Imo…There is little doubt there are proxy elements to this current conflict.

The UN reports prior to the current outbreak speak of increased martial infrastructure projects by Hezbollah inside the UNIFIL zone. Hardening of positions, placements dangerously near to UNIFIL locations, upgrading of travel infrastructure, increased check points, restricted movement of UNIFIL forces…Hezbollah “dug in deep” defensively months prior to engagements.

Hezbollah also, as reported, receives money from black market operations through-out the world, private donations and state sponsorships...ergo Israel’s first move was to attempt to cut-off Hezbollah re-supply from outside Lebanon’s border.

But I am not sure that Israeli intelligence did not pick-up on Hezbollah’s activities prior to the outbreak. Perhaps this may have been a factor in going in now versus allowing the defensive positions continuing to increase in effectiveness over time.


mg

So in each of the towns they have destroyed and forced the people out of, where are these Armored bunkers that are supposed to exist in the houses of each Shiite? Sounds like a story Israel will use to carpet bomb the entire shiite population. Then people wonder how Hezbollah was brought into existence.

Israel is going to halt its ground force because of the peacekeeping force that will be deployed there very shortly.

Help along the lines of hundreds of billions of dollars. I don't think you have to have too big of an imagination to realize that Iran is behind much of this.

Hundreds of billions of dollars? Highly doubt that. I don't even think Iran has hundreds of billions of dollars.

I think they mean since the beginning of Hezbollah (What I understood it to mean). I doubt that Iran could come up with that much money on short notice. Of course a "noble" cause such as defeating Israel, would no doubt gather support in funds from other Arab/Gulf countries who are as you know some of the richest countries in the world.

Exactly...Iran doesnt even have hundreds of Billions of dollars. The financial assistance for Hezbo has been pegged at about 10-12 million a month.

What I am afraid off is that Lebanon will turn into another Iraq in which the rampant killing and bombing of citizens and troops is an everyday event.

If Israel stays in Lebanon or international forces move in I am afraid that the martyrs will make the area unlivable and safe for the people.

That pic (thanx eh) is indicative of pretty straight-shootin'. Hey don't some of the shells in the Israeli inventory leave unexploded bomblettes around? Enough of those and wouldn't you have a semi-sorta-kinda a-p minefield? Would that be a buffer zone of any value or just a poke-in-the-eye that keeps on giving?

These rockets that the Israeli's are enduring gracefully, ain't they homemade junk or what? Can you imagine shootin' rocket powered explosives willy-nilly - sorta er, uh that-a-way. Not cool and I wouldn't want to be the schmuck on the ignitor. I wonder how many of these puppies misfire killing the operator.

I'm thinkin' Israel will halt the "ground war" when it feels expedient to do so and not before. They'all drank the "Kool-Aid" and are of "one-purpose". Not cool, group-think. I sure am glad I'm not them or on any side except that of the innocent. They will come to their senses at some point, claim some excuse or another of a great victory, and endure the consequences of their actions for a very long time. Not good PR even if you "own" all aspects of PR.

I've been looking for the mass protests like in '03 of the Arab "street" but y'know that can't be happnin' cuz it ain't on cable. Will the Sunni whack the Shia or will they merge to form some sorta anti-crusade alliance and do what seems to come natural?

Or, it wouldn't surprise me one little bit if there is an nuke or two or maybe something potentially worse unleashed in the not too distant future. I'm glad there may be some Yanks in "the special place" in Israel where the toys they don't talk about are kept... perhaps at some point those special toys could be rendered inert safely.

This callin' up 30,000 reserves ain't some co-incidental exercise. Same with Bubba and Mate on the "other" sides and their veiled threats, I don't like any of this primal-Darwinian-war sludge - it costs too much in every way and indicates poor management skills... and it demonstrates how far we have not come as a species...

I wonder if there are any children buried in the rubble dying this very moment as I write this. What would your last breath be like? Theirs? Think about it. Worm food for some, to me a valid human life - equal to any other - unfulfilled potential. How many times over is it now? Tomorrow? Turn off the killing now please.

Victor K.

[edit on 28-7-2006 by V Kaminski]

Originally posted by princeofpeace
Exactly...Iran doesnt even have hundreds of Billions of dollars. The financial assistance for Hezbo has been pegged at about 10-12 million a month.

So you are saying that it costs them 12million a month to have a total of 14,000 rockets in their arsenal and maybe a few other more advanced items? Maybe combined 12mil possibly if you take into consideration the Humanitarian arm uses some of the funding to help rebuild their part of Lebanon, but I highly doubt that 12million is going towards funding their arsenal solely


Pie

Originally posted by dbates
I think they mean since the beginning of Hezbollah (What I understood it to mean). I doubt that Iran could come up with that much money on short notice. Of course a "noble" cause such as defeating Israel, would no doubt gather support in funds from other Arab/Gulf countries who are as you know some of the richest countries in the world.

They aren't rich enough to give out hundreds of billions of dollars. I think it was a typo.

I never said they spent the whole 10-12 million dollars a month on the weapons they have. Hezbo is like any other organization...they have overhead and costs. Where did i say they spent every single of it on weapons? Read a little closer there house cat.