The Israeli public relations rhythm of bomb, kill innocent Lebanese, apologize (though with the caveat that "They should have moved -- we dropped leaflets warning them!"), seems to work in the United States. At least, for the present. Besides, it allows Bush to hide his own disasterously out of control mess in Iraq behind the fresher (and therefore more interesting to watch) coverage of Israel and Hezbollah.
But watch Israel's actions. How many more Lebanese will die? That, and not the burblings about a "tragic mistake," will determine world attitude toward not only Israel, but the United States. At the moment, it seems to this powerless pundit that the two nations are in moral free-fall, embracing one another in their mutually-agreed upon course of death-dealers.
Should Hezbollah stop what it is doing? Of course. But how likely is that, when if anything what Israel is doing right now actually strengthens Hezbollah's hand politically in Lebanon and gives it new recruits?
As a Christian on the non-right wing, and on this topic, not having much respect for the Democrats' cave-in to Israel either, I find myself praying for Christian believers in Lebanon and Israel, hoping that their witness will not be completely eclipsed by our $30 million anti-witness of weaponry rushed to Israel during this conflict. It sickens me that American bombs are likely the ones that killed those children, women, and men. Each of those Lebanese faces was the face of Jesus. And as we did it to them, by Israel our proxy, we did it to Him.
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2 comments:
Lets put this in perspective. Israel is trying to stop a terrorist group that has no problem hiding among and killing civilians. Israel unfortunately is limited to carrying out limited attacks to target this group and in the process civilians will tragically be killed. To limit their own casualties, they have fought this war mainly in the air and one can argue that a ground force would save more civilians but kill more Israeli soldiers. These links put the moral difference into its proper context. http://vitalperspective.typepad.com/vital_perspective_clarity/
http://www.powerlineblog.com/
Anonymous comments don't thrill me. That said, your link to 'vitalperspective' thrilled me even less. The usual Israeli "explanations" are infuriating even to me; I can't imagine what the relatives of those killed today would say (or do!) in response. There is a fundamental disconnect here I always find astonishing, even when it happens over and over again with folk who seem to reason as you do. "Limited attacks" is yet another term guaranteed NOT to resonate with someone who's child has just been perforated (or crushed) by Israeli bombs, debris, shrapnel, and the like. In short, your argument is to repeat the official Israel line on all this. Sigh...
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