Where is the United States in all this Madness?

wow could you not have missed the purpose of the armed forces anymore? We were paid to protect his right to say that. Now I ask what does your time in the armed forces have to do with him living here?

ummmmmm... no, no one -could- possibly call you anti-semite for your position. it's the devil's advocate side that takes a beating... removing all religious connoctations from the conflict, you end up with a rather seemingly overzealous israel overkilling with cruise missiles (and bulldozers knocking over occupied territories not 100% officially their own compared to the amount of deaths incurred with suicide bombers. it's ugly, but it is a matter of totals-to-totals.

that aside... i wish to ask briana... dear, is this contempt for the citizenry bred in the services? my own father (who managed to skirt vietnam himself) seemed to have a large hankerin' of contempt for my freedom to pursue life without military service (as is perfectly allowed by a country that -should- have pursued peace at all costs in all matters, as their sheer size commands leadership).

my current officemate, easily ten+ years younger than me, seems to share a shred of this very same contempt, as he ROTC-ed his way thru two years in germany. (wow, hard work, huh?) do they train you to feel this way? hating those you protect??

believe me, i earned no special scholarships or job opportunities thanks to -not- serving. so what do you hate so much? i never impuned the u.s. military or any servicepeople for doing their duty. only the adminstration/leadership potential of this country.

lol!! right ahead of me... BILLY!! don't go outin' me everywhere, lol ("i see a little silhouette-o of a man?? no, i'm not all that embarrassed about it; i tried a man avi at first, and i just wasn't having any fun. couldn't buy all the kewl sexy clothes i was finding.

p.s., this still applies:

BECAUSE SMART PEOPLE DON'T BUY STUPID SHIT.

most politicians couldn't give a crap how you vote; it's how you buy. they're all invested stock/portfolio owners, and even if you vote them out of office, they'll still make money.

http://www.BUYBLUE.org/

and btw, if you're just so anti-liberal ("sound too much like... 'LIBERTY'..." you can use the same site to buy RED, if you so choose. sad fact is, you probably are already.

lol I do what I can and I fail miserably at what I can't

Read - ”Open mic catches Bush expletive on Mideast”

http://www.cnn.com/

/Tina

http://www.foxnews.com/
oh, hell, for that matter,
http://news.yahoo.com/
satisfied yet? "daily show", last count, still only reaches 1% of the american populace. omg, can't deal with less than 100% control??

not to matter that dailykos is completely unfunded, as far as the writers are concerned. they write for no money. advertisements for support of the huge amount of traffic they get anymore is a necessity, not an option.



i just wonder if the u.s./bush/bolton is ready for the world to tell us to go fuck ourselves.



lives. lives. lives. lives. lives. lives. lives. oh, you sick ****tard... lives. lives. lives. lives. lives. lives. lives. lives. lives.




it gave those in power to destroy a chance to rest and think about how to better solve their problems.



you can offer it opportunity to do so.



yes you can.



the fucking rest of the world???????? yes, it can. i daresay you've no personal participation in the u.n. i have. eat it; it's truth - it doesn't taste good, but it's good for you. digest it. sleep on it. keep the diet up for a couple weeks, and you'll feel better.

your Point of View in this and infact nearly everything brings out the very worst kind of anger in me.

I ask one question and one question only, where would the peacekeeping force come from? Thats right the US.

Over 20,000 Irish troops have served in Lebanon since 1978.

btw, just so you don't think i'm towing 'party'line (the net-dem roots are running crazy lately...)

Why I won't write about Israel/Lebanon/Palestine fighting
by kos
"...Me? I grew up in a war zone. And there was one clear lesson I learned -- there will never be peace unless both sides get tired of the fighting and start seeking an alternative.

It's clear that in the Middle East, no one is sick of the fighting. They have centuries of grudges to resolve, and will continue fighting until they can get over them. And considering that they obviously have no interest in "getting over them", we're stuck with a war that will not end in any forseable future. It doesn't matter what we bloggers say. It doesn't matter what the President of the United States says. Or the United Nations. Or the usual bloviating gasbag pundits.

When two sides are this dead-set on killing each other, very little can get in the way.

And I, for one, sure as heck have no desire to get sucked into that no-win situation. I just hope that war-fatigue sets in at some point."
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/7/17/131952/052
(hmmm, gee, sound familiar??)

I was wrong. Israel is really really really bad.
"Apparently there's money in my future so long as I tailor what I write to reflect the views of my contributors. Just got the following email.

"John,

I am one of your many silent regular readers. I read, but never post. Until the last few days I have highly respected your judgment and analysis, and have contributed to your blog more than once

Your posts on the Israel-Lebanon situation read as if they were written by a strident pro-Israeli. I fully agree with Gilliard. Unless you come to your senses, you have lost a contributor, and possibly a reader.

John P.

Not to mention, would there be something wrong if I were pro-Israeli? I didn't realize that was another category of free speech and free thought that we've now Dixie Chicked."
http://americablog.blogspot.com/2006/07/i-was-wrong-israel-is-really-really.html

no, we don't all agree. that's the beautiful noise of democracy. but the noise of bullets and bombs can only hurt the innocent anymore. it's not like some ancient civil war that only kills who are only dead already. this is affecting those who are still living today... who will be told how horribly their father, their mothers, hell, even their younger brothers and sisters died at the service of an israeli missile - or a u.s. one that was purchased and fired.

that's the problem. do you not freaking understand this??

The problem with the whole line of thought is that like many of the world's religions, Jerusalem in particular and the lands of Isreal in general are a fundamental part of the Judaic faith. I would rather imagine that those Israelis that embrace the Judaism would sooner die than leave their promised land. This may hold true of Israelis of other faiths, as well, but for much the same reason.

I rather think I'd have issues if someone told me it would be expedient to return Arizona to Mexico and gee, you're just gonna have to be relocated elsewhere in the US. Excuse me? I was born here, I rather think I'm planning to go ahead and live out the rest of my natural life here and you want me to what??? And that's without the addition of religious fervor to the mix.

Politics, racism, religious fervor. Any one of the three is volatile. Put all three together and its a wonder the middle east isn't *more* of a mess than it is.

I wish there was a magic way to teach everyone that people are people no matter the color of their skin, their economic, educational or social standing, they are either good or bad as individuals and must be judged accordingly; and that there are many many paths to G-d and the one you travel may not be the right one for your neighbor to travel, but it makes neither of you less holy, less worthy of divine providence, less pure of heart and soul than the other (and that atheists and agnostics have their right to believe their way too!).

In the end, I think all of it is summed up in one of the ten commandments. 'Do unto others as you would have them do unto you'. Hmmm. Treat people the way you want to be treated. Sort of unhinges terrorism. Just can't picture the thought process: 'Gee, I want to be bombed on the bus going to work, so I think I'll go bomb someone else's bus so they get the idea of bombing me'. Uh, yeah, that works.

Unhinges racism. Just can't picture the thought process: 'Gee, I want folks to hate me cause I have blonde hair, blue eyes and fair skin, so I'll go hate folks with dark skin, dark eyes, and dark hair. If I go burn crosses on their lawns and, oooh, maybe do some hangings or something, maybe they'll come do it to me!'

You know, and a lot of folks that supposedly embrace those commandments as The Word of G-d sure do cast that one aside rather casually. For me, it is the first and foremost measure by which I act.

Sorry, got a bit sidetracked there, but the whole forced relocation thing... nope, no way, ain't gonna happen. And if it did... well, look where it got the Native Americans. Think there's a bit of an issue down in Australia along those lines and probably a whole host of other places where settlers decided to take over by whatever means necessary. Its not a solution, its a whole new problem.

Char

Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich says America is in World War III
"
Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich says America is in World War III and President Bush should say so. In an interview in Bellevue this morning Gingrich said Bush should call a joint session of Congress the first week of September and talk about global military conflicts in much starker terms than have been heard from the president.
"We need to have the militancy that says 'We're not going to lose a city,' " Gingrich said. He talks about the need to recognize World War III as important for military strategy and political strategy.

Gingrich said he is "very worried" about Republicans facing fall elections and says the party must have the "nerve" to nationalize the elections and make the 2006 campaigns about a liberal Democratic agenda rather than about President Bush's record. [...]

"This is World War III," Gingrich said. And once that's accepted, he said calls for restraint would fall away...
"
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/7/17/232221/904

yeah... so the r's face losing lots of seats so it's effing WWIII. genius. SUPERgenius.

p.s. yeah, right. that's all -daily kos's- fault. those freakin' slanted no-pay bloggers. what's in it for them?? ohh, yeah...

http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/davidpostman/archives/2006/07/gingrich_says_its_world_war_iii.html

freakin' seattle. what's in it for them??

It has been consistently shown through archeology that the myths concerning the 'promised land' are almost 100% pure fiction. Also you might notice I have a consistent posting record of denouncing rabid believers in theology as idiots. I don't mind people being stupid, but I do mind when they are being stupid enough to pick up guns and shoot at each other.



In such a hypothetical as I proposed, nobody would have to move unless they wanted to. I just think that if you are living in an area bordering another area that consistently wants you dead, you might want to at least consider moving as an option. Obviously if Mexico did get Arizona and they started shooting at random white people, you're free to shoot back. However, I'm of the opinion that your life is worth more than the piece of dirt it's standing on.



Well me too. But magic isn't something I base my opinions on.



Note, I never mentioned forced relocation. Offering people who wish to leave convenient options for leaving is a lot different. I noted that the entire population of Israel could be easily absorbed by the US. It could. I doubt too many would want to go, but there's definately going to be some people, who know they're going to be on the receiving end of the endless cycle of revenge, that might want to leave but don't have the option in the way of transport or money. If all of these people could be removed from both sides of the conflict, I'd imagine it would resolve itself rather quickly one way or another.

Unfunded does not mean unbiased. In any event, I wasn't questioning the source so much as just pointing something out.



Pretty much.



Hey, thanks for the personal attack!

Lives in the short term aren't important. Sorry to be blunt.



That's never been the case so far, and I see no reason to assume that history will prove us wrong in the future.



They don't want the problem resolved peacefully.




No, you can't. The conflict here runs very, very deep. Generations of conflict to do not melt away with a ceasefire and a not-worth-the-paper-its-printed-on UN mandate.



Actually, no, it doesn't. The rest of the world isn't involved in this conflict. It's precisely other countries sticking their noses in that has let it go on as long as it has. It's about time the rest of the world pulled back and let them solve their own problems. Thats the only way the problems WILL be solved.

Good.

Anger is a useful first step.

Maybe you should work out why my response angers you, and actually bother to respond to it, next time.

I was actually trying very hard to steer clear of infusing any inflammatory opinions on religious beliefs and so forth into my post, however, since you mention this... IMO, most everything about religion is rooted in myth. Carefully designed myths to guide our behavior towards our fellow man while still offering us a path to embracing the ideology of a power in the universe greater than ourselves, whatever you choose to call this power.

The rabid believers willing to kill in the name of G-d is one reason for my loss of faith in organized religion and refusal to participate in any said organized religion.

I don't think anyone can tell me The One path to G-d and I personally believe that if the majority is right and there is a G-d he wouldn't turn away a good hearted atheist from whatever afterlife may or may not exist just because they didn't believe in her. Same for worshipping via the 'wrong' religion. G-d wouldn't be worth believing in if she did.

Which brings me back to the concept that if everyone could just understand that there is more than one path to G-d, that we are all just people trying to muddle through no matter what we look like or what we believe, that life is precious to ourselves and to our respective G-d(s) and he/she/it wouldn't want us killing each other in his/her name, maybe there'd be a whole lot more peace in the world.

Char

Unfortunatly, that doesn't easily change over two millinea of tradition.



Then what happens when someone wants the area your living on after you move? Oh, right, you've already established - you move again. And again. They've been there, done that. They're done with it.

Israel's right to defend itself against terrorist groups supported and funded by its neighbors has nothing to do with WWII. Lebanon has not been able or willing to disarm Hizbollah. Syria and Iran support Hizbollah financially and logistically. The terrorists use civilians as human shields. They use schools, airports, mosques, churches and homes as bases. And they count on people like you to condemn the Israelis for responding to the rocket attacks on Israeli cities. Attacks that target civilians. Hizbollah counts on people like you to ignore their crimes and to focus on Israeli actions. Hizbollah counts on people like you to become indignant only when Israel responds to their attacks. We never hear from you guys right after some terrorist atrocity, do we? Only after Israel does responds. Why is that? And constantly telling the world that it isn't fair that Israel gets some sort of free pass because of the Holocaust does seem a bit anti-semetic. Maybe you should focus on the present and on what is happening and not on the past and on the Jewishness of the Israelis.

There's more to the conflict with Hezbollah than CNN or the Western Media tells you. They are really bent on sending the message that Hezbollah seeks to abolish Israel.

Lebanon used to be part of the Greater Syrian territory over a hundred years ago. When the international borders were drawn, territory that belongs to those that consider themselves Lebanese by nationality was drawn within Syrian borders. This area is known as the Shebaa farms.

Fast forward to today, as long as this territory is considered Syrian, Israeli forces are permitted to occupy it and they do. Lebanon claims it as Lebanese Land. Syria, verbally has said the land is Lebanese, however the UN and every international map continues to put it within Syria.

This land has been a hot zone for Hezbollah military activity with Israel, and it continues to be a topic of debate. Of course, Syria, who are very bent on hurting Israel, wish to keep the borders as is and not take any action to redraw the maps, simply because they wish to have Hezbollah continue the fight for it. Israel still of course refuses to aknowledge any Lebanese claim, and they too have the power to appeal for border changes but they don't.

I'm not saying that this is the solution to ending violence between Hezbollah and Israel. Who knows what Hezbollah will do if their demands are met, but so far it is a reason to fight, and Hezbollah will never allow the humiliation of Israeli forces occupying ANY of their territory stand....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shebaa_Farms

Israel has begun using internationaly prohibited weaponry in their offensive in Lebanon:

http://www.politicalaffairs.net/article/articleview/3829/1/198/

http://www.imemc.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=20020&Itemid=1

Reports of this are rising in Lebanon.

http://karimhamasni.blogspot.com/

the UN = the US, since we have veto-power over any UN action, like the other permanent members of the Security Council. They can act only with our permission.

Want peace in the Mideast and low gas prices again? Then ask Israel to show no restraint in fighting this war and allow them to defeat Hezbollah once and for all.

It's really quite simple.

It's also my opinion that in all of these cases there were innocent bystanders being killed (rather than saying that none were innocents). HOWEVER, and this is probably where I'll differ from the "peace-at-any-cost" movement, sometimes evil people in the world leave us with no choice but to risk harming innocents, and we have to do the best we can (which we do) to avoid it. These evil people in particular WANT innocents to die, both Muslims (since it generates outrage and helps their cause), and Westerners (for more obvious reasons). Also I think there's big differences between the bombing of Nazi Germany and 9/11 and that professor is still an idiot (apologist for terrorists) for comparing the two.

But one difference that should be pointed out is that our attacks in the present day are not specifically aimed at innocent civilians, where Islamic terrorist attacks are. Not that this makes it better, but it gives us a hint who the real fuel source of the violence is.

Too bad there isn't any pictures of the Hezbollah rockets hitting Israeli cities, or of the Israeli prisoners, who are certainly being treated properly and being granted all of the rights they are permitted by the Geneva conventions...

Wait, sorry about that... those things don't count because it's only the Jews right?