Israeli diplomat in U.S.: Iran, Syria `playing with fire,` will face conse

[sabra]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/WAT006036.htm

13 Jul 2006 17:40:41 GMT

IRAN AND SYRIA "PLAYING WITH FIRE," WILL FACE CONSEQUENCES - ISRAELI DIPLOMAT IN WASHINGTON

I am an Israeli (and US citizen), my relatives town (Carmiel) was hit this morning. But this kind of talk by a "diplomat" infuriates me.

peace :-(

[acmavm]

1. And I say screw Israel. Let 'em go it alone. They've been the

aggressor in all this. Let's just let them fight their own battle.

[liberalmuse]

8. With OUR weapons.

This is just a bloody mess. The most alarming thing is, the Bush cabal won't do a damn thing as far as diplomacy, and really, we don't have a leg to stand on anyway. I don't believe I've ever seen the world in such a precarious situation in my lifetime, and with the complete absence of intelligent, moral men and women in positions of power. :(

[beckstcw]

13. How have they been the aggressor?

Wasn't their soldier kidnapped first, or am I missing something?

[in_cog_ni_to]

28. Stop. You're suppose to blame Israel for everything.

Hezbollah attacked Israel and kidnapped 2 soldiers and it's Israel's fault. See how that works? It's easy.

Just keep repeating over and over and over...Everything is Israel's fault. Everything is Israel's fault. Everything is Israel's fault. Everything is Israel's fault. Everything is Israel's fault. Everything is Israel's fault. Everything is Israel's fault. Everything is Israel's fault. Everything is Israel's fault. Everything is Israel's fault. Everything is Israel's fault. Everything is Israel's fault.

[CityDem]

I agree

Let Israel take the gloves off and settle this conflict once and for all. Israel has tried the land for peace approach in Gaza and got nothing in return except land for terrorism. Let Israel take on Hamas, Syria, et al and see where the chips fall.

[in_cog_ni_to]

49. I agree.

:thumbsup: This, apparently, is what Hezbollah, Hamas and Syria wanted....have at it.

[Tom Joad]

2. Israel is killing the people of Gaza. Israel needs to pull back.

Israel is now attacking Lebanon. again. Israel needs to pull back.

The US needs to cut off military aid to this rogue nation.

[bemildred]

3. No sense of irony there. nt

[nashville_brook]

4. it terrifies me, sabra

i'm just a white girl from florida. i want to think i have no dogs in this hunt -- but we all do! these are giant moves to be happening so quickly. it's astonishing what has escalated in just the last 24 hours!

[sabra]

6. CNN.com makes it seem like WWIII has begun

thanks for the post.

[nashville_brook]

11. sheesh! i haven't even looked there!

but, i can understand why it should be leading news. i try to imagine what this would be like if it were happening in this hemisphere. it would be like the US bombing the shit out of Mexico City -- there would be rumors of semi-organized retaliation, but nothing would seem solid.

and yet -- this is just to imagine the conflict geographically closer. the history that is behind this... the geopolitical stakes... the opportunity for all hell to break loose. i'm floored. my little brain can't wrap around it.

[Midlodemocrat]

71. No kidding. This is absolutely horrible.

Both sides are wrong in this. I can't imagine a peaceful outcome to this. God, I so wish Bill Clinton was in the WH.

[northernsoul]

5. peace, Sabra

I'm afraid it's going to get worse before it gets better. I hope everything turns out alright for your relatives.

[orwell]

7. Translation...

...Iran and Syria will not knuckle under to the West. For that, they must all eventually perish...to make the world "safe" for Democracy...

How dare they defy the Imperium!

And now, back to World War(X), already in progress...

[cali]

23. You are aptly named

judging by the Orwellian comment you made.

[Behind the Aegis]

9. You have my sympathies, Sabra.

I have friends in No. Israel and one who is in Beirut. It is so sad to see the level of hate directed at Israel.

May G-d watch over your family and all the innocents!

[leftchick]

10. yes, the diplomacy skills of a John Bolton, eh?

sympathies and peace to you Sabra.

[beckstcw]

12. Sorry to play devils advocate, but...

...don't you think its possible that Israel is a little justified?

I mean, they've been dealing with terrorist atacks for pretty much their entire existence...

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

14. Nope.

[beckstcw]

15. Nope what?

About the justification, or about the attacks?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

16. No, Israel doesn't have justification...

in instigating a war against Syria and Iran. Or fighting a war in Lebanon.

[Chi-Town Exile]

18. Oh. Okay.

Israel should just sit there and take it, right?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

20. No.

Israel should exchange its prisoners.

Or do you suppose Lebanon should sit there and take it?

[Chi-Town Exile]

27. No, Lebanon shouldn't just sit there and take it ...

However, Lebanon is not controlled by the Lebanese it is controlled by terrorist groups with ties to Syria and Iran and G-d knows who else. That is why the Israeli diplomat is blustering about Syria and Iran.

Once again, sorry to confuse people with the facts.

[in_cog_ni_to]

30. Facts don't work on DU when it involves Israel. n/t

[beckstcw]

19. But...

How are they instigating a war with Syria or Iran?

And about Lebanon, having eight soldiers killed could be considered provocation...

[sabra]

21. notice my post has the diplomat warning Syria and Iran

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

22. "Iran and Syria are playing with fire, will face consequences."

Kind of like saying they want to "wipe Iran and Syria off the map."

So to speak.

[Chi-Town Exile]

24. Don't even bother engaging this person in discussion.

Israel is ALWAYS WRONG no matter what happens.

The Anti-Israel crowd on DU never allows Israel to defend itself. They want to see Israel and its people pushed into the sea.

Don't forget, Israel is the AGGRESSOR in this situation because they were mad about their soldiers being kidnapped and killed! It is always correct to kill IDF forces NO MATTER WHAT.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

26. I've never actually talked to you on the subject.

So I've got no idea what the fuck you're talking about.

[Terran1212]

29. The idea seems to be unlimited bombing of Arabs = good

And that may be what is detestable around these parts that believe in international law and stuff like that.

[Chi-Town Exile]

34. Does it violate International law to come into a sovereign nation

and kill and kidnap its soldiers?

Oh, I forgot, Israel ISN'T a sovereign nation because it has no RIGHT to exist.

[in_cog_ni_to]

36. NOPE...Hezbollah and Hamas can kill all the Israelis they want

and, by DU standards, they deserve it because Israel has a military.

[Terran1212]

44. That peace sign you have

I've noticed that the posters defending the Arabs are not defending the Arab violence, but the Israel apologists say Israel can use unlimited violence and refuse to condemn it.

It makes me wonder which one of us around here wants peace.

An entire family was vaporized and blown apart in Lebanon a little while ago by an IAF missle. Meanwhile we're supposed to continue weeping for the abducted soldiers. It gets harder and harder as the Arab death toll passes 100.

[in_cog_ni_to]

53. Will you cry for the Israelis that are vaporized? I somehow doubt it.

Hezbollah is the agressor in this...where's your outrage aimed at them? I don't see any? I want PEACE in Israel. Hezbollah and Hamas DON'T and it sounds like YOU support what they do. Nice. Very nice. Lay the blame where it should be ... at the feet of Hezbollah.

[Name removed]

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[in_cog_ni_to]

65. Yup. I'm still waiting for the outrage aimed at Hezbollah. I don't see any

:shrug: Can you imagine with all the people on DU who love Israel, they find this agression by Hezbollah justified. It's all so perplexing, isn't it?:eyes:

Hamas: "We will not stop until the blood of every Jewish man, woman and child is flowing through the streets and into the sea."

There's NO REASON for Israel to defend herself.:eyes:

[Chi-Town Exile]

68. Could you imagine the outcry by all the Hate Israel DUer's if Israel

said "We will not stop until the blood of every Palestinian man, woman and child is flowing through the streets and into the sea ..."?

[in_cog_ni_to]

72. OMG....DU would explode with outrage.

The hypocrisy here is enlightening, to say the least.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

39. Where does Israel arrest its prisoners?

Does the Jerusalem Police Department hand them over?

[Terran1212]

42. The US gives amnesty to many international terrorists

Would you think it'd be alright for Cuba or India or Nigeria or Nicaragua to bomb us and dismantle our entire society with violence in response?

That's not a proper or legal way to handle this situation; that's terrorism.

[Chi-Town Exile]

50. Okay smart guy, then just how should Israel handle this situation?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

58. Exchange the prisoners.

At least, that's what they'd do if they really cared about the prisoners.

[Chi-Town Exile]

31. It's obvious you don't know what the fuck I'm talking about

because you blame Israel for defending itself. Coming into Israel, killing and kidnapping soldiers is NOT an act of war by your standards.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

33. Not when Israel's got Lebanese prisoners it's not.

:shrug:

[Chi-Town Exile]

37. By those standards then, Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen etc.

have the right to come into the United States and kidnap and kill our soldiers and the United States will not be allowed to fight back.

Just so I'm clear on this.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

40. Hmm.

More like they have the right to go to Iraq and capture troops there.

[Chi-Town Exile]

47. No ... you're changing the dynamic.

I'm talking about AMERICAN SOIL.

Since you believe that Lebanon is justified in walking into Israel and killing and kidnapping their soldiers ... you must also believe that any of the countries I mentioned in my previous post are justified when they enter the US and kidnap and kill our soldiers.

Try to keep up. I know it upsets you but Israel is a sovereign nation and their soldiers were kidnapped from Israel.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

51. Alright then.

Yes. I think Iraqis would be justified in coming into the U.S. and taking prisoners and demanding an exchange for the prisoners that we've taken over there.

[Chi-Town Exile]

52. Not an exchange, Dude.

KILLING AND KIDNAPPING OUR SOLDIERS BEFORE THEY DEMAND THE EXCHANGE.

So you want US soldiers killed and kidnapped?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

55. I didn't say I wanted it.

But it's certainly justified.

War's a bitch, ain't it.

[Name removed]

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[Name removed]

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[Chi-Town Exile]

66. That's where you're wrong. I care about all of them.

I wish to see BOTH sides of the equation.

Only backing one side leads to more death and destruction. One cannot take moral high ground when they refuse to decry the KILLING on both sides and brand one side the AGGRESSOR.

Arab terrorists have no more right to kill indiscriminately than Israeli soldiers do.

If we all ACCEPT that fact we can get on the road to peace a helluva lot quicker.

[in_cog_ni_to]

38. Why does Israel have Lebanese prisoners, do you think?

Did they just willy nilly arrest them or were they terrorists from Hezbollah?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

41. I don't know.

Why have they got women and children?

[in_cog_ni_to]

45. You don't know? Yet you want Israel to release them? LOL...thanks. Now

I know where you're coming from. Geezus.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

48. Yeah.

generally, if somebody has women and children in prisons I think they should have a pretty good reason.

[Chi-Town Exile]

63. If there are women and children in Israeli prisons it probably has

something to do with the fact that hiding with women and children is the MO of the Arab terrorist.

[Terran1212]

46. Orwellian argument - "Defending itself"

Now means that any arabs it kills are justified and that palestinians and lebanese can't defend themselves.

More than 80 palestinians were killed by Israel prior to Hamas's attack and kidnapping of the soldiers.

What, do only Jews have the right to defend themselves? By your standards that's just fine.

[Name removed]

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[HiFructosePronSyrup]

61. Israeli civilians?

I thought it was a couple of captured Israeli troops and another dead.

[Chi-Town Exile]

67. Dude, I'm talking about terrorist attacks against Israeli

civilians. You know, the people that get blown up by Palestinians that detonate explosives strapped to them because that can't defend themselves?

[bdamomma]

43. geez, I still believe this is what Bush wanted right along

damn him and his right wing.

[Chi-Town Exile]

17. Sabra, I pray for your family, Israel, the ME and the whole world ...

Let's hope G-d will help Israel's leaders choose the path to PEACE.

Heated rhetoric only makes the situation worse.

[AnOhioan]

73. "Heated rhetoric only makes the situation worse"

I have noticed that you use "heated rhetoric" yourself.

Just thought I would bring that point up.

[gatorboy]

25. What's Syria have to do with this?

Some in the gov't of Lebanon may be pro-Syrian but the population has been highly suspicious of them after the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. The people of Lebanon have always thought that he was killed by Syria and they had demanded that the pro-syrian portion of the country step down (and they did).

If Syria wants anything, it would probably be control of Lebanon.

[Terran1212]

32. What is has to do is US-Israel wants to knock out any element in the ME

That's in any way against America. They want any excuse to drop a few bombs on Syria and Iran.

IAF planes already buzzed Assad's palace. Why? Isn't that illegal? What if foreign jets buzzed Washington, DC?

[AngryAmish]

69. Syria is a supporter of Hezbollah.

Thus Israel thinks they are partially to blame.

[gatorboy]

70. Portions of Syria.

Wasn't there a million + protest last year to get the Pro-Syrian/Hezbollah group out of office?

All Isreal will do by bombing the entire country is help give Hezbollah the supporters that normally don't have. Iraq is a perfect example of where this is going to go...

[AngryAmish]

74. The protests were in Lebanon

I was responding to why Isreal thinks Syria is partially to blame. Will the bombing make Lebanon more anti-Isreal. Probably.

[madrchsod]

35. george bush has made the united states irrelevant

in this conflict . the "bad guys" have nothing to loose and everything to gain by the diminished role of the usa in the region. i`m betting on russia and some in the european union to broker a deal in the area. israel will have to accept the fact that they can no longer dictate to the countries around them just what form of government and who is elected.

[bdamomma]

64. this whole situation is disasterous for everyone

America does not have any good leadership for this tense situation that is unfolding, who will step up to the plate?? I heard the UN is sending in people for diplomatic reasons to try to diffuse the situation which is taking place. Our name is dirt right now. just makes me want to scream.