THE BUZZ OUTSIDE THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA
Israeli gunners gather at an artillery piece as it is prepared to fire into southern Lebanon from a position near Kiryat Shmona, northern Israel , Friday, July 14, 2006.COMMENTLINESDay three of the Middle East conflict points out the differences between America and her non-Western allies. It also points out the pressure of political polarization on global economics.
Can the clash of cultures be distilled down to something as simple as turf battles of trading partners?
Clifford D. May, president of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, says Hamas and Hezbollah will lose this war and perhaps any chance at peace.
Ben Stein offers a few thoughts about war in the Middle East. He says any American Jew concerned about the survival of Israel, in the final analysis, should support Bush.
This will be a "long war" in which victory will be the culmination of a series of unavoidable catastrophes, says Mort Zuckerman
Hezbollah, the Lebanon-based terrorist group, has a long history of violence against Israel, and a July 12 attack left three Israeli soldiers dead and two more captured. James Phillips writes, “The United States must forcefully respond to Iran’s provocative and hostile foreign policy.”
Michael Ledeen writes in the National Review, no one should have any lingering doubts about what's going on in the Middle East. It's war, and it now runs from Gaza into Israel, through Lebanon and thence to Iraq via Syria ... But there is a common prime mover, and that is the Iranian mullahcracy, the revolutionary Islamic fascist state that declared war on us 27 years ago and has yet to be held accountable."
As Israel engages in war against Syria, Lebanon and Iran, their very existence hanging in the balance, we would be wise to understand that victory for those who champion freedom is not certain. It is possible that we could lose this war and nuclear capable Islamic regimes don’t do anything to tip the scales in our favor, writes Frank Salvato
NEWSBYTESWhat Are They Thinking?By Clifford D. May(NRO) -- What must Hamas leaders have been thinking? Last month they sent guerrillas through a secret tunnel from Gaza into Israel where they launched an attack, killing two Israeli soldiers and kidnapping a third, 19-year-old Cpl. Gilad Shalit. Since no civilians were targeted, this was not an act of terrorism. It was an act of war.
Eretz IsraelBy Ben Stein(spectator.org) -- Now for a few thoughts about the war in the Middle East.
Israel's last resort By Mort Zuckerman(nydailynews.com) -- Eleven months ago, Israel withdrew from every last inch of the Gaza Strip. They dismantled all military bases, turned over functioning greenhouses that could employ 4,000 people, expelled all 7,500 Israeli settlers at a huge financial and political cost and declared the lines that divide Israel from Gaza to be an international frontier, making Gaza the first independent Palestinian territory ever.
Iran and its Hezbollah Allies Escalate Their Aggressive Policies in the Middle EastBy James Phillips(heritage.org) -- Yesterday’s cross-border attack by Hezbollah (Party of God), the Lebanon-based terrorist group, which resulted in the deaths of three Israeli soldiers and the capture of two soldiers now held hostage in Lebanon, has opened up a volatile second front on Israel’s northern border. With this provocative attack, Hezbollah in one stroke has enhanced its prestige in the Arab world, diverted the world’s attention from a growing crisis over Iran’s nuclear program, and escalated pressure on Israel, which already was engaged in an intensifying confrontation with the Hamas-led Palestinian authority over a similar abduction of an Israeli soldier on June 25. The attack also highlights the role that Hezbollah’s patron Iran plays in escalating Middle East violence, and it strengthens the case for sanctions against Iran.
The Same War By Michael Ledeen(nationalreview.com) -- No one should have any lingering doubts about what’s going on in the Middle East. It’s war, and it now runs from Gaza into Israel, through Lebanon and thence to Iraq via Syria. There are different instruments, ranging from Hamas in Gaza to Hezbollah in Syria and Lebanon and on to the multifaceted “insurgency” in Iraq. But there is a common prime mover, and that is the Iranian mullahcracy, the revolutionary Islamic fascist state that declared war on us 27 years ago and has yet to be held accountable.
Time to Acknowledge the Reality of WarBy Frank Salvato(therant.us) -- In an effort to advance a lasting peace between the Israeli and Palestinian peoples, the Israeli government relinquished the Gaza strip to the Palestinian Authority. The Palestinians reciprocated by electing a terrorist group to political power that feigned the inability to intervene as militant Hamas and Hezbollah, along with myriad other homegrown terrorist organizations, launched rockets into Israeli cities and kidnapped Israeli soldiers. Now, Israel has had enough and there is war in the Middle East.
NEWSWIREIsrael Says Hezbollah Drone Damages Warship 4 soldiers missing after naval vessel hit off Beirut coast Ship struck off Beirut shore; four crewmembers missing (Video) Hezbollah Drone Batters Israeli Warship
Hizbollah, Israel head for showdown
U.S. Citizens Should Weigh Leaving Lebanon
Israel Bombs Lebanon For Third Straight Day More. Israel Says Hezbollah Drone Damages Warship
(Video) Overnight Attacks Leave Beirut Smoldering
Washington Post Images (Warning: Graphic Depictions of Violence)
Olmert: Operation will stop when Hizbullah disarms
Vatican condemns Israel for attacks on Lebanon
Hezbollah guerrillas fire more rockets at two northern Israeli towns
Hezbollah leader vows 'open war' Hezbollah declares war on Israel
Hezbollah ready for 'war on every level'
CNN Map
Militants blow hole in Gaza-Egypt border gate
Hizbollah chief defiant
Israel Bombs Hezbollah Leader's Beirut Home
EARLIER REPORTSCNN.com - Israel strikes Beirut airport, blocks ports - Jul 13, 2006CNN.com - Israeli ships, planes renew Beirut airport attacks - Jul 14, 2006Israeli Jets Bomb Main Road Between Beirut and Damascus - foxnews.comHezbollah Attacks Israeli-Lebanon BorderTags: Middle East, Gaza, Israel, Palestinians, Hamas, Bush, UN, U.N., United Nations, Iran, War, Military, terrorism, Lebanon, Syria, Palestine
Global Tags: Washington DC, News and Politics, News, Politics, Current Events, Current Affairs, Life, Culture, Tension
