"You rang".
Posted on 07/31/2006 7:04:51 PM PDT by churchillbuff
Within 48 hours, it was apparent Israel was exploiting Hezbollah's attack to execute a preconceived military plan to destroy Lebanon – i.e, the collective punishment of a people and nation for the crimes of a renegade militia they could not control. It was the moral equivalent of a municipal police going berserk, shooting, killing and ravaging an African-American community because Black Panthers had ambushed and killed cops.
If Israel is not in violation of the principle of proportionality, by which Christians are to judge the conduct of a just war, what can that term mean? There are 600 civilian dead in Lebanon, 19 in Israel, a ratio of 30-1 – though Hezbollah is firing unguided rockets, while Israel is using precision-guided munitions.
Thousands of Lebanese civilians are injured. Perhaps 800,000 are homeless.
Yet, whatever one thinks of the morality of what Israel is doing, the stupidity is paralyzing. Instead of maintaining the moral and political high ground it had – when even Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan were condemning Hezbollah and privately hoping Israel would inflict a humiliating defeat on Nasrallah – Israel launched an air war on an innocent people. Now, 87 percent of Lebanese back Hezbollah, and the entire Arab and Islamic world, Shia and Sunni alike, is rallying behind Nasrallah.
...
For two weeks, Bush seemed unable to find a word of criticism for what our friends in Israel were doing to our friends in Lebanon. He publicly sent more bombs to Israel. He and Condi emphasized that America did not want a cease-fire – yet.
...
Rubbing our noses in our own cravenness, "Bibi" Netanyahu took time out, a week ago, from his daily appearances on American television denouncing terrorism to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the terror attack on the King David Hotel by Menachem Begin's Irgun, an attack that killed 92 people, among them British nurses.
This was not a terrorist act, Bibi explained, because Irgun telephoned a 15-minute warning to the hotel before the bombs went off. Right. And those children in that basement in Qana should not have ignored the Israeli leaflets warning them to clear out of southern Lebanon.
Up to that moment I was willing to give Pat the benefit of the doubt. No longer.
Nothing to see here. Just another grunt and splash from Pitchfork Pat.
Buchanan jumped the shark years ago and seems intent on repeating his legerdemain.
Mr. Gibson, Mr. Buchanan.....Betty Ford Clinic on line One...Please pick up the house phone.
What a friggen idiot!
Pat stick to Pro-Life issues and leave the anti-Israel stuff alone. You're way too predictable and don't have a clue about cause and effect.
When you're fighting for your very existance who gives a damn about what people think about you?
Pat's gone off his meds again.
This is just his latest vehicle to attack Bush and the Israelis.
I wish he had half that much hatred for America's enemies.
"our friends in lebanon"?
which ones? is this guy delusional? what friends did we have there, the "friendly" government that was busy developing Beirut into a chic hotspot, while turning over the southern part of their country to a terrorist state proxy of Iran? Is this the "friend" this jerk wanted us to cultivate?
"You rang".
I'm sure some Freepers will step up to defend Pat's recent lunacy... All I can do is shake my head. But I've been doing that for about a dozen years now regarding Pat.
Funny thing about Pat. I used to think of him in the way you might a funny old uncle..who now and then surprises you with a very sensible idea..but who's mostly just quirky and out of touch.
After hearing him briefly on MSNBC and reading this piece- I realize he's a bitter, hateful man.
I wonder what Pat an dhis proportinality think of this:
# of US civilians killed by the German in WW2-0
# of German civilians killed by the US and Britain in WW2-More than 1,000,000
the same figures apply for Japan, Korea, Vietnam, pretty much every war the US has fought around the world.
In fact, the US killed more civilians in 60 minutes over Wurzburg or Tokyo than Israel has in 60 yrs of existence, but Pat doesn't mind that, does he?
I wonder what Pat thought of his hero Nixon's proportionality in Nam?
He didn't mind Reagan's buddies doing their dirty work in Central America either.
Pat's always had a sore spot
Who are they polling, all of Lebanon or only those who decided to provide shields for Hezbollah?
I dont have a problem with moral culpability in the lebanon affair. In fact if I were in charge I would probably have started with a nuke in Iran and Syria and toldlebanon to get their shit together or they get the same dose.
Israel should take advantage of the 48-hour ceasefire to kill another 581 Israelis, so that Pat's moral authority would permit it to proceed with its war for self-defense.
Hey churchill, ever think about quitting your job of being Pat's "fluff-daddy"?
Pat Buchanan needs a little Hitler mustache, him and Mel Gibson.
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.