Geo-Politics

[HuntinDoug]

I read a very interesting book about 4 months ago: "Jerusalem Countdown" written by: John Hagee.

He is the nations leading scholar on Israel, Jewish history, and Bible prophesy concerning the future of Israel. He wrote this book almost 18 months ago, and he has called what is happening with Iran, N Korea & the current conflict shot by shot so far. He also claims Israel MUST make a pre-emptive strike on Iran, or Iran will follow thru with "Wiping Israel off the map" by using nukes.

[Shawn Lutz]

Canada does indeed rock. I like beer and hockey....snowmobilin too

[YetAnotherOne]

WW III bound??

Yes but this isn't going to be the precipitating event, Gilad Shalit isn't going to go down in history as did the Archduke Ferdinand. The Saudis have pinned the blame for the Israeli action in Lebanon squarely on Hizb'Allah, the Egypians have all but named Iran as the party that undermined their mediation efforts to free Cpl. Shalit, the Jordanians have been silent, etc. Though Hizb'Allah is Iran's creature there's no easy way for Iran's military to participate and it's doubtful that Syria will be willing to fall on the sword to protect Iran's interests and even if they are they're the only other state likely to participate directly. With no other state actors willing to participate this conflict is very likely to be self-contained.

It's important to remember that Hizb'Allah isn't wildly popular in Lebanon. They hold something like 10% of the seats in the Lebanese parliament but if popular opinion is to be believed the overwhelming majority of Lebanese people would very much like to see them ran out of the country. Unfortunately that won't happen until and unless the Israelis march on Damascus to cut off the suppliers and backers.

The message to take away from all of this is, as Don Rumsfeld says, "Weakness is provocative." By our unwillingness to take strong measures against Iran we've inadvertently emboldened them and the current war is a direct result of Iran's perception of that weakness. Similarly our unwillingness to take strong measures against North Korea will embolden them and they'll soon do something even stupider than they did last week. American historian Victor Davis Hanson has been loudly pointing out for some time now that the international community is reliving the 1930s by giving every possible concession to regimes that will happily accept said concessions but give nothing in return. The end result can only be another world war, let's hope we all become realists before we cross that rubicon once again.

[HuntinDoug]

Do you honestly give a shit about Canada?

Hey...Canada has some of the best deer hunting in North America... It's OK in my book. I saw the 20/20 piece on the oil sands (or whatever they are called). Awsome stuff. Something like enough oil to last 100 years. I bet Canada has all kinds of "friends" all of a sudden.

[fett]

This whole situation has more angles than a soap opera. You guys think Iraq is a boiling point, if this gets out of hand it will make Iraq look like a sad sideshow.

[RacerX]

Apologize to zeegler

[YetAnotherOne]

The most dangerous situation on the planet right now is on the Indian subcontinent where India believes they have sufficient evidence to conclude that Pakistan's intelligence service carried out the recent bombings there. If so that's an act of war by the Pakistani government and India will be forced to respond. Nuclear winter anyone?

[zeegler]

Apologize to zeegler

Do you mean you apologize to me Ron?

If so, thank you. I mean that. I may have strong opinions on a lot of issues, and sometimes they may not come out exactly as intended, but I have never made anti-semitic, anti-black, anti-chinese, or racist comments at all to my knowledge. I hate everyone equally. J/K

Seriously, all of this kind of thing makes me very sad. I think of all the children in the world who don't have the same opportunities that we have in so-called civilized countries, who don't have the luxury of living peaceful productive lives, who are destined to live lives full of hatred, fear, poverty and sadness, and it tears me up. I have a hard time comprehending those people who propogate these pointless conflicts. I guess I'm becoming more pessimistic as I get older.

Not much makes me happy any more.

[RacerX]

Yeah, I shortened the sentence. Hope you enjoyed your free shots!

[zeegler]

Yeah, I shortened the sentence. Hope you enjoyed your free shots!

Nah. It felt hollow.

I apologize too. I don't like conflict.

What's the matter with me. My testosterone levels must be dropping.

[horns666]

you both are good guys..

says me..

[YetAnotherOne]

Seriously, all of this kind of thing makes me very sad. I think of all the children in the world who don't have the same opportunities that we have in so-called civilized countries, who don't have the luxury of living peaceful productive lives, who are destined to live lives full of hatred, fear, poverty and sadness, and it tears me up. I have a hard time comprehending those people who propogate these pointless conflicts. I guess I'm becoming more pessimistic as I get older.

The cold hard truth is that human history is a history of warfare, subjugation, and oppression. Violence and brutality have always been the norm and peace, when it has existed at all, has rarely more than a brief lull between battles. Any semblance of a lasting peace has, universally, been both won and maintained by the sword but even then it has represented little more than the time required for sufficient forces to align against the dominant power of the day. Feeling guilt or shame over the fact that human history continues to run its eternal course unabated is useless at best. We aren't noble creatures, we never have been. Get used to it.

[zeegler]

Well, I don't feel guilty. I know it's not my fault.

[chrisgUK]

The cold hard truth is that human history is a history of warfare, subjugation, and oppression. Violence and brutality have always been the norm and peace, when it has existed at all, has rarely more than a brief lull between battles. Any semblance of a lasting peace has, universally, been both won and maintained by the sword but even then it has represented little more than the time required for sufficient forces to align against the dominant power of the day. Feeling guilt or shame over the fact that human history continues to run its eternal course unabated is useless at best. We aren't noble creatures, we never have been. Get used to it.

Well said. You only have a look a few years back and in the UK when people mentioned the word terrorist people immediately thought of the IRA! Nowadays too many people think all terrorists are Muslim.
Also there isnt a chance in Hell anyone will fire a Nuclear weapon. Arthur C Clarke famously said "if we can get 50years without using them again then we never will" and he is probrobly right. It was only a year or so ago that we passed the 50years since he said it. The brits here might remember an episode of Yes PrimeMinister which debated why there was any point us having the weapons and that was over 20 years ago.

[MichaelLitvak]

i immigrated to Canada from Israel around 4 years ago.. lived in Israel for 11 years

Israel's main goal is peace but all arab countries around just wont let it happen... attack Israeli cities with hundreds of missles a day, suicide bombers... life there is pretty hursh.. you can walk on the street and out of no where a missle will strike you or a suicide bomber who happened to be walking becide you will explode.. you go on a bus and you never know if it will explode or not.. these terrorists attack and kidnapp soldiers and then torture them to deah.. so Israel has no choice.. the world is pissed off because civilians are hurt.. well... terrorists are holding a gun in 1 hand and a baby in their other hand

remember a few weeks ago the incident on a gaza beach.. a whole palastinian family was killed because of Israel missle.. well then they found out that terrorist set up bombs and killed their own people.. but the first impression was already made and the world got pissed off..

its pissing me off how terrorists with no tanks, airplanes and technology are able to win a country with the latest technology and one of the best military in the world.. all because of Israel's stupid government..the PM is very weak and doesn't know what he's doing atleas thats how it looks like

i say fuck what the world thinks, bomb the shit out of them and stop the terror.. but that wont happen


edit: look at CNN.. pissing me off too.. they just talk about how Israel bombs Lebanon.. they dont talk about how 300 missles a day are coming from Lebanon on Israel civilians..