Israeli forces enter Lebanon...

[XtremeJibber2001]

The Lebanese Minister of Defense warned Israel Thursday that if IDF ground forces are sent into southern Lebanon, Lebanese troops will fight along with the Hizbullah against Israel.

It's these kind of statements that will empower Israel's IDF to destroy Hezbollah.

A UN resolution was passed in order to keep 'the peace' by ordering the Lebanon Military to disarm/dismantle the Hezbollah .... now the Minister of Defense is considering joining force with Hezbollah?

Sounds to me that the Lebanese gov't doesn't seem to have many problems with the Hezbollah.

[Cityskier]

The Lebanese Minister of Defense warned Israel Thursday that if IDF ground forces are sent into southern Lebanon, Lebanese troops will fight along with the Hizbullah against Israel.

It's these kind of statements that will empower Israel's IDF to destroy Hezbollah.

A UN resolution was passed in order to keep 'the peace' by ordering the Lebanon Military to disarm/dismantle the Hezbollah .... now the Minister of Defense is considering joining force with Hezbollah?

Sounds to me that the Lebanese gov't doesn't seem to have many problems with the Hezbollah.

You make it sound like the Lebanese gov't and Hezbollah are two completely disparate entities. Meanwhile, in reality the group holds 23 of 128 seats in Lebanon's parliament and has the entire southern portion of the country locked up. Many of the Lebanese people (and probably rightly so) believe that the group is better equipped to defend them from Israel than the Lebanese government.

It's not like Israel's attacks are only affecting Hezbollah. They have destroyed the country's infrastructure and from what was being said by the locals being interviewed on BBC radio this morning it sounded like a living hell.

Despite what you or I or the press think about how this started and escalated, Israel has pummelled the country. Are your really surprised that the Lebanese government isn't exactly excited about appeasing Israel's demands?

[XtremeJibber2001]

Are your really surprised that the Lebanese government isn't exactly excited about appeasing Israel's demands?

I guess not, but they should be trying to appeas Israel, IMHO. IDF can topple a Hezbollah/Lebanon force.

If I was the Minister of Defense ... and worried about my country. I'd get the Hezbollah to push back and give back the troops that were taken, back to Israel. Not threaten Israel with a unified terrorist front

[SkiDork]

Are your really surprised that the Lebanese government isn't exactly excited about appeasing Israel's demands?

I guess not, but they should be trying to appeas Israel, IMHO. IDF can topple a Hezbollah/Lebanon force.

If I was the Minister of Defense ... and worried about my country. I'd get the Hezbollah to push back and give back the troops that were taken, back to Israel. Not threaten Israel with a unified terrorist front

I didn't know Reggie had anything to do with this...

[XtremeJibber2001]

Interesting video ... views from various media outlets, primarily an Israeli outlet, UAE, and US

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htrtzNsVAcQ

[RossiSkier]

The Lebanese Minister of Defense warned Israel Thursday that if IDF ground forces are sent into southern Lebanon, Lebanese troops will fight along with the Hizbullah against Israel.

It's these kind of statements that will empower Israel's IDF to destroy Hezbollah.

Sounds to me that the Lebanese gov't doesn't seem to have many problems with the Hezbollah.

Lebanese troops don't have enough members to challenge the IDF to a pickup basketball game. And any Lebanese Maronite Christian army officer would whack a Hez' if they could get close enough. It was the Lebanese regulary army officers that deserted and started the largest Christian militia's during the last civil war.

The Lebanese government isn't alligned with Hezbollah, but two dozen members of the Parliment are members of the Hez'. The President is a Maronite Christian and the Prime Minister is a Sunni Muslim. The Hez are whacko Shi'a. Nobody trusts each other. That's why the army is only big enough to guard polling stations during elections.

[RossiSkier]

This is a good article on the Hezbollah stronghold in the souther suburbs of Beruit. Beruit is a party town, but once you get into Hezland the party is over. Wacko Hez with guns everywhere. Surreal.

East and West Beirut are packed from one end to the other with restaurants, bars, nightclubs, casinos, bohemian bookstores, outdoor cafes, and shopping districts that rival the best in the world. Hezbollahland is a world apart. It is like another country down there - a bad country. It is a terrorist-ruled security-state within a state. The Lebanese Armed Forces are not allowed to enter Hezbollah's territory. Most Christians and Sunni Muslims never dare set foot inside. (Hezbollah is a radical Shiite Muslim militia.) They don't even know what Hezbollahland looks like. I do, and I took some photos.

Few portraits of Rafik Hariri are on display. Far more prevalent are pictures of Syrian dictator Bashar Assad and Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini.
Most prevalent, however, are portraits of slain Hezbollah "martyrs." A new one appears every couple of feet.

The streets are ruled by their ghosts as much as they are ruled by the religious fanatics with guns. Those fanatics with guns are everywhere. Some wear the Hezbollah uniform. Most don't. I took few photos of these men because I was told, in no uncertain terms, that doing so would be extremely unwise.

Buildings are sandbagged. Surveillance and security watchtowers are erected in front of restaurants and stores. A Lebanese-American historian based in West Beirut told me that Hezbollah is better armed and more militarily powerful than the Lebanese army.

East and West Beirut are as free-wheeling as Hong Kong, but Hezbollahland is a virtually sovereign fascist police state. It is so near to downtown I can walk to it. Now that I've been there and know how close by it is, I can almost feel its breath on my neck.

http://www.spiritofamerica.net/site/blo ... _Hezbollah

[Vinny Vincenzo]

Article:

THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS IN LEBANON ARE HEZBOLLAH SUPPORTERS

http://www.debbieschlussel.com/archives ... icans.html

[XtremeJibber2001]

Article:

THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS IN LEBANON ARE HEZBOLLAH SUPPORTERS

http://www.debbieschlussel.com/archives ... icans.html

I don't mind my tax money paying for their safe return ... at least we're not giving them $1,000 VISA cards!

[2knees]

at least we're not giving them $1,000 VISA cards!

if this is in reference to the debit cards they handed out to the hurricane victims, you are disgusting. Fcuk you and your ignorant attitude. You sit in your bedroom your parents pay for and probably havent tasted one ounce of real tragedy.

If not, then ignore the above. somehow i doubt it though.

[XtremeJibber2001]

at least we're not giving them $1,000 VISA cards!

if this is in reference to the debit cards they handed out to the hurricane victims, you are disgusting. Fcuk you and your ignorant attitude. You sit in your bedroom your parents pay for and probably havent tasted one ounce of real tragedy.

If not, then ignore the above. somehow i doubt it though.

I've never been spoon fed. I live by myself in a an aparment which I pay for. I pay for everything I have and I pay for most of my $70,000 college debt. Sure I have it better then some because I'm fortunate enough to have a good job that can pay for all this, but I'm certainly not a 'handout child' like some people I know.

I think hastely providing $1,000 VISA cards to anyone who asked is foolish and wasteful.

If I was in-charge of providing aid to Hurrican Katrina victims ... I would have given them gift cards that restricted them to certain products. For example $450 for consumable goods at any of the following food markets .... $300 good at any Loews or Home Depot .... $250 good for clothing at any Kmart and Walmart.

I would have never given out 'blank checks' and say have fun ... the gov't wasted millions upon millions of tax payer dollars doing this.

Some how this makes me distgusting? Jeez

*edit: They were actually $2,000 VISA debit cards

[Dr. NO]

at least we're not giving them $1,000 VISA cards!

if this is in reference to the debit cards they handed out to the hurricane victims, you are disgusting. Fcuk you and your ignorant attitude. You sit in your bedroom your parents pay for and probably havent tasted one ounce of real tragedy.

If not, then ignore the above. somehow i doubt it though.

So, you think it was a good idea to hand out debit cards to people that went to the cape and other areas and spent the money on booze and other things? Most probably used it for their needs, but the numbers that used it improperly say it was a stupid and bad idea at all of our expense.

And always so nice to see how tolerant you and others are of someone elses views and opinions.

[Cityskier]

at least we're not giving them $1,000 VISA cards!

if this is in reference to the debit cards they handed out to the hurricane victims, you are disgusting. Fcuk you and your ignorant attitude. You sit in your bedroom your parents pay for and probably havent tasted one ounce of real tragedy.

If not, then ignore the above. somehow i doubt it though.

So, you think it was a good idea to hand out debit cards to people that went to the cape and other areas and spent the money on booze and other things? Most probably used it for their needs, but the numbers that used it improperly say it was a stupid and bad idea at all of our expense.

And always so nice to see how tolerant you and others are of someone elses views and opinions.

I love you self-righteous fukcs who pass judgement on those who just lost all their worldly posessions and went through an ordeal we're lucky enough not to be able to comprehend.

Yes, human nature led to some abuse of this program. Yes, it could have been run better.

And yes, this corruption is minute compared to your tax dollas being funneled to all the big wigs running the show in this country.

See: Big Dig (Bechtel); Iraq reconstruction (Halliburton, KBR, Bechtel, among others)

I'm all for being apalled by waste, but your selectivity on the subject is disgusting.

I'm apalled by no-bid contracts. Not by humanitarian efforts dealing with a disaster of unprecedented scale that didn't work out ideally.

[XtremeJibber2001]

And yes, this corruption is minute compared to your tax dollas being funneled to all the big wigs running the show in this country.

This reminds me of a quote by 'Danny Dalton' (Tim Blake Nelson) in 'Syriana' ...

Corruption is government intrusion into market efficiencies in the form of regulations. That's Milton Friedman. He got a goddamn Nobel Prize. We have laws against it precisely so we can get away with it. Corruption is our protection. Corruption keeps us safe and warm. Corruption is why you and I are prancing around in here instead of fighting over scraps of meat out in the streets. Corruption is why we win.

No pun intended

I love you self-righteous fukcs who pass judgement on those who just lost all their worldly posessions and went through an ordeal we're lucky enough not to be able to comprehend.

Yes, human nature led to some abuse of this program. Yes, it could have been run better.

And yes, this corruption is minute compared to your tax dollas being funneled to all the big wigs running the show in this country.

See: Big Dig (Bechtel); Iraq reconstruction (Halliburton, KBR, Bechtel, among others)

I'm all for being apalled by waste, but your selectivity on the subject is disgusting.

I'm apalled by no-bid contracts. Not by humanitarian efforts dealing with a disaster of unprecedented scale that didn't work out ideally.

You don't think there were any no-bid contract for Katrina on behalf of FEMA? Is a no-bid contract 'OK' when it's for humanitarian efforts?

edit: Of course neither I nor Dr. made any referance to Iraq/Boston in this post. You didn't even give us a chance to comment on that matter. I simply made a comment and elaborated on what I meant ... an elaboration that I think we all agree with ... at least it would have put controls on the system.

Do you think I'm a 'self-righteous fukc' because of my plan that implements control on the money? Or do you resort to childish name-calling when you don't want to agree that my method would have been better and reduce corruption? Maybe you cane explain what you meant ... ?

Just because corruption is 'minute' doesn't make it 'OK' as you seem to state.

[Cityskier]

And yes, this corruption is minute compared to your tax dollas being funneled to all the big wigs running the show in this country.

This reminds me of a quote by 'Danny Dalton' (Tim Blake Nelson) in 'Syriana' ...

Corruption is government intrusion into market efficiencies in the form of regulations. That's Milton Friedman. He got a goddamn Nobel Prize. We have laws against it precisely so we can get away with it. Corruption is our protection. Corruption keeps us safe and warm. Corruption is why you and I are prancing around in here instead of fighting over scraps of meat out in the streets. Corruption is why we win.

No pun intended

I love you self-righteous fukcs who pass judgement on those who just lost all their worldly posessions and went through an ordeal we're lucky enough not to be able to comprehend.

Yes, human nature led to some abuse of this program. Yes, it could have been run better.

And yes, this corruption is minute compared to your tax dollas being funneled to all the big wigs running the show in this country.

See: Big Dig (Bechtel); Iraq reconstruction (Halliburton, KBR, Bechtel, among others)

I'm all for being apalled by waste, but your selectivity on the subject is disgusting.

I'm apalled by no-bid contracts. Not by humanitarian efforts dealing with a disaster of unprecedented scale that didn't work out ideally.

You don't think there were any no-bid contract for Katrina on behalf of FEMA? Is a no-bid contract 'OK' when it's for humanitarian efforts?

edit: Of course neither I nor Dr. made any referance to Iraq/Boston in this post. You didn't even give us a chance to comment on that matter. I simply made a comment and elaborated on what I meant ... an elaboration that I think we all agree with ... at least it would have put controls on the system.

Do you think I'm a 'self-righteous fukc' because of my plan that implements control on the money? Or do you resort to childish name-calling when you don't want to agree that my method would have been better and reduce corruption? Maybe you cane explain what you meant ... ?

Just because corruption is 'minute' doesn't make it 'OK' as you seem to state.

I used a name that was appropriate. Get over yourself.

It's pretty easy to be a Monday-morning quarterback, XJ. And it's pretty easy to put the puzzle together with the benefit of all the pieces. Now stop patting yourself on the back. It's pretty sad given your body of work.

What I meant is you crazy people rise up with righteous indignation when the less fortunate take advantage of the system yet far greater abuse goes on each and every day perpetrated by the most furtunate. Where's the outrage? Is it a racial thing? A socio-economic thing?

Just wondering what makes the difference.

You were woeful in your interpretation of my post. I'll try to use smaller words and type more slowly.