Ridiculous article. If the USA were really backing Israel, they would be helping Israel to crush the Palestinians and hold onto the West Bank.

Instead, Bush is the first President ever to use the phrase 'Palestinian state'.

Just goes to show that a docorate in Law is no help whatsoever in working out what is actually going on in the world.

The Israel Lobby (which exists) has been less and less powerful since 9/11, as the USA realises that helping Israel crush the Palestinians is one of the things that _caused_ 9/11.

For an analysis on the current fighting based on trying to grasp some facts, instead of finding someone to blame, go to
http://www.lastsuperpower.net/disc/members/805094250462

David Jackmanson
http://www.letstakeover.blogspot.com

What is the pseudo-left?
http://www.lastsuperpower.net/disc/members/568578247191

Let's get a few facts straight here.

Energee

Israel isn't vulnerable. Why?
It has nuclear weapons.
It has the most modern, well equiped and supplied army in the region.
Most of it's citizens have trained for warfare.
It has US support.
It has peace treaties with well defined and fair borders with some of it's neighbours.

It's opponents have none of the above.

Plerdus

Egypt and Jordan have peace treaties with Israel. They weren't given away by Israel. The US demanded Israel acceed to Sadat's olive branch. They also forced Israel to return to it's pre '67 border with Egypt and to return those Jordanian territories not included in the original UN partition.

It was Hamas and a branch of The PLO, all organisations from the occupied Palestinian territories, who regularly sent suicide bombers...I'm not aware of any who claimed membership of Hezbollah or who were Lebanese.

You did make a most racist statement about Arab people.

Hezbollah is not part of al qaeda.

Sometimes the enemy is in ourselves. It's ok in my book to distance myself from friends who act unreasonably...and to tell them so in no uncertain terms. If they persist then it's ok to 'move on'.

Leigh Leigh Leigh.

Just don't get it do you?
Israel's leaders have made the same damming statements about the Palestinians.
Not all Israel's neighbours attack her. It's is only those whose territory has been invaded and is subject to illegal Israeli occupation.

Which side is handicapped? See above... Energee.

Democratic, fair and UN observed elections were recently held in Lebanon and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Israel objected to the results of those fair and democratic elections and INVADED. One would have to conclude Israel doesn't want democratic neighbours.

Mad

Mad :-)

Kang

Figures please. I think while Egypt does receive US aid it is nowhere in the same league as Israel. Their aid resulted from the peaceful efforts of Sadat not from any militaristic intent.

Egypt's always suffered the existance of that bloody Brotherhood. All Egyptian leaders have suppressed it.

And yes Israel's existance is dependant on the US billions.

James must be commended for at least being forthright.

But some of his allegations are symptomatic of the problem - there is little point in highlighting the sins and excesses of Irael without lining them up against those of Hezbollah - when you do that it is plain to see neither side is worthy of support.

At that point ruminating over the past becomes meaningless as well.

Both sides stand condemned for disregarding the rule of law time and time again. But as well as condeming them for the obvious they should both be pressured into complying - Irael is not so pure as to claim immunity from economic sanctions - both sides should leant on until they come to an understanding - no matter how painful. if it means sanctions to Syria, Lebanon and Iran so be it.

They have had 60 years to sort this out.

No one nation has an intrinsic right to exist - Irael included. No more than any other at least.

History shows us borders are arbitrary to the point of being meaningless - unless they are respected under the rule of law.

Fleurette,

a few responses to your post:

1. Suicide bombers act outside the Genevea Convention, and all other protocols relating to warfare. They are considered vermin that can be shot down like dogs. There is no action that can justify them. The fact that the first suicide bombers in Israel were japanese in no way justifies them. I don't care where they come from.

2. The main cause, in my opinion, of the perpetual trouble in the middle east is the increase in population, which is the prime cause of most of the world's troubles.

3. What do you think Israel should do? Commit mass suicide? Organisations like Hezbollah would kill them all, given the chance, and we are supposed to applaud? Perhaps we should re-open Auchwitz to solve the Israeli problem.

4. You complain about 300 lebanese civilians killed during Israeli strikes. Do you believe they werer deliberately killed by Israel? Israel yesterday dropped leaflets in Sidon requesting the civilians to leave so they could attack Hezbollah. Is this deliberate murder? Of course the 9000 civilians killed in Israel over the last few years by suicide bombers doesn't matter.

5. You ask what Australia has to do with Israel? You may remember that in 2002, long before Iraq, many Australians were killed in Bali by muslim terrorists, the same ones that are attacking Israel, and the ostensible reason given was our involvement in East Timor. The real reason is hatred of western culture, as evidenced by the outrageous muslim response in a variety of countries to the Danish cartoons. The problem is that Islam is a failed culture, hopelessly unfitted to the modern world, stuck in the 7th century, and headed for catastrophe in a few years when their oil runs out

James's article is spot on.

What is missing, is the question; would the world support Israel if it were not for their money? The answer would be, No!

Look at China. Western nations condemned the abuse of human rights until they saw money to be made in China. Now, the world is silent on the abuse China commits...even banning protests against them when their officials visit.

Israel is a barbaric nation. These people see it fit to force non-Jews into harsh conditions. Look at how they treat their imported workers and arabs.

Israeli's are Barbarians.

I have to agree with you spider. They say they don't target civilians but today’s SMH reports that 56 of Israel's 89 deaths were combatants. That's about 63%. But then on the Lebanese side the Israeli's have killed 50 fighters out of at least 577 dead. That means less than 9% of Lebanese dead were combatants. How can this be anything but deliberately targeting civilians?

And why this barbarism? All for 'lebensraum' in the occupied territories. For their 'eternal and undivided capital Jerasulem'.

But with the absolute control of the Jewish lobby in the US how can fair minded people not despair? Perhaps this new new Jewish Reich will last a thousand years after all.