Notice the dead fellow in the back getting up. Apparently he was a bit impatient, a bit like the dead Muhammad al Durah [6] looking up from under his elbow, when hes supposed to be dead. And the photo editor of the Washington Post apparently didnt notice that there was a problem with what the folks back home were informed about what was going on in this picture. ([7] Charles Enderlin would say its death throes.)
#1
There are several photos of that person from different angles with some time lapse. What we see here is rigor morits with some good refrigeration prior to placement. From the size of shadows I'd say the time would be about 9:00-10:00 in the morning, a bit too early for rigor mortis to set in.
One of the many failings of our educational system is that it sends out into the world people who cannot tell rhetoric from reality. They have learned no systematic way to analyze ideas, derive their implications and test those implications against hard facts.
"Peace" movements are among those who take advantage of this widespread inability to see beyond rhetoric to realities. Few people even seem interested in the actual track record of so-called "peace" movements -- that is, whether such movements actually produce peace or war.
Take the Middle East. People are calling for a cease-fire in the interests of peace. But there have been more cease-fires in the Middle East than anywhere else. If cease-fires actually promoted peace, the Middle East would be the most peaceful region on the face of the earth instead of the most violent.
Was World War II ended by cease-fires or by annihilating much of Germany and Japan? Make no mistake about it, innocent civilians died in the process. Indeed, American prisoners of war died when we bombed Germany.
There is a reason why General Sherman said "war is hell" more than a century ago. But he helped end the Civil War with his devastating march through Georgia -- not by cease fires or bowing to "world opinion" and there were no corrupt busybodies like the United Nations to demand replacing military force with diplomacy.
There was a time when it would have been suicidal to threaten, much less attack, a nation with much stronger military power because one of the dangers to the attacker would be the prospect of being annihilated.
"World opinion," the U.N. and "peace movements" have eliminated that deterrent. An aggressor today knows that if his aggression fails, he will still be protected from the full retaliatory power and fury of those he attacked because there will be hand-wringers demanding a cease fire, negotiations and concessions.
Go read the rest.
Posted by: Mike ||
08/05/2006 08:13 ||
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#2
When they do bring peace its temporary peace at the expense of long term solutions. Basically the cease-fire that lets bad people rearm rather than be destroyed for starting the war in the first place.
Last week I stood waiting at a West Bank checkpoint between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Contrary to what some would have you believe, these places tend to be fairly clean and warm and the security personnel efficient, if not particularly friendly.
In front of me was a small boy, perhaps five years old. He looked at the soldier in front of him and then suddenly lifted up his shirt to display a slightly bulging package taped to his tiny body. All I could think was that this was an absurd, pathetic way in which to die.
Then there was a cacophony of explanations in Arabic and Hebrew, and Israeli soldiers told the boy to keep still and raise his arms away from his body. They were firm but not angry or bullying. The boy obeyed, and it then became clear that this was no suicide bomber but a poor, suffering child who had to wear a colostomy bag. His permit had expired but a colonel in the Israeli paratroops, a hardened combat officer, took charge of the situation and brought the boy through the turnstile. He was then taken to the Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem where he received some of the finest medical treatment in the world. A hospital, by the way, where every third or fourth person treated is a Palestinian or Israeli Arab.
I tell this story because it is more typical of the Israeli reality than most of the propaganda currently being poured out over the war in Lebanon. Nobody can claim that the Jewish state is without blemish, but anyone who knows it and its people appreciates that this is a nation worthy of respect.
Enough is enough. It is time to be bold. Israel is an island of decency and moderation in a raging sea of dictatorship, theocratic madness and undiluted political hypocrisy. The last thing it wanted was a war on its northern border.
More of an extended family than a nation-state, the country moves into spasm each times it loses one of its soldiers. Losses are counted as individuals rather than units and names are far more important than ranks.
Critics have argued that Israel engineered this war because it wanted to smash Lebanon as a potential economic rival. Nothing could be further from the truth. A prosperous and pluralistic Lebanon would have delighted Israel, a country that cries out for trading partners in the region. The war is economically disastrous, emotionally traumatic and rips Israel apart as its finest sons lose their lives.
Nor is this in any way mass invasion and full-scale war. Israel has some 3,500 frontline battle tanks, one of the strongest and most capable air forces in the world, tens of thousands of elite troops and advanced nuclear technology. In other words, if it waged full-scale war we would certainly know. Instead, it has sent teams of commandos across the border to take Hezbollah-held villages one by one. Just as when the Israeli army cleaned Jenin of its terrorists, lives are lost because of tactics based on honour rather than brute force.
The usual opponents of Israel will dismiss these comments, but political fashion is usually irrelevant and always too easy.
Peace in the Middle East is possible, but it is the Arab world and its friends rather than Israel that has to transform. Soon -- and with full and absolute commitment.
#1
Excellent catch TW! - and big kudos to the Toronto Sun for printing it.
Posted by: Tony (UK) ||
08/05/2006 20:31 Comments ||
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#2
As a Catholic, I understand and support the Jewish people and the State of Israel. To do less would subvert my love for Jesus, God, freedom, and democracy...plus, I always love the underdog. Kick ass, Israel!
Posted by: Frank G ||
08/05/2006 20:40 Comments ||
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The legend of the Israel super soldier, if you were to be so foolish as to hit Israelis or Jews you were hunted down to the ends of the earth.
The end result was always the same you would be killed for your crimes against the Jewish people. It didnt matter if your end came at the end of a rope in Israel such as Eichman or you were gunned down in Europe with shots fired from a silenced .22 caliber pistol fired in a burst to the back of your head.
Killed in Lack of Action, The mystique of the IDF and the Israeli soldier.
It will take at least a generation and many dead on both sides for Israel to rebuild what should be the image of the IDF to the Islamic world.
#1
I'm not as convinced that the situation is so dire.
Speaking as someone with no military experience whatsoever (in other words, I may be waaaaay off the mark), the one thing that is striking about this war is the fact that not only are fellow Arabs/Muslims not jumping in to help, they are saying that Israel is justified in going after the Palis and Hezbollah.
I don't think it's because they are scared the IDF is going to kick their asses, either. They seem just as fed up as pretty much the rest of the world is with that gang o' idiots. That goes for the citizenry, too. They're not shuffling off to fight in Lebanon against the Jews in any great numbers for the glory of Islam, or to get their 72 virgins, like they did in Iraq.
The biggest support those mooks have is in rallies in London, San Francisco, etc......and none of those dipshits are stupid enough to put their asses on the line to fight the IDF. (That might, like, hurt, ya know?? I mean, you could die, and then you'll miss the Green Day concert!)
They're not about to give up their weekly Five Minutes Hate in the UN, or the sermons in the mosques calling Jews the sons of filthy pig-dogs, of course, but maybe some of the Arabs are starting to get a clue.
Look at it this way. All of the other maneuvers that Israel has tried (land for peace, Oslo, etc.) over the past few years have been interpreted not as genuine efforts to play nice but as proof that the Israelis were weak. They aren't really seen that way with this war. Not only are they fighting back, they are seen as having the right to do it. I never thought I'd live long enough to see an Arab say something like that. Hopefully they can capitalize on this and bring some sanity to their neighborhood. (Hey, I can dream, can't I?? ;) )
#2
The Israelis never laid claim that their people were invincible, and indeed, that was not their strength.
Their strength is persistence. They are still hunting down Nazis. They hunt terrorists who killed Israelis decades ago. They make it known that no matter where the terrorists go, eventually they will be found and dealt with.
The terrorists may never again sleep in peace, knowing that they got away with it and have been forgotten.
#3
I like Green Day. So, like, what are you saying? :-)
Posted by: Frank G ||
08/05/2006 10:03 Comments ||
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#4
This is Yoni Tidi's take. He is 20+ year veteran of IDF special forces. IDF didn't claim to be invincible, but their enemies knew they were tough and relentless.
#5
Yoni hasn't made an argument or offered any evidence --unless he is implying that the problem here has been too much restraint on the part of Olmert.
Seems like the dude has a bad case of ODS (Olmert derangement syndrome).
#6
Hezbollah and Iran were basically running a bluff. That the number of troops, the munitions, the fortifications, and the threat of missile attacks would keep Israel out of action.
The IDF called the bluff, and Hezbollah has nothing to back it up.
Thinkin', after reading this, the Sunnis really, really don't like Nasrallah. Just for fun, you have to click on the above link, just to view the picture of this author. Well, the ruffles created by the handband, is a first for me. Kinda curious, what do ruffles say about the guy?
By Ahmed Al-Jarallah
Editor-in-Chief, the Arab Times
HASSAN Nasrallah is in a quagmire. If, according to his own statements, Nasrallah knew Israel would attack Lebanon between September and November, if he was aware the Zionist enemy was ready for war and if he had received this information, which even the Pentagon and CIA could not receive, why did he give Israel an opportunity to launch the war before time by kidnapping two of its soldiers? Nasrallah has called for the beginning of a second phase of this war.
In what he calls Beyond Haifa, Nasrallah says his fighters will begin rocket attacks deeper into Israel, south of Haifa. We wonder if Nasrallah took any time to review his achievements in the first phase of the war against the enemy before thinking about the next. So far his only achievements have been causing the destruction of Lebanons infrastructure and killing of innocent Lebanese. If he begins the second phase the only result will be wiping out of whatever remains of Lebanons infrastructure and killing of the rest of the Lebanese.
Dictatorial decisions taken by a single man like Nasrallah, who gets instructions from foreign countries, will always lead to sorrow. The ongoing war in Lebanon is a clash between Israel and the United States on the one side, and Iran and Syria on the other. Although each party in the war wants to demonstrate its power in Lebanon, none of them wants its role to be recognized.
In a message to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, Chairman of Irans Expediency Council Akbar Rafsanjani has expressed his countrys support to Saudi Arabias proposal for a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. This indicates Tehran has started worrying it may lose the war and wants to retreat. However, Nasrallah seems not to have received this information. So if he goes ahead with his so-called Beyond Haifa mission, he will be left alone.
The ceasefire proposed by Saudi Arabia is its own idea and not dictated by anybody else. After realizing its inevitable defeat, the Iran-Syria combine has changed its mind on the war and decided to support the Saudi proposal. Nasrallah wont be able to cover his mistakes by appearing on TV channels and claiming to possess unreasonable information, which cannot be proved by anybody. Nasrallahs claims give the impression that he has some spy satellites flying over the United States and Israel. I do so like the beginning of the next sentence.Nasrallahs dictatorship will sink like those of Saddam Hussein and other regimes, which did not know their true ability. Egyptians suffered under the dictatorship of the late Gamal Abdul Nasser who led them to war in 1967. The late Egyptian President believed Arab power can defeat Israel. However, the result was different as Arabs were handed out a humiliating defeat. Nasrallah, who is being remote-controlled by Iran and Syria, believes he is in the mold of many Arab leaders. But the fact is he is playing with fire.
#1
Sherry, the link is self-referrential to this same post. Linky
Interesting dude.
FOR over eight hundred years, Arabs have been unable to renew their history. In all these they have been living without any development or giving any support to humanity. This is why it is important for us to review the history of Arabs and understand changes are being forced on us. This will also prove that as in the past, we are living without any planning. Before the defeat at the hands of Israel in 1967, the Arab media had taken a common decision to prevent people from knowing the enemy either from a distance or close range. In those days Israel was only a so-called country. However, such decisions cannot negate the facts of the world.
After the heavy defeat inflicted by this so-called enemy, which the Arabs pretended didnt even exist, Arabs scrambled to empty this defeat of its real meaning. They described the defeat as a passing problem which can be overcome. Some Arabs even claimed victory, because for them it was enough if the leadership remained in position. They considered destruction of the country and its economy, and changing of borders silly things which could be solved sooner or later.
Then a new understanding dawned on the Arabs when they realized knowing the enemy is the best way to defeat him. This misperception continued in the Arab mentality until they reached the opposite end and decided to recognize Israel. Some Arab countries like Egypt and Jordan even signed agreements with Israel. Review of these milestones in the history of Arabs is aimed not only at pointing out we failed during our history but also to show that Hezbollah is a copy of this failure.
Hezbollah is claiming that the capture of Maron Al-Ras and Bint Jbeil by Israeli troops is not important as long as it is able to fight back and reclaim these villages even if it happens after forty years. Although Hezbollah has fired over 2,000 missiles at Israeli villages and cities, none of them have had any significant effect as most of them fell on empty areas or in the sea. On the other hand Israel has totally destroyed Lebanon. By pounding the bridges, roads and other infrastructure, Israel has disconnected Lebanese cities and villages rendering most of their people homeless.
The Al-Taif agreement was signed some 16 years ago to establish a new Lebanon and empty that country of armed militias and foreign troops including Syrian and others. Unfortunately this agreement was not implemented. The consequences of this failure began to show when Iran occupied southern Lebanon through Hezbollah.
The UN Resolution 1559 approved the contents of the Al-Taif agreement and asked Syria to leave Lebanon. It also called for the disbanding and disarmament of all Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias including Hezbollah and other Palestinian militias which were receiving orders from Syria. Nobody, especially Tehran and Damascus, realized the fact that UN Resolution 1559 was an international decision to implement the Al-Taif agreement. As a result Hezbollah is facing the might of Israel, which has the support of the international community and also received some positive reaction from Arabs.
We must say here that when the national parties of Lebanon held a meeting to discuss the implementation of UN Resolution 1559, its participants were told the international community will not be silent to the presence of Iran in Lebanon by proxy through Hezbollah. They were specifically asked to defend their national security. However, nobody listened the result is here for all of us to see.
Hezbollah was not a resistance movement in the eyes of the world. If it was a genuine resistance force, Hezbollah would have been the first to hand over its weapons to the Lebanese government as soon as Israel withdrew from Lebanon. Regrettably Hezbollah didnt care for the security of Lebanon, making that country an open field where Iran and Syria could play games to negotiate their personal interests.
The situation of Lebanon has forced the international community and Arabs to use an enemy to implement the Al-Taif Agreement and UN Resolution 1559, although they are feeling bad for the Lebanese, who have been paying for the interests of others for over thirty years. The question is, who prevented the implementation of the Al-Taif agreement and UN Resolution 1559, and gave Iran an opportunity to occupy southern Lebanon? The answer to this question is simple: it is the Syrian regime. Now Arab leaders have an opportunity to renew their history and participate in the establishment of a new Middle East, which is free of outlaws. We think what is happening today is only the beginning of a new era.
#2
What's the possibility that Iran/Syria will cleverly manage to distance themselves by ordering/allowing/duping Narallah into doing something stupid? Would it actually work? In whose eyes?
#3
Regarding the "ruffles": since there is, culturally, very little lee-way given with regards to fashion, so any display of individual fashion will be subtle.
For example, by wearing a Rolex, a particular shoe, or having a certain brand of pen showing. Young men often tucked the frontal sides of their kaffiyeh under the agal (I do not know if that is still done).
#5
Arabs need to stop looking at Israel and looking at themselves. Building an actual army with soldiers instead of hip-shooting warrior and/or terrorists would be a good start. Another good start would be picking a fight with another Arab country to get a bit of practice before going up against a real army.
Syria almost did so with Lebanon. Egypt should take out Libya in the name of Arab solidarity, grab the oil and get some practice. Maybe do the same with Sudan. Then, a couple of decades down the line, they can consider Israel (although I would recommend against it).
#6
The author has a maid, a mother or a very loving wife who spends an awful lot of time bleaching, heavy starching and ironing his headcloths. And he has the free time to arrange the silly thing just so. I strongly suspect he wouldn't so nearly openly advertise his sexuality in Kuwait; surely there are special shopping malls and certain beaches for such things? But I'm just speculating -- Mr. Wife never did tell me how one tells such things in that part of the world, only that it is very available if one is interested.
#9
"I strongly suspect he wouldn't so nearly openly advertise his sexuality in Kuwait; surely there are special shopping malls and certain beaches for such things? But I'm just speculating"
It is possible. It is also possible that it indicates a "cultural" type. The equivalent to the black turtle-neck, as it were.
This is one time an Arab aggressor must be allowed to be beaten so badly that every civilized nation will stand in horror, wanting desperately to step in and stop the carnage... but knowing that the fight will only truly be over when one side gives up and finally admits defeat.
#2
good catch. Nasrallah shrieks victory from a hideyhole (or Damascus) and needs to be shown to be beaten (or even better, dead). It should also be beamed to the Iranian people's TV to show the limits of Islam and the mullah's power when confronted by a real army.
Posted by: Frank G ||
08/05/2006 16:35 Comments ||
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Buchanan is drifting to irrelevancy. As I read the Middle East Democraticization Initiative, peace was expected to flow once the old autocracies were replaced by popular governments. Unfortunately, giving democratic choice to Muslims has meant the election of Islamofascist tyrannies. Buchanan wants to negotiate with those animals. It makes sense to treat any entity that is ruled by Mullah dictators, as a terrorist state. And that type of state poses a Homeland threat to the US. Face it, now that the weeds have grown, it is the perfect time to lay down some herbicide.
----------------------------------------
Talking With Terrorists
By Pat Buchanan
August 5, 2006
...Before he launched his democracy project, Bush was warned that free elections would advance the fortunes of Islamic militants. At his insistence, the elections were held. The results?
In Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood won 60 percent of the seats it contested. Hezbollah swept south Lebanon. Hamas recorded a stunning victory on the West Bank and Gaza. These were the freest and fairest elections ever held in those nations. But Bush refused to engage the winners.
The painful truth is that, in the Middle East, democracy will produce, as it does in the West, two dominant parties. One will be a state party and the other is going to be a party rooted in the Islamic faith.
Time to recognize reality -- and stop isolating America.
#2
Pat and Robert Novak are Arab-lovers (and Joooooo haters)
Posted by: Frank G ||
08/05/2006 10:25 Comments ||
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#3
This asshole and his fellow-travellers can FOAD.
They obviously don't think we're going to lose, in spite of their blathering - since they'd be some of the first to die at the hands of the islamoterro-nutcases if we did.
Keep yapping, Pat - your buddies Adolf, Josef, Yassin, et al., are keeping a seat warm for you with them in HELL.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
08/05/2006 11:05 Comments ||
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#4
Buchanan wants to pretend that the elections in the West Bank, Lebanon, and Egypt are about as free and fair as elections can get.
I tend to disagree with this very strongly.
Posted by: Phil ||
08/05/2006 11:48 Comments ||
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#5
Whether these elections are legit or not, the question still is: do these regimes pose a threat to us? After all, let's say that Japan 1941 was a representative democracy and not some strange imperial militaristic hybrid. Would we have then said, "Oh, that massacre in Nanking? It represents the will of the Japanese people through their democratically elected leaders. No biggie."
We are going to have to accept that the notion that democracies do not fight each other is untrue and has only appeared true in the past because the sample population was so small.
#8
The "democracies are peaceful" stuff always annoyed me because when you mentioned a counterexample, it was always eliminated as 'not a democracy' (US-England in 1812). Democracies and Republics can be as expansionist and warlike as anyone else, if the bulk of the population is. Witness Rome, or the USA in the westward expansion era.
So if a country, Democracy or not, crosses the line they deserve to get hammered for it. The difference is that in a Democracy, the decision makers are paying the full price of the retribution and have a better chance of learning a lesson. In a dictatorship, its not difficult for the rulers to be isolated from any negative consequences of a failed adventure.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
...Before he launched his democracy project, Bush was warned that free elections would advance the fortunes of Islamic militants. At his insistence, the elections were held. The results? 
