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

I predict rapid success followed by the cheering of Israeli troops as liberators and the traditional showering of flowers.

the idea that pointing out that qana is where jesus fed the 5,000 makes me "extreme" is so hilarious to me.

Okay, I have seen everything: pizzaIDF.org

Intelligence received by Stratfor in the past 24 hours indicates that Israel
believes military operations against Hezbollah will soon be reaching a climax in
Lebanon, and activity by both sides in the conflict since then has been
intensifying. It has been our assessment that as Hezbollah fighters come under
greater duress, there is a strong possibility that the organization will revert to
employing terrorist tactics against Westerners that it used in the past - such as
kidnappings, bombings or other acts of violence.

We have also taken note of a warden message issued yesterday, August 1st, that
imposes a curfew on U.S. Embassy staff in Damascus - a precaution for their safety
as emotions run high in Syria. We view this as further affirmation that, with
military operations entering a crucial phase, the danger of terrorist activity is
now ticking upward. We have no direct intelligence on this but we are clearly
entering a period of heightened threat.

For the safety of our readers, we invite you to read a recent special report
produced by our security team. This report outlines where Stratfor believes
terrorist attacks might be possible, the kinds of targets Hezbollah might choose,
its rationale for doing so and the rapidity with which the organization might move.

They are further offering a free download of a piece called "Hezbollah and Iran: Security Risks Beyond the Middle East, August 2006", should you so choose to read it.

given that the consensus view thus far is that Hezbollah are performing far better than expected, I do not think this that unlikely.

My recollection of the 1980s is a bit hazey, but my impression is that the kidnappings happened at a time when Hezbollah was somewhat weak organisationally. Once they got a lot better at fighting the Israelis in south Lebanon, they lost interest in kidnapping foreigners. Militarily, it looks like the current Israeli stuff plays to Hezbollah's strengths. So Israel wants to re-establish a security zone in south Lebanon? I can't but feel that Hezbollah are thinking "Bring it on" and will not see themselves as having much to gain from kidnapping journalists.

The book was found open to a page describing, in Latin script, Psalm 83, in which God hears complaints of other nations' attempts to wipe out the name of Israel.

more sense, just waiting to be made.

My recollection of the 1980s is a bit hazey, but my impression is that the kidnappings happened at a time when Hezbollah was somewhat weak organisationally. Once they got a lot better at fighting the Israelis in south Lebanon, they lost interest in kidnapping foreigners. Militarily, it looks like the current Israeli stuff plays to Hezbollah's strengths. So Israel wants to re-establish a security zone in south Lebanon? I can't but feel that Hezbollah are thinking "Bring it on" and will not see themselves as having much to gain from kidnapping journalists.

OTM

Israel don't want to seem weak when attacked, but of course that will just push their enemies farther into extremism. One of the difficulties of fighting organizations that have a strict ideology as their basis.

Couldn't almost anything then be taken as a clue that any point in history might be the end times?

Down through the years that’s true. But never the accumulation of events as we have today. I have often said that no one knows the day nor the hour that Christ will come, but no generation has had so many signs of the times as our generation. We have more reason to believe that Christ could come in our lifetime than any generation before us.

no it wasn't. It was found open on a page showing Psalm 83 from THE CATHOLIC BIBLE, which numbers the psalms differently. The one shown was about something completely different.

If the rapture should take place, resulting in my absence, it will become necessary for tribulation saints to mirror or financially support this site.

For reference:

Psalm 83
Quam dilecta. The soul aspireth after heaven; rejoicing in the mean time, in being in the communion of God's church upon earth.

83:1. Unto the end, for the winepresses, a psalm for the sons of Core.
Victori pro torculari filiorum Core canticum

83:2. How lovely are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts!
Quam dilecta tabernacula tua Domine exercituum

83:3. My soul longeth and fainteth for the courts of the Lord. My heart and my flesh have rejoiced in the living God.
Desiderat et defecit anima mea in atria Domini cor meum et caro mea laudabunt Deum viventem

83:4. For the sparrow hath found herself a house, and the turtle a nest for herself where she may lay her young ones: Thy altars, O Lord of hosts, my king and my God.
Siquidem avis invenit domum et passer nidum sibi ubi ponat pullos suos altaria tua Domine exercituum rex meus et Deus meus

83:5. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house, O Lord: they shall praise thee for ever and ever.
Beati qui habitant in domo tua adhuc laudabunt te semper

83:6. Blessed is the man whose help is from thee: in his heart he hath disposed to ascend by steps,*
Beatus homo cuius fortitudo est in te semitae in corde eius

83:7. In the vale of tears, in the place which he hath set.
Transeuntes in valle fletus fontem ponent eam

83:8. For the lawgiver shall give a blessing, they shall go from virtue to virtue: the God of gods shall be seen in Sion.
Benedictione quoque amicietur doctor ibunt de fortitudine in fortitudinem parebunt apud Deum in Sion

83:9. O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer: give ear, O God of Jacob.
Domine Deus exercituum exaudi orationem meam ausculta Deus Iacob semper

83:10. Behold, O God our protector: and look on the face of thy Christ.
Clipeus noster vide Deus et adtende faciem christi tui

83:11. For better is one day in thy courts above thousands. I have chosen to be an abject in the house of my God, rather than to dwell in the tabernacles of sinners.
Quoniam melior est dies in atriis tuis super milia elegi abiectus esse in domo Dei mei magis quam habitare in tabernaculis impietatis

83:12. For God loveth mercy and truth: the Lord will give grace and glory.
Quia sol et scutum Dominus Deus gratiam et gloriam dabit Dominus

83:13. He will not deprive of good things them that walk in innocence: O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.
Nec prohibebit bonum ab his qui ambulant in perfectione Domine exercituum beatus homo qui confidet in te

MALKIN: Because they are intoxicated.

I hope this came right after a story about how fundamentalist Christians are creaming their pants over the SIGNS OF THE COMING APOCALYPSE.

I'm tempted to say that's a good idea, but it might just be wishful thinking.

You're talking about strengthening an already-in-place sovereign government and empowering them to take control of a single area/province, rather than deposing and replacing an entire regime and trying to get them to control an entire nation.

Still, like I said, might be wishful thinking.

What do you guys see as a solution though? I mean cease fire sounds good for a start, but then you're stuck with two deeply wounded nations, each still convinced the other is a threat to its security. If you lack faith in a U.S.-trained Lebanese force, why would a U.N. force have a better chance of success? Isn't that wishful thinking too?

if israel does end up destroying the entire country of lebanon, can we maybe call a temporary moratorium on israel's regional "victimhood"?

http://haaretz.com/hasen/spages/746186.html#resp

Totally want it to happen - I just don't see it happening.

I mean I'm all for a cease fire, but I honestly don't know what happens next and I know that after a cease fire you're still stuck with huge problems.

Being stuck with huge problems seems like the usual conclusion to these things, no?

1. An armed Hezbollah represents a threat to Israel and the
proper government of Lebanon.

2. So, everyone (it seems) agrees that Hezbollah must be disarmed.
They never really showed an interest in disarming themselves,
and now it's not even a pipe dream.

3. if Hezbollah will not disarm itself, it must be disarmed
forcibly. This seems to be a logical conclusion based on what
we've already decided. Am I right or wrong?

How does a cease fire fit into this? It might last a day or a
year, but how will a cease fire help solve the fundamental
problem of disarming Hezbollah?

How does sending an international force to Lebanon solve the
problem? Will Hezbollah see the international force as legitimate
and turn over their weapons? Or will Hezbollah see this force
as a tool of Israel and imperial zionist america?

OTM

Hezb' is not going to disarm in the short-run, given that you don't give up after what will be perceived as a victory against mighty Israël. Plus, all the talk about how Hezb' should have been disarmed ages ago doesn't really consider the fact that Lebanon was an occupied country up until last year. The sovereignty of Lebanon was just starting to emerge and expecting Hezb to rely, for the country's defence, on a Government and army just getting used to the absence of Syria, is completely unrealistic.

Because every Lebanese person that
I've heard interviewed is basically sympathetic to Hezbollah.
They seem to believe the bizarre fantasy that Hezbollah are
simply freedom fighters defending against a totally unprovoked
Israeli invasion.

The only Lebanese that I have heard criticized Hezbollah are
politicians, who presumably have to maintain some semblance of
sanity when they're talking to the international press. Even so,
they seem to place 90% of the blame for this whole crisis on
Israel.

The Israeli air strikes, whatever material damage
they may have done, are totally strengthening Hezbollah where
it counts: in the court of public opinion.

So whomever ends up taking on Hezbollah (whether Israel continues it alone or an international force is sent in) may have to fight the Lebanese people. All of Lebanon may end up in ruins. This would polarize the entire Muslim world, and the extremists would have all the aces.

I can't believe there's people who don't believe this could
LIKELY escalate into a major
regional war (
or worse).