has lost the sympathy it has gathered by the unilateral withdrawaL

And what, exactly, did all that "gathering of sympathy" achieve? The opportunity for Hezbollah to build up its arsenal of weapons & better prepare for it's stated objective, the total destruction of Israel.

Screw Hezbollah. And screw the countries that support & supply them and encourage or allow them to operate openly. Bahu's humanitarian crocodile tears are pathetic. If Hezbollah is just a political movement intent on building hospitals and supporting the social fabric, what the f*** do they need Katusha missiles for? They're nothing but terrorist thugs who've borrowed techniques from the Mafia's playbook to build sympathy within the communities they are co-opting. If innocents suffer & die as a consequence of dealing with them, it's because they're effing cowards, more than willing to hide behind the very civilians they claim to support. Pfft.

do they need Katusha missiles for?

For self defence. Without the means to defend themselves the state of Israel will take the Arab land minus its people. And I think you are aware of thast.

For self defence. Without the means to defend themselves the state of Israel will take the Arab land minus its people. And I think you are aware of thast.

By the phrase "take the Arab land minus its people" do you refer to the Israeli withdrawal of all its forces from Lebanon in May 2000, implementing UN security council resolution 425? Or perhaps you are referring to last summer's full withdrawal from Gaza and parts of the West Bank.

No, I think Israel has proven its willingness to make compromises in order to work towards peace in the region. In return Israel has been subjected to daily Qassam rocket attacks from Gaza, with well over 500 rockets launched at towns and kibbutzim since the withdrawal. As well, there have been just as many rocket attacks from Lebanon across the Israel/Lebanon border in the last few months culminating in the unprovoked attack on an Israeli border patrol, in which eight Israeli soldiers were killed and two others kidnapped.

Is this the "self defence" that you indicated Hezbollah requires Katusha missiles for?

You're a joke.

As well, there have been just as many rocket attacks from Lebanon across the Israel/Lebanon border in the last few months culminating in the unprovoked attack on an Israeli border patrol, in which eight Israeli soldiers were killed and two others kidnapped

So far the Israelis have flown 2000 sorties over Lebanon and have killed over 619 people and nearly all of them civilians, women and huge number of children. The Israeli response is dispropotionate and so inept that they killed even UN peace keepers. When you go in for civilian overkill you make such decisions and if the Hizbullah cannot defent its interests where is justice. You seem to think thjat only with absolute Israeli domination/hegemony can there be peace. Israel has set its own house on fire now and it will be difficult to douse the flames of religious and ethnic hatred that Israeli actions have provoked. Fuether, what are US interstrs in the region--oil, political stability so that client states like Jordan and Saudi Arabia-- can continue their support to US economic interests in the region. If these are US interests thjen US policy of suppoting Israel undermines whatever US has achieved in the region over the last 20 years. Remenmber I do not subcribe to the Clash 0f Civilisation theory of the Israeli and American conservatives. My stand is that Great Powers conduct foreign policy in order to achieve certain tangible goals. When the froregn policy of the USA is hijacked for partisan purposes that do not serve US interes material and politcal, it is time to ask questions.

So far the Israelis have flown 2000 sorties over Lebanon and have killed over 619 people and nearly all of them civilians, women and huge number of children. The Israeli response is dispropotionate and so inept that they killed even UN peace keepers.

There is no such thing as a disproportionate response in war, and make no mistake, when Hezbollah crossed the border and killed those Israeli soldiers and kidnapped 2 others they committed an act of war.

Now that it is war, Israel will do what needs to be done to win that war. Leaflets regarding raids are dropped daily prior to the raid for all the civilian population to read, including UN peacekeepers. If they're too stupid or too stubborn to get the fuck out of the way, that's not Israel's problem.

There is no such thing as a disproportionate response in war, and make no mistake, when Hezbollah crossed the border and killed those Israeli soldiers and kidnapped 2 others they committed an act of war.

The point is Hezbillah soldiers engaged with Israeli soldiers with the objective of taking hostage a few soldiers for prisoner swap. Well that may not be an entirely legal operation but using the IDF to target civilians is just whole scale slaughter. And if the Katyusha Rockets landing in Haifa is wrong, let me tell you that Israel is using US supplied CLUSTER MUNITIONS against civilians in the attack. These cluster munitions are howtizer fired and IDF are using 155mm M483 artillery shells against civiliasns. This is violation of Geneva Convention which prohits the use of such weapons even as tactical weapons. Each shell disgorges around 88 grnades which explote killing nearly everone in a 400 m rane.

I think it is extrmely difficult for even supporters of Israel to condone such carnage against unarmed civilians.

the IDF to target civilians

I doubt you could find anyone except Radical Muslims that would support you in that statement.

The Civilians are being killed because Hezbollah is using them as human shields, and not because they are being targeted.

These cluster munitions are howtizer fired and IDF are using 155mm M483 artillery shells against civiliasns. This is violation of Geneva Convention which prohits the use of such weapons even as tactical weapons.

What complete and utter BS! The convention does NOT prohibit these shells. Show proof or find something else to complain about.

Do "not" be suprised if it latter shown that Hezbollah was using the UN outpost to hide.

.

"The point is Hezbillah soldiers engaged with Israeli soldiers with the objective of taking hostage a few soldiers for prisoner swap. Well that may not be an entirely legal operation but using the IDF to target civilians is just whole scale slaughter."

That's silly, Bahu. If you think that Israel couldn't do better than a couple hundred of people in two weeks in terms of WHOLESALE slaughter you're nuts. They could have killed 100,000 or more with ease using nothing but conventional weapons.

In a matter of 6 weeks in Rwanda they killed a million people with machetes and small arms. It's insulting to offer what Israel is doing as wholesale slaughter. Imagine what Hezbollah would do if the technologies were reversed.

he Israelis could do absolutely nothing and they still would be attacked.

You'd think the fact that Hezbollah attacks were stepped up AFTER Israel began pulling out from Gaza would reinforce this statement.

To those who criticize Israel's response, I must ask: what, then, would you consider the proper response? Should Israel citizens pack up and leave the nation of Israel, heading to whatever country will take them? Is displacing millions of citizens for the appeasement of terror organizations really a sane policy that we should consider undertaking? And if so, then how hard should we work to appease the terrorists? If demands such as those made by Hezbollah are reasonable, what about demands made by al Qaeda? Should we dismantle the United States of America because a faction of terrorist thugs deems that's the way it should be?

Assuming we caved to ALL the demands of groups such as Hezbollah, al Qaeda, and Hamas, what kind of world could we expect to come forth in the aftermath? Would a world led by those who would attain power by murdering innocent people in crowded shopping malls really be better than a world led by people who, despite their imperfection, at least give some credence to the solution that diplomatic solutions should be the first resort?

The point is Hezbillah soldiers engaged with Israeli soldiers with the objective of taking hostage a few soldiers for prisoner swap. Well that may not be an entirely legal operation

That is absloutely breathtaking. You have lost what little credibility you may have had, Bahu. Go apply for that Al-Jazeera job while you can - you'd fit right in there.

The notion that Hezbollah need Katusha missiles for "self-defense" is equally absurd. The only thing "disporportionate" has been Isreal's tolerance while those bent on Israel's total destruction were arming to the teeth.

I posted but decided to delete it. I can't reconcile my extreme disgust for your position with contributing to this 'vehicle' for your propaganda.

Bahu. If you think that Israel couldn't do better than a couple hundred of people in two weeks in terms of WHOLESALE slaughter you're nuts

doubt you could find anyone except Radical Muslims that would support you in that statement.

Assuming we caved to ALL the demands of groups such as Hezbollah, al Qaeda, and Hamas, what kind of world could we expect to come forth in the aftermath

The convention does NOT prohibit these shells

I am surprised that you should say this. Israel has brought death and mayhem to a state that has endured 30 years of civil strife and had barely got crawling out of that mess. Now Lebanon is pushed back to the pre 72 civil war days. Israel has used bunker busting bombs on hospitls, roads, schools, residential appartments mosques and even a synagogue. I do not think any strategic goal was achieved by this carnage except to terrorise the civilian population.

That Israel's response was excessive and dispropotionate is the view of all except the Bush "yo" Blair Duo.Balair and Bush falling in line with the neoconservative world order would like the middle east to be ringed with petty feuding warring principalities behind the sort of democracy USA has installed in Iraq, a quisling who has the audacity to disobey his master.

Cluster Munitions cannot be used agsinst civilians. Period.

The only thing "disporportionate" has been Isreal's tolerance while those bent on Israel's total destruction were arming to the teeth

If you think that Hizbollah and the Hamas can destroy the State of Israel backed by the only superpower on the world stage either you deliberately overestimate the capabilities of these groups or underestimate the military might of the undeclared nuclear power of the region, Israel.