From Canada.com

UNITED NATIONS — High-level crisis talks on the fighting in Lebanon ended in diplomatic deadlock Wednesday as delegates meeting in Rome failed to agree on the timing of a ceasefire.

Delegates issued a statement saying an international force should eventually be deployed to secure southern Lebanon’s border area with Israel, but the United States insisted an end to the fighting must be accompanied by a wider agreement that ensures Hezbollah will not be able to resume attacks on Israel.

"We have to have a plan that will actually create conditions in which we can have a ceasefire that will be sustainable," U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said at a news conference following the meeting which was held in private.

(Canadian)Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay agreed with Washington’s position, but attending Arab foreign ministers, as well as UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, pressed for an immediate ceasefire without conditions.

The rest at: UN talks on Mideast fighting go nowhere

You just need to be a flea against injustice. Enough committed fleas biting strategically can make even the biggest dog uncomfortable and transform even the biggest nation. ~~ Marian Wright Edelman

 

 From the SMH

July 27, 2006


THE United Nations repeatedly asked Israel to stop bombarding its position at Khiyam in southern Lebanon in the hours leading up to the deaths of four international observers, according to a UN military source.

About 20 bombs or shells fell in or close to the base before an aerial bomb penetrated the bunker and killed the observers, the source claimed.

As international anger grew over the killing of non-combatants, officials at the UN Treaty Supervisory Organisation, to which the observers belonged, declined to speculate on the cause, pending an investigation.

But the UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, said Israel appeared to have struck the site deliberately. He said in a statement the post was clearly marked and had been there for a long time.

Israel's UN ambassador, Dan Gillerman, expressed "deep regret" for the deaths and denied Israel hit the post intentionally.

"I am shocked and deeply distressed by the hasty statement of the Secretary-General, insinuating that Israel has deliberately targeted the UN post," he said. The assertions were "premature and erroneous".

A United Nations source said the organisation had protested repeatedly to the Israelis during shelling on Tuesday about the strikes that preceded the fatal bombing that night.

The pattern of the fire made it clear that it came from the Israelis, the source said, and only Israel possessed weapons heavy enough to penetrate the fortified bunker in which the observers were sheltering.

But it was unclear how or why an Israeli aircraft came to bomb a clearly marked UN position which should have been indicated as exempt from attack.

"This position has been there for 20 years," the UN source said. "In the old days that was the front line. Israel knows these positions and they have had two weeks to zero in on this area and register targets and where you

don't want to hit. That's standard behaviour.

"They [the bunkers] are big white things - you can see them for miles and they are lit up at night. Even if the Israelis just arrived cold from the moon two weeks ago, they have been firing there in that area regularly for two weeks.

Read the rest at: Israel attack 'deliberate'

You just need to be a flea against injustice. Enough committed fleas biting strategically can make even the biggest dog uncomfortable and transform even the biggest nation. ~~ Marian Wright Edelman

 

"..Israeli missiles had clearly pierced the very centre of the red cross painted on the roof of each vehicle. Did the pilots use the cross as their aiming point? "

Because the very telling article in the Idependent is accessable by subscription only, I refer the reader to the Information Clearing House reprint.

You just need to be a flea against injustice. Enough committed fleas biting strategically can make even the biggest dog uncomfortable and transform even the biggest nation. ~~ Marian Wright Edelman

The Porkies used By Bush-the-Lesser mirrored the extreme lies used by his dad more than a decade before...

This article from the Christian Science Monitor from the September 06, 2002 edition
written BEFORE the "Second Iraq War" waged by the son of the father....
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In war, some facts less factual

Some US assertions from the last war on Iraq still appear dubious.
By Scott Peterson | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor
MOSCOW – When George H. W. Bush ordered American forces to the Persian Gulf – to reverse Iraq's August 1990 invasion of Kuwait – part of the administration case was that an Iraqi juggernaut was also threatening to roll into Saudi Arabia.
Citing top-secret satellite images, Pentagon officials estimated in mid–September that up to 250,000 Iraqi troops and 1,500 tanks stood on the border, threatening the key US oil supplier.

But when the St. Petersburg Times in Florida acquired two commercial Soviet satellite images of the same area, taken at the same time, no Iraqi troops were visible near the Saudi border – just empty desert.

"It was a pretty serious fib," says Jean Heller, the Times journalist who broke the story.

The White House is now making its case. to Congress and the public for another invasion of Iraq; President George W. Bush is expected to present specific evidence of the threat posed by Iraq during a speech to the United Nations next week.

But past cases of bad intelligence or outright disinformation used to justify war are making experts wary. The questions they are raising, some based on examples from the 1991 Persian Gulf War, highlight the importance of accurate information when a democracy considers military action.

"My concern in these situations, always, is that the intelligence that you get is driven by the policy, rather than the policy being driven by the intelligence," says former US Rep. Lee Hamilton (D) of Indiana, a 34-year veteran lawmaker until 1999, who served on numerous foreign affairs and intelligence committees, and is now director of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington. The Bush team "understands it has not yet carried the burden of persuasion [about an imminent Iraqi threat], so they will look for any kind of evidence to support their premise," Mr. Hamilton says. "I think we have to be skeptical about it."

Examining the evidence

Shortly before US strikes began in the Gulf War [one], for example, the St. Petersburg Times asked two experts to examine the satellite images of the Kuwait and Saudi Arabia border area taken in mid-September 1990, a month and a half after the Iraqi invasion. The experts, including a former Defense Intelligence Agency analyst who specialized in desert warfare, pointed out the US build-up – jet fighters standing wing-tip to wing-tip at Saudi bases – but were surprised to see almost no sign of the Iraqis.

"That [Iraqi buildup] was the whole justification for Bush sending troops in there, and it just didn't exist," Ms. Heller says. Three times Heller contacted the office of Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney (now vice president) for evidence refuting the Times photos or analysis – offering to hold the story if proven wrong.

The official response: "Trust us." To this day, the Pentagon's photographs of the Iraqi troop buildup remain classified.

After the war, the House Armed Services Committee issued a report on lessons learned from the Persian Gulf War.

read more at The Christian Science Monitor

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Gus: Obviously the only lessons learned from this by the US are to use as much force "as necessary" (just enough) and create as much chaos as possible in a short time so one can live of the spoils of the land... in a manner that appears like caring... and go in for a second serve if the pipelines get diverted to other countries...

From the ABC

Australian killed in southern Lebanon: report
Reports from Israel say an Australian fighting for the Israeli Defence Forces was one of nine soldiers killed in an ambush in southern Lebanon last night.

The soldiers were killed by Hezbollah guerillas as they tried to take the militant stronghold of Bint Jbeil.

Newspaper reports say Sergeant Assaf Namer, 27, was born in Israel and came to Australia with his mother when he was 10 years old but returned to Israel to enlist in the army two-and-a-half years ago.

The Israeli newspaper Yediot Achronot reports he was due to be discharged from the army in one month's time.

The newspaper says his mother and sister are currently making their way to Israel.

It quotes Kiryat Atta's mayor, Yaakov Peretz, as saying that Mr Namer, who did not have to join the army, made it a pint to come to Israel in order to live her and serve.

"Although his life was in Australia, he was a Zionist who chose to come to Israel in order to do his part," he said.

-----------

Gus: may he be at peace...

From the ABC

Downer confirms Australian death in Lebanon
Foreign Affairs Minister, Alexander Downer, has confirmed that a soldier killed in southern Lebanon while fighting for Israel was an Australian citizen.

Assaf Namer, 26, was one of nine soldiers killed by Hezbollah guerillas overnight as the Israelis tried to take the militant stronghold of Bint Jbeil.

 

Assaf Namer leaves the country of which is is a citizen and goes off to fight for what he believes in and will most likely gain a heroes funeral. In the meantime Hicks, who did exactly the same thing, rots in Gitmo.

You just need to be a flea against injustice. Enough committed fleas biting strategically can make even the biggest dog uncomfortable and transform even the biggest nation. ~~ Marian Wright Edelman

Yes Flea ....

And didn't the awstraylen government make it a crime for our citizens to take-up arms in a foreign conflict ..... or is it just conflicts where they wind-up on the wrong side? 

 

It will be interesting to see how many more Zionist Aussies and Lebanese Aussies have gone or will go off to join the Israeli and Lebanese military to fight in this conflict, and to see if the law applies equaly. 

 As all Jews automaticaly become citizens of Israel, should they choose to claim it and thereby become dual citizens, and as all Israelis are required to spend time in the Israeli army, this could get sticky.
 

You just need to be a flea against injustice. Enough committed fleas biting strategically can make even the biggest dog uncomfortable and transform even the biggest nation. ~~ Marian Wright Edelman

 

From todays Australian:

UP to 100 Australians could be in active service with the Israeli army but that number could grow as Israel steps up its offensive against Hezbollah guerrillas.

Australia suffered its first death from the two-week conflict when Asaf Namer, 26, was killed in a Hezbollah ambush near the guerrilla stronghold of Bint Jbeil in southern Lebanon on Wednesday.

A dual Australian-Israeli citizen, Sergeant Namer returned to the land of his birth two-and-a-half years ago and volunteered to join the army.

Guy Spigelman, who left Australia 12 years ago to serve in the Israeli army for which he is now a spokesman, told Southern Cross Broadcasting the number of Australians in active service could grow after Israel decided to boost its attack.

“There'd be several dozen, if not 100 (Australians) in active service and probably several hundred, 200, 300, in reserve duty,” said Captain Spigelman, son of the Chief Justice of the New South Wales Supreme Court, Jim Spigelman.

Capt Spigelman said some of the reserves would be called up soon, “as we beef up our forces in the battle against Hezbollah”.

Read the rest at Aussies take up Israel fight

Flea: Has anyone seen any comment by the Prime Miniature or any other member of the government on it's opinion of Australian Citizens taking up arms in this conflict? I am sure there would be a major out cry had any Australian made this same statement vis a vis our citizens going to fight for the other side.
 

You just need to be a flea against injustice. Enough committed fleas biting strategically can make even the biggest dog uncomfortable and transform even the biggest nation. ~~ Marian Wright Edelman

From NineMSN

Aunt of dead solider wants revenge
Friday Jul 28 13:23 AEST

The aunt of the first Australian killed fighting in the war in Lebanon wants those responsible for his death killed.

Sydney man Asaf Namer, 26, was one of eight Israeli soldiers killed in a Hizbollah ambush near the guerrilla stronghold of Bint Jbeil in southern Lebanon. A ninth died in a separate attack nearby.

His aunt, Yehudit Tseler, who lives in Israel, said she wanted her nephew's death avenged.

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Gus: yes... more vengeance, more tit for tat... Another crazy... more dead people... more war... more destruction... more stupidity... More vengeance, more tit for tat... Another crazy... more dead people... more war... more destruction... more stupidity... More vengeance, more tit for tat... Another crazy... more dead people... more war... more destruction... more stupidity...

From the Guardian

Blair to tell Bush: we need a ceasefire

Drawn out Lebanon crisis will boost militants across Arab world, PM fears

Ewen MacAskill, Simon Tisdall and Michael White
Friday July 28, 2006
The Guardian

Tony Blair will press George Bush today to support "as a matter of urgency" a ceasefire in Lebanon as part of a UN security council resolution next week, according to Downing Street sources.
At a White House meeting, the prime minister will express his concern that pro-western Arab governments are "getting squeezed" by the crisis and the longer it continues, the more squeezed they will be, giving militants a boost. The private view from No 10 is that the US is "prevaricating" over the resolution and allowing the conflict to run on too long.

But diplomatic sources in Washington suggest the US and Israel believe serious damage has been inflicted on Hizbullah, so the White House is ready to back a ceasefire resolution at the UN next week. Today Mr Bush and Mr Blair will discuss a version of the resolution that has been circulating in Washington and London.

The draft peace deal involves two phases. In the first, Israel and Lebanon would agree a ceasefire and a small multinational force would be deployed on the border, allowing Israeli troops to withdraw. Then a much larger force of between 10,000 and 20,000 troops would be assigned to implement UN security council resolution 1559, agreed two years ago, under which militias such as Hizbullah would be disarmed and the authority of the Lebanese government forces extended to the country's southern border.

European officials are sceptical about disarming Hizbullah. But they believe that, if other countries in the region can be persuaded to contribute to the buffer force, it would give them a vested interest in addressing Hizbullah's threat to Israel.

read more at the guardian

From the Moscow Times
Global Eye
Beyond Belief

By Chris Floyd
Published: July 28, 2006

..... No doubt every well-wadded, White House-connected televangelist justifying aggressive war, pimping for tax cuts and frothing with anxiety about homosexuals thinks he's walking in the footsteps of the backwoods preacher from Galilee, who spent his entire ministry serving the poor and the despised, the powerless and the discarded, the sexual outcasts and the victims of wealth, and was finally killed by the satraps of what was then the world's only hyperpower.

No doubt every Kalashnikov-toting enforcer of Islamic "virtue" -- schooled in a hatemongering madrasa funded by cynical Saudi potentates glutted with U.S. oil money -- who beats "unruly" women and slaughters ice cream vendors and CD hawkers because "they didn't have such things in the Prophet's time" thinks he's following the example of Muhammad, who forbade the imposition of Islam on others, continually refined his thought and married an independent female merchant who hired him as an agent for her caravan business, then proposed to him, in defiance of ancient custom.

No doubt every "settler rabbi" issuing edicts approving the killing of Arab civilians or blessing a cruise missile bound for a Beirut apartment complex believes he is a worthy heir of Rabbi Hillel, the great Pharisee who, when challenged to reduce God's law to a single statement, replied: "What is hateful to yourself, do not do to others. That is the whole law; the rest is commentary. Go and study." This formulation, the Golden Rule later adapted by Jesus, was in fact a powerful distillation -- and revival -- of the Axial sages' core teaching.

But this core been lost once again, washed away in the blood being shed by the People of the Book in their global war of terror: state terror, sectarian terror, death squads, black ops, "asymmetrical attacks" and "disproportionate force" -- an orgy of egotism and greed, violence and unkindness, with the name of God being invoked at every turn...

read the rest at the Moscow Times "[http://context.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2006/07/28/120.htm|Global eye]"

Gus, could you please include the links to these stories in your posts? Makes them much easier to read the rest. Thanks! And you are appreciated for your efforts! 

You just need to be a flea against injustice. Enough committed fleas biting strategically can make even the biggest dog uncomfortable and transform even the biggest nation. ~~ Marian Wright Edelman

I've got automated links facility on my browser bookmarks and I thus get very quickly to where I want to be, while still scrolling for more strange stuff that floats around the ether... I'll see what I can do...

It just takes a bit longer to add all the codes in... No worries...