[oldfogey]

Michael J. Totten: <I>Peace Now</I> Under Fire

Another interesting post from Michael Totten in Israel, interviewing the Israeli version of peaceniks.

[oldfogey]

The Red Cross Ambulance Incident#

A debunking of the claim the Israelis attacked a Red Cross ambulance.

[CBRVFR]

Originally Posted by oldfogey

The Red Cross Ambulance Incident#

A debunking of the claim the Israelis attacked a Red Cross ambulance.

Wow. Thanks for posting that.

[steingar]

I had a diatribe on a previous thread about forged photographs that the media pushes their own agenda, and cannot be trusted at face value. This is jsut another example sadly proving the veracity of my claim.

[CBRVFR]

Originally Posted by steingar

I had a diatribe on a previous thread about forged photographs that the media pushes their own agenda, and cannot be trusted at face value. This is jsut another example sadly proving the veracity of my claim.

Yeah, but it was widely reported that Israel acknowledged this attack. The blogger said that they often apologize first, and then investigate.. I don't know if that's true or not.

There has been a lot of this in this conflict.. It may be the arena in which Hizbollocks can truly claim a victory.

No wonder they've been increasingly successful politically.

[phobiaphobe]

Thanks for that, Fogey. Really shows the importance of questioning everything you see in the media.

[Baketech]

There's a lesson here somewhere...

Hezbollah head didn't foresee such a war
By ZEINA KARAM, Associated Press Writer


BEIRUT, Lebanon - Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah said in a TV interview aired Sunday that he would not have ordered the capture of two Israeli soldiers if he had known it would lead to such a war.
Hezbollah guerrillas killed three Israeli soldiers and seized two more in a cross-border raid July 12, which sparked 34 days of fighting that ended Aug. 14. Five other Israeli soldiers were killed as they pursued the militants back into Lebanon.

"We did not think, even 1 percent, that the capture would lead to a war at this time and of this magnitude. You ask me, if I had known on July 11 ... that the operation would lead to such a war, would I do it? I say no, absolutely not," he said in an interview with Lebanon's New TV station.

[Johnny Diablo]

Beat me to it Bake.

From here on out all response should be hard and lastingly severe so that small , or moderate antogonistic acts of random violence are not tolerated.

Nice precedent to set.

[CBR929RE]

Originally Posted by Baketech

There's a lesson here somewhere...

wow what an asshat. everyone in the world knows if you do one little thing to anyone in that part of the world they are gonna flip their lid.

[Johnny Diablo]

Originally Posted by CBR929RE

wow what an asshat. everyone in the world knows if you do one little thing to anyone in that part of the world they are gonna flip their lid.

I wouldnt say anyone.

If you do anything to Israel they are going to flip your lid. Bloodshed in the middle east is the norm but they will think twice about sheding a little Israeli blood again.

[phobiaphobe]

Sounds like an admission of guilt. You listening, Lebanon?

[phobiaphobe]

Originally Posted by oldfogey

The Red Cross Ambulance Incident#

A debunking of the claim the Israelis attacked a Red Cross ambulance.

I forwarded this to a family member. His reply:

This is of no surprise - and is yet another example of the skill with which Arab media is able to influence Western media - and demonstrates again what is really a bias within the mainstream media that is

1) anti-Israeli to the point of actually being anti-Semitic,

2) a liberal bias that has become increasingly anti-democratic, in it's willingness to trash the USA, openly embraces some of the worst anti-democrats (Chavez, Castro - to name a few) and then goes further to suggest that peace can somehow be made with terrorist groups whose stated intention is the elimination of all Western Influence

3) a bias in favor of the UN that ignores the incompetence and cleptocracy that the UN has become.

The mainstream media continues to under-report Islamic terrorist activities (one does not hear much about the 50,000 terrorist attacks in India over the past 10 years); and in their 'golden-rule' of 'providing balance', instead find that the victims (Hindus in India and Israeli citizens in Israel) are somehow 'also at fault'. The mainstream media is a self-serving creation - reinforced daily by the myth that their reporting is 'without bias'; when in fact, their striving to 'show a balance view' introduces a level of denial, bias and in some cases : pure invention that, if unchecked, will eventually destroy the credibility of mainstream news media.

[analogbear]

Originally Posted by phobiaphobe

I forwarded this to a family member. His reply:

I know I am coming to the intellectual portion of this issue waaaaaayyyy late, but wasn't the idea/requirement of "fair and balanced" journalism killed, at least in America, during the Reagan administration? So, as stupid, divisive, and knee-jerk as they all are, can't news agencies report what they want with whatever slant/spin they want? I think we can all agree that they SHOULD NOT do this, but never the less, can't they? And, shouldn't we then resolve not to buy the Lexus, Irish Spring, and Lightdays panty liners advertised on those unbalanced, slanted, and unfair news reports?

[analogbear]

Sorry, it is like almost 2AM and I am hammered...Still doing the Oktoberfest prep.

[seamus]

Originally Posted by phobiaphobe

I forwarded this to a family member. His reply:

You forwarded that to BDA?


I agree that the Arab media is slanting it's reports and presenting a biased view that counters and attempts to influence western media outlets. But how is that much different from what we do on a daily basis?

[phobiaphobe]

Originally Posted by seamus

You forwarded that to BDA?


I agree that the Arab media is slanting it's reports and presenting a biased view that counters and attempts to influence western media outlets. But how is that much different from what we do on a daily basis?

It certainly goes both ways. It just seems they (western media) are all too eager to present the west a/o Israel as the bad guy.

[Proto]

I went to see the film Paradise Now on Saturday night. Not exactly light entertainment but a very powerful film, and well worth seeking out.

Story of two young Palestinians and how they are drawn into becoming suicide bombers.

Some "user" reviews from The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) site:

Paradise Now is an authentic film that poetically deals with one of the most prickly and difficult issues facing the world today. It is a natural and elegant film, which leaves you thinking and feeling in ways you did not expect. For those who say that such a movie should not be shown, or that there is no value in pondering such topics from this viewpoint - my response is that open awareness and the exchange of ideas is the beginning of a solution. You cannot suppress reality, or freedom of speech and expression. This film vividly demonstrates that life is not black and white - we live in shades of gray. This is a perspective that should be seen, and deserves to be shown.

Another:

Very powerful film that goes beyond the obvious, delivering a strong insight into a difficult subject, while maintaining a tension and drama that makes it impossible not to be stirred by the film. Delivering a film without falling into the pitfalls of political correctness or propaganda is an achievement in itself.

A must see for anyone.

A strong cast and powerful photography in a film that was long overdue. Strong script, powerful performances by the entire cast, excellent photography and a story that will stay with you long after you have left the cinema.

[oldfogey]

I noticed the last two episodes of "Spooks", a UK TV security service thriller series, had Mossad as the baddies in each episode.

[leelover]

Originally Posted by oldfogey

I noticed the last two episodes of "Spooks", a UK TV security service thriller series, had Mossad as the baddies in each episode.

Isn't that an interesting trend? Fogey, you have a different perspective than the American one, what is the general feeling about Israel in your country?

[oldfogey]

Not exactly a daily topic for non-Jews; officialdom is often pro-Arab, at least Gulf States and Saudi; left-wing supporters used to be naturally pro-Zionist, but now mostly pro-Palestinian.

Person in the street was upset by Israeli invasion of Lebanon, saw lots of human distress stories from the Lebanese side; tends to favour whoever got bombed last. Most people annoyed by settlements and perceived treatment of non-Jews in Israeli-controlled territory beyond 1948 borders.

[Baketech]

On my last trip, I had a person (seemed to be a well-spoken, educated type)argue that the key to Mideast resolution was to bomb Israel off the map, thus removing the source of ALL tension in the region...

[oldfogey]

Certainly, there's no parallel pro-Israel feeling in the UK to that in the US.

[luvtolean]

Which is very interesting considering the significant role the UK played in creating Israel.