Israel and the Middle East - Apparently full scale war is imminent

I have NO idea if this is at all relevant, but I'd like to make an interesting point:
I live in Montreal, Canada. It's a relatively calm and quiet metropolis in the east.

Recently, gas prices have started to soar, but that's not what's troubling me.
Every day, on my way downtown, I pass a military base with a huge barbed-wire fenced cour-yard.

It has always been empty...until now. It's filled with huge military transport trucks, jeeps, infantry vehicles...

Another thing that caught my..ear..was that large amounts of helicopters have been passing through the skies. and they're definitely not news helicopters. They're black and high flying

You will see this tit for tat stuff for a bit until a.) it either dies down or b.) we have another 6 day war in which israel and the US will slap all those little trouble makers into submission. Israel has every right to protect itself and its citizens. The countries harboring terrorists are just as guilty as the terrorists themselves. Israel needs to be protected at all costs. Sure they are sneaky, self-serving and treacherous, but they are a great democracy in the middle of an area where everyone wants to kill them. That would be bound to make me a little twitchy myself.

Coincidence?

www.cnn.com...

YENAGOA, Nigeria (Reuters) -- Two suspected explosions at crude oil pipelines operated by Italian oil company Agip caused massive spills in Nigeria's southern state of Bayelsa, state government officials said on Thursday.

In a separate incident in neighboring Delta state, heavily armed militants engaged troops protecting a convoy of Chevron supplies in a skirmish, but no-one was killed, a top military official said. The explosions on the Agip pipelines, which feed the 200,000 barrel-per-day Brass crude oil export terminal, occurred on Wednesday, said Bayelsa state's Commissioner for Special Duties Dickson Bakebain.

The only way I would support this madness is if it had a METHOD to the madness. If not, then these leaders need to be checked for PCP and Meth use. Both provoking crazy and violent actions from people.

I think Israel should find this captured soldier, but at the expense of a possible huge war? Hell no. All I know is that I will not support such a war. And you can damn well bet most of America won't. Meaning you will get huge protests. And if they try to bring back any draft, forget about it. FORGET ABOUT IT.

Why are you attacking F'ing civilians and killing which may soon escalate to over 100 innocent people for ONE PERSON?! That doesn't make sense. I can see the American government supporting Israel doing this as well. WTF is wrong with these people. I am seriously livid. Our gas will go through the roof because Israel is pms'ing. Many innocents will die. Withdraw support from Israel, and destroy Iran and Syria. That region would be better if it was under NATO's control anyway I am actually only half kidding.

Originally posted by Mdv2
The best thing to do is to punish Israel with economic sanctions. If an Islamic country would have committed such an act of war, the western world would literally crush the country. But Israel, Israel ''has the right to defend itself (Bush)''.

Punish them for defending themselves?


or what are you saying?

Really, defending your country by killing innocent Lebanese civilians doesn't make sense. Israel also announced to attack Beirut neighbourhoods, where possibly Hezbollah terrorist hide.

Killing innocents? Please. Sure, some innocents civilians may have died, but from what I've been reading and seeing the majority of those who have died certainly weren't innocent.

[edit on 13-7-2006 by ThatsJustWeird]

Originally posted by ThatsJustWeird
Killing innocents? Please. Sure, some innocents civilians may have died, but from what I've been reading and seeing the majority of those who have died certainly weren't innocent.

[edit on 13-7-2006 by ThatsJustWeird]

what ever happened to innocent till proven gulty.

that reminds me of when bush was in charge of texas, he let someone get the death penalty and he said "let the person die and let god decide if they were innocent or not".

Originally posted by Mdv2
Really, defending your country by killing innocent Lebanese civilians doesn't make sense. Israel also announced to attack Beirut neighbourhoods, where possibly Hezbollah terrorist hide.

Actually my mother's side of the family is entirely Lebanese, so don't say I'm being against Lebanon here, since I love the Lebanese people.

I just think the country has been overrun by people with different agendas than peace, stability, and economic success. Anything that brings an end to that situation is what I want.

I generally support Israel since I'm Christian and believe that land does belong to the Jews, therefore I believe Arab Muslim influences who are rabidly against the existance of Israel from Syria and Iran need to be removed from Lebanon.

[edit on 7/13/2006 by djohnsto77]

Originally posted by andy1033
what ever happened to innocent till proven gulty.

1) They're not in America

2) They were fighting the Israelis in battles.

Originally posted by ThatsJustWeird

Punish them for defending themselves?

There's no justification to bomb the hell out of Lebanon because some terrorist organization kidnapped some of your soldiers. That's no defence, that's called brute and useless attacks. Do you get your kidnapped soldiers back with such ignorent actions?

Originally posted by ThatsJustWeird

Killing innocents? Please. Sure, some innocents civilians may have died, but from what I've been reading and seeing the majority of those who have died certainly weren't innocent.

Ah yes, the Mossad infiltrated the Lebanese neighbourhoods; they know exactly where the Hezbollah leaders hide. Do you believe it yourself? Killing hundreds of Lebenese citizens because there might be a terrorist leader hiding there.

heads up!
why is the IDF's main website down?

Obviously we are not seeing the whole picture...

This is not about the 2 soldiers, it is more about the threat by Syrias support of hezbollah, and the support of Iran for hamas, and hezbollah... (or anyone that wants to attack israel)...
I think they are ready to instigate a full scale war, that will allow them to take out Irans nuclear threat, as well as take out Syrias WMD's that they hid for Saddam... (and take over most of lebanon for awhile).

IMO, they have felt a tightening noose for too long, and decided it was inevitable for the factions to fight, and would rather it be now, than later, after Iran gets stronger...

I understand what they are doing, but it doesn't excuse the action...

i agree, i think your right.

I was thinking how will this play out.
Will Israel try and trap hezbollah and destroy them, and if Syria gets involved then that's a perfect excuse to go get them, which brings in Iran anyway because they have a mutual protection pact.

Or will this come to nothing?

Israel Says Hezbollah Trying to Send Kidnapped Soldiers to Iran

I dont like this source, but thats the breaking news.

www.foxnews.com...

[edit on 13-7-2006 by Denied]

the problem for israel is they want rid of hezbollah. and they know they need to go to syria to do that. i think that is what bush is on about. he is warning syria about hezbollah. but israel will not stop hezbollah in lebanon.

also america never likes to show that it is fighting for israle, it creates problems elsewhere. how this plays out, is going to be interesting.

Originally posted by Mdv2
Ah yes, the Mossad infiltrated the Lebanese neighbourhoods; they know exactly where the Hezbollah leaders hide. Do you believe it yourself? Killing hundreds of Lebenese citizens because there might be a terrorist leader hiding there.

lmao @ hundreds

Anyway, if you have ANY source that shows more innocents being killed than fighters than please present it.

Originally posted by Mdv2



There's no justification to bomb the hell out of Lebanon because some terrorist organization kidnapped some of your soldiers.
That's no defence, that's called brute and useless attacks.

~~

err... i only heard/read that the Israeli AF bombed the runways at
the airport....because it was established that the terrorist orgs were
getting weapons & ammo delivered at the airport.

Hezbullah aready warned Israel that IF they bomb Beirut
then they would attack Hiafa-id=34863

In Addition:
Bush pledges for Israel, blasts Hezbullah-id=34864

Russia condems Israel-id=34868

France blasts Israel-
id=34866

BTC (oil) pipeline to open today-id=34826
(in response to one post about 2 pipelines being bombed in Nigeria)

Theres' Pres. Bush on a diplomatic visit to Merkel in the former E. Germany
(some poster brought up ~coincidences~ of US positioning at this onset of war activities...
i.e. positioning of US naval battle groups,
&: Pres. Bush being face-to-face with the new German Govt leader, and 'diplomatically' pressuring/arm-twisting Germany to become
more involved in its middle-east military presence)

CNN is now also reporting (since someone said they disliked an alternate source) that the Associated Press is reporting that Israel's foreign ministry is reporting that it believes the captured soldiers are indeed being transferred to Iran. CNN has yet to confirm this, though (at least as of this post.)

Typically, I am not one for dramatics, and prefer not to sensationalize things. Despite that, I can't say I'd be telling the truth if I said the combination of Israel's expedition into Lebanon, the strengthening ties and coordination between Hamas and Hezbollah, Israel's strike against a Lebanese army air base (not a Hezbollah base, but a Lebanese military installation: www.cnn.com... ,) and this news of a possible prisoner transfer to Iran, weren't unsettling me a bit. Lebanon’s interior minister is calling Israel’s military action “a general act of war” (see above link.)

Recent history is rife with conflicts of this sort, and I am inclined to believe that this one will be no different; that it will die down, or a brief, but high intensity regional conflict will emerge and then subside. However, should there somehow develop an open conflict between Israel and Iran via this tangled web of increasingly disturbing events, particularly if the United States gets involved and comes to blows with Iran directly, my concern would grow exponentially.

All that said, though, I'd like to openly state my sorrow and empathy for those perishing in this conflict, on both sides, and their loved ones. Sad times indeed.


[edit on 13-7-2006 by AceWombat04]

Originally posted by ThatsJustWeird

Originally posted by Mdv2
Ah yes, the Mossad infiltrated the Lebanese neighbourhoods; they know exactly where the Hezbollah leaders hide. Do you believe it yourself? Killing hundreds of Lebenese citizens because there might be a terrorist leader hiding there.

lmao @ hundreds

Anyway, if you have ANY source that shows more innocents being killed than fighters than please present it.

Here you go. It has only begun, all the neighbourhoods haven't been bombed yet.

At least 45 people have been killed in Lebanon since the violence began Wednesday, Lebanon's health ministry said. www.cnn.com...

I have stated this in 2 other threads. I do honestly believe that Israel have been planning this for some time. You could say it started with the building of the wall dividing israel and palestine, but recently it started with the withdraw of settlers from gaza strip, this was to consolidate and centralize power. Now all of a sudden over a week ago HAMAS militans decide to stop blowing up civilians and decided to kidnapped a israeli soldier, has this soldier been found? Have HAMAS shown proof that they are holding the soldier? Then they declare war on palestine, taking out strategic targets, power stations, infastructure, and even government buildings. Now a similar event has arisen in lebanon within a week. Now the israeli soldiers are doing the same thing, taking out strategic targets. All the proof they show is a shoot up jeep, and some cleric on tv claiming that if israel try to take the soldiers back by force they are under a illusion. This amasses to enough evidence to declare war on 2 countries?

I do believe that this is a plan by israel to invade its neighbours, by what i have seen in their tactics they are disabling countries rather than surgicaly striking tragets to get their soldiers back. This is war, not the search for kidnapped soldiers. Israel is the agressor, it is using kidnapped soldiers as scapegoats for its imperial zionist agenda. Next we will hear that Iran or Sryia has the soldiers and israel will then start to invade them, dont think it will be for a few more weeks, but if this scenario does play out the way it looks like it does, it could lead to a much larger world conflict. I just do hope the international community does see the wrong doings by the israeli's and puts alot of pressure on them to not occupy any neighbouring lands.

Its war. Civilians die. Only recently have we had this fascination with "OMG DEAD CIVILIANS," largely thanks to the United States' attempts to fight politically correct wars.

The reality is that politically correct wars don't exist. War is war and civilians will die. The sooner you accept that, the sooner you can start treating the disease instead of whining about the symptoms.

[edit on 13-7-2006 by Cutwolf]