Is anyone surprised?

[insert crickets chirping]

Interview on CBC radio with Canadian retired major general Lewis Mackenzie, discussing the death of a Canadian peacekeeper, one of four killed at the UN outpost on Tuesday, whom he knew:

"We received emails from him a few days ago, and he was describing the fact that he was taking fire within, in one case, three meters of his position for tactical necessity, not being targeted. Now that's veiled speech in the military. What he was telling us was Hezbollah soldiers were all over his position and the IDF were targeting them. And that's a favorite trick by people who don't have representation in the UN. They use the UN as shields knowing that they can't be punished for it."

[Link: cbc.ca...]

From the vicinity? I wouldn't doubt from their own hands.

/that's sad that I think that.

So where's the outrage from Kofi? Why isn't he issuing dramatic statements on the basis of his own organizations reports, rather than knee jerk anti-Israeli garbage?

/never mind.

"It was also reported that Hezbollah fired from the vicinity of four UN positions at Alma ash Shab, Tibnin, Brashit, and At Tiri."

What? Was this before or after the tea for Hezbollah hosted by the UN force in the region?

time to drop some leaflets, tell the blue helmeted mofos to leave because their outposts will be destoryed.

Next thing we find out is that it was not an Israeli shell, but that it was from Hizbolla. Just like the lying Palis on the beach a few weeks ago. Blame the Jews and then when its all done find out that the Jews were not at fault.

And, oh yeah--why is UNIFIL still there anyway? They are worse than useless: they are harmful, and their mandate should be curtailed effective yesterday. Get 'em out of the war zone and into one of the nice spas where the UN nabobs spend your taxpayer dollars.

There is nothing new under the sun.

Israel was not going to change it's spots and arbitrarily start targeting UN observers.

This is shocking news.

I AM SHOCKED!

This is a shocking as the headline that one of the guys from N'Sync was gay.

They might as well. They're both on the same side after all...

The UN has clearly not been part of the solution to Hezb'Allah. It should come as no surprize that their presence becomes part of the problem.

Kofi's death wish to lambaste Israel.

Speaking of what you won't hear on the nightly news...here are some recent ratings:

FOXNEWS O'REILLY 2,693,000
FNC HANNITY/COLMES 1,801,000
FNC BRIT HUME 1,648,000
FNC SHEP SMITH 1,559,000
FNC GRETA 1,491,000
CNN COOPER 1,128,000
CNN KING 1,097,000
CNN ZAHN 890,000
CNN DOBBS 784,000
CNNHN GRACE 460,000
MSNBC HARDBALL 369,000
MSNBC OLBERMANN 365,000

Lou Dobb's is a disgrace to America.

KOFI SHOULD BE VISITING THESE OUTPOSTS

Another UN position of the Ghanaian battalion in the area of Marwahin in the western sector was also directly hit by one mortar round from the Hezbollah side last night

This is what i've been saying since i first heard about the story. If anyone is deliberately attacking the UN it's HezbALLAH, if you think about it, it's a very very smart move by them. Israel will take the blame, naturally.

Here's photographic proof of their closeness, as well as the fact that the UN must have known that Hezbollah was right next to them.

http://www.cjnews.com/photos/aug15/flags.jpg

(via Israellycool)

How are we not surprised. I also read a report very early this morning that stated that Hizballah was firing at Syrian positions in an attempt to up the ante.

HezbSatan continues to win friends and influence people.

#14,

Yowch. That's gotta hurt Anderson Cooper to be beat by Greta Queen Of The Dead.

But, small consolation, he's outdrawing Larry King.

So Hezbollah uses the UNIFIL outposts as shields? I think it's all Karl Rove's fault. /kos

Ok, the straightline guess is that the UN was not targeted, just the Hizballah terrorists hiding right behind them.

Now for the "conspiracy" thought:

I wonder if this is something similar to the theories about why the USS Liberty was hit during the 1967 war.

Supposedly, the Liberty took on a special team of decoders/interpreters (per author John Loftus) which was intercepting and forwarding the order of battle from Israeli commanders in the field to Arab Armies. The Israelis, scorched it with Napalm to knock out the communications and hit it with a single torpedo (of note, several Israeli pilots had breakdowns after realizing they had struck a US ship, not an Egyptian Destroyer as they were initially led to believe). Several US sailors were killed. The transmissions to the Arab armies were ceased.
Anyone want to guess if there were communications emanating from the UN observation post to Lebanese/Hizballah forces? And if they were made in Chinese?

The UN follows the book of all leftist organizations, they have to let the bad guys win or they are out of a job.

#23 rayra
It plays well in the press?

Who could so blatantly accuse a democracy of ill intentions, while ignoring all evidence that points in the direction of the terror organization attacking it?

Well, the person who had the power to help a million people butchered in Rwanda before the atrocities began, that's who.

Meanwhile, you've got the usual suspects claiming that Israel is simply engaging in yet another Liberty incident. (see comments in outside the beltway for what i mean).

If there were Hizbullah inside the wire at that outpost, it was a valid target, no matter what Kofi and the effete left says. Hizbullah has been known to operate in close proximity to UN outposts, and knowing that Israel was restraining itself by limiting fire on targets, probably moved even closer to the UN positions to try and evade counterbattery fire.

Sad news
8 IDF Soldiers Dead in Battle at Bint Jbeil

Friendly Fire

And, oh yeah--why is UNIFIL still there anyway?

To keep the, er, um, peace... yeah, that's it!

Pic of hizb and UN flags flying together

#23 rayra

wtf good is a "peacekeeping" force that cannot immediately shithammer an aggressor?

If they were to do that, wouldn't (by UN/Annan definition) they be hammering the Israelis?

What the heck are the UN blue boys doing there anyhow?

There's no peace to keep...get out of the way!

What are (oxymoronic)"UN Peacekeepers" doing in a war zone?

#17 Yishai

They are observing proper courtesy. The flag of honor is flown higher.

/sort of

If those UN observers are just gonna sit there and let Hezbollah use them as human shields, then they are WORSE THAN USELESS. Their presence is making life easier for a terrorist regime, and more difficult for a sovereign country engaged in legitimate self-defense.

#28 PDM

... Heroes. :_(

Does anyone have any numbers for casualties taken by Hizb'Allah?

Even Drudge has a defeatist picture on the site containing 3 Israelis embracing on top of a tank turret and they appear to be weeping. All I hear about is the sad news of Israeli losses. Where is the news concerning how many terrorist camel f&%kers earned their dirt nap via Israeli fire?

The UN mandate for unifil runs out tomorrow, iirc. IAF is just leading the deadline a bit... John Loftus reported last night that Hezb positions had been hit so hard that they resorted to hiding under the skirt of the un positions. It's a good sign.

UN out of Hezb land!

ATTENTION OHIO LIZARDS

just got this, so try to come out Friday and counter CAIR's anti-Israel rally. Spread the word to Synagogues, churches, etc.

WHAT: Rally Against Israeli War on Lebanon and Palestine
WHEN: Friday, July 28, 2006 at 3:30 pm
WHERE: Federal Building, Downtown Columbus, Corner of Spring and High Streets

SPONSORS: Arab Americans of Central Ohio; Council on American-Islamic Relations, Ohio; Central Ohio Peace Network; Committee for Justice in Palestine; Community Organizing Center; Islamic Foundation of Central Ohio; Islamic Society of Greater Columbus; Dr. Leslie Stansbery, President, Interfaith Association of Central Ohio

#36 LemonJoose,

I just realized. Annan could have evacuated his men the moment hostilities began. Why did he fail to do so? Who stood to profit from their remaining there?

The terrorists, that's who. Annan left his men there so the IDF will not fire on the terrorists firing from their vicinity, and in case the IDF does return fire and accidently hits the UN personnel, he could blatantly accuse Israel of killing them, which he did.

There is no doubt on which side of the conflict Annan is. The UN is a cesspit, which has grown worse under the Rwanda massacre enabler.

UN mandate ends July 31, actually, you're right Rayra. Not soon enough.

And where exactly is Lebanon's "Army"? What exactly does Lebanon's government do all day while terrorists run the place at will?

/trying not to feel hypocritical when 20 million South Americans and others "infiltrate" our country while we aren't looking.

I've come to the conclusion that Hezbollah isn't "using civilians and UN workers for cover," as is commonly believed. The only purpose behind Hezbollah's actions is induce Israeli fire toward civilians and UN workers. The attacks Hezbollah does from these places have no real military strategic purpose. The attacks exist for the sole purpose of drawing Israeli fire, so that any resulting casualties can be trotted out for the Western and Arab press and used for propaganda purposes.

It's a media war more than anything else. Hezbollah knows it can't win on the ground, so they're trying to win in the press, and the way to do that is not by killing Israeli soldiers but by getting Israelis to fire back and hopefully cause some collateral damage.

"Human shields" isn't the right term. More like "Sacrificial targets."

U.N.’s Human Shields
Already part of the problem.
[Link: article.nationalreview.com...]

One incident we encountered during our visit to Israel last year illustrates this sad fact. In January 2005, Hezbollah planted five camouflaged “improvised explosive devices” (IEDs), inches on the Israeli side of the border near Zarit, 15 mountainous miles inland from the Mediterranean coast. The Israeli Defense Force (IDF) detected these IEDs and, following procedure, notified UNIFIL. A French UNIFIL engineer duly certified that the devices were indeed IEDs, then “requested” that Hezbollah remove them. Hezbollah, not denying it had planted them, flatly refused, stating that since the mines were (just barely) inside the “Zionist” border, it was up to the “Zionists” to remove them. So the IDF sent in a large armored bulldozer to carry the mines off for disposal. This task required making a sharp 90-degree right turn from an Israeli road onto the narrow border trail where the IEDs were located. Making this sharp right turn, the left front corner of the bulldozer inevitably occupied, for a couple of seconds, about a meter of land on the Lebanese side. During those seconds a Hezbollah fighter directed an anti-tank missile at the narrow, unguarded windshield of the bulldozer. The pinpoint strike, which our Israeli sources have admitted required extraordinary training and skill, killed the bulldozer’s driver, Sgt. Maj. Jan Rotzanski, a 21-year-old Russian immigrant from Herzliya. The cynical cruelty of this murder, which Hezbollah proceeded to widely celebrate across Lebanon, speaks volumes not only about Hezbollah, but also about UNIFIL.

#37 so.cal.swede,

Heroes. :_(

They truly are.
It sickens me how the report comes through AP.
14 Israeli Troops Killed by Hezbollah

There were conflicting reports about the casualty toll in the fourth day of fighting for Bint Jbail, which holds the largest Shiite Muslim community in the border area.

Al-Arabiya, a Dubai-based satellite TV channel, said 14 Israeli soldiers had been killed. Hezbollah's chief spokesman Hussein Rahhal said of the battle: "What I can tell you is that 13 Israelis have been burned alive in their tanks on our land."

If confirmed, it would be the largest death toll suffered by the Israeli military in a single attack since the offensive began two weeks ago.

I had to go to A7 to get the real story. But unconfirmed reports from Al-Arabiya are enough for AP to rely on for a headline.

#43 paul in VA

You said Hezb'land! L'Hezb'anon?

If Kofi leaves them in there, he is responsible for their deaths, and Israel should make that clear by stating something like the following:

"We are not targeting the UN, but as recent dispatches from the UNIFIL corroborate, Hizbollah has been firing at and from UN positions. Israel is at war with Hizbollah and will respond accordingly and cannot guarantee the safety of UNIFIL troops or positions placed in harms way by the cowardly actions of Hizbollah fighters. Israel will not be responsible for any casualties that befall any such situated UN personnel."

#41 ciaospirit

If you need a place to host it again, drop me a line. My email is fixed, plus I've found an easy way to send large files now.

Putin & Mahmoud discuss plot Israel/Lebanon situation

Ahmadinejad said on Tuesday during a visit to Tajikistan that the conflict between Lebanon and Israel could sweep through the entire Middle East like a hurricane.

Link

#51 zombie

Thanks, zom. I will probably need to do that. Let you know...

This just in from Reuters:

Israeli strike hits truck carrying aid from UAE

#48 PDM

The MSM is the enemy of peace.

How long must these assholes shake the sleeping monster before it awakes hungry and pissed off?

#44 alegrias 7/26/2006 11:35AM PDT
And where exactly is Lebanon's "Army"? What exactly does Lebanon's government do all day while terrorists run the place at will?

Most of them are probably busy keeping their heads down between hitting the prayer mat every so often.

zombie,
you are exactly right about the sacraficial targets,...

they have learned their lessons well...unfortunately, it is still being taught every day in the media

How exactly does one become a U.N. "peacekeeper"?
Just a brief explanation is all I ask.

regarding the "errant" bombing by Israel that killed some UNIFIL guys

It has been noted on DEBKA - take it or leave it

The post was manned by UNIFIL and a person who have been UNIFIL but was also a Chiniese NAtional who was communicating BDA's back home to Beijing

you know - Israeli operated American Platform and ordinance...

sneaky those yellow bastards

Good, thats 4 more of the enemy killed.

Anyone including any the Lebanese, UN or whoever that allow Hizballah to operate within a close vicinity to them are legitimate targets IMO.

#39 carl p

There are no Hizb'Allah casualties, only "civilian" casualties.

#54 Rarya

Well, the Katanga mission was a success, if you count forcing Katanga to remain a part of the Congo basketcase a success. Of course there was the Korean War, which was a U.S. war, not really a UN war, & which didn't finish off the bad guys and left the problem to fester for future generations. Same with Gulf War I.

anybody know how to change my LGF name?

#28 PDM

God Bless them.

"A necessary war is a just war and arms are holy when there is no hope but through arms." - Roman quote, I forget by whom though

What sort of red-blooded person would volunteer to be an impotent cannon fodder blue-hat, unless it was for the ahem, UN-usual perks?

Stop by Sweetness & Light to see why UN observation posts are being hit:

Annan asks Israel to probe ‘targeting’ of UN post

Why on earth would Israel target any UN posts?

#48 PDM

OK now THAT is bullshit! What is going on? is the world now trying to align itself with arab/pro-hezb sources (i.e. propaganda stations)? Well apparently.

Sometimes i'm inclined to believe that there's a leftist stronghold somewhere with a huge stupid-ray gun, wiping out common sense and intelligence from 99% of the population...

i just wanna slap some of these 'news' people and shout in thir faces "ISRAEL IS THE GOOD GUYS YOU TWATS!"

#54 rayra
UN "peacekeeping" mission

I find the entire notion of a "peacekeeping mission," or "neutral force," to be irrational and hypocritical. The very concept is based on the LLL notion that "all war is bad" and that all combatants in any battle are equally morally compromised. But any "peacekeeping mission" is always going to end up helping one side over the other. If it's a lopsided battle, then the "peacekeepers" will help the weaker side by preventing a battle at all, allowing them to regroup.

If there had been "UN peacekeepers" on the beaches of Normandy or the Battle of the Bulge in 1944, they would have essentially functioned as Nazi divisions. I feel the same principle holds true now. By trying to stop the fighting, they are aiding Hezbollah to achieve a hudna, regroup, then attack again later.

Sometimes, you putzes, one side of a war is in the right, and needs to be supported, not ordered to stand down.

#65 amyc
stalkers?
/just kidding...ask ed, he's added some over time. better yet, ask charles. i am sure he knows.

68 geepers

see my post here number 61

the americans made them do it...

time to drop some leaflets at Turtle Bay?

#56 carl p,

The MSM is the enemy of peace.

How long must these assholes shake the sleeping monster before it awakes hungry and pissed off?

Heh, they've been in bed together for a long time. Now the monster is awake and the MSM is cooking its breakfast.

39 carlp,

Does anyone have any numbers for casualties taken by Hizb'Allah?

Dead Hezbollah are simply counted as Lebanese civilians.

#70 zombie

By trying to stop the fighting, they are aiding Hezbollah to achieve a hudna, regroup, then attack again later.

A UN-approved hudna passes Kerry's global test! Liberals love to give globally tested pfake phoney "peace" a chance--to regroup & re-arm against us.

Lebanese: IAF attacked main Hizbullah HQ in Tyre

According to Lebanese security forces, the Israel Air Force struck Hizbullah headquarters in the city of Tyre. The seven-story structure contained the offices of the Sheikh Nabil Qauk, chief Hizbullah operative in southern Lebanon.

You are right zombie,remaining "neutral" in a clash of morals only aids the bad guys,pure and simple. The UN has a vested interest in the terrorists continuing their onslaught, they are not onour side or Israel's side one little bit.

75 Ringo the Gringo
39 carlp,

Does anyone have any numbers for casualties taken by Hizb'Allah?

Dead Hezbollah are simply counted as Lebanese civilians.

Yesterday it was 384 HezEbola,
37 Israeli.

10-1

Gentlemen may cry, "Peace! Peace!" but there is no peace ... - Patrick Henry

MSM reality check:

I seem to recall a hailstorm of criticism regarding whether or how Bush was presented with his PDB.

Care to guess whether any brave members of the press corps will ask Kofi if he even reads his own briefings?

This is ot...But very good...

Ahmadinejad is planning an illumination of the night sky over Jerusalem to rival the one that greeted the Prophet of Islam on his journey. What the Iranian President, he says, is “promising the world by August 22 is the light in the sky over the Aqsa Mosque that took place the night before. That is his answer to the package of incentives the international community offered Iran on June 6.”

Certainly a nuclear attack on Jerusalem or even an all-out conventional assault against Israel by Iran would be consistent with Ahmadinejad’s oft-repeated denials of Israel’s right to exist and recent predictions that its demise was at hand. He hinted at the use of nuclear weapons in his phrasing when he said that Israel “pushed the button of its own destruction” by finally retaliating against Hizballah’s relentless rocket barrage from south Lebanon.

A good read.

.. [Link: www.frontpage...]

#77 zulubaby

According to Lebanese security forces, the Israel Air Force struck Hizbullah headquarters in the city of Tyre.

So why are Lebanese Security Forces standing by (protecting?) Hezbulla instead of actively protecting "civilian" Lebanese?

Something is rotten in Lebanon.

#77 zulubaby

The seven-story structure contained the offices of the Sheikh Nabil Qauk, chief Hizbullah operative in southern Lebanon.

apparently, not even shiekh calk could hold the building together. shiekh duct tape was also said to be among the missing...
/go, go idf!

#58 American Jewess in Jerusalem

Please people, try not to make Charles' life more difficult than it already is. That could be construed as a threat against a public figure. Delete?

...61 amrilusaguy
been noted on DEBKA

Yes and it bears repeating:

DEBKAfile’s Middle East sources add: The holier-than-thou tone of outrage taken by Annan is surprising when it generally known that many UN missions are exploited as the cover for foreign agents, often hostile, to carry out spying operations in war zones. The inadvertent Israeli air strike revealed the fact that the UN force in Lebanon includes Chinese observers. One was killed along with an Austrian, a Canadian and a Finn. The presence of Chinese observers keeping an eye on the combat in South Lebanon has never before been reported.

"Peacekeeping mission"?

By the U.N. Peacekeepers?

You mean the U.N. "Rape Squad" that is raping woman and children the world over, which the U.N., KOFI ANNAN, by the way, has done absolutly nothing about!

Or the U.N. Peacekeepers who have aided and supported terrorist the world over!

If the U.N. is involved, history has proven that it will not only fail, but that terrorism will be stronger as the result of!

You have to see the latest puke from propagandist of note, By IBRAHIM BARZAK, Associated Press Writer, and be sure to take note of the accompanying photograph.

By the way, did the media mention that one of last week's three suicide-bomber-wannabes was a woman?

67 I'd guess that the Canadians just get sent to do UN duty by their military. I doubt they signed up direct with the UN. I don't think US military personnel can be tasked to UN duty?

Hey Israel,

You're wasting your time shooting at the rattling tail. Cut off the head of the snake!

760 United Nations Plaza
New York, NY

Oh. And give us time to call Bolton, our allies, and all the good people. Shouldn't take but a few minutes...

Sincerely,

G.N.

Bint Jbeil should be razed to the ground, never to be re-populated.

Every structure should be leveled.

Once done, a monument to our fallen soldiers in this war should be erected in its place.

/Something that's on my mind

...Internet technologies assist Islamic terrorists by providing them a means to communicate no matter where they reside. In August 2005 Washington Post reporters Steve Coll and Susan Glasser noted, "Osama bin Laden biographer Hamid Mir watched 'every (other) al Qaeda member carrying a laptop computer along with a Kalashnikov (machine gun)' as they prepared to scatter into hiding and exile."

Terrorist leaders also use the Internet to raise money for their activities, recruit new members, plan attacks and provide training manuals and videos accessible to their brethren anywhere in the world. Western media outlets assist the Islamic terrorists' mission when they often refuse to acknowledge the religious nature of their motivation, instead calling them by innocuous terms such as freedom fighters or insurgents.

It should be clear that the battlefield where the victors of WW III will be decided is not just Iraq or Iran. The battlefield is the entire world. This is a war with no defined front, in which the enemy hides and plots among us until he is ready to strike. Islamic terrorists wage attacks nearly every day in nations across the globe, yet only the most lethal receive considerable media coverage. The global nature of WW III and the ease with which our enemies can communicate via available technologies underscore the necessity for the U.S. and our allies to use nontraditional means to root our terrorists in a nontraditional war.

Our enemy in WW III is unlike any we have ever faced, as is his motivating ideology. In previous wars, our enemies fought to acquire land and power or spread a political philosophy such as communism or fascism. Today, our enemy is motivated by a unique combination of factors derived from his religious and political beliefs. Islamic terrorists are not motivated merely to acquire land and power. Instead, they are motivated by the literal reading of the Quran's call for jihad of the sword - death to those who refuse to convert to Islam.

The enemy is further motivated by a hatred of western civilization and the religious, political and economic freedoms we fight to protect. Religious pluralism and economic prosperity for all who desire it are concepts completely foreign to the Islamic terrorist, and are principles they believe must be violently overthrown wherever possible.

A critical component of our strategy in the new war must be to secure our borders. As long as our southern border remains porous, we are laying out a welcome mat to the terrorists who want to kill us. A secure southern U.S. border and a commitment to fighting Islamic terrorists with our allies in all corners of the world will allow western civilization to prevail.

The anatomy of WW III is unlike any we have ever fought. Unfortunately, this fact has escaped too many people who believe that traditional diplomacy, appeasement and concessions to the terrorists are the keys to our success. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Terrorists understand one thing - annihilation. It's either them or us.

Anatomy of World War III
July 26, 2006
By Herman Cain

91 Golden

and then it should be spread with salt

Start End Name Acronym Purpose Comment
1948 Ongoing UN Truce Supervision Organization UNTSO To monitor Arab-Israeli ceasefire authorized in June 1948. The first UN peacekeeping mission
1949 Ongoing UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan UNMOGIP To monitor India-Pakistan ceasefire in Kashmir
[edit]

1958 1958 UN Observation Group in Lebanon UNOGIL To prevent troops and weapons entering Lebanon during crisis Ended December 1958

Rayra,
I found a successful peace keeping mission,
Prevented troops and weapons from entering Lebanon, No Wait, thats not right.
Give me a couple of days and I will get back to you on that one.

#85 zombie

I try to understand where you are coming from on this one, and I also would like to add, that when Chuck Schumer can tell the NY Comptroler that he would put a bullet between the eyes of the President Bush if he could get away with it, and then the NY Comptroler introduces Chuck Schumer with those near exact word, I don't understand where the line is.

/seriously

#69 so.cal.swede,

Sometimes i'm inclined to believe that there's a leftist stronghold somewhere with a huge stupid-ray gun, wiping out common sense and intelligence from 99% of the population...

I don't think they're doing a very good job of that. I was shopping yesterday (and looking very Jewish) and a couple of strangers approached me and expressed their support for Israel. Little things like that tell me the MSM only thinks we're that stupid. Their leftist agenda is clear, but I've seen a lot over the last week that tells me plenty of Americans have good old fashioned common sense.

Israel under growing criticism at home

Where does the AP get this crap from!? My G-d, I honestly think they just make it up. And please note the name of the url -- israel_lebanon_s_quagmire.

#87 republic

that is raping woman and children the world over

don't forget the goats!
the goats need their own lorax.http://www.funtocollect.com/drseusslorax.htm l
/won't somebody please speak up for the goats.

#88 zulubaby:

By the way, did the media mention that one of last week's three suicide-bomber-wannabes was a woman?

See? Islam is all about equality between the sexes. I heard they're working on getting the rate of women's representation up to 50%, too.

Next thing, some Berkeley grad student will write a love poem praising her liberated sisters of islam.

#89 Amyc

I don't think US military personnel can be tasked to UN duty?

Bill Clinton did that very thing with US troops.

One of them has a trial currently, where he was charged with some kind of military infraction for refusing to become part of that U.N. "duty"

I don't have a link, but I know there are some out there.

Kofi must be leaving the UNIFILs there specifically to be used as human shields, if not outright HB supporters. There is no other realistic explanation for not withdrawing them.

The worrisome thing about Chinese nationals among the UN observers is that they are observing the combat capabilities of US-supplied weapons that Israel is using.
[Link: www.debka.com...]
Ordinarily, the capabilities of weapons are classified as secret information in documents.

It would be better if Kofi Annan ordered the UN observers out of the region. There is a war going on, and they should not be there.

July 26, 2006
More Amnesty Fraud
By Thomas Sowell

Just when it looked like the Senate Republicans had finally gotten the message that the American people in general, and their own supporters in particular, are outraged over amnesty for illegal aliens, some Republican Senators have come up with yet another disguise for amnesty -- and gotten bipartisan support, including Ted Kennedy and John McCain.

Under this new plan, its advocates claim, illegal immigrants would "have to leave the country" and re-apply to come back in legally and get on a path toward citizenship. It sounds good but on closer examination it turns out to be a fraud.

How long would the illegal immigrants have to leave the country? According to the Senate bill they "may exit the United States and immediately re-enter." In other words, do a U-turn and come right back. How is that for "tough" border control?

Nobody else gets into the United States that easily. You can say "tough" all you want and still be a wimp. Or a politician.

How long do the Senate Republicans think they can keep insulting the public's intelligence, with an election just a few months away?...

Read the whole thing.
I received an e-mail of a petition today that's going the rounds.
We need to act on this. Seriously.

Definition of a microsecond.

Duration of time between an occurrence of a fatal incident in the Mideast under murky, questionable conditions, and the knee-jerk Israeli apology for it.

#99 pointed stick

#87 republic

that is raping woman and children the world over

don't forget the goats!
the goats need their own lorax.[Link: www.funtocollect.com...] slorax.html
/won't somebody please speak up for the goats.

My very bad!

/:(

#98 zulubaby:

Where does the AP get this crap from!? My G-d, I honestly think they just make it up. And please note the name of the url -- israel_lebanon_s_quagmire.

A truly remarkable quality of this people is its complete lack of illusions when it comes to the muslim threat.

AP's making it up as they go along, I guess.

The biggest leftie demonstration was in T.A., IIRC and drew less than 500 people.

The participants were heckled and told in no uncertain terms by other citizens what they thought of them, let's say.

105 EE

Exactly

Aparently this mission was real and was a tasking from a cetain five sided building in viginia...

we cant have the yellow horde radioing BDA's to beijing now can we

FOX should not get rid of Shepard. I have found his reporting to be at the top of the game...

Especially when he's loping down the street at the first sign of gun fire. I've never seen more shots of a reporter's butt than I have in the last week. Must be Shep's French ancestry...

GJ (#91)

Fantastic idea.

(Trying not to throw up from all the deaths today).

110

PIMF

viginia = virgina

#106 J.D.

Is that the "Pence/Hutchinson" bill?

It didn't say which bill it was in that link.

I called my Representative today and voiced my outrage over the "Pence/Hutchinson bill", which is hogwash!

#105 EE

The worrisome thing about Chinese nationals among the UN observers is that they are observing the combat capabilities of US-supplied weapons that Israel is using.

From Kofi Annan's point of view, that isn't a worrisom thing. It's a benefit.

They are on the other side!

Charles needs to post this picture on the site! It is a gotcha if I ever saw one.

don't forget the goats!

/won't somebody please speak up for the goats.

LOL
Yeah,
I see my neighbors little goats,

When he gets pissed at them for doing something stupid. He says:

stupid goats,
I ought to sell all your asses to Iran.

From CNN

"Hezbollah fights back"

Fights back?

"An Israeli gun fires at suspected guerrilla outposts."

Wearing blue helmets no doubt.

When the LA Times described starvation as Euphoric during the Schiavo mess, I thought that editorial was despicable. But Alas the LA Times has been bested by our friends at Reuters, UK, of all places!: Warning, Graphic - Crime of Love

"Detective Inspector Carol Hamilton from London police's Child Abuse Command says it is difficult to tackle what she calls a "crime of love" as those responsible believe they are doing the right thing for their child."

"When they cut me, they mixed some herbs and eggs ... and poured it where they had cut and stitched me with thorns," Ali recounted.

And that's the mild part.

#108 republic

My very bad!
/:(

oh, that's okay, don't feel bad. i really don't care about the goats either...f-ck 'em!
/not literally of course...*cough*...

#68
Kofi kinda looks like the witch doctor guy from Serpent and the Rainbow.

#105 EE,

The worrisome thing about Chinese nationals among the UN observers is that they are observing the combat capabilities of US-supplied weapons that Israel is using.

Something tells me you won't have to worry about them reporting much when one of those 5,000 lbs. BB'sters goes off. That, or they better understand sign language.

#112 zulubaby:

Israel should declare that a wide zone of southern Lebanon will be de-populated and never re-settled (by Arabs).

And that monument should be erected.

The news today have made me desperately sad.

But also very angry and determined.

One reason the blue helmets aren't shooing away Hizb'Allah is in the press release: They are unarmed. How useless is that?

Any more details on Hizb'Allah use of ambulances for transportation? Israel has apparently had the cajones to target such, but I suspect only with superb intelligence. You just know this is the next thing the MSM will report on, as soon as Hizb'Allah can find a decoy "patient" that "was riding in the ambulance" (not headed toward any hospitals, I'll wager) when Israel attacked it.

#116 Buck

Unbelievable.

Maybe Israel had very, very good reason/intelligence for hitting that spot.

Wherever there is a terrorist, that spot needs to be destroyed, period!

What would Kofi Annan do, or say, if there are further acts of possible support by "U.N. peacekeepers" to Hezbollah?

Will he say that Israel must practice restraint?

Maybe Kofi Annan is being caught in some of his many lies, by this situation.

He sure backpeddeled today, from his insane remarks yesterday!

From the July 21, 2006 UNIFIL Report:

28. Control of the Blue Line and its vicinity appears to have remained for the most
part with Hizbollah. During the reporting period, Hizbollah maintained and
reinforced a visible presence in the area, with permanent observation posts,
-temporary checkpoints and patrols. I t continued to carry out intensive construction
works to strengthen and expand some of its fixed positions, install additional
technical equipment, such as cameras, establish new positions close to the Blue Line
and build new access roads. These measures resulted in a more strategically laid out
and fortified structure of Hizbollah's deployment along the Blue Line. Some
Hizbollah positions remained in close proximity to United Nations positions,
especially in the Hula area, posing a significant security risk to United Nations
personnel and equipment, as demonstrated during the heavy exchanges of fire on
28 May. In letters to the Foreign Minister, dated 23 March, 27 June and 5 July 2006,
the Force Commander, General Pellegrini, expressed grave concern about the
Hizbollah construction works in close proximity to United Nations positions and
requested that the Government of Lebanon take necessary actions to rectify the
situation. However, the situation remained unchanged despite repeated objections
addressed by UNIFIL to the Lebanese authorities. UNIFIL observed the
reconstruction of Hizbollah positions that were damaged or destroyed during the
28 May exchange of fire.

The Lebanese government has failed to take any steps to stop Hizbollah activity. They've posted soldiers near the UNIFIL position and have asked the UN to continue to provide the peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon. Cover for Lebanon's true intent?: Go Hizbollah!
Now the Chinese have arrived to replace the Ukranian engineers repairing roads (and reporting info to the enemy?). Is UNIFIL just naive, complacent, or complicit?

You're on to something #83 alegrias
Something is rotten in Lebanon.

#114 republic
The petition I received didn't specify the bill it was opposing so I'm leery of it. Damn. I'm between Senators et al at the moment...
How many bills are there?

Gj (#109)

I was sorry I didn't know about that demonstration beforehand, but it's probably better that I didn't. I wonder how many were Israelis, and how many were imported agitators.

The AP is disgusting. Even the most left-wing people I know are absolutely behind this war with Hizballah.

Israeli peace flag.

[Link: image.guardian.co.uk...]

#103 republic

Bill Clinton did that very thing with US troops.

One of them has a trial currently, where he was charged with some kind of military infraction for refusing to become part of that U.N. "duty"

I don't have a link, but I know there are some out there.

[Link: www.mikenew.com...]

This is what you were referencing.

INTERNET-HAGANAH.com: "HIZBALLAH'S AL MANAR SITE, REACTIVATED IN INDIA No. 1 site: almanar.com.lb/manartv.com.lb" (July 24, 2006) (Note: Updated July 26, 2006)

Hezbollah is in no way shape or form, any kind of legitimate anything.

They are a pure islamofascist terrorist group who does nothing except murder innocent people!

Why on earth would the U.N. peacekeepers be in a war zone, where only one of the two parties is legitimate, that being Israel!

A legitimate country in every way, Israel, with every right, by any means whatsover, to protect herself from attacks against her, and a pure islamofascist terror group, Hezbollah, and Kofi Annan somehow wants some kind of moral equivelency!

How can this insanity be tolerated by anyone?

GJ, I'm sick after today. I go from depressed to angry and back again. This is really difficult, it's wearing me down.

#98, zulubaby

israel_lebanon_s_quagmire

Could they perhaps be a little more obvious?

A Quick Quiz: Which Party Is Responsible -- Israel Or Hezbollah?

Here's a quick quiz that relates to the picture.

1) If Hezbollah leaders deliberately congregate in areas where there are lots of civilians and the Israelis attempt of assassinate them, which party is responsible for any innocent lives lost?

A) Hezbollah
B) Israel

2) If Hezbollah soldiers set up an ammo dump in a mosque and the Israelis blow it up from the air, which party is responsible for the destruction of the mosque?

A) Hezbollah
B) Israel ...

#132 formercorpsman

Thank you sir!

/stands at attention, salutes, and thanks formercorpsman for protecting my freedoms

#135 zulubaby

Go here for instant relief.

#116 Buck
Good find!

Odd that there should be an outpost with both a UN flag and a Hizballah flag side by side.

Odd that they should share the same outpost.

Odd that the UN should serve as human shields for Hizballah, to prevent the Israelis from attacking the Hizballah outpost.

Is this Kofi Annan's idea for protecting his men? If he had the slightest degree of responsibility for the lives of his men he would not be putting them in the war zone, and certainly not allow them to be in the proximity of Hizballah when he knows that Israel is committed to targeting Hizballah. Where are Kofi's brains?

#128 J.D.

How many bills are there?

NumbersUSA is who I learn of most of the insane bills in regards to illegal entry and living in the USA issues.

Kofi Anan = terrorist

UN = Hizballah

#124 Golden Jerusalem,

The news today have made me desperately sad.

But also very angry and determined.

I can't know what it's like to have all that going on so close to home (and I wish your friend a speedy recovery). As I left the pro-Israel rally in LA one thought that came to mind was that it's sad that it takes a war to show such unity. All the same, I left with a feeling of determination to do whatever I can to contribute to the cause that is on side of good. It may not be much, but it will be something.

And the AP, under the ruberick of "news" reporting on the U.N., continues its blatant bias and uncompromising propaganda:

Hezbollah and the Lebanese government want a cease-fire before anything else happens, but Israel won't stop its bloody offensive until its captured soldiers are released and a defanged Hezbollah is pushed back from its northern border.

Emphasis (unnecessarily) added
Read the whole thing.
(From Forbes of all places! Sheesh!)

Hizbulah is threatening to strike Netanya

[Link: www.jpost.com...]

I belive them it is not all bluster

I am glad my wifes Aunt is not there and is somewhere safe

116 Buck

the U.N. presence serves used to serve as a shield against Israeli strikes against the terrorists.

#129 zulubaby:

I was sorry I didn't know about that demonstration beforehand, but it's probably better that I didn't. I wonder how many were Israelis, and how many were imported agitators.

The AP is disgusting. Even the most left-wing people I know are absolutely behind this war with Hizballah.

My sentiments exactly.

I completely recognize your feelings of deep sadness and anger interchanging. This is how I feel, too.

The thing is, we must not allow it to wear us down.

I refuse to allow it to.

This may still get worse before it gets better.

I'm thinking of Iran.

#85 zombie

Sorry zombie! You're quite right. I guess I got carried away with my fantasies. Delete delete delete.

Jed Babbin explains: "The U.N.'s years-long record on the Israel-Lebanon border makes mockery of the term "peacekeeping." On page 155 of my book, "Inside the Asylum," is a picture of a U.N. outpost on that border. The U.N. flag and the Hezbollah flag fly side by side. Observers told me the U.N. and Hezbollah personnel share water and telephones, and that the U.N. presence serves as a shield against Israeli strikes against the terrorists

[Link: www.michellemalkin.com...]

Here we go again...

U.S. could face a showdown with al-Sadr

The UN Secretary General should hand in his resignation over the failure to order these tea-party goers observers to evacuate a FFZ...

151...

Needs to happen, just like Fallujah II. This time, we will kill Sadr. Why we can't get it right the first time, I don't understand.

This whole situation is wearing me down. It is just the same thing over and over again.

Hell, by now all of us can probably predict the MSM, UN, EU, Arab Propagand machine response to a given incident or attack even before they print it.

Wish Israel, with our help if needed, would just announce that they are leveling, utterly destroying, the lower 25% of Lebanon, AND any area they are attacked from.

No negotiations, no hudna's, no UN intervention, no diplomats, no mediation, no restraint, no mercy, no compromise...but realese the rage that has been pent up after dealing with these animals for so many year.

just do it, and be done with it...the longer this goes on the more uneasy I feel about something bad happening very soon.

148 American Jewess in Jerusalem

yes...as much as we dislike people, especially here...we should temper the thoughts that we have...or at least when typing. Our host is important.

Unless your saying something like, "Let's Turn Iran Into Glass".

You see, that's not specifically aimed at anyone individual and there is no hate involved...just ...a statement, like "How about we frost that cake now".

#144 Fatal

And the AP, under the ruberick of "news" reporting on the U.N., continues its blatant bias and uncompromising propaganda:

Hezbollah and the Lebanese government want a cease-fire before anything else happens, but Israel won't stop its bloody offensive until its captured soldiers are released and a defanged Hezbollah is pushed back from its northern border.

Emphasis (unnecessarily) added
Read the whole thing.
(From Forbes of all places! Sheesh!)

When are these stupid bastards of the msm going to understand that Hezbollah has no say in ANYTHING!

At the rate that Lebanon has been acting, they also, are coming very close, although Lebanon, today, has so far toned down their rhetoric since Condi Rice visited, I think.

Hezbollah is nothing more than a islamofasctist terrorist group, their views, opinions, lives, thoughts, are a mute point, if they continue to attack Israel, and given the fact that they are sworn to the destruction of Israel, it indeed makes their very lives, irrelevant!

Hezbollah needs to be destroyed, completly, as they will never give peace, because they are 100% incapable of it, and for anyone in the world to try and legitimize Hezbollah, that makes those people utterly insane, and incapable of ever grasping the reality of the situation in the ME!

For any trolls out there who may read this, remember who started this entire mess!

It wasn't ever, EVER, Israel.

#143 PDM:

one thought that came to mind was that it's sad that it takes a war to show such unity

But it's a lot worse to have a society which is totally split on fighting the evil that confronts it, I'd still say.

I see what you mean though and I've thought along those lines once or twice as well.

However, my admiration for the people of this country is boundless.

Suggested reading: a new book published by Feldheim (major publisher of religious Jewish books) called "The Ishmaelite Exile". www.feldheim.com...] target="_blank">

Sorry. Here's a link:
[Link: www.feldheim.com...]

#141 republic
Newt Gingrich likes that one? Pence/Hutchinson?

However, my admiration for the people of this country is boundless.

Me too, GJ. Total love.

From the website of 'AtasShrugs':
Hez'b Allah and the UN peacekeepers are in bed together.www.atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com...] target="_blank">

Knock the shit out of them Israel. :)

www.atasshrugs2000.typepad.com...] target="_blank">

Sorry, couldn't make the link work.

Try this: [Link: www.atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com...]

From today's UN daily briefing:

Holl Lute said that the four observers were in a long-established and clearly-marked post near the town of Khiam, which came under recurrent incidents of close firing from Israel yesterday afternoon. The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) reports that, in total, 21 strikes were made within 300 meters of the patrol base.

21 strikes within 300 meters? Just under half a kilometer. Plenty of space for Hizbullah to be operating in and the slightest deviation could result in hits directly on the UNIFIL position. UNIFIL could call the Israelis and say stop firing so damn close, but what should the Israelis do in the middle of a firefight with the terrorists? Stop? According to Kofi, that's exactly what should happen - despite the fact that Hizbullah was shooting back (and shooting from UN positions as other UN reports show).

The observers at Khiam, she said in response to a question on their activities, were military observers from four different nations, who were part of the UN’s eyes and ears for monitoring any violations that might take place.

Violations like Hizbullah operating in the open, hardening their positions, and engaging in cross border attacks? None of which were identified or addressed by the UN at any time until Israel began its own defense.

116 Buck

Great picture. That sums it all up right there.

I'm convinced just from the long-standing peaceful coexistence that UNIFIL has an "understanding" with Hizbollah. Really, if that ragtag bunch of UN observers ever did anything to disrupt Hizbollah's activities or movements in south Lebanon, we would have heard about sporadic attacks, kidnappings, and beheadings of UN personnel over the last few years.

And we've heard a number of accounts in the last week or so from journalists in Lebanon that Hizbollah has contolled their reporting and filming under threats of violence.

Its unthinkable that UNIFIL has operated independently from Hizbollah. I wouldn't be surprised to find that the UN convoys supplying their outposts aren't also supplying Hizbollah forces. UNIFIL should close up shop and get the hell out while they still can. That is if Hizbollah will let them leave.

#168 mich-again

I'm convinced just from the long-standing peaceful coexistence that UNIFIL has an "understanding" with Hizbollah

as does your state of Michigan! What's with crummy democrat michigan?

Coming up on Neil Cavuto shortly, Forbes editor thinks the solution is to buy off Hezbollah.

That will do it, problem solved.

Kofi left those "peacekeepers" in the line of fire.. and now he has something that he can bash Israel over the head with.. this gives kofi the perfect excuse to spew his israeli and Jew hatred... all under the guise of mourning the loss of these un "peacekeepers" every time someone has come close to the UN or its 'peacekeepers".. the first sign of trouble.. they run so fast you see dust devils for a week.. and now all of a sudden.. in the middle of a war... kofi keeps his "peacekeepers" in the line of fire... I don't think so.. he deliberately set these 4 up in the hopes of something like this happeneing.. so that he can make the israeli's look worst than hezbolla.. and we all know whos sucking up to hezbolla...

see ya
cathy :)

blue sky, cute, thanks :-)

zulubaby

Not really my link, found it on another thread a couple of days ago. I use it at least once a day.

#65 amyc

anybody know how to change my LGF name?

I heard Glenn Greenwald might have a few ideas.

Hi LGFWatch Glenn. Heard any good sockpuppet jokes lately?

Muwahahahaha

#98 zulubaby

And please note the name of the url -- israel_lebanon_s_quagmire.

Good catch. The part of the URL after the "/" is simply the path and filename. In other words, that's what they chose to call the picture as a note to themselves. I don't think they gave it a second thought, or understood that the filename would become an integral part of the URL that the whole world can see.

This illustrates, beyond any doubt, how the reporters view these events.

"Hamas, Hizb'allah and Iran are not as strong as we thought they were. Their strength is actually due to the weakness of the international community".

Shimon Peres

The UNIFIL's presence only blocks Israel from retaliating against Hezb'allah's attacks.

I fear that any international force to be deployed on the Lebanese border will have the same result - stopping Israel from engaging Hezb'allah while not preventing Hezb'allah attacks on Israel.

Hezbollah knows that it's losing

Here is a recap from the Hizbollah kidnapping of three IDF personnel in 2001, and lo and behold, UNIFIL refused to cooperate with Israel in the investigation. Good background reading in light of whats going on now.

Earth2moonbat, most of the reporters are on the side of the terrorists, and there are a few, like Ibrahim Barzak, that I keep an eye on. He is so biased, it's disgusting. You know that they have guidelines about never referring to Palestinians as terrorists, etc. Not that they ever would anyway!

#65 amyc
I think you can change your nic during open registration.

164 tfk

They do all this in plain sight. Any idiot should be able to at least connect the dots between escalation of Hizbollah and the acquiescence or payola to the UN "operating" in Lebanon since 1978 under the aegis of "UNIFIl."

To see the MSM have the Syrians on television denying any connection to Hezbollah while our "experts" claim we should be bargaining with Syria, (paying more extortion) was laughable but most likely will be the end result.

The road to Hell.

#151, Dirk Diggler

U.S. could face a showdown with al-Sadr

About damn time...

While I certainly believe Israel's actions in this instance are proper, the state of the propaganda war should make us all, especially in the US, think about future actions.

Limited war is an oxymoron, rarely accomplishing anything. The lesson of Iraq is that you cannot control a nation of lunatics with anything like the level of force we are willing to exert. That is also the lesson of Israel's past occupation of Lebanon. We will probably learn it again when whatever NATO peacekeeping force the future holds occupies southern Lebanon.

Eventually we are going to have to go to full scale war to deal with the Islamo-Fascists. With Russia and China backing them it will be avery dangerous time. We will need as much of the world on our side as we can muster and we are not going to get them by ratcheting up the violence. As long as we continue to try to keep a lid on boiler that is bound to explode we only make ourselves look like part of the problem.

We need to walk softly and wait for the proper time to apply the big stick, then do so all out.

JMO

Survey in Lebanon: 70 percent support kidnap of soldiers

70.1 percent of Lebanese citizens said they support the kidnap of two IDf soldiers by Hizbullah, according to a Lebanese institute for research and information in Beirut.

The same survey revealed that 63.6 percent of Lebanese citizens don't think the IDF will triumph in the battle with Hizbullah. (AFP)

I wonder if the plan of Hezbollah (Syria & Iran) was to lure Israel into a ground war in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah has had six years to built the infrastructure. I have always wondered why Hezbollah grabbed those Israeli soldiers when they knew what the Israeli's response would be. When Hezbollah began to fire their missiles they knew they were not equal to the Israelis by a long shot.

This would not be the first time an enemy has set up a trap.

#180 zulubaby

Right, but what's revealing about your catch is that it's almost assuredly something that they saw as a note to themselves, and not for public consumption. That's the kind of thing that you can really glean some insight from, because you can see what they're like when they don't think they're being watched. It's like being a fly on the wall in the conference room.

Amalie,

I have always wondered why Hezbollah grabbed those Israeli soldiers when they knew what the Israeli's response would be.

Actually, they didn't. Israel's response took them by surprise.

#186 Amalie

I wonder if the plan of Hezbollah (Syria & Iran) was to lure Israel into a ground war in southern Lebanon.

I think the IDF has confirmed that. That's why they've been cautious, and why the MSM characterization of this as a "blitz" is so bogus. What is this? Day 11? They're making progress, but it's slow and steady.

Amalie's here. Now we can get this party started.

#188 zulubaby

Actually, they didn't. Israel's response took them by surprise.

Agreed. Hezbollah never questioned Israel's ability to kick their hineys, they questioned her resolve. The moral to the story is that if it was clear that Israel was united all along, Hezbollah would never have tried this. Strength and unity cause peace, and weakness and division, or even the perception thereof, causes war. Which is why moonbats are the cause of much war.

Dar ul Harb,

If we're not going to kill the Adonis of Sadr City and dismantle his militia this time, whats the point?

Cleared for publication: IDF officer killed, 3 wounded in Bint Jbeil combat

Today has been a bloodbath :-(

184 abu_garcia

Part of the problem is that the Israelis are damned if they do and damned if they don't.

This was more than the issue of merely coming across the southern Lebanan border in a skirmish which led to death and kidnapping of Israeli soldiers. This has to do with largest terrorist organization in the world sitting right on Israel's border with thousands of missiles, bunkers, ect., with each passing day that this was not addressed meant the opportunity for Hezbollah to continue to accumulate more weapons from the very countries who support them, Syria and Iran.

Iran is in the process of trying to build nuclear weapons.

Meanwhile the "world" sits in judgment of Israel. The evidence is coming to light that Lebanon was infiltrated by the Hezbollah, that the UN knew this and chose to look the other way.

If we do not stand by Israel we will lose a valuable ally in more ways than one.

A Canadian soldier's report from South Lebanon

...

(4) Team Sierra is currently observing both IDF/IAF and Hezbollah military clashes from our vantage point which has a commanding view of the IDF positions on the Golan mountains to our east and the IDF positions along the Blue Line to our south, as well as, most of the Hezbollah static positions in and around our patrol Base. It appears that the lion's share of fighting between the IDF and Hezbollah has taken place in our area.
...

This is all the information of a non-tactical nature that I can provide you. I cannot give you any info on Hezbollah position, proximity or the amount of or types of sorties the IAF is currently flying. Suffice to say that the activity levels and operational tempo of both parties is currently very high and continuous, with short breaks or pauses. Please understand the nature of my job here is to be impartial and to report violations from both sides without bias. As an Unarmed Military Observer, this is my raison d'etre.

What I can tell you is this: we have on a daily basis had numerous occasions where our position has come under direct or indirect fire from both artillery and aerial bombing. The closest artillery has landed within 2 meters of our position and the closest 1000 lb aerial bomb has landed 100 meters from our patrol base. This has not been deliberate targeting, but has rather been due to tactical necessity.

I thank you for the opportunity to provide you with some information from the front lines here in south Lebanon.

Maj Hess-von Kruedener

#194 Amalie

If we do not stand by Israel we will lose a valuable ally in more ways than one.

"Lightning rod" is a good way to look at it.

Perhaps I am giving Hezbollah too much credit. But it seems to me that they were able to mobilize these past six years under the "watchful" eye of the UN.

There is the off-chance that Hezbollah itself is a pawn of Iran. An expendable pawn to be used to lure Israel in.

The irony is that Hezbollah uses its own people as pawns. Women, children, innocents, as shields while Iran's mullahs call all the shots.

#45 zombie

"Human shields" isn't the right term. More like "Sacrificial targets."

#59 bluegrass boy

zombie,
you are exactly right about the sacraficial targets,...

I must disagree about the terminology. It is accurate, but using a term so close in meaning to burnt offering would be wrong --too close to a yiddish term that the islamonazis want to pervert. Hologram or something.

OT but did anyone see on Fox Cable News/O'Reilly Tuesday/yesterday the haggish Mary Rose Oakar of some Arab-American group suing the US for not helping more Hezbollans leave Lebanon? That witch wouldn't answer O'Reilly's question about whether she considered Hezbolla a terrorist organization. She dissembled and snarled and made an ass of herself.

This Oakar witch wanted US troops to go into Lebanese villages to rescue Hezbolla-Americans!

/maybe not such a bad idea so long as we can help the IAF and IDF on the ground?

Abbas: Lebanon, Palestinians face total destruction

Lebanon and the Palestinian territories face complete destruction in the latest Middle East violence, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Wednesday.

"What is happening in Palestine is a complete destruction and it is happening in both Palestine and Lebanon," he told reporters on a visit to Algeria. "And at the same time, there is a refusal to reach a ceasefire that has been supported by European countries as well as Arab countries. But until now there is nothing." (Reuters)

So now will you all leave Israel the hell alone?

#194 Amalie

If we do not stand by Israel we will lose a valuable ally in more ways than one.

As I said, I think Israel's use of force in this instance is well applied, but an occupation would just be another disaster. There is no doubt that it will be like weeding, always to be done again, and it will get worse. However far back they are pushed, they will be provided with weapons that reach that far.

One day it will come to all out war. They are not going to quit and Israel is not going to surrender. But we have to manage how we get there.

199 alegrias

Yes, I saw the woman on O Reilly. She came across as an idiot. I cannot imagine most Americans feeling any sympathy. She described some "American" who was stuck in Lebanon because his village had been bombed, that we should go "village to village" in "safe" cars and "save" the Americans.

Someone should tell this person that the US cannot save every single US citizen who is in harm's way. That that is life. Too bad.

201 abu

The horse is already out of the barn.

#202 amelie

Wasn't that haggish Hezbolla-American Mary Rose Oakar full of Bush Derangement Syndrome, while wanting Uncle Sam to go village to village saving Hezbolla-Americans from their Hezbolla "liberators"?

She kept bashing the President for her nutjob clients/LLL constituents.

#200 zuzu

Lebanon and the Palestinian territories face complete destruction in the latest Middle East violence, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Wednesday

from his mouth...to g-d's ears!

/goodnight footballers...

#191 Earth2moonbat

"Which is why moonbats are the cause of much war."

I never thought of it like this before, but it's a brilliant observation -- so true.

I'm deeply saddened to be hearing about all our fallen soldiers today. My heart is breaking for their families, and for all our young men, some still boys, who are bravely facing terrifying combat right now, this minute, as I sit in my living room in still-peaceful Jerusalem, typing on my computer. The world feels surreal at the moment. Because we won't indiscriminately kill their women and children by carpet bombing all of southern Lebanon from the air, our soldiers are losing their lives on the ground.

I'm sickened by Europe and the leftists in America and all the terrorist supporters around the world. I don't understand baseless hatred, or why Jews should always be the target of it.

#203 Amalie

I may be wrong, but I think you'll see a NATO/whoever force on the border and things will simmer down for a while. It often takes economic dislocation to get a real war going. Things have a few years to stew before we get there. Americans are too comfortable to go to war.

204 Alegrias

I came in on the end of the interview. I thought whoever this woman is she is being totally unrealistic, especially the part about how we should go "village to village" to save Americans.

I'm sorry (well, I not really sorry) but you, Alegrias, and I and most of the population of the United States knows that this woman's idea of how to save those "Americans" was down right stupid, crazy, and we would never ask our military to do such a thing.

At some point in our lives we have to quit this baby attitude of how the US government should come flying like Supermen and save our ignorant asses all across the world.

[Kofi Annan and] Eliminating Israel Politely

By Daniel Pipes
December, 2005.

Night pointed stick.

207 Abu

This is a distinct possibility Abu. I have heard rumblings of a possible agreement with certain countries on stopping the escalation. And you are right, there will always be Hizzbollah until they are totally eradicated and separating them from ordinary Lebanese will be difficult.

Which made me just realize, why are the innocent Lebanese against Hizbollah? Why will they never turn them in? Why is it up to the Israelis or us to ferret them out?

PIMF

Why aren't the Lebanese who are not Hizbollah willing to help ferret out the terrorists?

American Jewess and Zulubaby

My thoughts and prayers are with you, your families, your country, and your brave men and women of the IDF.

Am

#203 Amalie, I assume you meant why aren't the innocent Lebanese...

For a lot of them it is the Muslim "brother" thing, but even for some of the Christians it's probably kind of a Stockholm syndrome sort of thing. Plus the fact that their world is in pretty bad shape and humans so very often want to blame "others" for their misery.

NO NEGOTIATION! NO CEASEFIRE! Don't even mention it Israel. You've pushed this far and lost too much - destroy as many Hizballah as you can and brutalize them while doing so. And teach the Lebanese in the South if you want to dine with the devil, help pay the bill too.

It has become so obvious that much of this country has laid in waiting for the right time to strike Israel. Muslim Lebanon is nothing more than a proxy for Iran. Every American ought to be rooting for the Israelis to kill as many of them as possible. And everyone I know is.

Guess what Iranian assholes? Israel had finally had enough of your crap. Now that they've bloodied your little boy's nose and ripped him a new asshole, now you want to talk sense. Too late. I say screw you. I hope Israel reigns hell for as long as they need to kill your little pets.

And I hope America puts you next on the radar. If we were smart, we'd tag team you.

Thank you, Amalie, and to everyone who supports Israel.

I just received an email from a friend, containing a letter from her friend, whose son has just been sent into Lebanon. This mother is beside herself, and she tells of how she can't sleep for fear of hearing a knock at the door (the IDF notifies family in person when a soldier is killed). Every telephone ring is terrifying. After several days, she received a call from her son, who was involved in heavy fighting in Lebanon. Ten of his friends were killed yesterday and today. Ten. And then he had to hang up the phone and go back to the front lines.

I do not know how these mothers do it, how they make it through the day. Something else she said really hit me, concerning the concessions Israel makes which is always followed by Arab aggression -- she asks, "how long will we lose our sons because of the mistakes of the government?"

Yes, how long?

Amalie, thanks.

--

American Jewess,

Ten of his friends were killed yesterday and today. Ten. And then he had to hang up the phone and go back to the front lines.

I have no words for this.

#206 American Jewess:

Because we won't indiscriminately kill their women and children by carpet bombing all of southern Lebanon from the air, our soldiers are losing their lives on the ground.

Yes, same as Jenin during Defensive Shield...

Recent history repeating itself :(

Really rough day.

I'll be off to bed.

Good night, everyone.

Meanwhile, the allegedly harmless Katyusha's killed a 15 year-old Arab girl in Israel but this German guy but still whines about the "Israeli aggressor".

216 American Jewess

Yes, I think I understand what you are saying. Do not let their deaths be in vain.

How terrible but true. To lose a child is not easy. It is the worst thing that can ever happen to someone. It is how they died that matters too.

Do not degrade their sacrifice to their country. They have given their lives to protect us. It is up to the politicians to make sure they do all they can to protect those who fall, their memory, their sacrifice.

Oh yeah, this should be objective:

CNN:
Was it an accident? Anderson Cooper is live in Israel as "360°" investigates the reason behind the U.N. outpost bombing. Today at 10 p.m. ET.

Sorry for the crossposts; it's relevant on several threads...

Thank you Charles et al for your reporting on the FACTS. You'll never hear about this on national television.

Common sense has never been common - even moreso in this connected day and age...

I wouldn't be suprized if they were fired from the UN posts.

Looks like the UN and Hezbollah are traditionally good buddies. This is from a couple years ago...

[Link: energycommerce.house.gov...]

On page 155 of “Inside the Asylum” there is a picture of a “UN peacekeepers’” position on the Israel-Lebanon border. A copy of that picture is attached to this statement. In it, you see two flags flying side by side. One is the UN flag, the other the flag of Hezbollah. While in Israel last November, I spoke to an Israeli soldier who had been stationed at an IDF post on the Israeli side. He told me how the UN “peacekeepers” lived in comfortable coexistence with the murderers of Hezbollah, using the same telephones, sharing water supplies. Were it up to me, not another American dime would be paid to the UN while that Hezbollah flag flies. I wonder: how many other terrorists take advantage of similar UN hospitality elsewhere in the Middle East and around the world?