BREAKING NEWS: Beirut airport closes after Israeli air strike

[indian airlines]

I just read something that may explain why the airport runways were bombed. Speculation is that the runways were bombed to keep terrorist related supplies from arriving in Lebanon and also to stop attempts to fly the captured soldiers out of Lebanon.

Yeah, I just heard that too. They're trying to stop armament influx from Syria and Iran. I guess it makes a little bit of sense then though, but you still have to ask - how do they expect civilians to get out of the country then? Israel has been dropping pamphlets in Beirut telling civilians to leave, but at the same time they are effectively blocking all routes in and out of the city.

I dont get why you are saying its necessary sometimes. War shouldnt be an option or solution even though you had run out of possible "options/solutions". Talked with a jp member today and he said "they overlook everything so they think that war is the only solution" Thats being ignorant, wouldnt you say ?

Overlooking everything else and using war as the only option is being ignorant - yes, but saying war shouldn't be an option/solution even after all other options have been tried is being very ignorant too.

What would you have? A terrorist organization flies aircraft into a building and the victim country sits back and does nothing? A terrorist organization repeatedly bombs a certain country causing massive casualty and the victim country sits back and allows it to keep happening? No. There comes a point where all other options have been tried to no avail, and then war is the only option left. As unfortunate as it sounds, that is how it is.

It is the very reason countries build up military force and have such comprehensive wartime protocols in place, because there are times when war is just unavoidable.

[bbuse]

Overlooking everything else and using war as the only option is being ignorant - yes, but saying war shouldn't be an option/solution even after all other options have been tried is being very ignorant too.

What would you have? A terrorist organization flies aircraft into a building and the victim country sits back and does nothing? A terrorist organization repeatedly bombs a certain country causing massive casualty and the victim country sits back and allows it to keep happening? No. There comes a point where all other options have been tried to no avail, and then war is the only option left. As unfortunate as it sounds, that is how it is.

It is the very reason countries build up military force and have such comprehensive wartime protocols in place, because there are times when war is just unavoidable.

I thought this was very well said. Although I don't like war and think it should be avoided if there are other options available, I also don't like to see the acts of terrorism that are taking place around the world, Mumbai the other day, London a year ago, Madrid, New York City, and the Pentagon, who knows where the next place will be? Somehow this violence has to be stopped.

[Crunk415balla]

I have a feeling if this doesn't stop soon its gong to escalate into something really really bad.

I do too. I'm not saying either side is right, but people seem to forget Israel oppresses the people of Palestine just about as much. The difference is, Israel does it through its military, Palestine uses "other means". I know several people who moved here from Palestine and have horrible stories about what has happened to them. My neighbors are Christian Palestinian's, and they say they were not oppressed much, but their Muslim friends were be beaten and forced from thier homes. They left the country after one of them was jailed for wearing a Palestine T-Shirt. Now I'm not justifying either side, but I'm just trying to remind everybody Israel isn't always "the victim". They are in my eyes just as guilty in everything that happens.

[expoITHscohen]

OMG, honestly, does everyone here think Israel is doing something bad? How many god damn people have to die in that country for them to have a just cause and go into another country, which houses and trains terrorist, to stop them?

Israel has spent the last decade (Century really) of facing attack after attack. How many inocent Israellie people have to die from a suicide bomber going into a shop, bus, resteraunt, club, etc...

I don't know that many people know this but a few years back a suicide bomber went into a neighberhood during passover (one of the holyiest Jewish Holidays) and blew himself up killing over 40 civilians. Now in a speech given by Joe Liberman, he compared the attacks to september 11th. If you compare the population of Israel and the population of the USA, those 40 civilians would equal well over all the souls lost on September 11th.

Now do the math, every year for the past decade, well over 100 people in Israel (Civilians, not soilders) die. This people are NOT in Gaza or the West bank. These bombers go into the busiest streets in Tel-Aviv and blow themself up.

If you think ANY country should face September 11th almost 3 times a year and do absoluetly nothing, your crazy. How many times is the PLO going to get away with killing Israelies. Take the Munich olympics for example. Why is that fair but Israel justly going into another Country to rid of a group (hamas) that supplies terrorist wrong?

Also, what I don't get is why all the previous wars (started by Arab countries surounding Israel) are just but when we start one, it is. If you remember the 6 day war or the Yom Kippur war, they were all started by surrounding countries who tried to invade Israel. Countries that attacked in these wars lost land too Israel and most of them are angered now at this and are demanding them back. Take the golan heights, a main strategic point for the Israelie army, and now Syria is complaining it belongs to them. Syria lost the land to Israel in battle and is acting like a little kid saying "It was mine first." That is like having England wanting the USA back or Mexico wanting California, Texas, New Mexico, etc...

Sorry I am so biased on this, but the media always portrays Israel as the bad guy when it isn't always true. Also, as most of you know, I'm Jewish, and hopefully one day I will end up in Israel. I don't agree with everything Israel has done and es Israel has done some bad things and killed innocent people but it isn't like Israel hasn't lost any civilian.

Yeah, I just heard that too. They're trying to stop armament influx from Syria and Iran. I guess it makes a little bit of sense then though, but you still have to ask - how do they expect civilians to get out of the country then? Israel has been dropping pamphlets in Beirut telling civilians to leave, but at the same time they are effectively blocking all routes in and out of the city.



Overlooking everything else and using war as the only option is being ignorant - yes, but saying war shouldn't be an option/solution even after all other options have been tried is being very ignorant too.

What would you have? A terrorist organization flies aircraft into a building and the victim country sits back and does nothing? A terrorist organization repeatedly bombs a certain country causing massive casualty and the victim country sits back and allows it to keep happening? No. There comes a point where all other options have been tried to no avail, and then war is the only option left. As unfortunate as it sounds, that is how it is.

It is the very reason countries build up military force and have such comprehensive wartime protocols in place, because there are times when war is just unavoidable.

And that is an extremly well made point. This is exactly what Israel is doing right now. They have tried everything. They made treaties, they tried negotiating, it hasn't been working. You have to realize a suicide bomber blowing up a bus and killing 10 people is just like September 11th for them, Madrid train Bombings or the London Underground bombings.

What I don't get is why people always associate the Israel people with the Israelie army. One thing I think is really biased is that most of the attacks from the Arab States that have terrorist are against innocent people. Israel's attacks are against insurgents and terrorist. Yes innocent people die but no where near as much as the amount Israel lost.

Valid point, but it goes both ways. Whether its true or not, Israel is viewed as "the bad guys" by a lot of Muslims. With Israel dropping bombs in Lebanon isn't only going to kill those behind attacks, but also will get some innocent people (unavoidable). Then family members and friends of those innocent people who were killed will start saying "yeah, maybe they are evil", thus begins a new crop of suicide bombers.

I just have a question for you. I know you are going to give a great answer (You always do) but what is the difference of terrorist killing only civilians vs Israel killing mainly terrorist and only killing a few civilians? Yes, it is wrong that civilians are dieing, but this goes to my point of the Arab terrorist are attacking ONLY civilians where as the Israelie army is trying to only attack terrorist.

[ATLcenter]

expo, it's easy to say when you're a third party. But if I were Israeli or Lebanese or Palestininian or whatever and the "other side" killed someone I know, I damn well want revenge any way possible.

Right now? I think suicide bombers are idiots and Israel's not working toward a solution. It's cyclical. You kill 20 of my people, so I'll kill 20 of yours. Op, well in that case, you feel obligated to come back and kill 40 of my people. Then I bomb your airfield. So you come back and coordinate an attack to kill 200 more people.... where does it end? And who is really working for a solution?

The answer? No one.

[herpa2003]

Good for Israel! An act of war by Lebanon (the terrorist group Hezbollah is part of the Lebanese government) was met with swift response by Israel.

Good for the United States as well! GWB today called the terrorists in the Middle East (Hamas/Hezbollah) "pathetic" and reaffirmed that Israel has the right to defend itself.

Then, the UN tried to approve a resolution ordering Israel to stop its Gaza offensive. The United States promptly vetoed and killed this resolution. The world needs to learn not to fuck with the Israelis...

[expoITHscohen]

Good for Israel! An act of war by Lebanon (the terrorist group Hezbollah is part of the Lebanese government) was met with swift response by Israel.

Good for the United States as well! GWB today called the terrorists in the Middle East (Hamas/Hezbollah) "pathetic" and reaffirmed that Israel has the right to defend itself.

Then, the UN tried to approve a resolution ordering Israel to stop its Gaza offensive. The United States promptly vetoed and killed this resolution. The world needs to learn not to fuck with the Israelis...

Thank you.

expo, it's easy to say when you're a third party. But if I were Israeli or Lebanese or Palestininian or whatever and the "other side" killed someone I know, I damn well want revenge any way possible.

Right now? I think suicide bombers are idiots and Israel's not working toward a solution. It's cyclical. You kill 20 of my people, so I'll kill 20 of yours. Op, well in that case, you feel obligated to come back and kill 40 of my people. Then I bomb your airfield. So you come back and coordinate an attack to kill 200 more people.... where does it end? And who is really working for a solution?

The answer? No one.

You have a good point there. It is one of lifes mysteries. Fighting won't neccisarly work in the long run, but it is the only thing that is working right now. I am sure a plan will be made up eventually that will help aid a solution but it takes time. Until then, your right, there will just be more and more killing. Kinda sad actually

The world needs to learn not to fuck with the Israelis...

FCK YEAH!!!

[A332]

How dare the Lebanese government with the support of the Lebanese people launch such a horrific terrorist attack on Israel..?

I mean... over a decade of bloody civil war, occupation by Israel, inflitration of Hezbollah, occupation by Syria... good lord, how could this nation NOT do something about the terrorist operations on it's own soil..?

I mean... hey, the fact the Hezbollah militas are far better equipped and much stronger than that of the Lebanese army certainly couldn't mean anything..?

And why shouldn't Israel destroy civilian infrastructure far from the Hezbollah strongholds in Southern Lebanon..? When you have a far more sophisticated military, a bit of a vendetta, and the blessing of the world's largest promoter of peace (meh.. Iraq-Schmiraq).. you might as well make a point!

[indian airlines]

The world needs to learn not to fuck with the Israelis...

Fck yeah

And now comes the ego brigade.

"EFF YEAH!!! GO ISRAEL KICKING SOME MAJOR SCUMMY ASS!! THE WORLD BETTER LEARN NOT TO FUCK WITH US!! WE ARE SO OBVIOUSLY SUPERIOR TO EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING!!!!!"

Ridiculous. Street gangs and 12 year olds think the same way as you too.

The "world" could crush Israel (or any other country for that matter) like a little ant if they so wanted.

Good for the United States as well! GWB today called the terrorists in the Middle East (Hamas/Hezbollah) "pathetic" and reaffirmed that Israel has the right to defend itself.

At the same time, Condoleeza Rice asked Israel to exercise restraint. Not to mention the entire EU said that Israel responded with a disproportionate use of force. Obviously, to all the hot headed kids on this forum, the EU is nothing but a bunch of eurotrash pussies and that will be the standard response here to what the EU said.

I am not saying Israel was completely wrong in what they did today, but I do think they are equally at fault when it comes to who started this mess in the middle east.

[expoITHscohen]

I am not saying Israel was completely wrong in what they did today, but I do think they are equally at fault when it comes to who started this mess in the middle east.

Honestly, the right country to blame is England. If they didn't promise two different groups of people the "holy land" none of this would of happened.

Story done really quickly:

WWI, Palastine helps England in war fighting Ottoman empire. Promise free nation if Palastine helps. War ends, England never leaves occupation.

WWII happens, outcome leaves millions of Jews stranded, England gives land sympathetically too Jews. Israel becomes a state, day declared an offical state by UN, war breaks out, start of conflict.

Although, this is all true, I do not feel England is to blame, just kind of a joke to make this depression thread, well not so depressing.

[tommyalf]

Guys your forgetting that given the opportunity many of the Middle East nations would wipe Israel and every Jewish person living in that nation off the face of the earth. The Jewish people for thousands of years have been facing destruction by one nation or group of people. The term "Never Again" has real meaning to the Jews and trust me they will never let it happen again. This is not a battle over two soldiers being kidnapped it is a battle to defend their entire way of life and its existence. This is not a good situation right now but one that sadly must take place so that the people who committed and supported the kidnapping will go on notice that it will not be tolerated.

[ualwillstand]

No one is ever happy and everyones always got shit...Im moving to Antarctica to prevent myself from getting any radiation poisioning after WWIII starts.

[MaxPower]

I hereby apologize the posts saying the stuff against USA to do something. Ofcourse Israel is your ally but doesnt mean yuo have to cut in and do something about this.

I realized now that Israel has the right to defend themselves.

[herpa2003]

The "world" could crush Israel (or any other country for that matter) like a little ant if they so wanted.

Not really, as they would more than likely have to get through the United States first.

At the same time, Condoleeza Rice asked Israel to exercise restraint. Not to mention the entire EU said that Israel responded with a disproportionate use of force. Obviously, to all the hot headed kids on this forum, the EU is nothing but a bunch of eurotrash pussies and that will be the standard response here to what the EU said.

The EU has been anti-Israel for some time now (along with the UN). Suicide bombings in Israel are met with mild criticism while Israel's retaliatory strikes against terrorist leaders and training grounds are vehemently condemned by Europe and the UN. I guess it is easy for Europe to condemn the Israelis as they don't have rockets falling in their cities daily or deadly suicide bombings as a weekly occurance.

Just in from CNN-

Reuters: President Bush wants Israel to minimize the risk of casualties in Lebanon, but will not press Israel to halt its military operation, the White House said today.

Score one for the good guys!

Listed as breaking news at www.cnn.com

[DAL767-400ER]

The EU has been anti-Israel for some time now (along with the UN). Suicide bombings in Israel are met with mild criticism while Israel's retaliatory strikes against terrorist leaders and training grounds are vehemently condemned by Europe and the UN. I guess it is easy for Europe to condemn the Israelis as they don't have rockets falling in their cities daily or deadly suicide bombings as a weekly occurance.

That's bullsh!t, and you know it. The EU is nowhere near anti-Israel. The EU has just had enough of the Middle East war crAp in general. You can bet the EU is condemning the terrorists, especially after the Madrid and London bombings. Seriously, if the EU were anti-Israel, it could as well have helped the Arabian countries "solve the problem". Just because the EU doesn't say "oh, poor Israel, why can't they be left alone by those evil, evil Arabs" doesn't mean the EU won't support Israel, it's just that Israel really isn't only a victim, on the contrary, they are partially responsible for the mess they are in themselves.