Legitimate military targets?

[mrph]

If you haven't fled south Lebanon, it's your own fault. And it seems you can expect to be shot at on principle.

"All those now in south Lebanon are terrorists who are related in some way to Hezbollah" - Israeli Justice Minister Haim Ramon

Possibly not the best thing to say a day after bombing south Lebanon's UN peacekeepers? Or any of the other non-Hezbollah types there...

Comments

[nils.livejournal.com]

[jruske.livejournal.com]

Welcome to the warzone. If Hezbollah hadn't directly engaged the Israeli infantry - sans uniforms or other means of identifying themselves as militants - then the Israeli infantry wouldn't have to consider every person a hostile.

*shrugs*

Welcome to the new wars. They will all be like this or worse. The fact the media is alarmed that this conflict might last "weeks" tells you how poorly what is going on is understood. The same media jumped on the "it'll take a few months to straighten out Iraq" bandwagon.

This could be a very long and protracted war. If you are in the warzone then get out now before Israel drops a curtain of containment.

[lougarry.livejournal.com]

What amazes me is that no one is doing anythign about it -and those that do make their opinions heard are labelled terrorists. Ok, maybe their rhetoric isn't as polite as it should be, but at least they are saying something.

Much of the western world appears to be muttering and wringin their hands.
I think it's disgusting that we've effectively turned a blind eye to what is going on.

[mrph.livejournal.com]

There's nothing new about it though, is there? These tactics have been used by militants for a century or more. It's still unrealistic - and fucking stupid - to bomb the roads then tell people that if they haven't fled the area they must be part of Hezbollah.

Because that's the difference here - I'd agree that the Israeli army has to consider everyone in the area a potential hostile (like you say, that's how these wars work), but Ramon's taking it a few steps further.

He's not saying they have to "consider" those who are still there as hostiles, he's stating it as a fact. If you're in south Lebanon, he seems to think you must be Hezbollah.

I don't think this is official Israeli policy, and quotes from troops on the ground have been much more realistic - but it's yet another case of Olmert's new and untested goverment putting foot in mouth.

[jorune.livejournal.com]

Such a statement is completely unacceptable.

[valkyriekaren.livejournal.com]

Did you see the pictures of the blown-up ambulance in today's papers? Bloody great shell hole right in the middle of the red cross. Unbelievable.

[mister-jack.livejournal.com]

It's 1980.

The UK bombs the shit out of Ireland.

After all, the IRA didn't wear uniforms.

[feanelwa.livejournal.com]

We're telling the UN we need to do something; the US is resisting. Why did we ever let a country get that big?

[lougarry.livejournal.com]

cos we're really small and we have a poodle for a prime minister?!

[mister-jack.livejournal.com]

I'd be amazed but it really is pretty much par for the course. It's not even like the Israel-Lebanon thing is the worst situation we're currently ignoring.

[lougarry.livejournal.com]

no, but it is a situation that, unless something is done and fast, could escalate and drag a lot more countries into war.
Besides, killing innocents anywhere is bad in my book.
Unfortunately, the Israel/Lebanon thing is taking precedence over all news, so we dont/wont hear about how many were murdered in Iraq or somewhere else.

It's just a convenient excuse to enter into conflict with the oil-weilding nations, and also to get rid of a couple of bad apples at the same time.

[lougarry.livejournal.com]

crazy

[mrph.livejournal.com]

...and the rather confused report on the BBC news at six, after their man in South Lebanon was part of a clearly marked press/UN convoy that somehow got shelled...

[mister-jack.livejournal.com]

Don't worry, the they're using precision, laser-guided munitions!

We know this 'cos the US shipped 'em through Prestwick.