Israel attacks Beirut airport

[amadeus]

What sickens me is that Israel cries terrorism and 'clear act of war' when they are just as guilty of the same crimes.

Those blasted Jewish suicide bombers. I tell you, every time I'm on the bus around Highland Park, I'm always looking over my shoulder.

 

[Civrules]

At least 45 civilians dead.

And so the number keeps going up.

 

[Little Raven]

For the record, then as now, I maintained that these things take time. The Malayan Emergency came to a successful conclusion using those methods; very little time has passed in Iraq comparatively. Let us have a drink in 20 years, and then argue the toss.

You and I both know we don't have 20 years. Already the calls for withdrawal are growing, even within the Republican party. We have at most till the end of the Bush presidency.

Such a fastidious military historian as yourself must know that there is no way to divorce politics from military action. Something I'm sure Olmert is keeping in mind.

Israel need no occupy Lebanon to change the strategic landscape. Establishing a full buffer zone, covered by artillery and mined to saturation, will be sufficient goals as well as knocking out Hezbollah strike capabilities (Stalin Organs and other devices), destroying camps, killing operatives and hopefully getting the lads back, or avenging them. Following those limited objectives, withdraw, keeping the buffer zone intact and unpopulated.

Foolishness. The Katyusha rocket now has a range of 30 kilometers, and that range gets longer every month. You cannot depopulate and control an area of that size without committing war crimes, and even if you could...what will you do when the Katyusha gets a range of 40 kilometers? Do it all over again? What happens when you hit Beirut?

No need for occupation; it is possible to learn lessons from previous conflicts.

It certainly is, but not when you replace sound analysis with fantasies of depopulated buffer zones dozens of kilometers wide.

But what say we argue the toss in a year? I'll buy.

 

[Simon Darkshade]

1.) Not the issue under discussion; for what it is worth, early withdrawal would cause a lot more damage than staying.

2.) Certainly, war is a continuation of politics by other means. Which is why Olmert needs to show his stripes, or he and his party will be a mere historical anomaly.

3.) Short range MRLs can be catered for. Clearing a freefirezone is nothing new, and can be done simply without 'war crimes'.
Link does not work.

If there is long range fire, reply to it with counter battery fire and tacair missions. Furthermore, advances are being made in the operational use of tactical lasers; the IDF has successfully shot down these type of rockets, and the US, employing a similar type, has shot down shells. Sword and shield.
A big principle of artillery is that if there is more space, there is more time to react.

The use of landmines is also eminently effective, restricting access for shorter range mass bombardment.

4.) Misrepresenting what is being said is to no avail; less than 20km will do as a border zone, and that is far from unrealistic, given the existence and utility of demilitarized zones elsewhere in the world, and an expressed tendency and policy on behalf of Israel for means of separation - walls, permanent borders, demolished clear zones.

5.) I'm awful busy this time next year, but when I mosey on over to Texas to see the wife, we'll chat.

 

[Winterfell]

What sickens me is that Israel cries terrorism and 'clear act of war' when they are just as guilty of the same crimes.

What crimes? We left Lebanon six years ago. Hezbolla are not palestinians. They are shi'ite lebanese. They have NO REASON to attack Israel. NOT AT ALL.
They aim at civilian targets inculding heavily populated cities such as the city of Haifa.
Yes. Lebanese civilians have been killed as well. The IDF did purpose is not to hurt civilian population - but the hezbollah launches the missles from buildings populated with civilians. We will stop them, no matter what. That is war. They provoked it and they should stand the outcomes.

 

[sysyphus]

Israel is just making itself look the fool. Bombing airports and killing Lebanese civilians is not going to do anything to improve either the Lebanese attitude towards Israel or Israel's security position. Hezbollah is not going to be destroyed by bombing Beirut Airport.

Indeed not, but it'll keep the warhawks on all sides happy.

So what if a few Israeli, Lebanese and Palestinean (plus possibly other further abroad should it escalate) civilians have to serve their countries as collateral damage, so long as the world's power brokers get their wars that's all that matters.

 

[Capulet]

Those blasted Jewish suicide bombers. I tell you, every time I'm on the bus around Highland Park, I'm always looking over my shoulder.

Right, but the Lebanese and Palestinians have to worry about Israeli F-16s attacking airports. Some of you have a double standard.

Yes. Lebanese civilians have been killed as well. The IDF did purpose is not to hurt civilian population

The Israelis attacked an international, civilian airport. They intentionally killed 45+ civilians, in retaliation for the kidnapping of two soldiers.

 

[skadistic]

Right, but the Lebanese and Palestinians have to worry about Israeli F-16s attacking airports. Some of you have a double standard.



The Israelis attacked an international, civilian airport. They intentionally killed 45+ civilians, in retaliation for the kidnapping of two soldiers.

They attacked the airport in retaliation for missle attacks from Lebanon. Launched bye hezbola terrorists. And Lebanon allowed hezbola to shell Israel and kill how many? They kidnapped 2 soldiers. Why aren't they beeing treated as POWs instead off barginchips or hostiges? Beacuse Israel has to deal with terrorists. Isreal doesnt want thier kidnapped soldier flown out of Lebanon so Isreal destroys a legit military target. They atacked it again. The Lebanies pupet gov. that has hezbola as a active political party will not stop the terrorist so it has become a target too. Syrian gov. still control Lebanon and hezbola. Don't be suprised when they get a wake up call from Isreal. Israel is sick of being ruthlesly attacked and the internation institutions do nothing. Isreal nieghboors are not allies and she sould do what ever is needed to see that next year there still is an Israel.

 

[Urederra]

Well, what do you expect after having two soldiers kidnapped and missiles launched against their country? Ask Annan for help?

Cakofi is supporting the other side.

And, as I said in the other thread, they never declare war, they would lose the propaganda war if they declare.

 

[Acrux]

Don't worry - Javier will soon be stepping in. He can solve everything.

 

[Urederra]

Don't worry - Javier will soon be stepping in. He can solve everything.

LOL... 10 char...

Who are you so wise in international politics?

 

[LLXerxes]

Don't be so naiive tenoctitlan, civilians are going to die in war, escpecially in a crowded place like Levant.

They're attacking a CIVILIAN airport, and putting it out of service. An airbase I could understand but this is different.
It was only a matter of time before all-out war broke out.

 

[Winterfell]

They're attacking a CIVILIAN airport, and putting it out of service. An airbase I could understand but this is different.
It was only a matter of time before all-out war broke out.

The few air bases Lebanon posses are not accesable to the hizzbullah terrorists, while the civilian airport is. The purpose of the assault on the airport is to make it harder for the terrorists to move the kidnapped soldiers from lebanon, and also intimidation.
The hizzbullah's doings-attacking civilians directly and intentionally is a lot worse.

 

[Dionysius]

The Israelis attacked an international, civilian airport. They intentionally killed 45+ civilians, in retaliation for the kidnapping of two soldiers.

seconded. it was 53, by the way.

 

[Fox Mccloud]

Not sure if this has been said yet, but I think maybe Israel destroyed the airport to stop the Israeli soldiers from being flown over to Syria or Iran.

 

[Sh3kel]

They're attacking a CIVILIAN airport, and putting it out of service. An airbase I could understand but this is different.
It was only a matter of time before all-out war broke out.

There's also the small matter of 120 short, medium and long range rockets fired into Israel before the incursion which killed two Israelis and wounded over 90...

 

[Mr. Do]

Damn, back in the day when Israel would target Palestinian militants (i.e. terrorists), I always thought it was a shame when civilians would die, but Israel's supporters would always cheerfully say how it's merely collateral damage and Israel is not guilty as long as it doesn't target civilians. And now we're at the stage where Israel is deliberately targeting civilian targets, killing dozens, and those same people are still defending these actions.

I don't know why I'm surprised, though

 

[Cuivienen]

There's also the small matter of 120 short, medium and long range rockets fired into Israel before the incursion which killed two Israelis and wounded over 90...

That's no excuse for killing Lebanese civilians at a civilian airport. Were the rockets launched from the airport? Is the airport a Hezbollah installation? Is Hezbollah a part of the Lebanese government? The answers are no, no, and no. This is a completely inexcusable act of war by Israel and had better be met by some serious international condemnation.

 

[Chieftess]

I think if Iran gets into it like they're threatening (they'll probably use any excuse to attack), it'll get very messy. Iraq is right next door. The entire Cradle of Civilization could go up in flames. I saw on the news that Israel and Lebanon went at it like this 10 years ago, but this time is a bit different - Iran's just looking for a fight. Not to mention, there's a (yet another) UN deadline for Iran coming up. I think that (if they talk about imposing sanctions), and Israel starts a ground war could be the straw that breaks the camel's back.

But, maybe like pass flare ups, it'll leave as quickly as it came.

 

[Urederra]

Is Hezbollah a part of the Lebanese government?

Apparently they are.