Posted on 07/27/2006 2:48:28 AM PDT by Clive
While Prime Minister Stephen Harper says he doubts it was deliberate, a full investigation is needed into the Israeli air strike that killed four UN military observers in Lebanon, including Canadian Maj. Paeta Hess-von Kruedener of Kitchener.
Reports that before the outpost was hit, UN peacekeepers called the Israeli military 10 times in a six-hour period asking it to halt bombing in the immediate vicinity, and that these requests were ignored, are disturbing.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has apologized for the tragedy, insisting it was a mistake, but also promising a full investigation. He should be held to his word.
As for UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's knee-jerk accusation that the attack by Israel was deliberate, Annan demonstrated yet again why Israel and its friends so distrust the UN.
It has always been obsessed -- thanks in large part to its Arab and Muslim blocs -- with condemning Israel and holding it to a higher standard than any other nation -- certainly far higher than those of the Arab and Islamic dictatorships which surround it.
Yesterday, after receiving a call from Olmert apologizing for the tragedy and promising a full probe, Annan toned down his earlier rhetoric but, incredibly, blamed the media for failing to note he used the word "apparently" when he originally called Israel's attack deliberate. Right. More proof, as if any was needed, that Annan has been a diplomat for way too long.
Contrary to this nonsense was Harper's admirable clarity.
"I think this event is obviously a terrible tragedy," he said.
"But that doesn't change the right of a country to defend itself against terrorists and violent attacks."
Exactly. There is no moral equivalency between Israel and the terrorists of Hamas and Hezbollah. Do they apologize when they slaughter innocent civilians? How can they, when that is their goal? Do their backers, like Syria and Iran, apologize and promise independent investigations when, for example, Iran murders a Canadian-Iranian journalist? C'mon.
Harper believes the only chance of bringing lasting peace to the Mideast through an independent Palestinian state living peacefully beside a secure Israel, lies in all states in the region recognizing Israel's right to to exist and accepting their own responsibility to end rather than back terrorism. So do we.
-
PRESIDENT BUSH
The UN should stay out of the way. They're useless. All they do is create another obstacle to the Israelis, which I guess is their real purpose.
Putting on my tin-foil beanie for a minute, how do we know the UN site wasn't housing some hezzies and/or their ordnance? If so, the attack on or around the site may have been deliberate, and justifiably so.
Exactly. The UN make a better human shield than the Lebanese because they have a public voice and political clout.
The UN's alleged calls to the Israelis to avoid bombing the area look suspiciously like a means of giving cover to the hezzies and/or their munitions.
Naqoura - "UNITED NATIONS INTERIM FORCE IN LEBANON (UNIFIL) - Press Release (PRESS RELEASE SNIPPET: "Another UN position of the Ghanaian battalion in the area of Marwahin in the western sector was also directly hit by one mortar round from the Hezbollah side last night. The round did not explode, and there were no casualties or material damage. Another 5 incidents of firing close to UN positions from the Israeli side were reported yesterday. It was also reported that Hezbollah fired from the vicinity of four UN positions at Alma ash Shab, Tibnin, Brashit, and At Tiri. All UNIFIL positions remain occupied and maintained by the troops.") (July 26, 2006)
US and Israeli intelligence have long known that Muslim terrorist use the UN as a shield, and worse.
The terrorists paint their vehicles in UN colors and logo, and fly the flag in order to be immune from searches and attack.
Hezbollah terrorists using the U.N. position for cover is the same as hiding in apartment buildings and hospitals.
The U.N. needs to get out of the way since they've obviously failed in their mission to disarm Hezbollah anyway.
Please send me a FReepmail to get on or off this Canada ping list.
Any organization that wants to take away our guns cannot be trusted. This is an organization that needs the tire spikes thrown out quick.
Uh. No. Shut up. Mind your own business and keep your citizens out of foreign war zones.
It's not a tinfoil hat theory. The UN was proven to be complicit in the 2000 abduction of 3 Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah (they had been bribed by sex and money).
Moreover, Hezbollah has repeatedly attacked from near UN bases (if you look, you can often see their flag, flying next to the UN flag), and its not such a leap to guess that they did it again. Or stored weapons there.
I think it is not the crime (IMHO using a brave Canadian soldier as a human shield for Hezbollah) but the cover up that may reveal the truth.
I read the UN peacekeepers are still not going to abandon this outpost and I am very curious as to what the reasoning is behind that decision.
I hope the investigation gets a really good look at that place.
A didn't the UN previously have a real Nazi, Kurt Waldheim, for their Secretary General?
I want to know why Kofi Anus didn't order the immediate evacuation of ALL "UNIFIL" personnel when Hezbullocks began lobbing rockets at Israel, prompting the inevitable retaliation from the IDF!
"UNIFIL", it sounds like a multiweight motor oil.
In the U.N.'s case LIGHTweight, like 5W10.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.