Tough time to be Lebanese. I am Maronite Lebanese-American, and I am deeply saddened that my people are being unnecessarily persecuted in Israel's war on Islamic Jihad and Hezb'Allah.
What do the rest of the you think of the conflict?
Tough time to be Lebanese. I am Maronite Lebanese-American, and I am deeply saddened that my people are being unnecessarily persecuted in Israel's war on Islamic Jihad and Hezb'Allah.
What do the rest of the you think of the conflict?
Steve
Wow Steve, really opening the flood gates eh?
Seriously though, that's a tough region for most to analyze without bias.
The gap between "nations" and "movements" is so great that neither can fight a conflict on anything near equal footing. All that's typically accomplished is the destruction of those caught in the middle.
Over 20 years of Isuzu enjoyment...
I think, don't get me started!
I just typed about 2 full paragraphs about what I think. I then deleted it because this is a public forum, and I really don't want to get into it with a bunch of "strangers". I probably should not reply at all.
But, in a nutshell:
Religion + People = Fanaticism
Fanaticism = Violence
BOTTOM LINE.
I don't BELIEVE so I don't understand. It's unnecissary nonsense to me.
Bart
"It's in Revelations people...!!!" -Rev. Lovejoy
*
He lingers -- happily -- in a new hybrid state of semi-hormonal adolescence and responsible self-reliance.
*
Steve, a guy I work with went to Lebanon on vacation to visit his wife's family and got caught up in that mess for a couple of weeks. He's back now, and we are all quite happy about that.
As for your point of view, well that's all it is - your perspective from your particular point of view. Anyone on the other side of the border no doubt is deeply saddened that their people are unnecessarily persecuted in Islamic Jihad's and Hezb'Allah's war on Israel.
Whose perspective is "right"? Neither, obviously.
It's not that interesting either - EVERYONE has a different perspective about EVERYTHING. So f'n what?
I personally am deeply saddened that Israel is FINALLY doing the right things (pulling out of Lebanon, pulling out of Gaza) -- and the things that the Lebanese, Syrians, and Palestinians have wanted them to do for the last 20-40 years -- and what do they get for it? More attacks from the Lebanese, Syrians, and Palestinians.
But we shoudl really leave this alone - this is a VX forum, not a politics forum.
VehiGaz, that's not entirely accurate. I sympathize with Israel. However, their war is with the Syrian/Iranian-backed Hezb'Allah, not with the peaceful Maronite (Christian) Lebanese government. The entire population of Lebanon - including Christians in the North - are being punished by Israel for the actions of the extremist Muslims in the South, and it saddens me.
Amen to that!Originally Posted by nfpgasmask
I'm glad you agree. Some of us can see through all the rubbish after all.Originally Posted by transio
Bart
When you have an incompetant, unsympathetic government in charge do you really believe things are done for the betterment of the people.
Now, the next question is which government am I speaking about?
Peace.
Tom
Really, I believe this is the wrong forum for this. We could talk about Dakar, Iraq or many other countries. Let's leave this alone here and we can meet up in anther forum for those discussions.
"Through Great Sacrifice..... Great Rewards Will Be Achieved"
The band's name... THE THE.
The album... MIND BOMB.
The song... Armageddon Days Are Here (Again)
The chorus... "ISLAM is rising. The Christians mobilising. The world is on it's elbows & knees. It's forgotten the message & worships the creeds."
I agree... I'd rather BBQ, watch a movie or cartoons, play video games, go for a ride on my motorcycle, have a couple drinks with friends, see a concert, etc. than blow myself up because somebody believes something different than I do... I can not even begin to see how ANYBODY would choose to feel opposite of that. I'm going to go for a ride.Originally Posted by nfpgasmask
Hey Noc!
And just where have you been? I tried to PM you but your box was full!
Bart
PS - I saw The The with Depeche Mode years ago, good show.
Originally Posted by nocturnalVX
I dare not offer more than the following two quotes; both of which express my opinions on the subject FAR better than I could manage myself:
“We despise all reverences and all the objects of reverence which are outside the pale of our own list of sacred things. And yet, with strange inconsistency, we are shocked when other people despise and defile the things which are holy to us.”
-AND-
“So much blood has been shed by the Church because of an omission from the Gospel: "Ye shall be indifferent as to what your neighbor's religion is." Not merely tolerant of it, but indifferent to it. Divinity is claimed for many religions; but no religion is great enough or divine enough to add that new law to its code.”
- Mark Twain
"This trail is so bumpy, it's knocking my bra straps off!" - Miss Kathy
E-Zoo Zoo One,
That says it all. Touche'
Peace.
Tom
I think Israel is shooting itself in the foot.
Their best hope for reducing hezbollah's influence is for a strong lebanese government. One that governs well so that the country has prosperity, a prosperity that the population at large has a vested interest in maintaining and one that enforces the laws so that it locks up hezbollah members that don't care about prosperity anyway and are plotting and to do violence against israel and others.
By destroying so much of the public infrastructure in lebanon all israel accomplishes is the weakening of the lebanese government, and probably one of the best recruiting campaigns ever for hezbollah.
My impression is that with Sharon out of the picture, the current coalition government in israel is very weak. And that by beating the crap out of lebanon they are appealing to the war hawks to strengthen the coalition at a very heavy price in reduced national security in the near and forseeable future.
I think the Lebanon I remember as a 16 year old ('69-'70) was one of the most beautiful, magical,places in the world. A cosmopolitan, almost European style...some how infused with 6000 years of culture and continuity. The place where humans first learned seafaring,the result being,a place made up of little bits of the whole worlds ideas and ways. My description comes up short. I look now and feel only hollow. When all the humans are gone, maybe then the Cedars will regrow... it will be beautiful again.