Posted on 07/17/2006 10:49:45 PM PDT by BurbankKarl
Israeli girls write messages on a shell at a heavy artillery position near Kiryat Shmona, in northern Israel, next to the Lebanese border, Monday, July 17, 2006
You guys surprised by the # of rockets reaching Hafia? They obviously aren't the shorter range Kaytushas. The reports i had always ready indicated they had limited #s of rockets within range of Hafia, but it seems like an endless barrage going in there the last few days. I think the Mossad is going to be doing some serious retooling as a result of this conflict.
Also thought it was interesting the following report:
"IAF bombs 4 trucks carrying weapons from Syria to Lebanon
The Israel Air Force attacked four trucks carrying weapons from Syria to Lebanon as it was travelling through the valley close to the border between the two countries. A tunnel and a bunker east of Tyre in which Hizbullah operatives were staying were bombed as well.
The Air Force also attacked two Katyusha launchers as well as a bridge and an automobile next to the site. (Hanan Greenberg)"
I guess Syria a) doesn't believe Israel is going to intervene in Syria or b) they don't care. If it's b. then i'm a little concerned
MSNBC live:
New sirens sounding in Haifa.
They fell asleep at the wheel
By Moshe Arens
It all started six years ago when then-prime minister Ehud Barak summarily ordered the IDF to leave the security zone in southern Lebanon, abandoning our allies of the South Lebanese Army, and allowing Hezbollah to take up positions within spitting distance of Israeli towns and villages in the North. Hezbollah's leader, Hassan Nasrallah, then likened Israel to a spider web that could easily be torn to shreds, and the Palestinians were encouraged to begin the second Intifada, so costly to Israeli lives in the following years. But at the time, Barak, so sure of himself, warned that now that Israel had withdrawn to the international border, if Hezbollah were to dare carry out hostile actions against Israel, Lebanon would suffer a "blow that it won't forget."
Five months after the withdrawal from southern Lebanon, Hezbollah kidnapped three Israeli soldiers. One might have expected that Barak would carry out his threat and teach Lebanon a lesson at that point, but evidently he was busy hatching other plans. It was the beginning of the deterioration of Israel's deterrence in the North. There is nothing like not implementing threats that have been voiced in order to convince your enemy that you are no more than a paper tiger. That, in any case, was the conclusion of Hezbollah and its mentors in Damascus and Tehran. In the following years, dozens of Katyushas were launched into the Galilee, anti-aircraft fire was directed so that the rounds would fall into Israeli villages and settlements, IDF positions were mortared, and successive Israeli governments just got accustomed to it, while Israelis deluded themselves that the withdrawal from southern Lebanon had brought quiet to the northern part of Israel. But, well known to the IDF and government, Hezbollah began stockpiling medium-range rockets in Lebanon that quickly served as an effective deterrent against an Israeli response to the organization's provocations. In any case, Hezbollah had succeeded in getting successive Israeli governments used to intermittent provocations. It had put them to sleep.
Katyushas again fell in the North seven weeks ago. This time, it was the Olmert government's turn to reach a decision. Its response was to order the IAF to hit Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon. The IDF proudly announced it had destroyed Hezbollah positions. As should have been well known, it was no more than a meaningless gesture. It was only after the latest Hezbollah attack that the government decided to make good on Barak's threat six years ago. Successive Israeli governments - Barak, Sharon, Olmert - had simply fallen asleep at the wheel.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/739500.html
CNN
US officials trying to get 4-5 additional cruise liner type ships to help in evac from Beirut.
I don't think Israel or Syria want to start WWIII...although I suspect Iran wouldn't mind at all...
The signals Iran is sending right now are somewhat wavering. I wonder if Ahmedinjad has gotten a brief flash of reality.
Even a stopped clock is right twelve times a day.
However, Iran also remains ambiguous. It's a powder keg and I believe they're keeping their finger in the wind and they may act at the first sign of encouragement.
(Go Israel, Go! Slap 'Em, Down Hezbullies.)
Then what possible use is Iran to Syria, if the result is a burned-out cinder that used to be Damascus? I mean all those Syrian officials thinking "we love our nice beach homes in Latakia!".
Sorry I keep harping on this, jeffers. There has to be some way to reason with the Syrians.
"Hundreds of French citizens and other Europeans were evacuating on the Greek cruise liner chartered by the French government, which docked in the port and busloads of evacuees boarded the boat. Israel, on the sixth day of its major offensive in Lebanon, appeared to be allowing evacuation ships through its blockade of the country as France and Italy moved hundreds of nationals and other Europeans out Monday."
Re: this photo.......I heard a French woman interviewed who traveled by bus to board this boat. She said 6 busloads failed to board the ship because the port, with very little warning, came under fire by the Israeli's.
I don't know whether it's good or bad that there is so much media coverage of America's plans for the cuise ship and naval escort. But I still think that the 5,000 figure to be evacuated is low. 750 per trip, 10 hours round trip....could be a while. Here's to hoping that our state department has a Plan B. And I'm convinced, deserving or not, this is Bush's next 'Katrina'. Much of the media coverage is on Americans stuck.
****Fox - Just in, cruise ship was stopped by Israeli blockade and is just now on the move again, may not arrive until some time tomorrow. Americans who wish to leave should stay where they are. 60 were just evacuated by helicopter. ****
They run away because they know that Israle then knows where they were fired from.
My heart goes out to all those who are US citizens, however they knew the risks and now unfortunately they will have to wait until which time our people show up. I kmow I will be flamed for this!
I've been one of those crazy goy pro-Israeli people since I was a kid watching the news about the 6-day war, and even a bit earlier I suspect...I follow the news closely and remember Arens, which was one reason I posted the piece.
Shame so many American Jews don't share my world view about these things.
The Wapo even had an article today by a man named Cohen, of all things, who was talking about how Israel shouldn't exist.
Anyway, Arens was right. They traded security they needed for political expediency, and it didn't work.
And the situation they created by letting Hezbollah get that close to Israel harmed Israel and harms Lebanon.
People have memories that are too short.
I'm thinking this is also about the Shia and the Sunni. They both have the common "enemy" of Israel and the West...but it looks as though there are powerplays behind the scenes between these two as well. What a mess.
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