Is it possible the IDF has to show how strong and heroic they are after they lost against Hizbollah in South Lebanon? Maybe the soldiers and pilots feel real heroic fighting the Palestinians, they are sitting ducks, without any defense. The soldiers don't get hurt. much. I don't think the Palestinians have an army or tanks or helicopters or real missiles, at least I have not heard that they do.

I think many people don't approve of Israel's heavyhanded tactics, namely killing so many Palestinians in retaliation of a few Israeli casualities.

The Common thread in the West Bank, Iraq, and Afghanistan if there is one is unemployment. In the occupied territories it"s pushing 35 percent. 35 percent in Afghanistan and 60 to 70 percent in certain parts of Iraq.

If unemployment in the US ever reached 30 percent im sure there would be problems here too.

Israel needs to recognize the stewardship that goes with occupation and take care of business instead of pocketing good will aid money or spending it in Racist mandates that benefit only a certain people.

The true colors of liberalism finally come out. It is Nazi red.

Saudis urged to leave Lebanon
Aljazeera.net


March 1, 2008

The Saudi Arabian embassy in Beirut has called on its nationals to leave Lebanon a day after a US warship was positioned off the country's coast.

The embassy on Saturday sent SMS messages to Saudis living in Lebanon urging them to leave the country as soon as possible, Al Jazeera's correspondent said.

Saudi Arabia issued an advisory last month urging its citizens not to travel to Lebanon because of deteriorating political and security conditions.

Kuwait and Bahrain followed with similar calls.

Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia is a major supporter of the Sunni-led government in Lebanon which has been locked in a 15-month-old political standoff with an opposition led by Iranian-and-Syrian backed Hezbollah.

'Conflict' fear

Fouad Siniora, the Lebanese prime minister, has denied asking the US to deploy the warship USS Cole and two support ships amid the country's continuing political deadlock.

Siniora reportedly summoned the US ambassador on Friday for an explanation.

Siniora said: "We did not request any warships from any party."

He also stressed the importance of Lebanon's independence and sovereignty "so that it will not become an arena for the conflicts of regional and international powers".

Siniora said there are no warships in Lebanese territorial waters, except Lebanon's small navy - made up of patrol boats - and the 12 warships belonging to a UN peacekeeping force.

US position

According to Gordon Johndroe, a White House spokesman, Washington has had "regular consultations" with Siniora and other US allies in the region.

"There's constant communications at various levels," he said.

The US declined to say whether the decision to deploy the USS Cole was a show of force aimed at Syria, which it has accused of interfering in Lebanon.

Lebanon's governing coalition and the Hezbollah-led opposition have failed to reach a deal over the election of a new president.

A senior US official said Washington was "very concerned" about the situation in Lebanon and called the move "support for regional stability".

"The United States believes a show of support is important for regional stability," the official said.

Gaza link

Nabih Berri, the parliament speaker, who is aligned with the opposition, has linked the deployment of the warships to Israel's raids in the Gaza Strip.

"The target [of US warships] is Gaza. It is aimed to allow what must happen in Gaza to happen without anyone moving to support [the Palestinians]," he said.

"This is a real threat, not merely a muscle-flexing."

Berri also said that the US military move was designed to focus attention on Lebanon "in order to cover up the massacres being committed in Gaza".

"This [US] fleet comes to back Israel so that it can complete its plan," he said.

(end snipet)







Saudis warning their nationals to get out. I think there's definitely something big brewing; more countries are issuing warnings to their nationals to evacuate. The UN has issued a statement - unusual.

Gaza may just be a media diversion. The IDF is preparing something, and it might very well be another incursion into Lebanon, possibly Syria. I just hope they're not that stupid

Something BIG Is Cooking In The Middle East

by IndianaDemocrat
Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 12:58:17 PM PST
And it WILL have an effect on the US Elections, folks....

The Saudi's, Bahrani's and Kuwaiti's just ordered thier nationals out of Lebanon, with the Saudi's saying women and children should be out in 48 hours..

These aren't generic warnings, they are "GET THE HELL OUT!", drop everything and RUN type warnings.

The Saudi GID has definately seen something they don''t like.

And reports have said the US Task Force deploying off of Lebanon is configured for EVACUATIONS, not combat.

http://dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/3/1/154735/0588/864/466950

NOTE: This is NOT an Arab Israeli Conflict Diary. This is about the possibility of a full-blown WAR.

And I bet this was worked out when Bush visited a few months back. The "money" keeps this
mess going. Just follow the money and you have your answer.

There is another issue that needs to be brought up in context to this story.

The entire reason for these aggressive attacks by Israeli troops is in response to the Palestinians using a newer form of rocket, which is now capable of penetrating more than 10 miles into Israel.

These aren't the "small" rockets they used to use; they have significantly longer range, and can carry more payload. Any nation on earth would respond with extreme and deadly force if their citizens were under attack by missiles that can travel that deeply into its territory.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/02/world/middleeast/02mideast.html?scp=2&sq=gaza&st=nyt

People are talking about the children supposedly killed by Israeli bombing. I think they need to read this story from the Times.

"Hamas said that one girl, Malak Karfaneh, 6, died Friday night from an Israeli strike on Beit Hanun in northern Gaza, but residents said that a Palestinian rocket had fallen short and landed near the house, killing her and wounding three siblings."

And then there is this quote from the same article.

"In Gaza on Friday, Hussein Dardouna, 50, was burying his son, Omar, 14, killed while playing with his friends by an Israeli strike aimed at a rocket-launching team. "I couldn"t identify the body of my son," he said. "It was very hard until I found the head of my son. I"m against these rockets, but I am afraid. What can I do? If I protest they will hit me, they will kill me.""

When people can not protest the actions of their own people without being killed by them (in a supposed "democracy") how can there be peace?

FISA UPDATE!

The House leadership is considering a very risky tactic of splitting the Senate bill into small parts and passing them piecemeal.

Please read: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/3/1/175613/1399/825/467005

A list of Blue Dog Congressmen thought to be sympathetic to the concept of Telecom immunity is at: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/2/29/145640/493/398

Then call Pelosi, Hoyer, Conyers, some Blue Dogs and your own congressman and raise holy hell. Tell them that only the RESTORE act is acceptable.

From the article: "Under pressure to end an impasse over espionage legislation, House Democrats are considering a plan to vote on a bill next week that would give the government broad new eavesdropping authorities but strip out a provision that would protect phone companies from lawsuits."

Please act!

I had to leave the computer for a while, and when I returned I noted that "TWISTERSAM50", had somehow concluded that because I was versed in world religions and multi-lingual, that I must be a "Rabbi", I have not laughed that hard in a long time. I called my friends of various faiths and even the atheists and we are having that posting framed as a testament to what one of our law school professors always said, "it is better to be thought a fool and remain silent, than to speak and remove all doubt". I do feel terrible leaving "HumeSkeptic" to alone to represent the secular American educated individuals, but I am astonished at the complete lack of decorum, understanding of communication skills, and respectful dialogue and debate amongst the individuals "communicating" on this site. The very idea that anyone would source Wikepedia as a reference reveals the utter failure of our national education system, let alone our post-secondary and graduate systems. Furtermore, it would be of benefit to most of the posters who believe in conspiracies and diabolical infiltrations of our government to perhaps turn off the computer and television, pick up a newspaper that has more words than pictures, a book written by someone with actual academic credentials, and most importantly travel, go to some other parts of the world and appreciate what you have been blessed with in having an American citizenship. Finally, for all of you that are so incenced by the carnage in the mideast, the Red Cross, Human Rights Watch, Lawyers and Doctors Without Borders, and numerous NGO's need volunteers right now, so unless, you are simply venting, then put your passion into action, get involved, either volunteer or donate.

If Israel withdraws to its pre-1967 border, there will be peace. And Israel must do that, for the good of its own citizens, and because it is in violation of international law.

Given the current military might of Israel, withdrawing from all occupied territories would have no negative impact on Israel's security.

The use of an analogy of Nazism in reference to anyone of the Jewish faith is an outrageously offensive act. If you are in disagreement with Mr. Olmert's military or domestic policy, please use proper english, complete sentences, and state what your specific issue is as well as the factual basis for your analysis. On the other hand, if you are opposed to the Palestinian forces, similarly utilize facts and proper communication techniques so that you may be engaged in coherent dialogue, and not simply personal, irrational, or racist attacks. The annonimity of the internet, freedom of speech, have provided a forum for hate speech on the level that is sickening, the amount of anti-semitism and zionist conspiracy theories that were being espoused on this site yesterday were an embarrasment to this country and our education system. It is essential to realize that no people are a monolith, even within your own family, so are all Jews the same, are all Israelis the same, are all Muslims the same, are all Christians the same? My reading of the Bible, Quran, and Torah reveals that all mankind is one family - and perhaps I am in the minority - but it is hope that brought about the Civil Rights Movement, the end of Apartheid, and the end of the USSR, and so will it bring an end to this conflict between Israel and Palestine - perhaps not in our lifetime - but in time.

>protesters threw stones and cars

Those must be some pretty beefy protestors.

But Olmert said "attacking Hamas strengthens the chance for peace." Sounds like he's using the Bush doctrine or visa versa.