You're all targets, Israel tells Lebanese

[phk]

 You're all targets, Israel tells Lebanese in South
By Harry de Quetteville in Jerusalem
(Filed: 28/07/2006)

Everyone remaining in southern Lebanon will be regarded as a terrorist, Israel's justice minister said yesterday as the military prepared to employ "huge firepower" from the air in its campaign to crush Hizbollah.

Haim Ramon issued the warning as the Israeli government decided against expanding ground operations after the death of nine soldiers in fighting on Wednesday.
    
Ehud Olmert surrounded by bodyguards
Ehud Olmert surrounded by bodyguards in northern Israel

"What we should do in southern Lebanon is employ huge firepower before a ground force goes in," Mr Ramon said at a security cabinet meeting headed by Ehud Olmert, the prime minister. "Everyone in southern Lebanon is a terrorist and is connected to Hizbollah. Our great advantage vis-a-vis Hizbollah is our firepower, not in face-to-face combat."

Mr Olmert promised that the army would "continue toward the established goals".

Mr Ramon's comments suggested that civilian casualties in Lebanon, which stand at about 600 after 16 days of bombardment, could rise yet higher.

The government's unrelenting line has the backing of the Israeli media, which are demanding a harsh response to an ambush in the Hizbollah stronghold of Bint Jbeil, in which eight soldiers died.

The country's biggest-selling paper, Yedioth Ahronoth, said the army had raised the threshold of response to Katyusha rockets.

"In other words: a village from which rockets are fired at Israel will simply be destroyed by fire," it said.

"This decision should have been made and executed after the first Katyusha. But better late than never."

Three divisions of reserve soldiers, up to 15,000 men, are to be called up.

Almost 50 Hizbollah missiles landed in northern Israel yesterday, wounding four people and bringing the total number of rockets fired into the country to about 1,400.

[MODU]

And they are right.  They have warned the Lebanese government, who was not willing/able to take care of Hezbollah, to evacuate all citizens in the Southern border region of the state that the Israeli forces were going to take out the terrorists.  Anyone remaining will be considered either a terrorist or a supporter (since terrorists do not wear clearly identifiable uniforms as do the military of soverign nations).

[MasterJedi]

And they are right.  They have warned the Lebanese government, who was not willing/able to take care of Hezbollah, to evacuate all citizens in the Southern border region of the state that the Israeli forces were going to take out the terrorists.  Anyone remaining will be considered either a terrorist or a supporter (since terrorists do not wear clearly identifiable uniforms as do the military of soverign nations).

^^ Perfectly said MODU.

[jerusalemcar5]

Right, so people who couldn't get out due to destroyed infrastructure, bombed out cars, and other reasons are terrorists.  Nice going Israel.  More and more Israel is trending towards terrorism, and its scaring me.  They appear to be experiencing Columbine Syndrome.

[MasterJedi]

Right, so people who couldn't get out due to destroyed infrastructure, bombed out cars, and other reasons are terrorists.  Nice going Israel.  More and more Israel is trending towards terrorism, and its scaring me.  They appear to be experiencing Columbine Syndrome.

Well it's a good thing that you're not a politican in Israel, otherwise people like you would have screwed the country over a long time ago.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

It's really not that unfair.  It's Lebanon's fault that they can't control Hezbollah.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

This isn't about Hezbellah, this is about Israel wanting more water.

[J. J.]

I would go with Israel, and most of the Arab states, offering Lebanon support to disarm Hezbollah.  I would love to know what Lebanon will do in that case.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

It's Lebanon's fault that they can't control Hezbollah.

Not so.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

It's Lebanon's fault that they can't control Hezbollah.

Not so.

Yes--If it's in Lebanon's territory, it's their responsibility.

[Lunar]

It's Lebanon's fault that they can't control Hezbollah.

Not so.

Yes--If it's in Lebanon's territory, it's their responsibility.

If it's beyond someone's ability to stop something, then it's not their fault when it happens.  This is like saying I'm at fault if a meteor hits my house.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

It's Lebanon's fault that they can't control Hezbollah.

Not so.

Yes--If it's in Lebanon's territory, it's their responsibility.

But they can't do it. They were under Syrian military occupation until last year. Obviously Syria won't let them disarm a group they support. The new government is quite weak and couldn't keep Shiite support in disarming Hezbollah. The only way they could do so is with international cooperation, but Isreal has refused the PM's offers for a cease-fire which he said would also result in Lebanon taking authority in its southern territory, which means disarming Hezbollah.

[jerusalemcar5]

Right, so people who couldn't get out due to destroyed infrastructure, bombed out cars, and other reasons are terrorists.  Nice going Israel.  More and more Israel is trending towards terrorism, and its scaring me.  They appear to be experiencing Columbine Syndrome.

Well it's a good thing that you're not a politican in Israel, otherwise people like you would have screwed the country over a long time ago.

Oh?  How so Master Jedi?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Right, so people who couldn't get out due to destroyed infrastructure, bombed out cars, and other reasons are terrorists.  Nice going Israel.  More and more Israel is trending towards terrorism, and its scaring me.  They appear to be experiencing Columbine Syndrome.

Well it's a good thing that you're not a politican in Israel, otherwise people like you would have screwed the country over a long time ago.

You mean like Yitzakh Rabin?

[Undisguised Sockpuppet]

Right, so people who couldn't get out due to destroyed infrastructure, bombed out cars, and other reasons are terrorists.  Nice going Israel.  More and more Israel is trending towards terrorism, and its scaring me.  They appear to be experiencing Columbine Syndrome.

ITs not "terrorism" to defend your borders and expand the area under civilzied control.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

It's Lebanon's fault that they can't control Hezbollah.

Not so.

Yes--If it's in Lebanon's territory, it's their responsibility.

If it's beyond someone's ability to stop something, then it's not their fault when it happens.  This is like saying I'm at fault if a meteor hits my house.

That's completely different.  If you had a bomb in your house with a timer on it that had 30 mins. on it, and you just let it sit there, it'd be your fault when your house blew up.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

It's Lebanon's fault that they can't control Hezbollah.

Not so.

Yes--If it's in Lebanon's territory, it's their responsibility.

But they can't do it. They were under Syrian military occupation until last year. Obviously Syria won't let them disarm a group they support. The new government is quite weak and couldn't keep Shiite support in disarming Hezbollah. The only way they could do so is with international cooperation, but Isreal has refused the PM's offers for a cease-fire which he said would also result in Lebanon taking authority in its southern territory, which means disarming Hezbollah.

Then the Lebanese need different people in gov't.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

It's Lebanon's fault that they can't control Hezbollah.

Not so.

Yes--If it's in Lebanon's territory, it's their responsibility.

But they can't do it. They were under Syrian military occupation until last year. Obviously Syria won't let them disarm a group they support. The new government is quite weak and couldn't keep Shiite support in disarming Hezbollah. The only way they could do so is with international cooperation, but Isreal has refused the PM's offers for a cease-fire which he said would also result in Lebanon taking authority in its southern territory, which means disarming Hezbollah.

Then the Lebanese need different people in gov't.

They did get that. Until the elections last year, Lebanon was controlled by pro-Syrian governments, due to Syria manipulating the political process. They have their first non-pro-Syrian government since the civil war in power right now. The reason the government hasn't done anything about Hezbollah is because, plain and simple, they can't. It's not their fault anymore than it is the Georgian government's fault that pro-Russian seperatists control two de facto states on their territory. They'd like to take it back, but they can't.

[John Dibble]

They did get that. Until the elections last year, Lebanon was controlled by pro-Syrian governments, due to Syria manipulating the political process. They have their first non-pro-Syrian government since the civil war in power right now. The reason the government hasn't done anything about Hezbollah is because, plain and simple, they can't. It's not their fault anymore than it is the Georgian government's fault that pro-Russian seperatists control two de facto states on their territory. They'd like to take it back, but they can't.

Well, I think it's a fair question to ask - what steps did the new government take to alleviate this inability to control the region? (not saying this out of criticism, I honestly just don't know)

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

They did get that. Until the elections last year, Lebanon was controlled by pro-Syrian governments, due to Syria manipulating the political process. They have their first non-pro-Syrian government since the civil war in power right now. The reason the government hasn't done anything about Hezbollah is because, plain and simple, they can't. It's not their fault anymore than it is the Georgian government's fault that pro-Russian seperatists control two de facto states on their territory. They'd like to take it back, but they can't.

Well, I think it's a fair question to ask - what steps did the new government take to alleviate this inability to control the region? (not saying this out of criticism, I honestly just don't know)

It effectively became a problem that couldn't be solved in the short term. The same way any change in the Georgian government wouldn't result in any action taken against the seperatist states. However, establishing a stable government free of Syrian influence, would severely weaken Hezbollah, and effectively make it possible to reassert control over the territory. In addition, the PM has said this is a goal of his and has offered Israel a cease-fire in exchange for cooperation in this, of which Israel keeps refusing. Israel is weakening the Lebanese government, and demanding that they do something they are becoming less and less able to do because of Israeli actions, rather than simply cooperating with them.

[Lunar]

It's Lebanon's fault that they can't control Hezbollah.

Not so.

Yes--If it's in Lebanon's territory, it's their responsibility.

If it's beyond someone's ability to stop something, then it's not their fault when it happens.  This is like saying I'm at fault if a meteor hits my house.

That's completely different.  If you had a bomb in your house with a timer on it that had 30 mins. on it, and you just let it sit there, it'd be your fault when your house blew up.

Ok, but you haven't proven that it was possible for the weak Lebanese government to combat a powerful political militia that ran social serves throughout the region.  The country just came out of a 20 year civil war and military occoupation, and is still trying to get a hold on the country.

[MODU]

It's Lebanon's fault that they can't control Hezbollah.

Not so.

Yes--If it's in Lebanon's territory, it's their responsibility.

If it's beyond someone's ability to stop something, then it's not their fault when it happens.  This is like saying I'm at fault if a meteor hits my house.

Which is why Israel is going in to resolve the situation for them.

[MasterJedi]

It's Lebanon's fault that they can't control Hezbollah.

Not so.

Yes--If it's in Lebanon's territory, it's their responsibility.

If it's beyond someone's ability to stop something, then it's not their fault when it happens.  This is like saying I'm at fault if a meteor hits my house.

Which is why Israel is going in to resolve the situation for them.

But they aren't supposed to do it and we're supposed to get Lebanon to do it even though they can't! See, they don't want anything to happen.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

It's Lebanon's fault that they can't control Hezbollah.

Not so.

Yes--If it's in Lebanon's territory, it's their responsibility.

If it's beyond someone's ability to stop something, then it's not their fault when it happens.  This is like saying I'm at fault if a meteor hits my house.

That's completely different.  If you had a bomb in your house with a timer on it that had 30 mins. on it, and you just let it sit there, it'd be your fault when your house blew up.

Ok, but you haven't proven that it was possible for the weak Lebanese government to combat a powerful political militia that ran social serves throughout the region.  The country just came out of a 20 year civil war and military occoupation, and is still trying to get a hold on the country.

Prove that it wasn't.

[jerusalemcar5]

It's Lebanon's fault that they can't control Hezbollah.

Not so.

Yes--If it's in Lebanon's territory, it's their responsibility.

If it's beyond someone's ability to stop something, then it's not their fault when it happens.  This is like saying I'm at fault if a meteor hits my house.

That's completely different.  If you had a bomb in your house with a timer on it that had 30 mins. on it, and you just let it sit there, it'd be your fault when your house blew up.

Ok, but you haven't proven that it was possible for the weak Lebanese government to combat a powerful political militia that ran social serves throughout the region.  The country just came out of a 20 year civil war and military occoupation, and is still trying to get a hold on the country.

Prove that it wasn't.

He did.