U.S. officials demand IAF cease overflights in Lebanese airspace

www.haaretz.com ^ | 18:53 03/11/2006 | Aluf Benn

[Esther Ruth]

Last update - 18:53 03/11/2006

U.S. officials demand IAF cease overflights in Lebanese airspace

By Aluf Benn, Haaretz Correspondent and Haaretz Service

Two Bush administration officials demanded that Israel Air Force overflights of Lebanon be halted, saying that such flights undermine the standing of Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora.

The two U.S. diplomats, David Welch and Elliott Abrams, held short meetings Thursday with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni.

The meeting with Olmert was dedicated to preparations for his visit to the United States and his meeting with President George W. Bush in 10 days' time.

A government source said that the two envoys did not put forth any new diplomatic initiative on behalf of the Bush administration.

Olmert also met Thursday with visiting U.S. Director of National Intelligence John Negroponte, who is in Israel as the guest of Mossad chief Meir Dagan. Negroponte's talks with Israeli intelligence officials are focusing on Iran and its nuclear program, a subject that will also preoccupy Bush and Olmert during their meeting in Washington.

The talks with Welch and Abrams, in contrast, focused on the standing of Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas. The U.S. diplomats said that Abbas is "exhibiting weakness," and the main question is whether it is possible to strengthen him - and if so, how.

[M Kehoe]

Two "Bush administration officials" demanded that Israel Air Force overflights of Lebanon be halted, saying that such flights undermine the standing of Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora.

If true, may I submit a request to the Bush administration to stand down. Why? In the not so distant future, the IAF will need to fly over Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Well, unless we want to let the IAF use a CVN for about two hours. Maybe three...(I don't know how long the mission over Persia will take).

5.56mm

[prophetic]

IMHO the reason why the USA was spared all those hurricanes this year was that America (under the leadership of President Bush) allowed Israel to avenge itself of its enemies and be left in peace.

However with this 'restraining' being put back on Israel can only spell trouble for the USA.

Remember the promise God made to the Jews: I will Bless those who bless (help) you and CURSE those who curse (harm) you!

[Esther Ruth]

My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. Psalm 89:34

Thy Word is true from the beginning and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth forever. Psalm 119:160

[Hop A Long Cassidy]

In other news, Israeli diplomats in Washington, DC demanded that the U.S. withdraw troops from South Korea and Japan.

/sarc

[Lil Flower]

Wait a minute, I thought the Bush Admin. wanted fair democratic elections in the Palestian areas. Now that they have voted in Hamas, with the help of the US, now they are subverting the election? I'm confused. I guess in a democracy, if you don't get the vote you want you just work around it. Good thing we are a Republic and not a democracy, right?