A Terrifying War Has Begun

[LouiseVargas]

Reality Check

The war has begun. Israel is being attacked from the south and from the north. And soon the United States may have to back Israel and fight Iran and Syria in Israel. Syria is no problem but war with Iran will be a huge conflict, considering they have said they want to wipe Israel off the face of the earth and that they are making an nuclear bomb.

Hamas, unprovoked, kidnapped an Israeli soldier and killed a young Israeli settler. Israel demanded the soldier be returned and Hamas talked about a prisoner exchange. Israel would not negotiate and moved into Gaza.

Then Hezbollah guerillas from Lebanon, unprovoked, crossed into Israel on Wednesday and captured/kidnapped two Israeli soldiers and killed three others. Hezbollah is substantially backed by Syria and Iran and is considered a terrorist organization by the United States and Israel. The group holds posts in Lebanon's government. Lebanon used to be known as the Paris of the east but has been "occupied" by Syria since the mid 70s. Again, Israel demanded that the soldiers be returned and Hezbollah talked about a prisoner exchange. Israel would not negotiate and Israeli warplanes and gunboats pounded more than 30 targets in southern Lebanon.  and Israeli leaders promised Lebanon a painful response for the capture of the soldiers.

The latest attack comes after Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert called the soldiers' capture "an act of war." The raid was "not a terror attack, but an operation of a sovereign state without any reason or provocation," he said. "The Lebanese government, which Hezbollah is part of, is trying to undermine the stability of the region, and the Lebanese government will be responsible for the consequences." Olmert and his Cabinet prepared to approve more military action in Lebanon - a second front in the fight against Islamic militants by Israel, which already is waging an operation to free a captured soldier in the Gaza Strip.

This is what happened. Hamas and Hezbollah kidnapped Israeli soldiers and would not return them. Those are the pure and simple facts. But I already hear the news stations painting Israel as the aggressor. Online news sites seem to be doing the same thing.

Israel is not the aggressor. Israel has a peace treaty with Egypt and Jordan so they won't join in the attack. But there is no telling what Syria and Iran will do. If things get bad, will the United States back Israel and thus get into a war with Iran?

[Dihannah1]

LV,  I don't think we have a choice, sadly enough, though they are our most purposeful fight!  Again, I said we are close to WWWIII..  What you mention is only one fight on the horizon.  China and Russia are trying to ease sanctions agains N. Korea,  then there is Iran,  Pakistan and India, Afganistan is seeing a rise in the Taliban. On and on, on the news.

We are committed to Israel, there is no way we cannot defend them if push comes to shove, we HAVE to.  But think what will happend if/when we do?  Look at what we are already fighting in the Middle East.  We are already stretched so thin, we can only pray our allies will back us up.  Strangely, I haven't heard much from the UK lately....

[mrs. red]

I am in complete favor of protecting Isreal...

[Red]

This thing has spiraled out of control. The last thing that should ever have been done was play a game of oneupmanship with Israel.

They know they have to protect themselves and they will at all cost.

Who knew with Sharon in a coma that war would begin?

Israel Hits Lebanon After Troops Snatched
http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/07/12/D8IQPH280.html

Israel bombed and shelled southern Lebanon and sent ground troops over the border for the first time in six years Wednesday after Hezbollah guerrillas captured two Israeli soldiers. The fighting killed eight Israeli soldiers and three Lebanese.

Hezbollah's brazen cross-border raid opened a second front for the Israeli army. The army is now fighting Islamic militants in both Lebanon and the Gaza Strip, where it is looking for another soldier who was captured more than two weeks ago by Hamas-linked militants.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert called the Hezbollah raid an "act of war" by Lebanon and threatened "very, very, very painful" retaliation.



(more)

[Red]

Bomb Destroys Palestinian Foreign Ministry

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/07/12/D8IQO4SOO.html

A bomb dropped by an Israeli warplane destroyed the Palestinian Foreign Ministry building in Gaza City early Thursday.

The bomb collapsed the building and caused widespread destruction in the area. The Palestinian foreign minister is Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahar.

The Israeli military confirmed it carried out an airstrike on the Palestinian Foreign Ministry, noting that it is "led by Hamas."

(more)

[Red]

Hamas Leader Badly Hurt in Israeli Bombing

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/07/12/D8IQP2182.html

A Hamas militant leader who has topped Israel's most-wanted list for a decade was badly wounded and underwent four hours of spinal surgery Wednesday after being wounded in an Israeli airstrike, security officials said.

The top fugitive, Mohammed Deif, could end up paralyzed, Palestinian security officials said on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss his condition. Wednesday's blast marked the army's fourth attempt to kill Deif, held responsible for suicide bombings in Israel. In a 2002 missile strike, he lost an eye.



(more)

[Tylergal]

I am in complete favor of protecting Isreal...

There should be no question that we will defend Israel, none have been  better allies to us than Israel and England.  Israel is our only true ally in that part of the world.

[nonesuche]

All political affiliations aside please, I found this piece on CNN today to reflect what I feel so sadly and also with great fear today.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/07/13/greenfield.mideast/index.html

[Tylergal]

It's so hard for CNN, the Washington Post and NYT just to say those words, "terrorist."  

That's fine.  CNN allowed and knew about Hussein killing his own people and allowed it so he would allowe them to remain country.  CNN is shameless.

[LouiseVargas]

Dear Nonesuche,

Thank you for the CNN article written by Jeff Greenfield. Especially this part: "During a question-and-answer session between Olmert and the Nobel laureates, an Israeli economist and passionate supporter of the West Bank settlers excoriated Olmert for the idea of giving back Gaza and parts of the West Bank. Look, Olmert said, I know all this land is ours, given to us by God, but it's a step we must make in order to try for peace."

Israel has tried to make peace. As I wrote earlier, it has never before happened in the world that a country has responded to attacks by fighting back and conquering the areas from which the attacks came - and then gave some of the conquered areas back. Israel fought the Egyptians and conquered the entire Sinai peninsula to the Suez Canal. They bombed the Egyptian airplanes before they could even take off. And then in order to make a peace treaty with Egypt, they gave the Sinai back. Israel also captured the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Golan Heights, and East Jerusalem as a result of the 1967 War.

To this very day, it is said that Israel is "occupying" these areas. Occupying? NOOOOOO. These are conquered areas.

Israel gave Gaza back to make peace. Previously, Yasser Arafat (the terrorist who won a Nobel Peace Prize) was exiled in Tunis because Jordan threw Arafat out due to the trouble he caused. What did Arafat do in Gaza? He authorized attacks on Israel. When he died, there was hope for peace. But the elected officials could not control Hamas.

Regarding East Jerusalem, when Arabs held this part of the city where the Western Wall (Wailing Wall) is - a holy site to Jews because it is the only remaining part of the original biblical temple, they prohibited Jews from visiting the Wall. When Israel took back East Jerusalem, did they prohibit Arabs from visiting their holy shrine, the Temple Mount? No. That is not something a civilized country would do.

The world was so against Israel for fighting terrorism until September 11. It took that event for the world to recognize what Israel has been through.

Now in the midst of Israel giving back land and making concessions, they are attacked by Hamas and Hezbollah.

This is something I cannot believe: The UN Security Council demanded Israel halt its attacks in Gaza. The United States vetoed that resolution. This is a good example of how the world regards Israel as the aggressor no matter what the true facts are. Israel was attacked and the UN demands they don't fight back and defend itself. The European Union reportedly condemned the fighting and criticized Israel for using what it called "disproportionate" force.

Israel said that at least one of the missiles that hit Haifa Thursday was fired by members of the Iranian Guard. These Iranian Guard units are stationed in Southern Lebanon. Iran's President Ahmadinejad has repeatedly said that it is Iran's plan to destroy Israel. Appearing on Sean Hannity’s Radio Show on Thursday, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich said that we in the US and the world have to decide whether we are on the side of civilization or with the terrorists. Sounds like what Bush said after September 11, either you are with us or you are with the terrorists.

I see what is obvious, something the world is not quite mentioning yet - the United States is at war with Iran.

[mrs. red]

LV... speaking of all of this, did you ever do any research on Barak Obama?

[Tylergal]

Louise, Condi vetoed that UN resolution.  Condi is not soft on terror.

[Tylergal]

Saudis are criticizing Hisbollah for their actions and saying that taking the Israeli soldiers is not legitimate.  I think that means the Saudis will be turn their heads when Israel flies the jets into Iran.

[LouiseVargas]

Thanks, TylerRose, for letting me know it was Condi who did the veto.  
xoxoxoxox

[LouiseVargas]

Mrs. Red,

No, I have not done research on Barrack Obama. I remembered your warning and got the creeps whenever I thought him. But I should do the research so I can know what you are talking about.

With Love

Thanks for the reminder.

[nonesuche]

It's so hard for CNN, the Washington Post and NYT just to say those words, "terrorist."  

That's fine.  CNN allowed and knew about Hussein killing his own people and allowed it so he would allowe them to remain country.  CNN is shameless.

Tyler,

I guess I've become such a jaded realist now, that yes it's shameless but every media outlet seems to have some measure of dirty hands of late. It's like who is next, the NYTimes one day, CNN the next, then the WPost....a discouraging cycle. There seem to be no impartial journalists, at least not those with high visibility or even power any longer.

I really think the word "extremists" that Greenberg utilizes fits my palate better as I ponder history and now consequences of the unrest in the middle east. Last night while discussing the day's events with my daughter, she countered back in frustration as youth and naivete can do so often "why does the world persecute Israel?". I can see how she feels this way, she had more than a few troubling questions regarding Hitler's rise to tyranny as well, back in high school.

If one looks at the issues at base level, it begins with extremists who then advance terrorism to force their beliefs above all others regardless of the cost to others. I am beginning to believe even within our own churches we could have prevented some of this, for there are extremists everywhere even in the US, just look at the abortion bombings in the last decade in the US.

Sadly, it is likely too late for our world to learn such an important lesson.

[nonesuche]

Louise,

I really appreciate you posting such a personal perspective, I plan to share that with my daughter, for she is anxious to understand better what the plight of Israel has been.

It is such a tragedy.

[mrs. red]

I am praying that they really did get the head of Hezbollah today.

[Dihannah1]

US, major allies differ in response to Israeli attack

The world splitting on Israel's plight.

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/07/14/060714155753.g7u4vpr6.html

It's becoming more obvious what lies ahead.  

God promised to protect Israel....

[LouiseVargas]

Dear Red,

You wrote: This thing has spiraled out of control. The last thing that should ever have been done was play a game of oneupmanship with Israel. Who knew with Sharon in a coma that war would begin?
**************

Ariel Sharon  served as Prime Minister of Israel, from March 2001 until April 2006. When Ariel Sharon had the stroke and didn't wake up, I was not only worried for him and his two sons, but for what would be next in Israel. I never heard of Ehud Olmert but after hearing he was Sharon's right hand man I felt better about him. When Sharon left the Likud political party and founded Kadima, Olmert followed him. There was an election and Olmert's party won.

However, Olmert does not have the same gravitas as Sharon. No one could follow in the footsteps of the Lion of Israel, as Sharon was known. Sharon fought alongside Menachim Begin in the 1948 war for Israel's independence. After that, he had a brilliant military career and also held high positions in the government. He was a legend. During his lengthy career, Sharon was a highly controversial figure among many factions both inside and outside Israel. His supporters view him as a leader who strove to establish peace without sacrificing Israel's security. Many Israelis likewise consider him a war hero who helped defend the country during some of its greatest struggles.

If Sharon were still in power, I can't imagine that he would be doing anything different from Olmert is doing.  But like I said, Sharon had a mega watt reputation and enemies feared him and perhaps Hamas and Hezbollah would have thought twice before they risked the wrath of Ariel Sharon.