Horus,

“But I guess there are lots of brownie points to be gained from going with the flow and heaping scorn on the one Zionism we all know.”

I’m not quite sure what you mean by this statement. Perhaps you’d like to point out where I have heaped scorn on Zionism.

Considering that I disagree with all forms of “national” chauvinism, extremism or racism, you’d be hard pressed to find where I have advocated any kind of Arab or Muslim chauvinism as preferable to Zionism.

Just because someone makes a comment about Zionism and defends the rights of Palestinians or Lebanese people against state violence does not mean they condone, or even ignore, Arab or Muslim chauvinism.

Considering that we are presented with a one-sided ahistorical view of the current conflict by the media, it is appropriate to make relevant points to counter that.

Would you prefer that people just shut up about the fact that Zionists used terrorism to achieve their aims, while allowing the world to scream from the rooftops about the evils of the “terrorists” Hezbollah/Hamas/Muslim/Arabs? Should we only be getting half the story? Is the whole truth unpalatable to you?

My questions to Col on this thread have merely been to highlight the inconsistencies in his thought, whereby he tows the simplistic right-wing line which casts one side as right and the other as wrong, one as good and the other as evil, one side justified in using terrorism and mass violence, the other unjustified. He claims to oppose religious social orders, but supports a “Jewish State”. It appears that the only principle he holds to is the one that he sees is most likely to fill his wallet.

Tao “if Arabs/Muslims manage to drive Israel into the sea, then, in the future, the land on which Israel now exists and claims as “historic land” will have no “contemporary validity””

Your assertion, that all the extinct Jews, having been pushed into the sea by Arabs, would no longer have a claim to land, would be true. Dead people are unable to exercise many rights of any sort, even one so obtuse as you should be able to grasp that.
Hence, my support for Israel to do whatever it needs to do in terms of its own self defence.

As for “wonderful convoluted logic.”

I suspect, a piece of string tied taught between two pins would represent a sequence too convoluted for your cognitive skills.

Scout, It is all too hard for you to grasp.

“Col, winning has nothing to do with peace.”

Peace is what is to be won. Winning has everything to do with Peace.

Part of Israel’s problem has been their support of UN resolutions.
Syrian Baathists and their secret police have been waging an unofficial war for decades, not only against Israel but also against Lebanon, hence the Syrian humiliation at being thrown out of Lebanon by the Lebanese people and their illegal and immoral support of the Hezbollah terrorists.

Supporting a cultural malignancy like Hezbollah is to determine that “peace” will never be achieved.

Supporting the democratic rights of Israel to peaceful co-existence (such as it enjoys with Egypt) is the ONLY hope for peace.

Winning it is the “why” for those who fight and support the Israeli effort.

Your comment “winning has nothing to do with peace” displays just how naive and simplistic your thought processes are and how ill –equipped you are to comment about matters which are, clearly, beyond your comprehension.

As for quoting Tenzin Gyatso – the oil wealth of the Muslim Arab states would be better deployed in supporting fellow Arabs with food parcels than buying them guns to shoot at Jews with. Offer your quotes to the Iranians before you suggest them for Israelis to ponder on.

Ahhh Yuyutsu … It looks like my advice is far too late – you are already in the advanced stages of dyslexia, which usually follows self appeasement … but just in the off chance you have renewed your ocular script and have obtained a stronger monocular – perhaps you could enlighten me where I have actually “hated” the Syrian people?

If as so many other people here say that Syria and Iran have been supplying arms and fighters to Lebanon, then why are the Jews not attacking the source of the problem? And your little colloquy on the pacific Israeli holds as much water as a rusty strainer – you have worn the bottom from your barrel of pathos.

Col Rouge … You really amaze me when you say that they support the UN resolutions (not that the UN is any great mover and shaker) BUT how many resolutions AGAINST the Israeli aggressors have been vetoed by the almighty yanks?

One could easily also name the yanks as blundering malignant aggressors as well, but I doubt that would go down well with your miniscule mindset – after all, they have only been at war since their own fight for independence where they used terrorist tactics against the British forces (you know, the same country they came from originally..) and have invaded, bombed and murdered almost countless peoples from so many sovereign countries they expropriated for commercial gains – they can not afford to have peace – their whole economy is based on other countries wars – other peoples misery!

As in democracy …. We are right – YOU are wrong!! Get over it or die.

And like Yuyutsu, you would be better off by stop playing with your tossle - before it is worn to a frazzle – but then, one could suppose, you can wear it as a tassel with pride after stumbling over a piece of string tied between two pins….

Like your style – nothing like leading from the rear is there?

Now …. Do either of you want Fries with that?

COL

Now...I...will...say...this...slowly...so...that...you...can...follow...peace...is...achieved...by...negotiation...and...compromise...so...that...neither...side...feels...it...has...lost.

Where one side claims all there is resentment. Resentment has been the catalyst for the continual conflicts in the ME. Or haven't you noticed that bombing innocents in the ME hasn't worked?

As you are a warmonger, you will continue to justify war at any cost, you see compromise as a weakness, it is not, it is a way towards cooperation, communication and ultimately, peace. That you lack the intellect to perceive that there are greater things than 'winning' and 'losing', is a sad indictment on your character.

War is the easy way out - used by bullies and as we all know, bullies are just cowards compensating for their inadequacies.

It is people like Col, Yuyutsu or Horus who are incapable of grasping the big picture.

Terrorism will continue to escalate while the western powers continue to pick sides in the ME, rather than genuinely try to set up an environment where peace can be negotiated.

Neither terrorists nor militaristic western powers give a rat's about the lives and wellbeing of citizens of the ME. They are both to blame. Picking sides and blustering about 'winning' is the stuff of kindergarten, grow up!

Kekenidika,

I don't know why I need to reiterate something so simple until you understand:

Syria did not attack Israel - so Israel does not attack it back.

This I hope is simple enough for a 5-year old or one of equivalent intelligence to understand. For others, clicking on the "Advanced/Parents" button:

* Israel does not need extra casualties from either side, if can be avoided.
* Israel signed a disengagement treaty with Syria and it is important for Israel to maintain its credibility as a nation that keeps agreements.
* despite the smear campaign, Israel has always been and still is a peace-loving nation.
* The main supplier of weapons to the Hezbullah is Iran. Syria is only their junior ally.
* Syria is allied with Iran. A war on Syria means a direct war on Iran, which Israel cannot win on its own while using only conventional weapons.
* Since no actual missiles cross over Israel's Syrian border, issues can be resolved diplomatically. The UN security council has just resolved to forbid the supply of weapons to Lebanon (except to its legitimate army and UN forces) - why not wait and see whether Syria adheres to this resolution? even if not, the UN can still use sanctions etc. War is just the last resort.

Do you still not understand why you hate the Syrian people that much?
If Israel attacks Syria as Scout suggested first and you supported, there will be no Syria left, so why are you so eager to see them dead?

Scout “War is the easy way out - used by bullies and as we all know, bullies are just cowards compensating for their inadequacies.”

“And the weak will inherit the earth, if that’s OK with everyone else.”

The usual pacificistic platitudes and sub-intellectual drivel based on the belief that appeasement will work.

Reality is Scout, it never has and never will work. If you want peace you have to be prepared to fight for it.

I am never sure whether it is a supreme folly or supreme arrogance when people like Scout assume those who oppose their cultural values share the same ethics.

Clearly, just as WWII was unavoidably fought to overcome the evils of fascism, so too this battle will be fought to overcome the evil of Hezbollah, Iran, Syria and like travellers who would see western social models and our ethical values erased from a face of the earth to be replaced by their bigoted chauvinistic paternalism, Muslim religious fascism and a social order based on a 17th Century caste system.

Scout, “peace” will only be achieved by ensuring the military supremacy of those who would pursue peace outweighs the capacity of those who would not. Any other strategy (like the asinine rubbish you seem to be alluding to) is like asking to be annihilated.

Oh keke – I ignored your post, you are not worthy of response.