Let the peacekeepers fight back!

[expat]

Haven't we just had enough of Israel pretending to be a civilised nation, while time after time deliberately targeting unarmed Red Cross, and unarmed UN observers? Let's arm the UN personnel, and give them all the air cover they need. Next time the Israeli "Defence" Forces fire on unarmed international peacekeepers, let the world fire back. In fact, why not go farther and take a leaf out of Israel's book? Retaliate 10 for 1. Destroy houses in the area that they may have come from. Give them a taste of their own medicine: brutal retaliaton and collective punishment. It's time to say enough!

[AtW]

Israel has got lots of nukes, so no, you can't do much really.

[expat]

Israel has got lots of nukes, so no, you can't do much really.

The US gives $5bn a year to the Israeli war effort. Maybe we could tip the scales back a bit? Oh, we can't do that, not when our beloved PM's head is so far up the Bush arse that he can't see daylight.

[DimPrawn]

Yes, the US are going to fight a Middle East war against the Arabs by proxy.

[AtW]

Well, if Israel simulated capture of its own soldiers and used that as excuse for what's going on now then I would say that its wrong, but it seems to me Israel shown rather big patience to what was going on in Lebanon for some time: their demand is fairly simple and reasonable - either Lebanon military controls the border or Israel will.

That's far more understandable than having USA start war in Iraq that is located somewhere that many USA citizens would struggle to tell.

[expat]

Yes, the US are going to fight a Middle East war against the Arabs by proxy.

It seems pretty clear that the US has told Israel that they have carte blanche, but only for a limited time (as in Rice, we want a peace but only when conditions are right). And that Israel destroyed the UN post, after making quite sure that everybody was watching, to pass the clear message that nobody can stop them.

[VectraMan]

Well, if Israel simulated capture of its own soldiers and used that as excuse for what's going on now then I would say that its wrong, but it seems to me Israel shown rather big patience to what was going on in Lebanon for some time: their demand is fairly simple and reasonable - either Lebanon military controls the border or Israel will.

I agree. Normally I'd be happy to criticise Israel, and maybe their use of force has been disproportionate, but no country would stand by and let a terrorist organisation attack them indefinitely. If Lebanon really couldn't control Hezbollah, then perhaps the international community should have stepped in to help. It now seems likely this is exactly what will happen, but Israel had to launch a major offensive against southern Lebanon to make it happen.

Imagine if Kent was being attacked by rockets from Northern France, and the French authorities just shrugged their shoulders. The whole country would be crying out for the government to send in the troops to do something about it.

[DimPrawn]

Imagine if Kent was being attacked by immigrants from Northern France, and the French authorities just shrugged their shoulders. The whole country would be crying out for the government to do something about it.

[expat]

Imagine if Kent was being attacked by rockets from Northern France, and the French authorities just shrugged their shoulders. The whole country would be crying out for the government to send in the troops to do something about it.

Imagine if the UK were being attacked by IRA bombers and the Republic of Ireland didn't forcibly stop them. Wouldn't the whole country cry out to send in the troops to sort out Eire?

No, we wouldn't.

[Spartacus]

Last time we burned the White House was 1812...

Sounds about time for a repeat performance.