Reply #173: What is warmongering about the General's remarks?

[nealmhughes]

He never said, "OK, Israel, blow the whole country to bits." He only said that the US should play a role in strengthening Lebanon to prevent a shawdow government from operating in the south thru Hezbollah.

Does anyone not wish for a stable Lebanon that is not a puppet of Syria, Israel, or Hezbollah? Does anyone want the militias back?

Kidnappings and minor rocket attacks, even when done in retaliation for state of Israel's tit for tat does not make a moral high ground for Hezbollah. All the schools, clinics and TV channels cannot erase the extra-state status they have.

Gandhi and MLK did not gain anything thru violence. They shamed the British and the United States into action.

The first step to a peace in Lebanon is for the government to gain control of all the country, disarm all militias, and then begin to strengthen the government. The next step is for a prisoner exchange from Lebanon and Israel. The next step is guarantees of a peaceful cooexistence by a treaty between the two states. The next step is for the Palestinian territories to have true sovreign status, with no more militias, and a strong government, followed by permanent boundaries and a peace treaty. The settlers have to withdraw from the West Bank. Gaza must not be a desolate wasteland any longer with 2 million unable to do anything due to the locked down Egyptian and Israeli borders.

The first step comes with the militias going away. Period. Without them, there will be no organized terrorist activity, only sole actors, and putting the clampdown by Lebanon is the only way that can happen: we know from where their monies come, and it is not from the West.

But Israel cannot be given the blank check with the world for unilateral vindictive attacks against the civilian population of Lebanon and the Palestinian Territories. Two kidnapped soldiers do not warrant an invasion and destruction of a great part of a country.

Gen. Clark's remarks were entirely reasonable. I see no reason why anyone should withdraw potential support from him as a result of them.