Have any of you bothered to read any of the HRW reports or notice that they are based in the US? Didn't think so.

Did you see the one they wrote against Afghanistan's murdering warlords that we are supporting? You know the one. The murdering thugs are burning down the schools, killing the teachers and torturing the students. Here's the thing about people like those in HRW - they only report what they see.

When the US use cluster bombs on civilians they record it. When Israel use cluster bombs on Lebanese civilians they record it. If the Lebanese and Iraqis did it to Israel they would report it.

It is not possible to invent what is not there - unless it is the propoganda machine of the US and Israel who will never be asked by most of the spineless media to justify their positions or prove what they are saying.

If HRW investigate the so-called democracies and hold them to higher standards it is surely because of our self-righteous claims that we are better than "them".

Marilyn,

The world would be a better place if everyone shared your abhorrence of violence.

The practical problem with your ideology (at least as I perceive it) is that as soon as you have a dispute with a violent opponent, you can only be in the right if you allow yourself to be the victim.

Both the Palestinians and the Israeli's see each other as the aggressor. For the purposes of a peaceful solution, the truth of it doesn't really matter. For peace to reign the aggressor must cease his violent aggression and the other party must cease its violent retaliation.

My question to you Marilyn, is how, in practice can the parties be persuaded to cease their violence?

New York Times, Sabrina Tavernise, July 28, 2006

“The refugees from southern Lebanon spilled out of packed cars into the dark street here Thursday evening, gulping bottles of water and squinting in the glare of the headlights to find family members and friends. Many had not eaten in days. Most had not had clean drinking water for some time. There were wounded swathed in makeshift dressings, and a baby just 16 days old.

But for some of the Christians who had made it out in this convoy, it was not just privations they wanted to talk about, but their ordeal at the hands of Hezbollah — a contrast to the Shiites, who make up a vast majority of the population in southern Lebanon and broadly support the militia.

“Hezbollah came to Ain Ebel to shoot its rockets,” said Fayad Hanna Amar, a young Christian man, referring to his village. “They are shooting from between our houses.”…”

At: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/28/world/middleeast/28refugees.html?

When my little niece (8 years old), says to me, “uncle Kevin, turn the telly off. I don’t like watching the war”, I say to her, “For every one of you, I bet there are thousands of children in each of these countries, currently troubled with killing each other, that wish they too could just switch it off”.

What do the children caught up in all this really think? They certainly can’t understand – their minds are still young and open and empty. How unfortunate we continue to fill them with horror. New minds that should be looking out on to the wonder of the world, not the horror caused by grown men with no sense other than their desire ‘to win’

My niece asks me “why are they doing this?” I tell her, “I don’t know and I don’t think they do either. When men go to war, their only currency is …..children’s lives".

"They’ll tell you its God, but don’t believe them. God isn’t going to ask anyone to kill what he/she has created, in love. When they tell you its God’s will, it really means someone wants something that someone else has got. The solution is in a willingness to share. But some people believe they are entitled to everything. To hide this fact they ‘blame’ God”

Then they tell you its for their country. Don’t believe them. Its people that make countries, not land. If they cared about their county – they’d care about people. If you only knew how much money they spend on shooting rockets into space and building weapons designed to kill thousands of people. How can they say they care about their country? If they spent the money on healthcare, good food and good education for all, then they would be caring about their countries”.

These same people don’t mind using children in adverts, to sell their products, but they don’t like talking about children when it comes to war. I wonder why?

I wonder what the children really think?

Israel drop bomb anywhere. Make civilians (children and women) as soft targets. This only to make israel troops happy, cause did'nt know enemy position . I can believe it, supported by US.