Comments on: Israel http://www.gavpolitics.co.uk/blog/2006/07/21/israel/ English, Rationalist and Liberal Conservative Fri, 21 Nov 2008 06:00:29 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.1 by: wonkotsane http://www.gavpolitics.co.uk/blog/2006/07/21/israel/#comment-11157 Fri, 28 Jul 2006 09:46:03 +0000 http://www.gavpolitics.co.uk/blog/2006/07/21/israel/#comment-11157 If a country has membership of the UN it's about as officially a country as you can get. Saying it's not a state because it has a weak government is utter bollocks. If a country has membership of the UN it’s about as officially a country as you can get. Saying it’s not a state because it has a weak government is utter bollocks.

]]> by: Tony Martin http://www.gavpolitics.co.uk/blog/2006/07/21/israel/#comment-11129 Thu, 27 Jul 2006 01:20:19 +0000 http://www.gavpolitics.co.uk/blog/2006/07/21/israel/#comment-11129 Lebanon isn't just an area on a map. It is a state with different confessional groups that exist together in a very fragile political balance. I'm not quite sure the American Vietnam war era thinking-we destoyed the town in order to save it- applies. Lebanon isn’t just an area on a map. It is a state with different confessional groups that exist together in a very fragile political balance.
I’m not quite sure the American Vietnam war era thinking-we destoyed the town in order to save it- applies.

]]> by: mark adams http://www.gavpolitics.co.uk/blog/2006/07/21/israel/#comment-11104 Wed, 26 Jul 2006 16:50:03 +0000 http://www.gavpolitics.co.uk/blog/2006/07/21/israel/#comment-11104 I think Israel is entirely within their rights to launch this war. The Westphalian protocol does not apply here. Lebanon exists on a map but is not a nation-state in the sense of Ireland, for instance. Without such a state in place Israel has little other recourse. That said, though they may be morally correct, I think strategically Israel's making a huge mistake. Deploying a conventional war against a guerilla force is poor military judgement unless the intention is to spur the Lebanese population to keep the terrorists off their land. Otherwise, they would be better using para-military intelligence agencies in concert with special forces and surgical air-strikes. I think Israel is entirely within their rights to launch this war. The Westphalian protocol does not apply here. Lebanon exists on a map but is not a nation-state in the sense of Ireland, for instance. Without such a state in place Israel has little other recourse.

That said, though they may be morally correct, I think strategically Israel’s making a huge mistake. Deploying a conventional war against a guerilla force is poor military judgement unless the intention is to spur the Lebanese population to keep the terrorists off their land. Otherwise, they would be better using para-military intelligence agencies in concert with special forces and surgical air-strikes.

]]> by: Tony Martin http://www.gavpolitics.co.uk/blog/2006/07/21/israel/#comment-11075 Wed, 26 Jul 2006 10:35:22 +0000 http://www.gavpolitics.co.uk/blog/2006/07/21/israel/#comment-11075 Lebanon was not involved in the 1967 war. At that time Lebanon was the jewel of the Middle East. Years of civil war destroyed all that. Remember it has a large Christian minority. Let's hope once again it can regain its former magnificence. Lebanon was not involved in the 1967 war. At that time Lebanon was the jewel of the Middle East. Years of civil war destroyed all that. Remember it has a large Christian minority.
Let’s hope once again it can regain its former magnificence.

]]> by: Dave http://www.gavpolitics.co.uk/blog/2006/07/21/israel/#comment-10991 Tue, 25 Jul 2006 15:35:41 +0000 http://www.gavpolitics.co.uk/blog/2006/07/21/israel/#comment-10991 wow Indian Capitalist, do you really think 'the West' as the ability to do that? I think a war against Syrian or/and Iran would be very different than Iraq, they both have chemical weapons with medium range missles, and Iran soon will have a nuke. A French MP last week threatened Israel.. wow Indian Capitalist, do you really think ‘the West’ as the ability to do that?
I think a war against Syrian or/and Iran would be very different than Iraq, they both have chemical weapons with medium range missles, and Iran soon will have a nuke.

A French MP last week threatened Israel..

]]> by: INdian Capitalist http://www.gavpolitics.co.uk/blog/2006/07/21/israel/#comment-10969 Tue, 25 Jul 2006 04:03:54 +0000 http://www.gavpolitics.co.uk/blog/2006/07/21/israel/#comment-10969 Israel has every right to defend itself. But the problem is Isreal has been using very small amount of force for the last 50 years. In the current conflict too I am dissatisfied with the way Isreal has been treating Lebanon with kidgloves. The only way to neutralize the terrorists is destroy them completely. Isreal and the Western countries ought to take over entire region of Lebanon, Pelestine, Syria and Iran. A occupation on lines of Iraq occupation by US will once for all solve the problem of terror Israel has every right to defend itself. But the problem is Isreal has been using very small amount of force for the last 50 years.

In the current conflict too I am dissatisfied with the way Isreal has been treating Lebanon with kidgloves. The only way to neutralize the terrorists is destroy them completely. Isreal and the Western countries ought to take over entire region of Lebanon, Pelestine, Syria and Iran. A occupation on lines of Iraq occupation by US will once for all solve the problem of terror

]]> by: John King http://www.gavpolitics.co.uk/blog/2006/07/21/israel/#comment-10963 Mon, 24 Jul 2006 21:55:03 +0000 http://www.gavpolitics.co.uk/blog/2006/07/21/israel/#comment-10963 From the growing list of casualities it appears that Israel just doesn't care if the occupants of vehicles are Hezbollah or civilians. And you can't terrorise a country and create a humanitarian crisis if you just target Hezbollah. From the growing list of casualities it appears that Israel just doesn’t care if the occupants of vehicles are Hezbollah or civilians. And you can’t terrorise a country and create a humanitarian crisis if you just target Hezbollah.

]]> by: Gav http://www.gavpolitics.co.uk/blog/2006/07/21/israel/#comment-10952 Mon, 24 Jul 2006 17:12:02 +0000 http://www.gavpolitics.co.uk/blog/2006/07/21/israel/#comment-10952 There's absolutely no reason the Israelis would target civilians. Quite apart from the evilness of it, there's no political capital or leverage to be gained. There’s absolutely no reason the Israelis would target civilians. Quite apart from the evilness of it, there’s no political capital or leverage to be gained.

]]> by: wonkotsane http://www.gavpolitics.co.uk/blog/2006/07/21/israel/#comment-10919 Mon, 24 Jul 2006 10:26:29 +0000 http://www.gavpolitics.co.uk/blog/2006/07/21/israel/#comment-10919 I see that brave Israeli freedom fighters have blown up another convoy of Lebanese civillian Hezbollah terrorists as they were evacuating their village under Israeli instructions. This convoy of terrorists included women, children and a European journalist. They must have been recruited at the same time as the young girl that died when they blew up another convoy evacuating a village on their instructions. Hezbollah must be getting desperate for recruits if they're recruiting young children and European journalists. Either that or the Israeli's are taking the piss and deliberately targeting civillians but that surely couldn't be the case because that would be illegal, immoral and the US and UK wouldn't stand for that behaviour. I see that brave Israeli freedom fighters have blown up another convoy of Lebanese civillian Hezbollah terrorists as they were evacuating their village under Israeli instructions. This convoy of terrorists included women, children and a European journalist. They must have been recruited at the same time as the young girl that died when they blew up another convoy evacuating a village on their instructions. Hezbollah must be getting desperate for recruits if they’re recruiting young children and European journalists. Either that or the Israeli’s are taking the piss and deliberately targeting civillians but that surely couldn’t be the case because that would be illegal, immoral and the US and UK wouldn’t stand for that behaviour.

]]> by: Dave http://www.gavpolitics.co.uk/blog/2006/07/21/israel/#comment-10824 Sun, 23 Jul 2006 18:59:05 +0000 http://www.gavpolitics.co.uk/blog/2006/07/21/israel/#comment-10824 To judge if Tony Blair is being honourable on Iraq, I ask myself the question if the Conservatives had made the desisions he has made on Iraq and Blair was in opposition, would he be supporting it then? I don't believe so. He comes from an anti-war anti nuclear background. No way would he be cheerleading for the Conservatives and Bush if he wasn't in the loop. To judge if Tony Blair is being honourable on Iraq, I ask myself the question if the Conservatives had made the desisions he has made on Iraq and Blair was in opposition, would he be supporting it then?

I don’t believe so. He comes from an anti-war anti nuclear background.
No way would he be cheerleading for the Conservatives and Bush if he wasn’t in the loop.

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