Bush Speech (Edited)

Bush Speech (Edited)

Bush

President Bush recently reminded us of the reason for Israel’s attack in Lebanon. He has indicated that the crisis started by “Hezbollah’s unprovoked terrorist attacks against Israel” and that Israel is merely exercising its right to defend itself.

The situation in Lebanon is more complicated with the roots of the current crisis extending well before the July 12 capture of two Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah. In looking back at the events in days prior to Israeli’s attack, one can see why Mr. Bush’s comment is without grounds and that Hezbollah did not provoke Israeli's aggression.

On June 9, 2006, Israel shelled a beach in Beit Lahiya that killed eight civilians and injured 32.

On June 13, 2006, Israeli aircraft fired missiles at a van in an extrajudicial assassination attempt. The successive barrages killed nine innocent Palestinians.

On June 20, 2006, Israeli aircraft fired at least one missile at a car in another attempted extrajudicial assassination on a road between Jabalya and Gaza City. The missile missed the car and instead killed three Palestinian children and wounded 15.

On June 24, Israel made an incursion of its own by capturing two Palestinians that it said were members of Hamas. This incident received far less coverage in U.S. media than the subsequent seizure of the Israeli soldier; while the Israeli taken prisoner got front-page headlines.

Once we look at the events previous to the kidnapping of the Israeli soldiers, we can see the conflict in a brighter view. Would Mr. Bush see it too?

Heat

Today's TV

Double-Standard

Hypocrites

Links...

Here are some of my favorite / useful links:

http://www.campaigniran.org/
http://www.house.gov/
http://www.truthout.org/
http://antiwar.com/
http://www.stopwaroniran.org/
http://ksgnotes1.harvard.edu/Research/
http://stopwaroniran.blogspot.com/
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/
http://www.juancole.com/
http://www.amconmag.com/
http://existentialistcowboy
http://www.stopwaroniran.org
http://www.huffingtonpost.com
http://www.augustreview.com/

The U.S.-Israel Alliance

One cannot wonder the cost of US-Israel relationship. Recent researchers (JOHN MEARSHEIMER & STEPHEN M. WALT) say Israel Lobbyists have influenced U.S. policies in which they may not have been for the best interest of the country.

US support of an aggressive state that has made us the enemy number one in the Mid-East will cost the American tax payers many more billions in the future. The Mid-East conflict started because of wrong policies toward the Arab countries that caused the death and destructions of so many on both sides. And why not mention the real cost of this relaxed relationship, 911.

Now that Israel is again showing its military muscles (given as part of the yearly $3 billion aid by the US) and the US’s obvious supporting of such blunt bombardment and criminal acts of Israel, one cannot wonder what new cost will the US tax payer endure again.

Killing of civilians is the real reason for escalation of crisis in the Mid-East

I am very troubled to see the double-standard foreign policy of the US toward Israel and other Mid-East countries. When I see that the US is the only country to veto UN resolution to put a stop to Israel's aggression last Saturday, I realize why there are so many animosities against the US in the Middle East.

The reason for the Israel's attack and killing of not one but hundreds of civilians so far since the crises started is not the retaliation of any killing of its own citizens by Hezbollah. Instead, it is reported that it all started because of the kidnapping of two of its soldiers. Another words, Israel has the right to enter another country with tanks and start bombing bridges, oil reserves, and airports, and kill hundreds of civilians because of the death and kidnapping of its soldiers.

There is no justifying for Hezbollah kidnapping, but when the Israeli's air raid on east of Gaza City mistakenly killed three civilians of the same family on July 9th, the US should have intervene and asked Israel for explanations. Instead, the US did not pressure Israel to slow down its aggressive attacks and violence and now we have a full-blown crisis on our hands that can escalate to other region in the Middle East.

What I fail to see is the reason behind using military force in cities and killing civilians by Israel and the US supporting these obvious killings. How can we justify using aircrafts and tanks against civilians? Justifying the killing of innocent civilians for two kidnapped Israeli soldiers is what makes Israel the real terrorist and our government a hypocrite for supporting them.