A New Thread fot the Current Israel/Palestine/Lebanon mess

5 and 1/2 football fields away, for us dumb americans.

I think what I'm trying very hard to understand is what purpose does UNIFIL still serve by being in Souther Lebanon at this point? Clearly there is no more peace to keep. The border is full of holes punched by the IAF and Israeli ground forces. Supply lines are cut that would allow UNIFIL to provide humanitarian relief (which I am not sure is part of UNIFIL's mandate). It seems that UN brass is well aware of the position that they find themselves in, yet is unwilling (or unable?) to place their troops out of harms way.

I think what I'm trying very hard to understand is why you think that - barring any orders from the UN to leave, not to mention that movement during a battle only encourages you to be fired upon, not to mention that there aren't any fuckin' roads in that part of lebanon any more - the UNIFIL soldiers and civilians have any choice at this point?

Clearly there is no more peace to keep. The border is full of holes punched by the IAF and Israeli ground forces. Supply lines are cut that would allow UNIFIL to provide humanitarian relief (which I am not sure is part of UNIFIL's mandate). It seems that UN brass is well aware of the position that they find themselves in, yet is unwilling (or unable?) to place their troops out of harms way.

Again you make this seem as if Annan just waves a magic wand and 2300 people magically evacuate.

"a few days ago, flyers were dropped down on us from the sky. this is one of them. we have deciphered it as a pic of nasrallah coming out of a vase saying "any services?" around him are the president of syria, the leader of hamas, and the iranian president. on the bottom of the vase it says "beirut". oh, and they are all sitting on a map of lebanon. i found this near the Phoenicia Hotel."

from beirut update

x-post to hstenc!l

y'know hurting there's only so many times you can play the "oppressed people of history" card, since that isn't up for debate here. everybody knows it's true, no one's disputing that the jews have suffered the worst oppression throughout history. but continually making flippant remarks like that makes you seem, um, well about just as much an asshole as the muslims who say all jews must be killed, since you're equating the illegal, oppressive acts of the state of israel with the entire history of jewish suffering. way to play into their hands, champ.

-- hstencil (hstenc!...), July 27th, 2006.

Can you show me where I'm playing this card?

ps I agree that the propaganda is silly and inept.

-- Abbadavid Berman (Hurtingchie...), July 13th, 2006 9:02 PM. (Hurting)

Seriously, it's like our version of baseball stats. That and what famous people are Jewish.

-- Abbadavid Berman (Hurtingchie...), July 13th, 2006 9:11 PM. (Hurting)

perhaps you're your own strawman.

The ones you're citing there are me POKING FUN at the Jewish tendency to obsess on this stuff. I generally make a point of not doing it, in fact I find it kind of gross.

I think the Danish cartoon was pretty offensive, and I don't think this one is quite as offensive (though it's pretty ineffective - great, imply that the people you're trying to convince come from a culture of SNAKE CHARMERS!)

which is crazy since we all know it's the WOMEN who have it bad in this fucked up world.

xpost - sorry for the misunderstanding, hurting.

yes, this particular flier seems about as effective as that, esp. given that it was dropped in a predominantly christian, affluent section of beirut. y'know, the part of beirut where, for most of the civil war and occupation, israel had allies.

xpost - vad yashem isn't evil. the wailing wall isn't evil. goa fucking trance on the beach seems evil to me, tho.

Main Entry: pro·pa·gan·da
Pronunciation: "prä-p&-'gan-d&, "prO-
Function: noun
Etymology: New Latin, from Congregatio de propaganda fide Congregation for propagating the faith, organization established by Pope Gregory XV died 1623
1 capitalized : a congregation of the Roman curia having jurisdiction over missionary territories and related institutions
2 : the spreading of ideas, information, or rumor for the purpose of helping or injuring an institution, a cause, or a person
3 : ideas, facts, or allegations spread deliberately to further one's cause or to damage an opposing cause; also : a public action having such an effect

just ignore that first entry (interesting! the roman catholics invented it, sort of). i'm not a very ends-justify-the-means person, sorry.

That's pretty much my only point here. It won't fucking work might be right for a number of reasons, but the motive isn't particularly evil.