One Yankee's Opinion About The War In Lebanon

Other than a few links and offhand remarks, I haven't really commented upon the war between Israel and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. It could be because I'm lazy. Or it could be because so many others have expressed their opinions, some better than I could ever hope to match. Or maybe, just maybe, I've been thinking it about it, churning it over and over in my mind, looking at what is being said, what is claimed by Israel and Hezbollah, and observing the actions of allies and enemies alike.

While Hezbollah fights to reclaim territory that wasn't theirs to begin with, Israel fights for its very survival. The Holocaust is never far from their minds, so much so that “Never Again!” is a mantra that many Israelis have running in the back of their minds constantly.

U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan condemned Israel for a disproportionate response, ignoring the fact that Israel had been bombarded by Hezbollah rocket attacks and cross-border incursions for years. The abduction of two Israeli soldiers was merely the last in a long series of incidents that was the straw that broke the camel's back and not the sole incident that brought about Israel's military response.

It seems that there is a double standard at work here, one where dead Israeli civilians are acceptable but dead Lebanese civilians put in harm's way by Hezbollah are not. The cameras are around to show the destruction of southern Lebanon brought about by Israeli weapons but caused by Hezbollah and their Iranian masters. Few cameras were around during shelling of Israeli towns and cities by Hezbollah rockets.

Hezbollah wants to bring about the destruction of Israel. Israel just wants to be left alone.

Hezbollah are the barbarians at the gates, wanting to tear down all that is good and replace it with 7^th Century “sensibilities.” They want to kill anyone that disagrees with their twisted ideology. The Israelis aren't going to just lie down and take it. Instead, they've stood up to these murderous fascists and said “This far and no farther! Turn back or die!” Hezbollah has decided they'd rather die. All Israel is doing is granting their wishes.

Perhaps those out there pointing the finger at Israel should take a closer look at their adversaries and realize that Hezbollah is not the wronged party.