Posted on 07/24/2006 8:53:24 AM PDT by MikeA
In the public relations battle brewing on-line, there is a new eye to the center of the storm surrounding the war with Hizbullah - a series of photos showing Israeli children writing messages on shells meant for targets in Lebanon.
Questions over the photos' authenticity have been put to rest by authorities that were present during the incident, which occurred on July 17 near the northern border. The mostly local children had been brought to see the shells by their parents. Although it remains unclear who encouraged them to write the messages, their colorful scribbles, including a Star of David, hearts, and "From Israel, with Love," have appeared in dozens of blogs, or on-line journals, and on-line photo hosting sites.
Although the IDF has failed to issue a response to the incident, a spokesman from the IDF said it "appeared as though the situation occurred unofficially." Although an officer was present during the incident, the soldiers, and the IDF as a whole, did not condone or condemn the incident.
An official close to Israel's public relations campaign said that there was "no way" to spin the incident in a positive light. "Some people are simply irresponsible," said the official.
On-line, the photos are being called "horrifying," "disgusting" and "despicable." "I still cannot understand why or how anyone would allow their young children to walk up to missiles or other explosives. The militarization of children is always a crime," said one user by the name of "aviv2b" on the Guardian Web site, which ran a lengthy discussion about the photos.
Another reader, by the name barbicanangel posted that "I still say Israel is right in this war, however, the picture of young Jewish girls signing the shells is quite disturbing."
Although the photos were first taken by professional photographers from AFP, Associated Press, and Haaretz, they were circulated on-line through the popular photo-hosting Web site Flickr.com. That site republished the photos, bringing them to the attention of hundreds who later posted them on their own personal sites.
Many users on both the flickr and Guardian Web sites said that the images proved how difficult it was for a country to control their public relations image on-line. "There is no way to tell how, when, where, or why these photos were taken," said one anonymous poster. "We have to rely on the people hosting the Web sites, who have no official accountability hanging over their heads at all."
Over the years, there have been a number of photos that have been popularized by the on-line community such as photos of young Palestinian babies dressed as suicide bombers, or Israeli children in Purim costumes mocking Palestinian political officials.
Europe.
See above LOL
See post #37. LOL!
You criticize my "mode of thinking" and then claim I have charged any European nation with being pro-terrorist? I would suggest it's not my analytical abilities that are in question here if that's the conclusion you've drawn from my conclusions. I never accused anyone of being pro-terrorist.
I do say that pacificism and appeasement seems to be a unifying sentiment among many in Europe these days. Again, I did not say all. That was your misrepresentation of my point, along with the one above. I challenged you to disprove my thesis. So far all you've done is personalize the argument against me. Again, can you show that the US war on terror isn't unpopular in Europe and that Israel's actions in Lebanon are not unpopular? That does not translate into my thinking Europeans are pro-terrorist. They just have a naive notion that if the use of force ceases against terrorists, that terrorist grievances against the West will cease and they'll just leave us all alone.
Again, what is your evidence I am wrong? If you can provide something indicating the majorities of Europeans are with the US on the war on terror including in Iraq, and approve of Israel's actions I will gladly retract my comments. I would love to think Europe has not gone as weak as I fear they have and have every evidence for believing is the case.
They let wives fight alongside their husbands?
I know my friend.
Do you know that Europe is a continent? LOL
looks like MikeA challenged you to disprove what is a common perception, that is, that Europe, GENERALLY, lacks resolve and tends towards pacificism and appeasement. i am also curious as to what you can point to. yes, we do realize that discrete European countries are our allies in the war on terror and are fighting and dying in Iraq alongside us. But the perception remains. the majority of europeans do not support us. do you disagree?
They let wives fight alongside their husbands?
Well, that just sums up perfectly what kind of person you are doesn't it? How you can mock the the heroic men killed while fighting Islamic terrorists is beyond me?
Yep, the weak and dumb ones who weren't strong or smart enough to come HERE! Y'll have your cute little EU which make you one, to me, now.
okay, so you rag on toby for mocking europe, but you haven't stepped up to mikeA's challenge. can you NOT prove your assertion?
When someone makes a statement that Europe is against America and I respond, which part of Europe, then it is not up to me to disprove anything.
I asked which part of Europe is against all these thing?
You need to come to the USA to learn proper English, boy.
the common perception here, as i said, is that IN GENERAL, Europe is not supportive of our efforts in the war on Terror. do you disagree?
See above, I never made any assertion.
It was me who asked the question first? Which part of Europe is pro- or anti- america?
For real, or are you being sarcastic?.......
well i think that mikeA and i have changed the question and are directing it to you now. do you disagree that IN GENERAL europe is NOT supportive of the US war on terror? mikeA answered your question and rephrased one to you. can you answer it?
It's not surprising that this double standard exists as i'm convinced that the liberal worldview essentially comes down to this - the strong (in this case Israel) are always evil while those in opposition to the strong are always to be championed by them.
Europeans have been on a 230 year losing streak, and don't want to blow that record now!
Oh please. American WWII pilots did this ALL the time.
What part of "the majority of Europeans" do you not understand?
The former East Bloc countries (Russia excluded) seem to be less inclined to criticize American actions in the war on terror since their people understand that tyranny is not defeated merely through goodwill. But even there many govts. are having to scale back their support for the US in Iraq for fear of losing power.
This pacificism I have noted seems to be taking hold more in central and Western Europe, especially in France and Spain. Need I remind you a fiercely anti-Iraq Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero was elected in Spain after the train bombings when the Spanish public blamed Spain's limited involvement in Iraq for the attacks and after Aznar appeared to be shoe-in for re-election? After the bombing, Zapatero overcame Aznar's lead in a matter of days.
Now I've answered your question, when will you answer mine, i.e. what your evidence is that pacificism is not overtaking many in Europe?? How many times do I have to ask??
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