Lebanon Is Not a Victim

[bemildred]

Dershowitz at his finest. Note the site. Violates Godwin's Law from the outset.

Lebanon has now declared war on Israel and its citizens are bearing the consequences. Lebanon is no more a victim of Hezbollah than Austria was a victim of Nazism. In fact a higher percentage of Lebanese--more than 80%--say they support Hezbollah. The figures were nearly as high before the recent civilian deaths.

This is considerably higher than the number of Austrians who supported Hitler when the Nazis marched into Austria in 1938. Austria too claimed it was a victim, but no serious person today believes such self-serving historical revisionism. Austria was not "Hitler's first victim." It was Hitler's most sympathetic collaborator.

So too with Lebanon, whose president has praised Hezbollah, whose army is helping Hezbollah, and many of whose "civilians" are collaborating with Hezbollah. According to a news report in the New York Times on Sunday, August 6th, Hezbollah is Lebanon and Lebanon is Hezbollah. It is "as much a part of society as is its Shiite faith." As a car mechanic put it, "we are Hezbollah." A café owner was even more direct: "Just because I'm sitting here in this café doesn't mean I'm not a resistance fighter." Of course if he were killed fighting Israel, his death would be listed as a "civilian" casualty. Nor is he alone. He continued: "Everyone has a weapon in his house...There are doctors, teachers, and farmers. Hezbollah is people. People are Hezbollah." Except, of course, when they are killed or injured fighting against Israel--then they become just 'people,' just "civilians." As a doctor asked rhetorically, as he pointed to dead bodies resulting from a battle between Israeli and Hezbollah forces, "Do you see anybody from Hezbollah?"

It is virtually impossible to distinguish the Hezbollah dead from the truly civilian dead, just as it is virtually impossible to distinguish the Hezbollah living from the civilian living, especially in the south. The "civilian" death figures reported by Lebanese authorities include large numbers of Hezbollah fighters, collaborators, facilitators and active supporters. They also include civilians who were warned to leave, but chose to remain, sometimes with their children, to serve as human shields. The deaths of these "civilians" are the responsibility of Hezbollah and the Lebanese government, which has done very little to protect its civilians.

Huffington Post

Edit: Godwin's Law

[ThomCat]

1. Does that ass still have a soap box to stand on?

x(

[LiberalPartisan]

2. Kudos to Dershowitz

He's 100% spot on.

[JackORoses]

10. don't you mean

Douchewitz??

[wellst0nev0ter]

20. Regardless Of The Wisdom Of Your Post

You aren't suppose to have any pics in your sig line making any advocacy of any side of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict.

[LiberalPartisan]

23. I was not aware of that...

I'm removing it now..

[Kagemusha]

3. So what's his point? Kill them all?

I don't care to elaborate on the thought.

[lvx35]

4. Sigh.

I wonder when the current Israeli administration will be willing to accept human nature. The fact is that when people consider themselves uninvolved in a conflict, such as between Israel and Hezbollah, they will side with whatever side DOES NOT attack them - and that's what happened with the Lebanese people. Attacks on their infrastructure caused them to side with Hezbollah, because Israel justified that opinion. When Israel stops adopting tese losing policies, these changes will come, but no sooner. Its time to back the Israelis who really love their country and have effective plans for peace in the region.

[breakaleg]

5. my favorite part was the bit about parents choosing to keep their

children their to act as human shields. This guy is incredible.

[bemildred]

8. Indeed, they should send their kids somewhere safe, like Israel ... nt

[breakaleg]

11. like any mother would kill their child to make a point. or put them in

danger...

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

6. Lebanon's not a victim, OJ's innocent, and...

...sometimes torture is OK---the man has all the credibility of the former Iraqi Information Minister.

[MrPrax]

15. Now now...

Allan Dershowitz is one of the most respected lawyers in your country and holds the Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law at one of your most prestigious universities, Harvard?

That means he's smart!!

:evilgrin:

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

16. You danged old Canadians...

...always trying to distract me with your clever satire, but it's not going to work this time, I know you're hiding WMDs and I intend to find them, Mr Prax, if that is your real name.

[MrPrax]

17. All your base are belong to us!!! eom

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

19. Damn! I forgot about that.

[Solo_in_MD]

7. Godwin only applies to Usenet

Dershowitz's arguments have some minor merit, but he is clearly over the top overall.

[bemildred]

9. Godwin applies anywhere you like.

How would it be enforced but by common consent? So it the consensus of posters approves, then it is in force, otherwise not.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

12. Dershowitz and others like him with their blathering are now part of the

worst public relations nightmare Israel will find herself in yet.
Will lots of Lebanese people get killed?

Sure.

Are they all Hezbollah now?
Probably.

Will Isreal crush Hezbollah?
Absofrikkenlutely 100 percent unlikely.

The majority of Hezbollah's fighters are not in Lebanon, they are spread aroung the Mid-East. And as with all asymmetric warfare engagements, they will cut off one limb only to see another limb grow elsewhere.
While the government of Israel can't stand back when terrorist attacks occur, this was not an act of terrorism per se.
Hezbollah captured MILITARY targets.

If anything, Israel is simply recuiting young Arabs in the mission to make sure Israeli's never get a good night's sleep. This shit didn't work in the 70's and it won't work now.

Hell Israel's been crushing Hamas since the 70's. NOT!

Unfortunately, with us in Iraq, it's all the worst because it appears to the Arab world that we are indeed out to annihilate them.

[hlthe2b]

13. Sure.. dehumanize your opponent... they don't love their children...

There are NO Innocents. They don't care about life vs. death.... Let's see now. Where were those tactics applied before?

Damn. This is abysmal.

[tandot]

14. absolutely disgusting

"It is virtually impossible to distinguish the Hezbollah dead from the truly civilian dead..." well, I guess than it is completely alright to just kill everyone, especially Muslim children. Who knows, some of them might end up supporting Hezbollah and they just shouldn't be allowed to grow up :sarcasm:

The death of innocent civilians on both sides is absolutely deplorable and will solve absolutely NOTHING. This will only make the anger against Israel grow. An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind.

[madrchsod]

18. jesus christ is this one fucked -up article

the hatred oozes out of each word that he wrote...flip this shit over and it`s the same thing one could read on stormfront/aryan nation web site..i know, i read their sites

[wellst0nev0ter]

21. Schmendrick

Hezbollah hides among the civilians. Polls show strong support for Hezbollah. "We are now Hezbollah."

Those sentiment counts a thousand times among the Israelis and their military, so using his logic the rocket attacks are perfectly legitimate.

I said it before and I'll say it again: there's scum, there's the scum that feeds the scum, and then there's Dershowitz.

[breakaleg]

22. If anyone used such harsh words to describe Israel and their

atrocities, we'd be labeled an anti-semite. It's funny how the street doesn't go both ways.

[cali]

24. What he wrote is so vile

I just don't know where to begin.