Posted on 07/14/2006 7:07:26 PM PDT by blam
Bush refuses to curb Israeli assault
By Alec Russell in St Petersburg and Tim Butcher in Beirut
(Filed: 15/07/2006)
(go to the site to use the links below)
Audio: Con Coughlin on Hizbollah's motives
Audio: Tim Butcher reports from Beirut
In pictures: Beirut under siege
Your view: are Israel's tactics justified?
President George W Bush refused last night to rein in Israel as its close ally brought international condemnation by stepping up its offensive in Lebanon.
For the second day running Israeli aircraft bombed southern Beirut, hitting the headquarters of Hizbollah, the Iranian-backed militant Islamic group, and the residence of its leader, Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah. The sheikh later telephoned the movement's television station, Al-Manar, to show that he had survived and to proclaim that he was ready for "open warfare" with Israel.
Smoke rises from Beirut international airport
More than 55 civilians have been killed in raids on Lebanon since Hizbollah guerrillas crossed the border and captured two Israeli soldiers. Four Israelis have died in Hizbollah rocket attacks.
Sheikh Nasrallah raised the stakes, threatening to attack Israel beyond the city of Haifa, 20 miles from the border, which was hit for the first time on Thursday. Also for the first time, Hizbollah rockets hit an Israeli naval vessel off Beirut. Four crew were reported missing although the military had said earlier that there was only light damage.
"Surprises will start from now," said the sheikh, who is admired by Arabs for Hizbollah's success in forcing Israel out of Lebanon in 2000.
As the number of deaths mounted, President Jacques Chirac of France accused the Israelis of trying to "destroy" Lebanon.
"I find honestly, as all Europeans do, that the current reactions are totally disproportionate," he said in an interview to mark France's July 14 national day. "We are in a very dangerous situation. We must be very, very careful." Mr Bush distanced himself from Mr Chirac's comments and a Russian call for a ceasefire.
Israeli missiles hit the Zahrani bridge in southern Lebanon
The government in Beirut said that in a telephone call to its prime minister, Fuad Siniora, he said he would urge Israel to minimise casualties.
But the White House made clear that he would not call on Israel to end its offensive. Tony Snow, the White House spokesman, said the president "believes the Israelis have the right to protect themselves and that in doing that they should limit as much as possible so-called collateral damage, not only to facilities but also to human lives".
He said that Mr Bush had rejected Mr Siniora's appeal for him to tell the Israelis to rein in their assault. "The president is not going to make military decisions for Israel."
The crisis threatens to provoke a major international rift at the G8 summit which opens in St Petersburg today.
Britain was putting together plans to evacuate 15,000 British passport holders from Beirut by sea, all but 1,200 of them with dual nationality.
My....what a wonderful headline
Real headline....why am I not surprised.
Geez, I didn't know GWB was also Commander-In-Chief of the IDF, too! Cool! When did that happen?!
Wow... I had no idea that George W. Bush was Commander-in-Chief of the Israeli military too!
ha ha... great minds!
GWB owns aother country?
Man, I'd like to play him mano-a-mano....in Risk.
This guy is good.
Iran wants nukes. I think Israel should trade Iran 1 nuke for every soldier kidnapped or killed.
He also refused to stop hurricane Katrina. I'm not letting him off the hook for that one.
Hellooo...it isn't PRESIDENT Bush's war, it's Israel's. We're just trying to boost their morale.
Funny headline. Makes it sound like POTUS is in charge of the IDF. Looking up "sovereign" in the dictionary....oh, there it is:
1. autonomous: (of political bodies) not controlled by outside forces; "an autonomous judiciary"; "a sovereign state"
2. a nation's ruler or head of state usually by hereditary right
3. greatest in status or authority or power; "a supreme tribunal"
wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
4. The monarch (king or queen) of a particular country. The supreme legislative powers of a state that they are totally independent and free from any outside political control or authority over their decisions. The people of Quebec have supported Quebec becoming a "sovereign" state so that all legislative authority of the government of Canada over Quebec would cease and the government of Quebec would regulate all matters and represent itself internationally.
www.leanlegal.com/dictionary/s.asp
5. Someone or something that has legal independence. This usually refers to national governments because (as in the case of debts they owe) they cannot be forced to repay, be sued, or have their domestic assets seized.
highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0072487488/student_view0/glossary.html
6. independent of all others; supreme in power, rank, or authority
www.imuna.org/c2c/app_a.html
Isn't it supposed to be the Jooz who tell Bush what to do, not the other way around? Come on, leftists and Islamists-get your conspiracies right!
(Go Israel, Go! Slap Down Em Hezbullies!)
Imagine if Saddamn was in power right now??
Pray for W and Our Freedom Fighters
Shalom
wow thats awesome!
they want us, they want us not, they want us, they want us not,,,,,
You know the mantra
Bush lied, people died, hizbollahburton.
Bush is known as a curb your dog kind of guy so it has been clearly established that it's not curbing that he's against.
And that leaves what?
Come on, you can say it.
The facts speak for themselves.
"Imagine if Saddamn was in power right now?? "
A very good point, plus I'm glad that we have a powerful physical presence, (and fresh reputation) in that region.
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