So....is war in the Middle East imminent?

[Kev]

It doesn't matter, these are awful people and who gives a fuck about the terror suspects. We could have killed Bin Laden on day 1, we would still have a reason to get rid of the fucking taliban. They are awful. I just read today they executed a 7 year old boy accusing him of being a spy. Whether we gave them support in the past or not, is anyone here actually against fighting the Taliban?

Taliban Kill, Hang 7-Year-Old Boy as Government Spy

Who said they were friendly guys? Is the 7 years old murder really a surprise? Nope. We all know they things like that. However, how is it ok to loyally support them all gun ho till the Afghan war, even inviting them to Washington to promote their image and then deciding they were bad guys because they didn't obey their master? Nobody gave a fuck about peoples over there in Washington because they financed their most radical leaders and wouldn't it be for the Caspian sea petrol, they would have never landed a boot over there to "hunt Bin Laden". There are regimes as bad in Africa, notably Somalia where pirates stole more than 100 millions of material a year but they do not land in there because there ain't money to do. Same for North Korea which is much more frightening than a handful of bearded man riding 1970 motorcycles and drinking tea in some caves. The problem now is that they created a gigantic havok and can't afford to lose face, especially because of the tensions everywhere else make the region too dangerous. Talibans are disgusting peoples but you're very naive if you think that the US landed there to "save their peoples". If the Talibans would have accepted the Caspian Sea pipe, they would rule with iron hands and not even a single G.I would have land over there, at best they would condone their actions at the UN but they would not have removed them from power.

So you agree with me then that we must all be very naieve to believe that the furore against Israel now is all to do with concern for the plight of the Gazan people. You just explained excellently how the world cares nothing for the plight of others except when it suits their own ends, and thus in the case of Gaza, it is the new propaganda tool to exploit the Israeli's with. They are just pawns in an anti semitic attack. The Arab world would like to have another go at the six day war, but obviously with different results this time, and the first stage is to win the war of public opinion.

Excellent post Nameless, I agree with everything you said

Thanks for agreeing. However, I do not agree with your logic:

More than 200 motions have voted against Israel, many for war crimes at the UN but the Us systematically used their veto to block the whole deal. When 200 motions have been voted, it shows people care.

The Afghan case is absolutely different from Palestine who gets its land stolen, their water blocked and the simplest of material blocked from getting in. Afghan's borders aren't in cause in the case that interests us.

When you send 10 000 tons of medical help to a place where there is not a dime to be made (compared to billions with the pipeline) and that you challenge one very dangerous Army in Tsahal, it must be because somehow, you care about these peoples to take such risks.

Also, Comparatively to Afghanistan where the Us did put Hamid Karzai, an ex Texaco consultant (or Chevron, anyway one of these) to the head of the country to serve their interests, Israel did elect themselves their very own government which is not an ex consultant who works for the American oil interests.

2 very different situations Mr BAggins, I tell ya but thanks for agreeing with me on the Afghan case

To be fair to Isreal its enemies declare everything it does to be a war crime. There are so many claims made regarding their 'ethnic cleansing' and 'genocide' which create the popular opinion that they are commiting atrocities but none of them bear up to scrutiny.

They have been subject to some terrible propaganda and outright lies against them.

Please comment on my points below and tell me where you disagree.

Firstly, the idea that they are being starved to death is simply not bourne out. The Palestinian population has actually increased, from 240,000 in 1950 to 1.5 million today.

Secondly when Israel took over control of Gaza in 1967 the average life expectancy of a Palestinaian was 48 years. Now despite being brutally mistreated their life expectanies have INCREASED to 72 years, making them the only persecuted people's in history to have seen their health so drastically improve under such intolerable conditions.

Interestingly infant mortality in Palestine since the Jews took over has dropped from 100 per 1000 live births to 23 per 1000 live births.

Despite your claims to drinking water being withheld, they actually have far more access now than they didn prior to 1967. Also illiteracy was rampant prior to 1967 whereas now, again under Israeli control illiteracy has been almost wiped out amongst those born after 1967.

These statistical facts obviously don't help the anti-Israeli cause however and so never get mentioned.

Also there have been numerous false allegations made against Israel, which have been proven false, yet still the idea still persist.

The 2002 massacre of hundred of Palestiniants in Jenin for example has since been exposed as a total fabrication. The bombing of two Lebanese Red Cross ambulances in 2006, which received worldwide condemnation was later found to be a hoax as well yet only the condemnation of Israel is ever publicised. When events are proven to be not as desrcibed, no retraction of Isreal's 'wrong doing' is made thus the myth of Jewis aggression persists in the minds of the public.

The fake killing of the 12 year old Palestinian Mohammed al-Dura in 2000 is another atrocity commited against Israel. The whole event was staged, he wasn't even dead but was killed later by the Arabs to propogate their atrocity claims. It was an evil, inhumane attempt to besmirch the Israeli reputation.

There have been a long list of false claims and allegations made against Israel, hardly any of which stand up to scrutiny, henced why they are never scrutinised.