How ironic that the root of the problem in the Middle East is religion. I know the Arabs think the Jews stole Israel, backed by Western powers. But come on, it's a small piece of land! It's so sad that so many people die over these religious differences.

Usually backed by other motives that the general population aren't aware of. The world won't grow up. Someone stole land hundreds of years ago and its passed down through generations to hate the other side and ends up in war and conflict over and over and over. How does the cycle end?

I see points from both sides, but it doesn't excuse actions by either. I just don't get it!

Me neither! Must be those agendas no one else knows. All I know is that history repeats itself, we don't learn, we don't teach tolerance and educate our children. If you can't agree in the playground of the world, have a fight.

These folks are going to drag the WHOLE WORLD down with them.

Yup! But many more in the world are the same.

Of course, if there was no oil there, no one would really care.

Probably true but theres always another reason. If not, make one up.

That's sad as well.

Yup.

I'm not usually this "touchy-feely," but I am so tired of seeing the death and destruction.

I second that. Unfortunately, many people think death and destruction is a good idea!!! Go figure!

Why don't the world leaders come up with something?

They do. It's called War.


Conclusion
I couldn't agree more. It's stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid. All of it. All wars, and all because the people of one or more countries are led blindly over the precipice and the use of propaganda to further the secret agendas of those in power blinds and blinkers the masses. I vote for peace. Everywhere. Period.


EDIT: typo corrections

[edit on 18/7/06 by Prote]

Originally posted by undecided2
These folks are going to drag the WHOLE WORLD down with them.

How is the whole world going to be dragged down by this? Is nuke war breaks out, its the US, Israel, and Britain that have the nukes, so it will be damascus, beiruit, and tehran that are demolished. Even if the whole middle east is destroyed, the rest of the world will be unaffected, people in Brazil aren't going to, for example, allow boatloads of arab/jewish refugees to come in and continue their sectarian idiocy. The only people that are going to continue to suffer from this are middle easterners, and they seem to think its worth it, so let them. Who are we to tell them that its not worth their lives over jerusalem?

Why don't the world leaders come up with something?

Like attacking the peopel pulling the strings behind this facade of "pro-palestinian freedom fighting'??

There was no war between israel and lebanon weeks ago. Then hezbollah provoked one, and it just 'happened' to wreck the prospects of Lebanon having an open liberal democratic society, and increased the likelyhood that islamist fundamentalists would run it.

I think the Arabs will destroy Israel as soon as [Iran] they obtain atomic weapons.

Neither the US nor Israel is going to permit Iran, of all places, to have nukes.

For thousands of years the land that Israel sat on is the land trading route between Europe, Asia, and Africa. trade can pass through 3 continents with Israel as the Juncture. it has historically been important to the trade industry. That Land was important to whoever wished to gain wealth from international trade.

St. Lawrence of Arabia is more than a Movie, it is the foundation for the present situation. Social effects take generations to play themselves out, the British created artificial borders and played one ethic group against another to maintain control in the early 1900's, it took a hundred years for the present situation to manifest itself.
Add that many arabian interests sided with the nazis, so allied forces penalized them after WW2, creating the Nation of Israel smack in the middle of everyone.
Then the US installed the Shah in Iran, a brutal dictator. He was removed by an oppressed population, and Iran struggles to find itself today. Not learning the lesson of Iran, We attempted the same in Iraq...which helped to create the present issues with Israel and Lebanon.


Religion may be the excuse, but it is outside influences that shaped the middle east conflict by interfering for over a hundred years. When people have been pushed enough, they search for an avenue to fight back and regain their Land, their Culture, their Honor.
When we finally convert to an energy source away from petrochemicals, the middle east is allowed to determine its own future, then peace will come to that region of the world.