Israel & Lebanon war-ish

[Michael Z]

The background story on this picture:

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/news/archives/2006/07/20/an_explosive_image_in_lebanon_conflict.html

[Angel of Death]

And then they get the nerve to accuse the Palestinians of indoctrinating their children.

I'm inclined to believe Israel has a higher civilian/soldier kill ratio than Hezbollah.

[dazzleman]

Pretty cool, huh, Mike?

I don't get it. I suppose their teachers or parents or whoever told them the missiles are meant for the bad people who are bombing their homes. The fact that it's hitting factories, warehouses, roads, civilians, most of which have absolutely nothing to do with Hezbollah... nah, I think it's wrong to get kids involved in this sort of thing.

Unfortunately, the missile that comes toward their home gets them involved, whether the adults in their lives want them to be or not.  Kids can't help but take not of what is going on around them.

[GMantis]

Pretty cool, huh, Mike?

I don't get it. I suppose their teachers or parents or whoever told them the missiles are meant for the bad people who are bombing their homes. The fact that it's hitting factories, warehouses, roads, civilians, most of which have absolutely nothing to do with Hezbollah... nah, I think it's wrong to get kids involved in this sort of thing.

Unfortunately, the missile that comes toward their home gets them involved, whether the adults in their lives want them to be or not.  Kids can't help but take not of what is going on around them.

I don't think you'd be saying the same if palestinian children were writing on missiles.

[J. J.]

Pretty cool, huh, Mike?

I don't get it. I suppose their teachers or parents or whoever told them the missiles are meant for the bad people who are bombing their homes. The fact that it's hitting factories, warehouses, roads, civilians, most of which have absolutely nothing to do with Hezbollah... nah, I think it's wrong to get kids involved in this sort of thing.

Unfortunately, the missile that comes toward their home gets them involved, whether the adults in their lives want them to be or not.  Kids can't help but take not of what is going on around them.

I don't think you'd be saying the same if palestinian children were writing on missiles.

I would.  It's kinda traditional and not with malice.

[Lunar]

Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Lebanon, Iraq, Kuwait, Jordan, Sri Lanka, and Germany.

Innocents, many of them children, have been killed from these countries now.

[J. J.]

Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Lebanon, Iraq, Kuwait, Jordan, Sri Lanka, and Germany.

Innocents, many of them children, have been killed from these countries now.

You forgot one country on that list, Israel.

[AkSaber]

Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Lebanon, Iraq, Kuwait, Jordan, Sri Lanka, and Germany.

Innocents, many of them children, have been killed from these countries now.

You forgot one country on that list, Israel.

The Left always does.

[Sam Spade]

Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Lebanon, Iraq, Kuwait, Jordan, Sri Lanka, and Germany.

Innocents, many of them children, have been killed from these countries now.

You forgot one country on that list, Israel.

But you see, Israeli civilians who are killed are not "innocents" because the Zionist regime they back is not "innocent".  [/sarcasm]

[Lunar]

Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Lebanon, Iraq, Kuwait, Jordan, Sri Lanka, and Germany.

Innocents, many of them children, have been killed from these countries now.

You forgot one country on that list, Israel.

The Left always does.

Oh be quiet.  I dislike liberalism too.  It was simply a typo that I forgot to specify that Israel was doing the killings (I just woke up).  I'm largely pro-Israel and against the corrupt Palestinian and neighboring governments.  However, I do not support this latest war which I do not feel is in anyone's best interests and is killing more people than it's saving both in the long-term and the short-term on both sides (like, say, Iraq).

[Flying Dog]

I wish the media would pay as much attention to the numerous civil wars in Africa as much as they do to this conflict. Millions dead in africa=not even a whisper. 500 dead in Israel/Lebanon=all day news coverage.

[dazzleman]

I wish the media would pay as much attention to the numerous civil wars in Africa as much as they do to this conflict. Millions dead in africa=not even a whisper. 500 dead in Israel/Lebanon=all day news coverage.

Well, at least the war in Lebanon is getting more coverage than the latest missing blonde.

But I agree; the coverage decisions sometimes seem pretty illogical.  I just don't think people are interested in Africa, for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that most people have written it off as a hopeless case.  But then again, so is the Israeli-Arab situation, so what gives?

Part of it is selfishness.  I think we sense that whatever happens in the middle east could affect us more than what happens in Africa, so we're more interested.  That's the only logical explanation I can think of.

[Lunar]

I wish the media would pay as much attention to the numerous civil wars in Africa as much as they do to this conflict. Millions dead in africa=not even a whisper. 500 dead in Israel/Lebanon=all day news coverage.

You have to understand that not all people were created equal in public ratings.  I think it goes something like:

White pretty girls aged 7-19
> The rest of America
> White Europeans
> By the "rest of America" I meant everyone but Mexicans.  The Mexicans go fourth.
> White people dying in the middle-east
> Brown people dying in the middle-east
> Successful Asians
> Everyone but Africa
> Africa

[Flying Dog]

I wish the media would pay as much attention to the numerous civil wars in Africa as much as they do to this conflict. Millions dead in africa=not even a whisper. 500 dead in Israel/Lebanon=all day news coverage.

Well, at least the war in Lebanon is getting more coverage than the latest missing blonde.

But I agree; the coverage decisions sometimes seem pretty illogical.  I just don't think people are interested in Africa, for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that most people have written it off as a hopeless case.  But then again, so is the Israeli-Arab situation, so what gives?

Part of it is selfishness.  I think we sense that whatever happens in the middle east could affect us more than what happens in Africa, so we're more interested.  That's the only logical explanation I can think of.

That makes sense. I just wish it wasnt true.

[Rob]

Here are some excerpts from the excellent Salon article Killing a nation, one airstrike at a time (if you want to read the entire article, you have to watch a brief ad for a free day pass):

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[Filuwaúrdjan]

I agree, basically, with what Kim Howells has been saying (link).

===

Something that's worrying me a little bit, is how quick people seem to be to take sides over this; even if that means supporting indiscriminate bombing/rocket attacks. I notice that the various "peace" marches held today were basically anti-Israel marches, rather than genuine peace marches. A shame.

[dazzleman]

I agree, basically, with what Kim Howells has been saying (link).

===

Something that's worrying me a little bit, is how quick people seem to be to take sides over this; even if that means supporting indiscriminate bombing/rocket attacks. I notice that the various "peace" marches held today were basically anti-Israel marches, rather than genuine peace marches. A shame.

Does that surprise you?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

No, not at all. Still a pity though.

[Lunar]

Civilian casualties from states other than Lebanon and Israel.  Another Canadian and Brazilian were killed too, to give additional perspective from the previous map.

[Lunar]

I just find international casualties an interesting casualty mark.  The American was a guy in Israel killed by a Hezbollah rocket.

All according to wikipedia.