Israeli minister says war (w/Lebanon) may resume

Israeli minister says war may resume

Compiled by Daily Star staff
Wednesday, October 04, 2006

Israel's national infrastructure minister said on Tuesday that war with Hizbullah might restart in a few months, and called for an enhancement of the Israeli Army's capacities. Benjamin Ben-Eliezer told Israeli public radio that the deployment of the Lebanese Army along the border with Israel "will not ensure safety for Israel" and that Hizbullah still presents a threat to the Jewish state.

Meanwhile, Britain-based Jane's International Defense Review reported that Hizbullah received direct intelligence support from Syria during the month-long Israeli offensive on Lebanon, using data collected by listening posts jointly operated by Russian and Syrian crews.

Hizbullah was also fed intelligence from new listening posts built on the Syrian side of the Golan Heights, which are operated jointly with Iran, it claimed.

Israel has also alleged that Russian anti-tank missiles procured by Syria were reportedly transferred to Hizbullah and used during the war.

Syria's centrality to the collection and transfer of intelligence to Hizbullah is based on separate agreements Damascus signed with Moscow and Tehran on intelligence cooperation, the Haaretz report said, adding that the deal with Russia is much older than the one with Iran, which was signed earlier this year.

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=2&article_id=75893

It has been nothing but a money pit for them.

:shrug:

I would argue that the US gets a fair amount of tangable benefit from what we put into that area of the world. Basing rights, access to oil, markets, and stability between Egypt and Israel (formerly the region's two greatest antagonists). Russia has gotten nothing but humiliation and rejection for all the money they've poured into the mideast for years. I realize that they've long looked to the mideast as a means to access the ocean, either the Mediterranean via Syria or the Persian Gulf through Iran, but that's not a major issue these days. Turkey's not keeping them bottlenecked like the Ottoman Empire used to.

Russia's got bigger fish to fry than helping to staff Syrian listening posts. I suppose it might be some kind of testing ground for new technology, and missle sales are missle sales (not aid). But seriously, last I checked the Russian navy was rusting in port and they still can't defeat the Chechen guerilla/terrorist campaign. They should put that money into paying soldiers on the Chechen front and giving them something to fight for. But maybe I'm missing something.

is called conquest and theft.

But credit given you're rationales are those one would find in Carroll's "Wonderland." But as you say "missile sales are missile sales."

Ah the benefits of Empire.

What I meant was, I can understand why Russia would *sell* missles to Syria, because they get paid for that. What I don't understand is why Russia would have people operating intelligence gathering posts from Syria, because that seems more like a joint venture which causes Russia to lose money, as opposed to a simple sale of hardware which profits the Russians.

Russia, like many countries, pride themselves on their influence beyond their borders. They want to be a world player, someone to recon with, as it was in their past. It doesnt take much to stir up trouble and the "rewards" i.e. being a player are beyond the few dollars it takes.

But I don't think that's what the poster I was replying to had in mind. That said, I think it's up to Russia to make some tough choices. On the one hand, it's a matter of pride to have influence beyond their borders. On the other hand, it's a national disgrace and a matter of internal instability in a number of ways that they have yet to defeat the Chechens after a decade of bloody war.

And, Pelsar, if the fighting between Lebanon and Israel resumes, I know you are in the IDF. Be safe.

It's my understanding that the military equipment to Syria is, in practise, a gift; the Syrians still owe the Russians (well, the Soviets, technically) billions for previous arms sales.

Look at America since 9/11 from the world's perspective. Just by awful chance, we had a swaggering ignorant wannabe Texan in the White House, threatening everyone who was "not with us," which meant Russia along with anyone else. If there is anything we have learned about the Neocons who pull Bush's strings, it is that they lack foresight, an inbility to predict the effects of their actions. Does anyone have to repeat, "Mission Accomplished," or the names Wolfowicz, Cheney-Rumsfeld, and the others who acted on Israel's behalf?

And then there's America and that money pit of all money pits at the Pentagon which spends more than the rest of the world combined with a nice tidy blood-red sum going into the any number of Middle East War Chests.

:shrug:

why Israel supporters are not allowed in coalitions to stop the Iraq war? When they are supporting a Bush/cheney foreign policy in the Middle East?

war is typical short sightedness of the doctrinaire, not to mention stupid. Fortunately most of us are smarter than that.

I know why "...Israel supporters are not allowed in coalitions to stop the Iraq war." It has nothing to do with supposed support of Bush/Cheney foreign policy in the Middle East.

Israel's war crimes.

...no matter how hard one tries to spin it. The situation with Iraq is vastly different from the situation in Israel, only those with myopic sight seem to have trouble understanding that nuance.

in "supporting Israel" that one must support current Israeli policy, because as just about any progressive would say, that pretty much sucks at the moment.
pro-american can mean opposing U.S. policy too, right?
And any European, for example, if he/she cares about common folks here in the US, would be out as often as possible opposing current US policy. I certainly appreciate them.

Pro-Israeli means that one is supportive of Israel and her identity. It doesn't mean blindly supporting every action, but understanding that the problems there are different and need to understood in that framework, not an imposed one. Being pro-Israeli means not rushing to blame Israel first for all the ills of the Middle East. Being pro-Israel means defending her name against anti-Semites and other bigots who revel in anti-Israeli rhetoric as their disguise. Being pro-Israel is being able to distinguish between propaganda, no matter the creator. Being pro-Israel means being able to tell the difference between legitimate criticisms and vile, centuries old anti-Semitism and its many guises, no matter the side someone claims to profess.

what is "legitimate criticism" and not people like one of the world's leading intellectuals like Noam Chomsky, or Amira Hass, an actual Jewish Israeli writer for one of the most mainstream papers in Israel... you know better? But you think we should instead look to you for guidance?
Excuse me.
:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Gotta wipe the tears from my eyes. woowee, that's therapeutic laughter man, thanks!

I have no idea why you are laughing at your own strawmen. :shrug:

I never said I knew better, but just because my name isn't in books or on by-lines doesn't mean I don't know bullshit when I smell it. I never said, or even suggested you look to me to guidance.

Glad you can laugh at yourself. That's actually a good characteristic.

"anti-Americanism"...

Doesn't mean I will always be correct. And, I hate to break this sobering news to you, but you aren't always correct either. Such is human nature.

are you saying that if they think something...that means others cant disagree with them?..wow, i hadnt realized that they have superior brains that negate what others think....is this just in politics or does it include physics as well?...if they change their mind about something, does that mean everybody has to "change their minds as well?


interesting liberal theory..if "A" believe something, we all have to agree (why does that remind me of some other kind of govt style?...)...oh and who bestowed upon them this superior knowledge?

Amira Hass and noam chomsky than would find wisdom in BTA. You can chose anyone or no one. I don't care.

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(which means supporting the bush/olmert plan to remake the Middle East by military force) is simply not compatible with an antiwar agenda.

anyone can show up for an antiwar protest (i should have been more clear in the post), but forming coalitions with people who have a very different agenda would not make sense.

Your accusation of my being a religious fanatic hasn't shown up for weeks, i kinda missed it.

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Sharon, well, he gave the red carpet treatment to Italian fascists.
Of course, they had changed their fanaticle hatred for Jewish people with Muslim people. So that seemed to jive with the Sharon agenda.
Unlike Sharon (and Olmert, who was part of the welcoming party no doubt), any fascist agenda I find repulsive. Despite the false claims on hate sites on the internet.

Will you be willing to condemn the actions of Sharon/Olmert in welcoming Fini?

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=364266&contrassID=1

Refusing to sanitize
By Yossi Sarid

Tomorrow, the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee will host Italy's deputy prime minister, Gianfranco Fini. I won't be attending the session - in plainer terms, I will boycott it. I have no wish to play any part in sanitization ceremonies for fascists, neo-fascists and anti-Semites of all kinds.


Fini is the leader of an important Italian political party, the National Alliance - a senior partner in the coalition and an extreme right-wing faction. The National Alliance is the legal heir of Italy's declared fascist party, which changed its name, and has even tried, in recent years, to change its repulsive character - and in doing so, it's political fortune as well.

Fini has two objectives: He wants to be Italian prime minister; and he believes that one day, and soon, his party will succeed Forza Italia, the party of Italy's current prime minister that is based entirely on one individual, Silvio Berlusconi - and that when the man falls because of his criminal entanglements, his party will come toppling down too. Fini also wants to be a respected and accepted European statesman; and he knows that in a brown shirt, he has no chance of making it into the club.

by a Hamas representative to be equally objectionable?

out to stop this continuation of this mindless, insane, immoral war against the people of Lebanon, are Israel's greatest protectors, much like the people in this country who speak out against the Iraq war are America's finest patriots. In both countries there are many such people.

For those who take risks of being called cowards, traitors, or even worse, we salute all of you.

Good, we need to support Israel and their actions to fight terrorism.

Maybe now some will understand that the Golan Heights is an important military site. I trust it in the hands of Israel, more than in the hands of terrorist backed states.

Thank you for the posts that help to get the truth out.

As would any person who supports Israel's right to exist, and live in peace.