What’s going on in the Middle East?

Between my Sunday chores, I’m watching Fox, MSNBC, CNN (briefly), and C-SPAN… but you don’t need me to tell you what’s being said and shown there. Instead, I’ll just point out a few bloggers who are living amongst or near the conflict(s).

Israellycool
Rantings of a Sandmonkey
Lebanese Blogger Forum (warning, the linked site contains graphic images of the horrors of war)

No matter how angry the anti-Syrian forces in Lebanon get, they would never attack their Arab neighbor – they’re not even armed, and couldn’t if they wanted to. Anti-Israeli forces don’t even see Israel as a neighbor, and don’t affiord it any respect, even that of an adversary. They hate Israel so much that they are willing to destroy themselves because of this hatred. Unfortunately, they also don’t care if they destroy everyone else. Hizbullah’s like the ghost girl from The Ring – it never forgives, it never sleeps, and it destroys indescriminately.

Lebanese Political Journal
One of the authors here hits home with this (with my highlights):

Hezbollah learned from the United States. Ask Victor Davis Hansen or Mark Steyn. They’ll tell you that the US should have never backed down when proto-Hezbollah destroyed the US Embassy. The US shouldn’t have backed down after the Marine Corps barracks were destroyed. I agree with them. You shouldn’t have. We wouldn’t have all the problems with them today if they hadn’t learned from you that their system works. They couldn’t do any of this if you weren’t bending over backwards to appease the Syrians and cuddle with the Iranians.

Nothing going on today started last night. The world is paying the price for decades (perhaps centuries) of ugly, stupid people doing ugly, stupid things over land and power. We can only hope to have the intestinal fortitude to stay the course and help this region of the world evolve and join the 21st century.

Does that statement mean I approve of the killing of “innocent” Lebanese (or Palestinian, or Iraqi, etc.?) civilians? Most certainly not. I would suggest, however, that anyone living with or among the jihadists/terrorists/”militants” are not innocent, and (according to the recent SCOTUS ruling, apparently) not civilians. They’re support troops. They’re human shields. They’re enablers.

Writing this, I’m reminded of this older post.

2 Comments

  1. You said…
    I would suggest, however, that anyone living with or among the jihadists/terrorists/”militants” are not innocent, and (according to the recent SCOTUS ruling, apparently) not civilians.

    Did you not know that there is currently an apartheid in Israel/Palestine?

    The term “Terrorist” which you and others use so loosley is becoming the red flag for ignorant labeling to which the American people are catching on. The proof of this is well illustrated in in a statement from wikipedia on the Iraeli-Palestian Conflict where it says,

    Conversely, those sympathetic to Israeli military action and other Israeli measures against the Palestinians tend to view these actions as legitimate Israeli self-defense against a campaign of terrorism perpetrated by Palestinian groups such as Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Fatah and others, and supported by other states in the region and by the majority of the Palestinians, at least those Palestinians who are not Israeli citizens.”

    (Wikipedia.org)

    Americans have slowly but surely begun to learn that these labels have been a way to deceive them into ignorant racism and hatred.

    There is no way to bring the West up to speed on issues that pre-date US foreign policy overnight. But I am sure that over-time the American people will figure it out and justice will prevail.

    wasalaam.

  2. I’ve heard the “apartheid” claim, and I scoff at it. If you want to re-define a word to gain sympathy for a group, try to pick one that wasn’t so clearly defined to begin with. Since you pulled the wikipedia card I suggest you start here and come back when you find a new word.

    Arab-Israelis participate in the society, economy, and government of Israel. The same cannot be said for the black Africans of apartheid South Africa.

    Beyond all that… the original post was about Hezbollah, a group that operates against Israel from Lebanon. You immediately jumped to the Palestinians, who support the radical, militant, terrorist group Hamas. Hamas conducts terrorist actions against Israel, and have been branded with the title “terrorist organization” for their actions.

    Having said all that, I would remind you that I left it to the reader to pick the title that suits them:

    I would suggest, however, that anyone living with or among the jihadists/terrorists/”militants” are not innocent, and (according to the recent SCOTUS ruling, apparently) not civilians. They’re support troops. They’re human shields. They’re enablers.

    My point and opinion remain, unchanged.

    Thank you for your comment.

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