Condoleezza Rice - AFP Photo
Posted on 07/14/2006 12:34:19 AM PDT by familyop
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is calling on Israel to exercise restraint in its ongoing military offensive to free kidnapped Israeli soldiers. She says Syria and Iran must stop backing terrorists.
Condoleezza Rice - AFP Photo
Secretary Rice would not comment specifically on the Israeli bombing of Beirut's airport, repeating the Bush Administration stance that Israel has the right to defend itself against missile strikes launched from Lebanese territory.
But as Israel exercises that right of self defense, Rice says it is important that Israeli leaders exercise restraint and avoid civilian casualties.
Click here to see map of conflict
Rice says the Bush Administration understands that Israel is launching attacks so far inside Lebanon to prevent those who kidnapped two Israeli soldiers from moving them beyond Israel's reach.
Speaking to reporters traveling with President Bush in Germany, Rice said some countries, including Egypt, have been playing a very positive role in working to resolve the crisis by bringing parties together.
She says there is no doubt that others, namely Syria and Iran, are encouraging those responsible for the kidnappings and missile attacks on Israeli territory. "We have to remember that both the external leadership of Hamas and a number of the Hezbollah activities are carried out from the territory of Syria, and Syria needs to act responsibly and stop the use of its territory for these kinds of activities and it needs to bring all pressure on those that it is harboring to stop this and to return these soldiers and to allow this situation to deescalate," he said.
Following talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, President Bush expressed concerns about how Israeli attacks inside Lebanon will affect the stability of the democratically-elected government in Beirut.
National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley says Israeli authorities understand the risks facing Prime Minister Faud Siniora. "We have had a number of comments and conversations about the need to try and shore-up and not destabilize the Siniora government in Lebanon. This is a good government that is trying to bring greater democracy and freedom to Lebanon. It has a lot of challenges. This is one more challenge that they do not need," he said.
Rice says the best opportunity now to deescalate the crisis is through a three-member United Nations delegation heading to the region.
Condi - do us a favor and stay out of this. Israel's response to this terrorist threat is justified. They didn't tell us to 'exercise restraint' when we went after al-Queda.
This is the time to seize the moment. Soon the Axis of Evil powers will be whining about cease fires (they already have) so they can regroup, resupply and re-attack. Isreal will be under extreme pressure to back down. We'll soon see how serious Iran really is about seeing the 12th Imam.
Thank you for stating what I would have said. One thing that bothers me about this site is people who act like this Administration is holding Israel back from something. It is as if President Bush and Condi are supposed to go on live TV and say "You all better run, Israel's coming and they are extremely pissed. Whoop the hell out of 'em Israel!" I don't know why people act as if that is supposed to happen, and it baffles me when I read about it.
America condemns quite a bit of what these people in other countries say. Stop acting like they don't. Iran talks crap about Israel and half this site says we should nuke them. My God, get a clue please.
EXACTLY! They are only thinking about all the misery at that gas pumps that WILL result either sooner or later and all those people who will once again be whining about "gouging" and trying to blame oil executives instead of the Axis of Evil.
There are for sure many that have quite understandable reasons. If you have to fend for your basic existance -like the Israelis do- your actions are not always just. Just think about all those leveled houses, the unwanted victims (there are quite a few) and the confiscated land. Just put yourself into the position of a young arab who had some people in his family killed, who lost his legacy because the Israelis seized the family land and who lost his house because a idiotic cousin was member of Hamas.
What would you do? Accept everything because the Israelis think that they are God's chosen people? I doubt it. Everybody who has balls in his pants would fight like hell.
Do not get me wrong. I am on Israels side and I dismiss all forms of cowardly terrorism. The downfight of those terrorists in Lebanon and elsewhere with all possible means is a must and Israel got my full support. Anyway it would also be totally moronic not to understand the other side and their motivations. Peace and stable circumstances are only possible in that region if there is a compromise both sides can live with. This compromise can't be compelled with weapons or Israel must exterminate millions of people. Since they are NO nazis that won't happen. Thank God Israel has a long positive tradition of self-restraint. Therefore they will give and find the right answer to this hijacking now (maybe because God will help them with it).
Anyway Condi's advise was not that bad. It is the advice of a friend who knows that it is better to handle things cool instead of escalating everything too much. Most Lebanese people have nothing to do with this recent terror. They are those who have to pay for Hamas, Hezbollah or whatever. Many of them are Christian brothers. We should not forget that.
She is the Secretary of State of the most powerful nation in the world. Your statement is completely ignorant. Stop acting as if because she hasn't called for Israel to completely destroy the surrounding countries that she is somehow a weak person.
Some of the people on this site disgust me. You call yourself conservatives but some of the views I see are similar to Hitler. Death Death DEATH!!!! NUKE NUKE! Kill 'em all! It's kind of sick.
Condi is a strong minded person and just because she calls for restraint does not mean she has thrown a leash on Israel.
Surely Israel is pissed off enough not to fall for that cease-fire crap. They pull this all the time, and the West always pressures the Israelis to back off and "talk." The truth is that there is no talking to the ragheads. They're psychos. In fact, I would not be surprised to learn that the Gaza pull-out was a gesture of peace made knowing it would be to no avail but would go a long way toward making israel look like the good guy such that when they fire back, which they have, it will clearly be seen as defensive and not an act of aggression, a position they need to be in in order to maintain western support. Whichever the case, I wish them God speed. The next trouble will come from Iran. It's a toss-up as to who hates the Israelis more - Ahmadenijad or Assad.
Yes Condi, I agree, please stop acting like you are the Secretary of State or something.
I'm with you on your first paragraph. As a matter of diplomacy, she has struck just the right balance. But your second paragraph reveals naiveté, imo. The most bloodthirsty people on earth are the Islamofascists, and they are hot to blow Israel off the planet. The only rational response is to nuke them before Israel is overwhelmed. The only way to stop a mad dog is to destroy it. The only way to destroy this pack of mad dogs is to nuke them. Or do you think "talking" to the psychos is going to change their mind and suddenly they will back off and make nice? It's said that the definition of insanity is repeating the same act over and over and expecting a different result.
Or maybe that's the definition for stupidity.
When did anyone in Washington call for a cease fire? How is the US pressuring Israel to "back off and talk"? The extremists are psychos I agree. All Coni has asked them to do is use some restraint and keep civilian casualties to a minimum. Why is that so wrong?
Don't believe for one second that if Iran gets involved (with csomething other than people claiming Iran shot a missile, which is total BS) America will not be right there with Israel. Our troops are a border away. You all act as if America has abandoned Israel, but they most certainly have not. I guarantee America is providing Israel with plenty of intel right now, and has been for years and years.
No offense to all you that love Israel and believe she is the Roman Empire revived, but I would much rather put my faith in the American military any day of the week when it comes to my safety and the safety of the troops here. Please be reminded that Israel has had 3 soldiers abducted in the last month. Sounds to me like they need to start doing something a bit differently concerning the way they group and patrol these areas.
You name Christ in your Tagline. Do me a favour - read the bible:
"Thou shalt not murder"
If -as you say- 40% of the Arabs are Islamofaschists, then 60% of them are normal and decent people. If you exterminate them you are a meaner murderer. That is very simple.
Fighting against terrorists is something else than to slaughter innocent civillians. You will not find many soldiers in the IDF that would follow such a order. Probably most of them would kill the commanding officer before they would follow it since they are men of honor. I know a few Israelis and I know what I am talking about.
You should feel ashamed.
I believe that's exactly what the withdrawal was all about. Even MSNBC was showing pictures of Israeli children in bomb shelters this morning. It's hard to blame this on Israel now...but the usual Jew-haters will find a way, I'm sure of that.
I never said a word about "talking" to anyone. I agree 100 percent with what Israel is doing. Eventually I believe, if Syria or Iran are dumb enough to get involved in more obvius ways, America will be right there with Israel. Do not act as if I believe Israel is in thw rong but I do NOT believe in nuking a whole country becase of some bad apples.
I work in Iraq and I can tell you from first hand expreience that most of the people here just want to live peacefully. I've worked with people all over the MIddle East and they want to be happy. If you were President and you think you could live with annihilating a whole country because of a few psychos, Lord have mercy on your soul when you stand before Him.
Self-defense is not murder. Please, save your preaching for a religious forum.
Why is it always Israel that must show restraint?
Look, you're about as sharp as a marble on this subject. You don't see that these blood-thirsty psychos are in cahoots with their own governments who allow and even encourage them to operate. Hezbollah is part of the Lebanese government. Hamas has complete control of the Palestinian Authority. Do you really think these people. When somebody is forced to fire back in self-defense, they do not have the luxury of deciding which people within the jurisdiction of that terrorist state is a good guy and who isn't.
And quit condemning me and chastising me for stating the obvious. You really come off as quite silly and gullible, and one more such remark ends my dialogue with you on this subject.
Outrageous isn't it ?
Yes, I am a twit because I don't believe in nuking these countries. I feel ashamed because I am not in the league of sheer ignorance that you seem to be in. I don't see what? I have been in the Middle East fro three years now and I refuse to leave until the job is done. Don't preach to me from your cozy chair in the states. DON"T EVER!
There are also liberals in our government that believe in exposing National Programs that protect us. Should we put them on the hill and put a bullet hole between their eyes? In your mind, I am sure you believe it. I have seen war and I do not need to be preached to by someone who gets kicks from talking about it in ways that make absolutley no sense. There are terrorists in America. Timothy McVeigh. The Ku Klux Klan. The Bloods and Crips fight each other in LA all the time. Let's just nuke the whole city and be done with it right?
Yeah, you are staing the obvious alright. if the obvious is stated in the a Hitler like mentality, you sure are. You are an ignorant fool and I pity you and whatever goes through that mind of yours. Illusions of nurdering millions to save a few.
Threaten to end conversation with me because you attack me and half the people on this site with your nonsensical comments. I am pretty silly because i have my own beliefs. I'll pray about that tonight and ask the good Lord to pardon me.
What utter Bullshiite!
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