7/17 Middle East Live Thread

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1666537/posts?page=3202 ^ | 7/17/06 | me

[BurbankKarl]

09:02 Amir Peretz: We won`t stop fighting before achieving our objectives (Haaretz)

08:52 Barrage of Katyusha rockets hits Kiryat Shmona (Itim)

08:48 IDF arrested 12 wanted Palestinian militants in overnight West Bank raids (Itim)

08:32 Two Qassam rockets land in Ashkelon; no casualties or damage reported (Channel 10)

08:07 One IDF soldier lightly injured in fighting in northern Gaza Strip (Israel Radio)

07:57 Asia-Pacific officials working to evacuate citizens from Lebanon (AP)

07:31 Rocket barrage slams into Safed; no immediate report of casualties, damage (Haaretz)

07:30 Two people lightly injured in Acre from rocket hits (Haaretz)

07:21 Alarm sirens heard in Tiberias, no hits reported as yet (Channel 10)

07:20 Two people lightly wounded by sharpnel in Qassam hits on Sderot (Haaretz)

07:07 Lebanese: IDF attacks Beirut port; large fire breaks out (AP)

07:00 Third Qassam rocket hits Sderot; no casualties reported (Haaretz)

06:56 IDF soldier injured in Beit Hanun (Haaretz)

06:49 Katyusha rocket hits community near northern town of Acre; 4 people injured (Haaretz)

06:43 Two loud explosions rock southern suburbs of Beirut (AP)

06:37 Two Qassam rockets hit Sderot; no casualties (Israel Radio)

06:16 Lebanese: 17 fatalities, 9 of them soldiers, in latest round of IDF strikes (Israel Radio)

06:13 Qassam rocket hits western Negev; no casualties (Israel Radio)

06:08 IAF strikes over 50 targets in Lebanon in overnight attacks (Israel Radio)

06:05 IDF says air raid sirens in Haifa were false alarm (Israel Radio)

06:03 Air raid sirens sound in Haifa (AP)

05:46 IDF: Lebanese military involved in Friday attack on Israeli ship (AP)

05:43 IDF: Radar stations targeted were used in Friday attack on Israeli ship (AP)

05:37 IDF: Latest attacks in Lebanon are against radar stations used by Hezbollah (AP)

05:13 Israel blames Hizbollah after Canadian deaths in southern Lebanon (Reuters)

04:35 Oil surges back toward record highs after weekend of Middle East violence (Reuters)

04:13 13 killed, including 8 soldiers, in renewed overnight IDF attacks in Lebanon (AP)

03:21 EU foreign ministers discuss diplomatic options in effort to end Mideast violence (AP)

[Michael81Dus]

Hey, there were 15 stars and stripes - maybe it was made by people from Vermont (14th state) or Kentucky (15th)?? ;-) Ok, better let´s get back to the topic, this is a serious thread.

[daybreakcoming]

There's not too many countries the Filipinos don't go to work in. With high unemployment rate and nearly half living below poverty - even degreed ones will do specialized labor making more than they would at home. Smart and hardworking from what I have seen here and there.

[Rte66]

Now that you ask that, I don't really know. Knee-jerk, I was going to answer Catholics, but I don't really know. Maybe we'll find out--through intel, not through safe evacs or hazardous evacs.

[conservative in nyc]

Has anybody explanations why the IDF have not started a ground offensive right at the beginning of this war?

Wise men plan and get their ducks in a row before moving large ground forces. Only fools rush in to massive ground offensives without proper planning and logistics trains.

[jeffers]

nopardons wrote:
Thank GOD you aren't the president or in any part of the administration! You are absolutely clueless!
You think that Hammas and Hezbollah would just stop shelling Israel, if only Israel would stop? Good
grief....................



Obviously, you only read a small part of my post.

When and if you read it all, and if you then still have concerns, I am prepared to discuss the issue with you.

I will not discuss single sentences or paragraphs, taken out of context.

Sorry, but this is not negotiable.

[Michael81Dus]

Eventually, within 6 months, there will be no more armed Hezbollah in Southern Lebanon.

That would be the best for Israel and Lebanon! Now we have to hope that no civil war breaks out. The powers working against Hezbollah must prevail.

[mfccinsd]

Yes...many in the south have been stuck since the first day when the bridges and roads were bombed.

I have loved ones that are stuck because of that. At this point, the embassy is making it sound like when the time comes, they'll have to evac from Beirut, but no one is quite sure how that will happen.

There is one road, a longer way and not a great option under normal circumstances, apparently, that they ::think:: is still passable at this point, but with the bombing still, they're holding out until there's a calm time and/or they get news of a way to get through to the north. Then they can at least get to a safer place up there, as well as being closer to the embassy when the time comes.

It's kind of a catch-22 at this point, it appears. Stay and risk getting hit unintentionally or take the risk of getting hit (or stuck) on the roads and then being in a place you're unable to shelter.

[nopardons]

I read your entire post, but only used a part of it, because it was the prime example of your naivete.

[Michael81Dus]

Who said that there could not have been proper planning? And we´re talking of a stripe with a distance of only up to 65 miles from Israel´s northern border. It could have been an option.

[TomGuy]

I'm tired of all these Clinton phonies appearing on TV saying we need to ratchet up the diplomacy

Part of the reason they are making TV appearances, etc., is that many of the Clinton cronies have vested interests in the outcome. Albright, for example, heads a private consulting firm that specializes in ME interests.

Their concerns are more for their own incomes and influence.

[Rte66]

In this case, though, is it proximity or relatively lower cost of travel to the M.E. than for the South Americans, as an example - or why not Indians or Pakistani?

And would there be a like number of Filipinos in say, Dubai, for example? Just trying to "get" the Filipino-Lebanese connection.

[lysie]

Please add me to your ping list. Thank you.

[daybreakcoming]

Thank you.

[bluefish]

.....I can't say it's ok, because the math cannot add up until I know this thing.

I happen to know something of which I can't speak. This "thing" that I know convinces me that most of your ramblings are completely made up off the cuff. Of course, I can't disclose "this thing" that I secretly hold to my chest. This secretive little bit of knowledge of which you are not priviledged to know is what allows me to post ramblings like this. Good thing I have this "thing" to back me up, for you can't question my conclusions since you don't know what it is.

[JohnBovenmyer]

This deserves a reminder of all four original verses as found here. AND also of the earlier verses written nine years early by the same American poet, to the same tune back when we first fought basically the same foe our Israeli friends are now fighting. Those are found at #17 of that same thread. May they soon achieve the early third verse:

In conflict resistless each toil they endured,
Till their foes shrunk dismay'd from the war's desolation:
And pale beam'd the crescent, its splendor obscur'd
By the light of the star-spangled flag of our nation.
Where each flaming star gleam'd a meteor of war,
And the turban'd heads bowed to the terrible glare.
Then mixt with the olive the laurel shall wave,
And form a bright wreath, for the brow of the brave.

The Israeli flag has fewer "flaming stars" then we had, even back then, but then their star is David's and he has a reputation for being up to big tasks. Finally may they all or nearly all, live to enjoy the first early verse:

When the warrior returns from the battle afar,
To the home and the country he has nobly defended,
Oh! Warm be the welcome to gladden his ear,
And loud be the joys that his perils are ended!
In the full tide of song, let his fame roll along.
To the feast-flowing board let us gratefully throng.
Where mixt with the olive the laurel shall wave,
And form a bright wreath for the brow of the brave.

[Rte66]

Like next Friday evening?

[processing please hold]

When and if you read it all, and if you then still have concerns, I am prepared to discuss the issue with you.

You just tried to cover your ass, by throwing in the latter part of your post. Nopardons was correct, thank God you're not president.

[BurbankKarl]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFlYw9awR5o

Haifa air raid video (tell me if you dont get chills?)

[kabar]

I have no idea what you are talking about. The Philippines is a major supplier of legal expat labor. It is a big source of income for the country.

[Michael81Dus]

Mhm. I believe Israel has given up the hostages and if they get them back alive this will be by coincidence. Hamas and Hezbollah have kidnapped the soldiers, not a bunch of ´normal´ criminals. But you could be right, it may be better to clean the territory by air attacks as good as possible so that ground forces face less resistance. Do you think that a ground offensive will follow these airstrikes?