Posted on 07/25/2006 4:49:32 PM PDT by SandRat
WASHINGTON, July 25, 2006 – The United States backs Israel's right to defend itself against terrorist groups like Hezbollah, but it also wants to aid thousands of suffering Lebanese who've fled the fighting, President Bush said here today. The Lebanon-based Hezbollah terrorists who are assaulting Israel with rocket fire are afraid of democracies, Bush said during a White House press briefing with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.
Hezbollah's attacks illustrate "a terrorist organization trying to stop the advance of democracy in the region," the president said. Fighting erupted after Hezbollah guerillas crossed into Israel from Lebanon to kidnap two Israeli soldiers on July 12.
News reports say some 650,000 Lebanese have fled their homes amid warfare between Israeli soldiers and Hezbollah guerillas in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah is a radical Muslim military organization that's bankrolled and supplied by Syria and Iran, both of whom have vowed to destroy Israel.
Maliki urged that the international community work to establish a ceasefire between the warring parties.
Bush told reporters he is sympathetic to Lebanon's plight and of the suffering of its people.
"I assured the prime minister that I care deeply about the suffering that takes place, that we understand the anguish of leaders in the region who see innocent people losing their lives," the president said.
Bush said the United States will provide $30 million in humanitarian aid. "We care about the people; we will help to get aid to the people," Bush said.
Bush said any cessation in hostilities must be within the provisions of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1559, which stipulates that no armed militant organizations, such as like Hezbollah, operate in Lebanon.
Fighting between Israel and Hezbollah led the U.S. military to evacuate more than 12,000 Americans from Lebanon.
Maliki contrasted today's battle between Israelis and radical Muslim fundamentalists with his new government's policy of treating all Iraqis with fairness and respect.
Under Iraqi law "there is no killing or discrimination against anyone," Maliki emphasized. Fair treatment of all citizens is a key tenet of Iraq's constitution, he said. "The government's responsibility is to protect all Iraqis, regardless of their ethnic or religious background," he said.
That still won't make Helen Thomas or the left happy.
Why?
This isn't our war Mr. President. Why do you want American taxpayers to pay for Lebanon's displaced, (many of which are probably islamofacist terrorists)?
I don't mind sending the Israelis anything that they need to abate this nest of terrorists, but I do not support sending even a thin dime to anyone in the Lebanon who has tacitly or openly supported terrorism.
HEY! I've got an idea - how about we just tell them to go home and STAND UP for their country and against the Hezzies.
Oh - wait, that won't work - they support the Hezzies that they have voted into government - the last I heard, between the Hezzies in government in Lebanon and their coalition, they control close to 1/3 of the Lebaneese government.
Now, - if he was really using code for helping arm and train them to take their country back from the terrorists so they can live side-by-side with Israel - then that is a whole different story.
I totally agree! Bush and Congress seem to love to support those who need to be booted on their behinds, even those within our country. It's like bad parents who are tired of their kids begging and instead of making them get a job and earn their way, the parents shove money to them to shut them up. He is way too liberal and his compassion needs to be reviewed.
We are also sending an equal amount of aid to those in Israel who have suffered losses on account of the war, right?
Lebanon is a democracy. That means that the people are responsible for the government they have elected. They must bear the consequences of their votes. I too do not want to rebuild a terrorist nation that we will only have to fight again in the future.
I am sooooo tired of this double speak!!!!!! What happened to YOU'RE EITHER WITH US OR AGAINST US!!!! Have these people forgotten 9/11 already? I am totally behind the WOT and support our troops 100%, but this is really starting to bother me. It is our children, friends and families over there fighting. We have given them the mission of fighting terrorists, yet when a terrorist country gets bombed by one of our allies, we give our tax money to the terrorist country because they're displaced?????? And I know Lebanon is a democratic goverment, just like the Palestinians elected Hamas. Just because they were elected doesn't legitimize them. They're still terrorist.
Oh, no! Shades of Clintoon's check book diplomacy...paying off every thug group in the world. That certainly works well...until they run out of cash, like North Korea, and need to put the screws to us again. For a nation that's about to face trillions of dollars of unsecured debt for Social Secutity, Medicare, Medicaid etc., we surely do throw our money down a lot of rat holes.
I haven't heard.
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