10,000 Britons are stranded in Lebanon

[TwoWolves]

Its a very important question which I've asked a lot of people and researched considerably but have not got a satisfactory explanation.

What is certain; Syria saw withdrawal as in its interests this time around.

[Lucifer Box]

Some people say that Iran is stoking the fire and put Hezbollah up to kidnapping those soldiers, knowing that Israel would respond vigorously, thereby diverting attention away from their own troubles with the nuclear inspectorate people.

[AtW]

Some people say that Iran is stoking the fire and put Hezbollah up to kidnapping those soldiers, knowing that Israel would respond vigorously, thereby diverting attention away from their own troubles with the nuclear inspectorate people.

This is most certainly the case (if I was them I would certainly do it) - Iran is playing for time to enrich enough Uranium for at least few atom bombs, they are also working hard (with specialists from North Korea) to take underground as many installations as possible.

[Fungus]

As I understand it this was started by Hezbollah destroying an Israeli tank, killing some soldiers and kidnapping two soldiers. The reponse of Israel was in effect to declare war on Lebanon, and launch attacks. Scores of innocent civilians were killed, many more injured, and hundreds of thousands if not more terrified, including children. And of course the Iranian/Syrian backed terrorists respond with attacks on innocent Israeli civilians.

No one sane doubts that Hesbollah are blood thirsty terrorists.

Given Israel's blood thirsty reponse, I think that Olmert et al should be done for war crimes. Launching military attacks on civilian infrastructure in the knowledge that the majority of the casualties will be civilian is terrorism.

Sadly this is exactly the response that Hesbollah wanted. Now the world sees how evil the Israeli regime is and its lack of disregard for Arab lives.

And strategically I don't think the Israeli strikes will work. They just create hatred and support for Hesbollah. Israel might kill some of them, but they will regroup soon enough.

The real problems are the Syrian/Iranian backing, and the occupation of the West Bank that fuels the conflict.

Here endeth the sermon.

[Fungus]

Iran is probably arming the Iraqi insurgents too.

[AtW]

Iran is probably arming the Iraqi insurgents too.

USSR did that ages ago, free arms too.

[TwoWolves]

The kidnap of the Israeli soldiers is a red-herring. With the rapid deployment of land artillery and talk of a land-invasion it is clear to me that this was planned in detail some time ago by the Israeli military. Probably immediately after the Syrian withdrawal.

Currently Israel is targeting areas which almost certainly have no Hezbollah fighters, even striking areas where last time around IDF soldiers were greeted as liberators.

There is more to this than meets the eye.

[Fungus]

The kidnap of the Israeli soldiers is a red-herring. With the rapid deployment of land artillery and talk of a land-invasion it is clear to me that this was planned in detail some time ago by the Israeli military. Probably immediately after the Syrian withdrawal.

Currently Israel is targeting areas which almost certainly have no Hezbollah fighters, even striking areas where last time around IDF soldiers were greeted as liberators.

There is more to this than meets the eye.

Yup. Either that or Olmert has a seriously short fuse.

[Fungus]

Olmert has an interesting family. His wife is a left wing activist. His son left Israel to avoid compulsory military service. His daughter is a lesbian and lives with another woman. So maybe he has to compensate.

[xoggoth]

In other situations I would tend to agree that effectively starting a war over an attack and a couple of kidnappings was a totally disproportionate response and would boringly suggest that such a course should not be embarked on until all options for negotiation had been exhausted.

But when the opposition are an Islamic militant group it should be perfectly clear that any attempts at serious negotiation would be a total waste of time.