rant on the middle east
Yes, I am a liberal and a Democrat. I also support Israel.
I am so sick of these liberals on LJ and elsewhere that hate Israel and are basically apologists for the terrorist groups Hamas and Hezbollah. Oh, poor Lebanon! Poor Palestine! They're only harboring terrorists and allowing terrorists to run their countries by electing them to parliaments and appointing them to cabinet positions. Give me a break!
Israel used to the southern part of Lebanon in order to stave off terrorist attacks from Hezbollah, a terrorist organization funded by Syria and Iran but based out of Lebanon. Israeli troops withdrew from Lebanon back in 2000. They also occupied parts of Palestine, which is the story most people are familiar with- the Israelis and Palestinians have been bickering over who should own the land for fifty plus years with many people dying in the process. The Palestinians will send a suicide bomber into highly-populated civilian areas in Israel and kill many innocent civilians and tourists. In response, Israel attacks specific targets in Palestine- mainly the homes of suicide bombers (as a deterrent) and military targets.
Recently, as part of a peace agreement, Sharon (before his medical problems) ordered a withdrawal from Gaza, a Palestinian area in southern Israel. The Israelis decided to leave and let the Palestinians occupy Gaza undeterred. Some Israelis that had settled there made a fuss about leaving, but regardless the withdrawal continued. Unsurprisingly, this situation was not satisfactory to the Palestinians. They will not be satisfied until Israel is wiped off the map and the Jews are driven into the Mediterranean.
So jump to now. The Palestinian terrorist group that was just elected as the leaders of the Palestinian Authority, Hamas, kidnapped a soldier named Gilad Shalit. Israel decided they weren't going to put up with it and rolled their tanks into Gaza to save their soldier. Then, in northern Israel, the terrorist group with 27 seats in the Lebanese parliament and at least one cabinet-level position, Hezbollah, kidnapped a few soldiers to distract Israeli troops that were searching for Cpl. Shalit. Some feel that all of this was planned by Iran, a country that may be afraid of what Bush and other world leaders are going to discuss at the G8 summits this weekend.
So, Israel responded to Hezbollah by bombing the runways at the international airport in Beirut. This was a strategic attack to prevent airstrikes- Hezbollah often operates out of the airport there. Yes, about fifty by-standers were hurt or killed. Hezbollah responded by shooting missiles into Haifa in northern Israel, killing innocent civilians.
Now, it seems that the IDF is going to re-occupy southern Lebanon in order to protect itself. It's possible that all-out war is going to break out on more than one front. And while Israel isn't perfect, I find it repulsive that it's being painted as the oppressor, the bully, etc.
warlordkittens, if you want to correct or clarify anything, go right ahead.
I am so sick of these liberals on LJ and elsewhere that hate Israel and are basically apologists for the terrorist groups Hamas and Hezbollah. Oh, poor Lebanon! Poor Palestine! They're only harboring terrorists and allowing terrorists to run their countries by electing them to parliaments and appointing them to cabinet positions. Give me a break!
Israel used to the southern part of Lebanon in order to stave off terrorist attacks from Hezbollah, a terrorist organization funded by Syria and Iran but based out of Lebanon. Israeli troops withdrew from Lebanon back in 2000. They also occupied parts of Palestine, which is the story most people are familiar with- the Israelis and Palestinians have been bickering over who should own the land for fifty plus years with many people dying in the process. The Palestinians will send a suicide bomber into highly-populated civilian areas in Israel and kill many innocent civilians and tourists. In response, Israel attacks specific targets in Palestine- mainly the homes of suicide bombers (as a deterrent) and military targets.
Recently, as part of a peace agreement, Sharon (before his medical problems) ordered a withdrawal from Gaza, a Palestinian area in southern Israel. The Israelis decided to leave and let the Palestinians occupy Gaza undeterred. Some Israelis that had settled there made a fuss about leaving, but regardless the withdrawal continued. Unsurprisingly, this situation was not satisfactory to the Palestinians. They will not be satisfied until Israel is wiped off the map and the Jews are driven into the Mediterranean.
So jump to now. The Palestinian terrorist group that was just elected as the leaders of the Palestinian Authority, Hamas, kidnapped a soldier named Gilad Shalit. Israel decided they weren't going to put up with it and rolled their tanks into Gaza to save their soldier. Then, in northern Israel, the terrorist group with 27 seats in the Lebanese parliament and at least one cabinet-level position, Hezbollah, kidnapped a few soldiers to distract Israeli troops that were searching for Cpl. Shalit. Some feel that all of this was planned by Iran, a country that may be afraid of what Bush and other world leaders are going to discuss at the G8 summits this weekend.
So, Israel responded to Hezbollah by bombing the runways at the international airport in Beirut. This was a strategic attack to prevent airstrikes- Hezbollah often operates out of the airport there. Yes, about fifty by-standers were hurt or killed. Hezbollah responded by shooting missiles into Haifa in northern Israel, killing innocent civilians.
Now, it seems that the IDF is going to re-occupy southern Lebanon in order to protect itself. It's possible that all-out war is going to break out on more than one front. And while Israel isn't perfect, I find it repulsive that it's being painted as the oppressor, the bully, etc.
warlordkittens, if you want to correct or clarify anything, go right ahead.