of differnt groups today operating in the region, but the most prominent of them is the LeT.

LeT guerillas are directly related to that other wonderful entity in that region – the Taliban. They share a common ideology (pan-islamism), common training grounds (NWFP) and the same creators (the ISI).

The geography of the region helps – kashmir, afghanistan and pakistan share a common border.

Had the US intelligence not turned a blind eye to the ISI’s “extra-curricular” activities in funding terrorism in India for 20 years, and the jihad factories been shut down when the Russians withdrew – Afghanistan wouldn’t have had the Taliban, and OBL wouldnt have a place to hide.

BTW, have you noticed that the history of the US is filled with the same “terrorism, murder, ethnic cleansing, and massive theft”? It is still happenning. You call them “Native americans” but you put them in “reserves”. This is hypocracy in action.

And good morning to you Virgil Johnson:”Lebanon is being subjugated, plain an simple. There is no other reason for the massive civilian killings and destruction to the infrastructure. Lebanon is being turned into an Israeli protectorate, wake up and smell the coffee. End of story.”

What about rockets (thousands by now) being fired at Israeli towns and villages, killing innocent people (The Hizbollah even said they are sorry that 2 arab brothers, aged 5 and 3 were killed….). What about the fact that the attacks took place inside Israeli territory and against a UN resolution (1559 FYI). Did you know that before the bombings, flyers are spread to warn civilians?
Are we (Yes, I am an Israeli) supposed to just sit back? what would you do if someone came into your house?

Israel has left Lebanon six years ago. The Lebanese government let Hizzbollah dictate the agenda in Lebanon. N

Thank God Samuel Stott isn’t an hysterical, ad hominizing joker. Samuel’s reasoned, insightful commentary consistently sets him apart.

Woody, if you want an object lesson in why people find you disingenuous, this is it.

Here you are last August:

Being cozy with Hussein in Reagan’s era was a relationship of mutual convenience.

It was not the left that visited Hussein in 1983 after it was documented that he used chemical weapons, it was Donald Rumsfeld as an envoy of Ronald Reagan.

It was the George H. W. Bush administration that doubled the available credits from the Commodity Credit Corporation to Saddam from US0,000,000 to US ,000,000,000 after the chemical attacks in Halabja.

Blaming it on the left is not borne out by the facts, Woody.

I agree with you. There are many, many Leftists who are working in good faith. They are undoubtedly part of the solution.

And then, on the other hand you have hysterical, ad-homenizing jokers like “Reg,” and posts like this one from:

Matter on
July 21st, 2006 at 8:08 am:

(WITH MY COMMENTS IN CAPS)

Oh please. Israel is willing to IMPOSE peace, at the barrel of a gun. That’s how the country was created: through terrorism, murder, ethnic cleansing, and massive theft.

CLASSIC NIAVE, VULGAR LEFTISM HERE. WHAT NATION-STATE IS NOT DRENCHED IN BLOOD?

Of course, most Jews in the US refuse to address these facts, and usually resort to denying them entirely.

I’M NOT A JEW. FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS CONVERSATION, THE RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION OF YOUR INTERLOCUTORS IS IRRELEVANT. OR MAYBE NOT, DUDE OR DUDETTE, AS THE CASE MAY BE. PERHAPS YOU HAVE A THEORY ABOUT THE AMERICAN “JEW LOBBY” OR JEWS IN GENERAL. OR PERHAPS YOU WERE JUST SLOPPY WITH YOUR WORDING.

Then they resort to statements about “Israel’s right to exist” – which means, in essence, a right to a free pass on the massive crimes committed to create the state of Israel.

WELL, NO, AND EXACTLY NO. YOU WOULD BE HARD-PRESSED TO FIND EVEN ISRAELI JEWS WHO WON’T STIPULATE THAT ISRAEL HAS COMMITTED CRIMES. REFERENCES TO ISRAEL’S RIGHT TO EXIST GENERALLY REFERENCE ISRAEL’S RIGHT TO EXIST, A RIGHT VOUCHSAFED BY THE UNITED NATIONS UPON ITS BIRTH AND ON A CONTINUING BASIS. DON’T BE COY. ARE YOU INPLYING THAT ISRAEL DOES NOT HAVE A RIGHT TO EXIST? SPEAK ENGLISH.

YEECH!

israel/lebanon and the disproportionate bombings: i assume there is a great deal more realpolitik going on here than i’m aware of. assuming the iranians via the syrians have in recent months upped the arming of the hezbollah, then one might see the reason for israel to go all out and destroy the hezbollah bases. i do not condone bombing of civilian targets in response to the kidnapping of 2 soldiers, but one might see the rationale of a larger offensive in the face of a bigger looming threat.

on kashmir: the ISI of Pakistan is a curious establishment. since the soviet invasion of afghanistan in 1979, the ISI was the main conduit for the US to funnel money and armaments to the rebels – it operated almost like a state within a state. the powers-that-be saw the windfall of american money and arms as an opportunity to get back at india for the loss of bangladesh (east pakistan) in the 1971 war, and diverted money and arms to train terrorists – initially in the Punjab in the early 80s (the indian prime minister, indira gandhi, was killed by them). That insurgency died out towards the end of the decade, to be replaced by sponsored terrorism in kashmir in 1991.

The only truly indigenous rebel movement in Kashmir was the JKLF – once banned, it has now become a valid political party and participates in elections.

There are a myriad of differnt groups today operating in the region, but the most prominent of them is the LeT.

LeT guerillas are directly related to that other wonderful entity in that region – the Taliban. They share a common ideology (pan-islamism), common training grounds (NWFP) and the same creators (the ISI).

The geography of the region helps – kashmir, afghanistan and pakistan share a common border.

Had the US intelligence not turned a blind eye to the ISI’s “extra-curricular” activities in funding terrorism in India for 20 years, and the jihad factories been shut down when the Russians withdrew – Afghanistan wouldn’t have had the Taliban, and OBL wouldnt have a place to hide.