Dispatch from Beirut:
 

I had not revealed until now that I have a personal reason as well as a political/moral one for opposing the bombing of civilians in Lebanon, but my sister-in-law is currently in Beirut working w/ the refuge relief operation. My brother and his wife are relief workers based in India, actually my brother is the regional director of South Asia for CRS, the second biggest NGO relief org in the world after CARE. His wife works independently from him on separate projects, and they are frequently separated. They live an exciting life, but it is sometimes terrifying to watch from the outside as family members.

I just got off the phone w/ my brother in Dehli, he is in contact w/ her and getting up-to-the-minute reporting on life on the ground in Beirut. It has quieted down in the last couple days since the big apartment house bombing and attendant political fall-out, but the country has been hit hard as anyone who reads a paper knows. I made the remark that Beirut was a pretty nice place until 2 weeks ago, he kind of laughed and said that Dominique (his wife) says that "it's still pretty nice by our standards".:D Gives you an idea of the places where they usually work, ie. the Asian tsunami, Angola, Congo, etc.. (They were working the Africa beat for ~12 years until 2004). She is staying in a really nice hotel surrounded by journalists, many of whom she knows and know each other from previous assignments. Pool, big suite, etc... Nice weather.

I got a good primer on the history of Hezbolla and the Israeli army in Lebanon from him, not really an overtly political one but just a good background. Aside from all else, my brother is a political scientist of the first order. He met his wife 17 years ago at Stanford when both were Phd candidates in their school of government/PS. That program admits ~12 students per year from around the globe, (Dominique is French/Swiss), and my brother got a full fellowship, which means a free ride. "Condi" Rice was provost of near eastern studies at the time and was a close friend of theirs, it is a very small and close-knit department. They fell in love, got married and decided to both jetison a comfortable and secure life teaching in an Ivy league university or becoming diplomats and instead dropped out of the program to take a position in Haiti doing relief work. They have never looked back, and are the most professionally fulfilled people I have ever met, including a lot of 8-figure salaried actors and directors.

The only info I just got was the story of the trip from Damascus to Beirut and basically the panic of the people still there who are afraid of the war spreading, but I will keep the inside view/story coming as i get it. Call it a "Pelican exclusive". ;)

I have told my brother about this place and wish that he would check it out, but he is just too damn busy. He works with a fascinating collection of people, including one ex-Israeli army officer, and the info is really raw and unfiltered by media for the most part.

I asked him if he believes that Israel intentionally bombed the U.N. observers, he said,

"Yes, are you kidding? They've done it before, they hate the U.N. soldiers and vice-versa". Like it was no big deal, though. No mouth-foaming when he said it. I'm not religious, but if I was I'd be praying for my sister-in-law right now. If they kill her, I will not forgive. Never. :cool:

WOW! Keep the inside reporting coming. I find this much more accurate than CNN, and the rest of the BS mass media.

2 threads to subscribe too.

Thanks for the info and keep us posted.

Hope all stays well. Thanks so much for the post, and please keep them coming. I've been watching CNN, alJazeera, and kind of splitting the difference.

I hope no harm comes to them and will include them in my prayers but I have to add something about this subject:

People make choices and have to deal with the consequences.
If they decide to go to Lebanon, they are conciously accepting the risk that they may become a statistic of war.
Although tragic these people are not victims, they are participants.

I also do not believe the people of lebanon are completely innocent.
Hezbollah is part of their government and widely supported. Either they actively support the terrorists, or they passively support the terrorist cause.
Either way they directly or indirectly contributed to this war.
Your brother is quick to critisize the Iraelli military. What does he say about Hezbollah?

Re: Dispatch from Beirut:
 

Do tell.

Do your own learning, boy.

:D It would be nice to hear some first-hand information for once.. (Second-hand really until he posts). I too hope they are o.k....

I'm sorry, that was rude of me. I thought that you were just trying to bait me into another endless argument about Israel where no one's mind is changed, but if you were in fact being earnest, I sincerely apologize.

To tell the truth, I am no middle east scholar and do not have a deep understanding of the history of all of the various conflicts over there. Not many Americans are, and those that even have opinions usually fall into the American Israel lobby party line or are Arabs w/ similarly biased (one-sided) views. I've had it with both.

He brought me up to speed, (quickly), on the recent history of Israel occupying Lebanon under Begin until mid-'90s, and how it did not end well for the Israelis. The moment they pulled out, after training the Lebanon defense forces that were supposed to protect the buffer zone in south Lebanon for over a decade, the Lebanon forces immediately folded up camp and ceded the area to Hezbollah. They defected en masse to Israel or blended back into the population and HB just literally took their positions. At first when Israel went in, in the late '70s, (is this right, doing this from memory?), the Israeli public and Army was gung-ho behind it like they are right now. Pretty soon that changed and by the end they were de-moralized because those pesky insurgents are not so easy to defeat. He compared it to our failed mission in Iraq, (does anyone still dispute this?), it is not easy to fight insurgents when they have the support of the native population. In fact, it's nearly impossible.

He also told me an interesting fact about Hasidic Jews and how they are resented by many in Israel because they beat one of the loudest drums for military action but are excused from mandatory service in the army for religious reasons(?) In other words, they are extreme right-wingers who scream for their countrymen (and women) to fight and die for a cause but do not fight themselves. Plus they are religious fanatics. Remind you of anyone we know? ;)

There will be peace there when military profits dwindle here
.

Here is an email I just received from her:

Hi Denny,

Thanks for your kind message - and rest reassured, I am not the type to
put
myself unduly in danger ! Our neighborhood in Beirut is quite safe
and I
have not been to southern Lebanon (though Caritas is very active
throughout
the country) or southern Beirut for that matter (it's empty of people).

People are getting very tired and worry that no acceptable cease-fire
will
be negotiated any time soon. They had just finally got out of the
previous
war's reconstruction process.... The bombing of the northern route
was
quite a shock indeed - first time mainly christian areas were targeted
(though there are other, more windy routes north through the mountains,
so
it's not that all links are closed). People are particularly
frustrated as
Lebanon is actually quite a developped, modern country - most
infrastructure
were rebuilt recently after the was of the 1980s - so the level of loss
is
particularly shocking. Also, many are worried at what the war will do
to
the fragile social fabric of the country....

All this to say, the situation of the country is not good - though I'm
keeping safe myself.
Thanks for your concern & take care yourself !
Dominique

Perhaps you could ask if the local populace supports Hezbollah and if the Lebonese government is doing/has done to stop them from firing rockets at Isreal.

Also, do they really expect to get some type of cease fire as long as Hezbollah continues to fire unguided rockets into population areas in Isreal (instead of attempting to engage the Israali military)?

Do they blame Israel or the terrorists (Hezbollah)...or thier own government?

since the Israeli's are dropping bombs on Lebanon, their firing rockets into Israel is justifiable self defense.

Quote:

Also, do they really expect to get some type of cease fire as long as Hezbollah continues to fire unguided rockets into population areas in Isreal (instead of attempting to engage the Israali military)?

Why should they attempt to engage a military brisling with US government suppolied weaponry that's most impervious to attack, when they can make those that partially fund the Israeli attacks on Lebanon, the Israelis themselves?

Quote:

Do they blame Israel or the terrorists (Hezbollah)...or thier own government?

You really haven't a clue about what's happening between Israel and Lebanon do you?

Speeder

I really am interested in the answer to these questions from your source in Lebanon, not in the the rural South Carolina version. Now if I had a question about emptying bedpans...........

I'd like to hear more from someone on the ground in Beirut as well, you should know it's very likely that you know a lot more about bedpans than I do, I've not emptied one in over fifteen years, if at all.

Then stop answering them yourself! Duh! I could get your version from Al Jazeera.

I will ask her those questions in my next email, but I can tell you that I'm guessing that no one has a lot of time for politics right now in Beirut. It's all about where the next gallon of clean drinking water or antibiotics are coming from.

Even though my brother and sister-in-law have their own views on world events and politics, you might be surprised at how matter-of-fact and pragmatic they are. They are constantly in war zones, (at least in Africa for the last 15 years), and have become somewhat immune to seeing the horrible behavior of groups of people and governments. Including Hezbollah, most definitely. The thing about HB that is odd is that they are like two different organizations, a provider of social services in south Lebanon, (good), and a militia that is a sworn enemy of Israel. (Bad). She is having to sit at tables w/ HB reps, (as are all of the other NGO figures in Lebanon right now), and it is a little awkward to say the least. We are not anti-semites/Jew-haters in my family and would prefer to never meet any.

I have to go right now to a social commitment, but I'll be back later. :cool:

Support for Hezbollah in Lebanon is 87%. Even among Lebaneese Christans, support is at 80.%

Thanks Rodeo. We can now add the New England viewpoint to the rural South version. Heck, Speeder...why even bother to ask someone that is actually there?

F lebanon and everyone in it. They deserve what they are getting and no crap about how peace loving they are will change my opinion. They started a war, they support a war and a war is what they will get. Tell your relatives to get the f out of the rat hole until they join the modern world.

That's precisely what the poll I cited did, it asked the people of Lebanon their views on Hezbollah. 87% now approve.

Hezbollah has become a hero throughout the Arab world, including our "allies" in Iraq. While our men and women die to secure Iraq, the Iraqis march carrying pictures of Nasrallah and wearing white shrouds (which signifies their willingness to die for this terrorist organization), and chanting "death to America and Israel."

When are the mouth breathers going to learn this is not WWII?

Killing one terrorist while making 10 more in the process is a zero sum game.

Another brilliant geopolitical strategist heard from.

You and fint should get a room.

I had the great honour of meeting several Lebanese nationals in school and in the military. All were good people, all were Muslim. They had zero love for Israel and about as much for hezbollah. I feel for what has happened to a once beautiful and thriving nation.

The West let them down after WWI (we promised a United Arabian Land in repayment for joining the fray against The Ottoman Turks) and we have continued to feed the fuel of insurrection and discontent. I don't have any answers, but I hate to see these continuing conflicts tearing up innocent lives. I do feel we were heading down the right path with the peace talks before Israel and hammas pulled themselves out of The Peach Process. Both parties are culpable IMHO!

This is behavior categorized as "denial" in the most classic sense. Guy hears something he doesn't want to believe, so he discounts it as untrue, delusional, or simply an opinion instead of hard, unvarnished fact.

Nearly all untreated addicts display it, what's your narcotic? Militarism I'd guess with a secondary addiction to neo-con Kool-Aid.

You'd be an awful lot better informed if you did.

If you kill ALL of them there won't be 10 to replace them will there?

Go back to your "hooked on phonics" lesson, troll.

Originally posted by fintstone
Then stop answering them yourself! Duh! I could get your version from Al Jazeera.
I agree. al Jazeera is more accurate and less slanted than Pat. Try it.
al Jazeera

I promised myself I would stay away from these debates...however there are facts some seem to be overlooking, do not know or do not wish to know or plainly wish to ignore.

Lebanon historically is a Christian country. For over 100 years she has suffered the tribulations of war and outside influences well beyond her capabilities of control.

My great-grandmother was a Christian (Greek Orthodox). She and others of her era, along with all Christian Lebanese were tattooed; marked by the Ottomans...just like the Nazis did to the Jews and others...she wore a number on her wrist for all to see.

My grandfather (her son) lived with a Jew on one side and a Moslem on the other as neighbours in his Christian village - in PEACE. It was "the way"...that is until after WWII when the mid-east was carved up by the west (my, the English have things to answer for) with no real understanding or consideration. The all out losers were the Palestinians. They were truly displaced and thus flooded the borders mainly of Jordan (fact - Jordan for many many years had more Palestinian refugees than Jordanian nationals to support). These refugees also flowed to Lebanon...and the Lebanese for many years exploited them. They were not on equal footing with the Nationals, some say they were treated as second class citizens.

There has been unrest in this little jewel country of the middle east for decades...we were there in '68 for several months and my father (Lebanese born Christian) sensed the trouble then. 7 years later the civil war erupted and the country has not enjoyed real peace since.

Who is to blame for the mess then and the mess now? Point the finger wherever you like...you would all be a little right in my view.

Lebanon's weakness lies within - the Christians are not united, the Moslems are not united, there are factions and fractions everywhere. Syria wants her fertile land, Israel wants her water (fact - Israel altered the water course of the Litani river and stole the water years ago)...the Palestians will take what they can get from her until they reclaim their homeland. These are but small examples.

Lots of you lay blame at the feet of the Lebanese and their government. This is a country that was suffering a large international debt back in 1968 and has been decimated ever since. It is a country divided and therefore weakened. It is a crying shame....and an unsolvable problem so long as the fanatics have control. I believe Israel has a right to a homeland and to live in peace. But I also believe Palestine has a right to homeland and to live in peace. Most of all I believe than countries like Lebanon and Jordan have a right to their homelands and to be left in peace! Very sadly, I cannot see a solution and I despair for the land of my heritage.

Please, please understand the history and the culture before condemning either side so widely...redneck generalisations solve nothing and inflame everything. Innocent lives are being lost...a country is being decimated again...a region faces another era of war. A catastrophe that may not, or cannot, or will not be averted.

Lisa, thanks for sharing that with us!

Here's some of the human beings that you gleefuly endorse killing, Snowman, you pathetic troll.

After Bomb Kills Loved Ones, Life Turns Ghostly

By SABRINA TAVERNISE

TYRE, Lebanon, Aug. 7 — After a bomb hits, the remains of a life are modest.

Ghazi Samra, a fisherman, is feeling the new shape of his. Last month, his wife, one of his daughters and a granddaughter were killed in an Israeli airstrike. Since then, his life has shrunk to the size of one crooked city block. He tries to sleep in an apartment that is not his own. He wears his wife’s glasses, more out of a craving for closeness to her than as an aid to see. The shirt and shorts he is wearing are his brother’s. He has not felt able to return to his own apartment.

“I became a different person,” said Mr. Samra, sitting on a battered chair in a local gathering space at the intersection of two narrow stone streets. “I can’t talk with my children. I’m not wearing my own clothes.”

Across Lebanon and Israel, missiles, rockets and bombs have punched holes into families and, slowly, painstakingly, the survivors are trying to put themselves back together again. It is a quiet process that unfolds in the private space of people’s lives. It is full of ache and of empty places. It is a major consequence of war that often goes unnoticed, after the flash of bombs and the headlines that chronicle them fade away.

For Mr. Samra, who is 50, the healing is happening in a warren of narrow stone streets in the old section of this town. He begins his day with a short walk down a narrow alley to the place, several doorways down, where he passes the hours. He walks slowly, in leather sandals, usually smoking a cigarette. It is supposed to be an exercise in forgetting, but often it is the first few minutes of another day full of extremely painful memories.

Those memories began on the late afternoon of July 16, when his wife, a granddaughter and four of his children, afraid of a possible airstrike, sought shelter in the basement of a nearby building, as theirs lacked one. The building housed the main office for the city’s emergency workers, and the family felt sure it would be safe.

They were wrong. Around 5:30 p.m., missiles struck the building’s foundations and its top floors. Residents now say a Hezbollah official may have been living there. There was no response from the Israeli Defense Ministry to a request, submitted last week, for comment about the target.

Mr. Samra had been sitting with friends elsewhere. He raced to the building and frantically began to dig. He found his 5-year-old daughter, Sally, torn apart. Her torso and an arm lay separate from her legs. Another daughter, Noor, 8, was moving under the rubble. His granddaughter Lynn, not yet 2, had part of her face smashed. His wife, Alia Waabi, had died immediately.

Two other daughters, Zahra and Mirna, made it to safety, though Zahra was badly injured.

“This is my family,” he said, his face creased, sitting under the eaves of the stone houses. “Three of them are buried and three of them are in hospitals.”

After the adrenaline of the rescue and its aftermath fell away, Mr. Samra sank into blankness. He could not focus on anything. He had trouble remembering things. His vision seemed to blur.

He found it difficult to process what had happened. One thing that keeps him from mourning properly is that his wife and daughter will not be able to have a proper burial until the violence has died down. They were temporarily buried in an empty lot with dozens of others. They were assigned numbers. Alia is No. 35 and Sally is No. 67.

“They are numbers now,’’ he said. “There are no names anymore.”

He tried twice to return to his apartment, but he turned back both times. On Sunday, his friend opened it for a visitor. The rooms were still neatly composed, life suspended. Dishes were done. Laundry — tiny pink pants, a head scarf, a bra — was hanging on lines. But details showed something was wrong. The clothes were dusty from the pulverized concrete and soot of the explosion. A bowl of cucumbers and a pot of beans in the refrigerator were covered with mold.

As is often the case, the deaths felt arbitrary. On another day, Mr. Samra’s family might not have gone to the building at all. It was the first time they decided to hide. The timing of the missile strike could not have been worse. The family had eaten dinner early to be underground before dark.

This plunged Mr. Samra into guilt. He would often take his family to Cyprus in times of danger, throughout Lebanon’s fraught recent history, and briefly considered it in this case, but assumed Tyre would be safe.

Areas hit by bombs are often a jumble of incongruities. Bread spilled out into the road from a van that was hit by a missile in northern Tyre on Sunday morning. The area around the basement where Mr. Samra’s family was hit was a swirl of household items — a shampoo bottle, a high heel from a shoe, a shower curtain — mixed with ragged concrete and wire.

“Regret is killing me inside,” Mr. Samra said. “I should have taken them away.”

The rest of the family was having difficulties of its own. When 17-year-old Zahra awoke in her hospital bed, she did not know that her mother had been killed. Mr. Samra did not have the heart to tell her. Her face had been burned, and when she walked into the bathroom and looked into the mirror, she sobbed, said her brother Muhammad, who was with her.

Mr. Samra passed the afternoon watching the small neighborhood move around him. He has not returned to work. Muhammad has taken over visiting the hospitalized girls.

“My wife was my life,” he said, looking toward a television set up near the couches in the narrow alley.

“My heart aches.”

Wow, this thread has two good informed sources to cut between the spinning, pontificating and positioning that goes on elsewhere. Thanks Speeder and Lisa.

Rodeo,

That is hard stuff to read...therein lies the real face of war.

I think this gentleman's family are Moslem (his son is named Mohammed). From what I understand of the Moslem faith, one must bury the dead within 24 hours according to custom and religion. I believe this may be the Jewish way too...think about the anguish on both sides on this ghastly war when families cannot bury their loved ones according to their faith. Horrible.

We still have some extended family in Lebanon; in the mountains and in Beirut. They won't leave...I don't understand it, but I am not there and therefore can't make a judgment call on their decisions. Some of these people have survived 30 years of on again off again war - I can't imagine anyone living through that.

After the last trip in '68 Dad made a decision not to return. He could see what lay ahead and wanted to remember his birth country as it was...the jewel of the middle east. So much was destroyed or damaged even before this latest outbreak. Temples and ruins of great significance. This is the land of the Phoenicians (my mum's family have traced their ancestry back and swear they are of royal Phoenician blood...mmmmm?!). It is steeped in ancient history and it's being destroyed. Sad times...

Rodeo, Total propaganda and bs. How about Israel? I guess they don't count. “My heart aches.” BS why did they start a war then?

Look, dude......, you won the assclown award. You can stop posting now. It was a landslide.

He's working on buttpuppet.

I hear he's on the short list for Assistant Secretary of State.




That's the sad part, Bush/Cheney has given voice to these imbeciles.

So youall can't handle the truth?

If the truth were your arse, you wouldn't be able to find it with both hands.

I will take that as a NO.