Goodbye, Grandma...and good luck

[SoCalDem]

Lebanon is a "home country" for a LOT of Americans, and LOTS of Americans went there to visit family. The fact that there were 25,000 Americans there at this particular moment says a lot..

Immigrant nation that we ARE, we still have ties to places all across the globe, and families being what they are, people WILL feel a connection to many places as the generations inter-marry.

I keep hearing the "offical sources" say that "maybe 5K" will want to be evacuated. The ones who have small children with them will have the "Sophie's Choice" moment...they MUST evacuate to protect their young children, but they have to know that the ones who cannot go with them, are sure to suffer, at the least, indignities and poverty...and at the worst..they may die.


Lots of people may be making the decision to stay in harm's way, rather than to abandon Lebanese family members to suffer alone..

The goofball idea to swoop in with helicopters to "rescue" Americans seems risky all around.. I am not so sure I would want to even try that.. THAT seems like an ultra-provocative secnario to "force" us into conflict with Syria, since a lot of the people who are far from Beirut are in the Bekkaa valley..

[liberalhistorian]

1. But, but, but.......

They're ALL terrorist supporters who should have stopped Hezbollah, therefore they deserve all of this! :sarcasm: :sarcasm:

[movonne]

2. Why has Israel picked this time to start bombing, when there is

lots of vacationeers...how come they didn't warn them before bombing?

[SoCalDem]

3. the element of surprise..But I CANNOT believe that they

did not tip off some people in the US administration. This seems like a pretty big "adventure" to undertake without the US having a head's up.. If they DID tip off a chosen few in the administration,. and nothing was done to stop it...shame on them...

They use our equipment, we are their main benefactor..I cannot see them cutting us out completely

and no one in power here, seemed the least bit surprised or shocked.

[MissWaverly]

4. what a decision

To decide between helping the old folks or protecting your kids. I listened to the arguments
for the Israeli War on the PBs News Hour; I must admit it didn't make much sense to me. The main focus of the attack is to draw down the Hezbollah arsenal, so they can't get more?? I have read that Iran is the main supporter of Hezbollah. Where will they be at in six months, restocked. Secondly, one of the analysts brought up the point that Lebanon
is a very hilly place so it's impossible to have a wide scale strategic strike like Gaza.
The Hezbollah is like our "minutemen in the Revolutionary War." The barber will close his
shop and go on a combat mission at night and tomorrow will disappear back into the civilian
workforce. I really don't see how this bombing with its high casualty rate in Lebanon will
achieve anything positive long term.

[SoCalDem]

5. Modern wars are "proxy" wars..

Since WWII, "enemies" have faced each other through 3rd parties.. That's why we never seem to get a concrete END to hostilities..

[MissWaverly]

6. yes, I believe this is another Bush War

designed to weaken the Democrats in time for the 2006 elections

[kineneb]

7. know the feeling

I have (step)family in Iran, and I so hope that sanity prevails and nothing happens to them. My parents left Iran after the Revolution, when the regime began killing off the people who worked for the Shah. Some of the rest of family is here and some are still there.

[Bluerthanblue]

8. yet again, thank you for putting this in human terms, illustrating the

agonizing choices, reality of the dilemma and sorrow that many people are suffering-
PEOPLE- not 'numbers' or 'human shields' or 'collateral damage' but living breathing, bleeding and persecuted men, women, and children.

I can only imagine the terrible choices that are having to be made- and the fear and anxiety so many people are dealing with- while * makes his jokes, and the country acts like this is some kind of 'virtual reality'-

I'm appalled at the apathy and callousness that is being voiced and tossed around- life has become one really 'bad trip'- that never seems to end.

My heart goes out to the people living through this hell.

May it stop NOW-

blu

[SoCalDem]

9. "NOW" is already too late.. It has taken DECADES

for lebanon to recover from years of war. They were only recently re-emerging as a top-notch place..and now they are once again demoralized, and plunged back into the abyss..

[Bluerthanblue]

10. true enough-

but the shit about "we'll give Israel a 'week' "... that * spouted, is beyond my ability to comprehend-
Like all the PDB's that he got prior to 9/11- and chose to ignore, like the 'we're going to 'stay the course' when the only 'we' he's talking about are the profits being racked up by his 'blind-trust' business investments-

You are right. What was healing has been ripped apart-

This world is cold and cruel and so depressing.

peace-
blu erthan ever

[SoCalDem]

11. i think the time was carefully chosen ...while the G8 was going on

That would give the US some "cover"... (how COULD we have known...the little chimp was BUSY)