8/1 Middle East Live Thread

Middle East Live Thread ^ | 8/1/06 | BurbankKarl

[BurbankKarl]

The wife and father of kidnapped Israeli soldier Ehud Goldwasser, Karnit, holding a wedding photograph, and Shlomo Goldwasser arrive at Heathrow Airport in London, Monday July 31, 2006. Hezbollah kidnapped two Israeli soldiers on July 12, triggering an Israeli offensive against Lebanon that has killed hundreds of people, mostly civilians.

[eeevil conservative]

ROFL!

[1COUNTER-MORTER-68]

1250mph,

[Peach]

LOL.

CNN is reporting live right now from Israel; they may return to regular programming shortly.

bbl

[eeevil conservative]

Bill is being his usual ass self..........

[Peach]

It wasn't on very long and frankly, much as I like Condi, it was such diplo-speak that I switched to CNN for live reporting.

[Miss Marple]

OK. I am a year older than Bibi. How lowering.

[mware]

F-16's can go 1,500 mph (Mach 2 at altitude)

[bnelson44]

Great tag line!

[MNJohnnie]

Well, I hope the military planners are making contingency plans. I'm sure they are

Doubtlessly they are but neither Jordan, Syria nor Egypt will join in if Syria does. We will NOT have "fight our way out of Iraq". The facts on the ground do not at all suggest any combinations of events that would draw Syria in but if it does, it will go alone. The Govt in Iraq has enough problems, they will rant at Israel to show they are "good Arabs" and do nothing but managed their own affairs. Iran will rant and do nothing with US forces on two of it borders. We see now the utter brilliance of starting in Iraq. We hold the strategic high ground isolating Syria and Iran. They will bluster and thump their chest and rant but DO nothing. GW Bush has them by the short hairs militarily and they know it. We wish they would jump since that would give us the excuse to eliminate pretty much all their offensive military power in a very short time. Remember the "Highway of Death" coming out of Kuwait City in 1991? That is what would happen to any Syrian or Iranian attempt to intervene in Iraq. Out air power is a whole generation ahead of where the Iran's and Syrians is. That is the whole reason Syria and Iran and playing with proxy forces like Hizbollah. It the only force they MIGHT be able to win with. A Conventional Military fight they would lose in short order.

[mystery-ak]

placemark while I take my bath....

[mware]

I am a bit younger but it wouldn't be robbin' the cradle.

[Paul R.]

I figure they'd be there before they could even get up to full speed (assuming they were not already in the air.)

[JimSEA]

Just read in the Bangkok Post where Chavez, visiting Vietnam and getting his picture taken with Gen. Giap, referred to Americans as "less than Animals" who must be done away with. Something is going to come to a head with Chavez and Venezuela, the hatred is reached the Islamofacist level. The article also stated the the Vietnamese hosts were uncomfortable with the extreme statements of Chavez. Chavez wants to position himself at the leader of a violent anti American coalition.

[mware]

that means we have to suffer through him during this years hurricane season

Only if we watch!

LOL, but Shep is like a train wreak that makes you want to look. At least during hurricanes.

[Jet Jaguar]

I am sure they are patrolling over the area.

[Peach]

He's not really old enough for me either. My husband is 13 years older which is just about right :-)

[Straight Vermonter]

what the heck happened to Blair?

Blair is dealing with a "scandal" at home. British intelligence agencies may have used info obtained from terrorists "tortured" in other countries.

[bnelson44]

British intelligence agencies may have used info obtained from terrorists "tortured" in other countries.

Good!

[GonzoGOP]

Blair said the international community should tell Syria and Iran that they should either play by the same rules as the rest of the world "or be confronted."

I'm surprised to hear this from Blair. Very happy as it means we are starting to understand what needs to be done. But surprised that he feels politically safe enough at home to make a statement of intent so clear.

[MNJohnnie]

http://www.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?fsID=103


Flight speed 1500 MPH. Israeli jets are based less then 5 minutes away. Little over 3 mins to fly 80 miles.