Bush pledges support for Lebanese army in Hezbollah battle »
Posted By JamesMarcus 1 year, 5 months ago in NewsThe US is prepared to strengthen the Lebanese army to help disarm Hezbollah, after a week of violence between the militia group and pro-government gunmen that left 81 people dead. George W. Bush said that US assistance would ensure that the army was "able to defend the Lebanese government and safeguard its institutions."
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James Marcus is a writer, translator, critic, and editor. He is the author of Amazonia: Five Years at the Epicenter of the Dot-Com Juggernaut and ...
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bubba21 year, 5 months ago
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Great ... our military is already so stretched beyond capacity because of Iraq and Afghanistan, and he promises military support for Lebanon?
W and his cronies apparently view the military as slave-labor instead of valued employees that should be properly taken care of so that they can do their 'jobs'.
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DropkickaLib1 year, 5 months ago
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djn3nunez31 year, 5 months ago
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"he promises military support for Lebanon"
I seriously doubt that he intends to send US troops into a battle in Lebanon.
If he send equipment and military hardware, how is that significantly different from Iran and or Syria suppling Hezbollah?
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libsRfunnyComment removed: Hard Banned1 Reply
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joeblowe1 year, 5 months ago
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PapaWolf1 year, 5 months ago
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Not to mention the US's total failure to even attempt to stop Israel from bombing Lebanon. That gave a not-too-popular fringe group - tho well-armed, I'll admit - increased popularity & power in an already divided country & region.
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joeblowe1 year, 5 months ago
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It's interesting to read comments going back and forth between "It's all Israel's fault" and "It's all Lebanon's fault" and "It's all Syria's fault" and "It's all Iran's fault" and "It's all OUR fault." And the irony is: IT SHOULDN'T MATTER - because really, it's none of our business. Neither Lebanon, Syria, Israel, Iran... none of them are U.S. territories. Quite frankly - except possibly for humanitarian reasons - it shouldn't matter the tiniest bit who does what to whom in that part of the world. Our "interests" in the region DO seem to keep costing the taxpayers billions and billions - soon TRILLIONS - of dollars though. WHY isn't Ron Paul way, way ahead in the polls? Seriously folks, we can't afford this crap anymore. Not that we ever could...
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pcknowledge1 year, 5 months ago
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I believe the conflict between Israel & Lebanon stems partially from the fight over the Litani River, since water is so scarce in that part of the world.
"THE LITANI RIVER OF LEBANON"
"Because of current Israeli utilization of all its renewable water resources and the predicted annual water deficit of 500 to 600 million cubic meters, Israeli occupation of the water-rich area in southern Lebanon raises questions about Israel's hydrological imperative. Israel has had historical interest in the Litani River, whose entire flow is within the borders of Lebanon.
"Israel is interpreted as being motivated largely by environmental prudence in extending its sphere of influence into southern Lebanon. Israeli desire to gain access to the Litant water resources serves its national interest, but to the detriment of Lebanon."
http://web.macam.ac.il/~arnon/Int-ME/water/THE LITANI RIVER.htm
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Edmar141 year, 5 months ago
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The Latini river has absolutely nothing to do with Israel wanting it's water. In the 1970's Israel went into Lebanon to stop the katusha rockets being fired into Israel from Southern Lebanon by the PLO. The Litani River became the dividing line from which Israel seperated southern Lebanon from the rest of the country. When Israel occupied southern Lebanon to prevent the rockets from being fired from that area, the Litani became the boundry line. Israel has a very efficient national water carrier which takes water from the Sea of Galilee and disperses it throughout the country. It also has very sophisticated desalination plants which create fresh water from the Mediterranian sea, as well as deep water wells. It doesn't need or covet the Litani water. Get your history and facts straight. The Lebanese have been using that same old BS about Israel wanting the water since the Civil War. Israel doesn't need or want their water.
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pcknowledge1 year, 5 months ago
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The last Israel/Lebanon conflict was not because of 2 Israeli soldiers. It was because of the Litani water, & long in the planning.
"The entire basin of the Litani River is located within the borders of Lebanon.
In the Israeli-Palestinian context, water is a central ingredient, perhaps only second to land, of the wider conflict between the two sides...the water conflict is not just about water; it reaches to the recesses of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, to questions of land and annexation. Those are abnormal in a water conflict, and render the Israeli-Palestinian water conflict more complex and acute than others in the region.(9)
12) Historically, Israel has been interested in the Litani, and conflict with Lebanon over the Litani is more likely given this."
http://www.american.edu/ted/ice/litani.htm
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PapaWolf1 year, 5 months ago
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Few Westerners, with little or no ties to the ME, realize any of this. Israel has even threatened all-out war if Lebanon restricts Israel's water use of LEBANESE rivers. And they limit PALESTINIAN water usage while the Israeli settlers are allowed, by comparison, almost unlimited water usage.
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pcknowledge1 year, 5 months ago
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I agree. Our government doesn't give us all the necessary information to know the real reasons behind a conflict. Everyone has to do research on their own. Even if someone doesn't have any ties to the ME (I sure don't) I believe it helps to have travelled there before believing what is shared through the media.
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dissent1 year, 5 months ago
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yep, and that goes for everywhere, pc, not just the ME. i've read so much sh!t on these threads from morons who've never been anywhere and have no idea about anything but have a loud mouthed, dumb a$$ed opinion on everything and are all too happy to blow it all away before they ever get there which they never will. pretty much sums up our foreign policy
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hyperbola1 year, 5 months ago
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This is just the same old US/Israeli imperialism that has been committing war crimes in Lebanon for 60 years now. It is yet another result of having zioncon traitors to america running our mideast policy - in the case of Lebanon the "Welch Club" run by arch zionist racist Elliot Abrams (you know the one convicted of lying to congress during Iran-Contra). Of course, our media never tell us about these traitors and their crimes against humanity.
Sharon's war crimes in Lebanon: the record
... Israel, Lebanon and Zionist expansionism
While public attention has focused on the atrocities at Sabra and Shatilla, the record shows that these were the culmination of 15 years of military action by Israel in Lebanon, much of which constituted war crimes. ...
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2002/feb2002/sab-f...
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hyperbola1 year, 5 months ago
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The Israeli Project Has Failed in Lebanon
Why the Bush Administration Wants to Negotiate Now with Hezbollah
http://www.counterpunch.org/lamb04252008.html
What's in it for Hezbollah?
Will U. S. Policy in Lebanon and the Middle East Ever Change?
http://www.counterpunch.org/lamb04262008.html
Part One: Historical Context and Current Posturing
Bush to Nasrallah: an Offer Hezbollah Cannot Refuse?
http://www.counterpunch.org/lamb04242008.html
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Edmar141 year, 5 months ago
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Hyperbola, you seem to hate the US and Israel so much. Why don't you just pick your big a double s up and move out of this great country. If you don't like the US, leave. You don't like it, and it doesn't like you. You have the ability to speak your mind only because this country gives you that right. Why don't you try moving to one of your lovely Moslem countries where women like you are relegated to second class citizens with little or no rights. Then again, you're not smart enough to understand what it is that you really have.
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Daylight1 year, 5 months ago
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Edmar14
Hyperbola, you seem to hate the US and Israel so much. Why don't you just pick your big a double s up and move out of this great country.
He seem to hate the American policy but you seem to be an Israeli Zionist shill. Why don't you move to Israel?
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Daylight1 year, 5 months ago
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For the last 50 years America has been the cause of blood shed in the world supporting tyrants and puppets to crush even the reasonable and genuine concern of citizens. It is time America changes it's policy towards the countries that kill their own citizens in the name of Democracy and freedom to be in the list of the American financial help. America is not helping Democracy anywhere in the world instead trying to protect those American shills in the name of Democracy. America has already done enough damage to the world by taking sides rather America should stop supporting governments to fight their opponents. Hisbolah is not a terrorist organization, they are political force who want to defend their country from Israeli aggression and by helping Lebanon to fight Hisbollah, America is laying the foundation for a long and bloody civil war that will bankrupt the already bankrupt America but will help Israel to be strong to start another war in the Middle East.
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djrevelky1 year, 5 months ago
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How dare President Bush pledge support for a democratically elected government that is being overthrown by an acknowledged, anti-American, terrorist group?
Why the nerve! Bush needs to be like all of the anti-American liberals and terrorist-backers on netscape and just go hug them.
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hyperbola1 year, 5 months ago
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Actually it is Israel, not Hezbollah, that should be on our terrorism list. Nice try at trying to continue killing americans in the mideast fore zionist crimes against humanity.
Why is Hezbollah on the Terrorism List?
And Who Isn't But Should Be?
... Hezbollah's view of the April 17, 1983 Embassy bombing is different from some militia operating during this period. Hezbollah has consistently opposed attacks on foreign civilians. It was one of the first to condemn the 9/11 operation as well as the 1997 attack at the Temple of Hatshepsut at Luxor, Egypt which killed 58 civilians as "bloody and terrible, calling them crimes against Islam. Hezbollah also condemned the Cairo attacks on the Greek tourists, and the Algerian killing of 7 trappist monks in Algerian by claimed Islamists....
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