An environmental disaster
By on Jul 29th, 2006 at 11:07 pm
An environmental disaster
in Lebanon. “Lebanon is facing an environmental crisis after an Israeli air strike on the Jiyeh power station, about 20km south of Beirut caused 10,000 tons of oil to spill into the Mediterranean sea.”
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Here’s your story C. Its very tragic indeed on both sides of the aisle.
July 29th, 2006 at 11:10 pmThe environmental damage caused by Israel will affect the Mediterranean for many generations to come. Why Israel is allowed to wreak havoc on the environment on such a scale escapes me. Why they do it is even more elusive. They will swim in their own excrement for hundreds of years.
July 29th, 2006 at 11:26 pmFormer Reagan NSA Ret. General William Odom
”Hezbollah will probably give the Israelis a licking, just like the Iraqis are giving us a licking,” Odom said, suggesting Hezbollah forces could benefit politically from large-scale casualties.
http://www.capecodonline.com/cctimes/offensiveis23.htm
July 29th, 2006 at 11:48 pmPeople in power always benefit from poor people´s casualties. Thats the whole purpose of every war since the beginning of civilization.
July 30th, 2006 at 12:08 amDon’t worry! Bushco will see that Exxon cleans up the spill. What proof has been offered that Israel caused the oil spill? If Hezbolla had been home minding their own damn business then the Lebononites would have had no problem. Choose carefully your bed partners for some may have horns. This Country should pay exactly as much attention to that oil spill as the Countries adfected by this one paid to the Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska. A few hearty “Ho Ho’s” and off we go. The Bushco is not in charge of the World’s morals. Thank God, Allah, Jehovah, Muhammed, Buhda,my ex-Mother-in-law or whatever diety you chose. The Bushco has been assigned the duties of the World’s Couth Control Officer as you will never find anyone more uncouth.
July 30th, 2006 at 12:36 amClyde, how dare you lump your ex mother in law in with Buddha! ;)
July 30th, 2006 at 12:42 amThis world is being destroyed by humans destroying other humans.
July 30th, 2006 at 12:58 amThe same sort of thing – massive environmental damage – occured during the criminal 1999 bombing of Serbia.
July 30th, 2006 at 1:09 amStrength_Through_Joy,
I like your name. Maybe I’ll feel joy tomorrow. Goodnight, all.
July 30th, 2006 at 1:13 amI wonder how many Hezbolla the Zionists will say were hiding-out there ?
July 30th, 2006 at 1:17 amWell, what is a little collateral damage when you are engaged in the final solution.
As Bush said the other day, we have to stand back until one side wins otherwise you are just managing calm. Nobody wants to manage calm when there is a crusade to manage. This is exactly what Bush asked for when he challenged others to “bring it on”. Well, they are bringing it on. Big time. Even in Seattle.
July 30th, 2006 at 1:22 amjames, they have good meds for obsessive/cumpulsive disorder…
July 30th, 2006 at 1:49 amget checked out, man… such a shame to waste your mind on
this selfish game you’re playing…
you got yourself banned… take the blame… pay the consequences…
July 30th, 2006 at 2:00 ampost something meaningful and relevant… quit with the trash talk…
and quit with the nuisance posts… please.
Those Germans knew how to stop with all of that silly “managed calm” back in the 1930’s and 40’s.
This environmental disaster is just what Bush and Olmert want. They want failed states, not independant states that can put up a fight or tell them to go screw.
-GSD
July 30th, 2006 at 2:19 amThey (Israel) will have to pay for the clean up and the reconstruction of Lebanon. It’s that simple.
July 30th, 2006 at 2:46 amRE: #22 Throwing Stones in a Glass House
No, you were temporarily banned because you constantly resort to personal attacks, not because of you expressing your opinion about the issues. Why don’t you just say what you think about the issues instead of spending all your energy whining and blaming the people on ThinkProgress for whats wrong in the world. I am guessing that ThinkProgress is about the only place left on the GIGANTIC internet that hasn’t banned you permanently. Consider yourself lucky.
July 30th, 2006 at 3:56 amAs Lebanon gets all the coverage these days, Frank Rich reminds us about the forgotten war… and it ain’t Afghanistan, it’s Iraq.
July 30th, 2006 at 6:40 amAs Lebanon gets all the coverage these days, Frank Rich reminds us about the forgotten war… and it ain’t Afghanistan, it’s Iraq.
Comment by jurassicpork — July 30, 2006 @ 6:40 am
Chilling stuff:-(
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. From the victims viewpoint, I am now convinced there is little difference between terrorists who plot atrocities, and those on “our side” who wring their hands about inevitable civilian losses.
Both know in advance that roughly x civilians will be killed. This is considered acceptable in the context of the objective. Both proceed. The civilians are dead in both cases. From the perspective of “results”, the actions are indistinguishable from each other.
Bush and his generals have killed tens of thousands, and we are all worse off now than when Saddam Hussein was in power. Oh and the US is some trillion dollars poorer. Jesus, what a result:-(
July 30th, 2006 at 6:53 amso now who are the real terrorists?
July 30th, 2006 at 7:09 amso now who are the real terrorists?
Comment by jason baddo — July 30, 2006 @ 7:09 am
Anyone who advocates violence that kills the innocent, in a situation where there is no genuine existential threat, is a terrorist.
We urgently need to redefine this term, in it’s current form it’s all but meaningless.
All who advocate war should be tried afterwards, all documents from both sides and at every level should be supplied to the tribunal. A true patriot, genuinely protecting their nation would be willing to take that risk, but the scumbag chickenhawks, those whose own skin is dearest to them and who slaughter foreigners for domestic political gain would be given pause for thought.
July 30th, 2006 at 7:17 am#25 Correction. They (israel) forwards the tab to America and America like the real sucker she is obligingly pays that tab with much fervor! Taxpayers are you listening ?
July 30th, 2006 at 7:17 amThe terrorists are Hezbollah, housing themselves in residential areas like the scourge they are, launching thousands of indiscriminate rockets toward ONLY civilian areas…kidnapping soldiers acrosss an international border was a provocation and the rocketing attacks agains townships was continual. What would you have a country do, just sit there an take it. NO country on the planet would allow terrorists to launch attacks without a reprisal.
Lebanon and the world allowed Hezbollah over many years to get a foot hold in Southern Lebanon.
I don’t recall any worldwide protests over the loss of Israeli civilian life, infrastructure and environment.. Hezbollah and thier supporters are the problem, and if not dealt with or contained by the WORLD, it’s a cancer that can and will spread.
July 30th, 2006 at 7:26 amI don’t recall any worldwide protests over the loss of Israeli civilian life, infrastructure and environment..
Comment by richb — July 30, 2006 @ 7:26 am
This is certainly true, largely because the Israelis have a monopoly on presenting themselves as the victim, leveraging ironically enough, on the Holocaust, an outrage perpetrated by the strong on the weak. Basially they don’t need any help in the PR department. In this situation they are the strong, and the Lebanese are the weak. Hizbollah are certainly a bad guy in this sorry tail, but purposefully killing 500 plus civilians makes the Israelis war criminals, regardless of the justification.
The rest of your post is merely a repeat of the same untrue talking points, all discredited, that we have heard ad nauseum, and displays an overt inability, much like your President, to grasp complex situations. I doubt my trying to explain the subtlies of the situation would bear much fruit, but I’ll have a go if you are willing to engage in a civil exchange?
July 30th, 2006 at 7:43 amI don’t recall any worldwide protests over the loss of Israeli civilian life, infrastructure and environment..
Comment by richb — July 30, 2006 @ 7:26 am
This is certainly true, largely because the Israelis have a monopoly on presenting themselves as the victim, leveraging ironically enough, on the Holocaust, an outrage perpetrated by the strong on the weak. Basically they don’t need any help in the PR department. In this situation they are the strong, and the Lebanese are the weak. Hizbollah are certainly a bad guy in this sorry tale, but purposefully killing 500 plus civilians makes the Israelis war criminals, regardless of the justification.
The rest of your post is merely a repeat of the same untrue talking points, all discredited, that we have heard ad nauseum, and displays an overt inability, much like your President, to grasp complex situations. I doubt my trying to explain the subtlies of the situation would bear much fruit, but I’ll have a go if you are willing to engage in a civil exchange?
July 30th, 2006 at 7:45 amSORCE Koreas Oh My News
144 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed by Israeli forces, often by helicopter gunships, according to an Israeli human rights group. Only 31 percent of the people killed were engaged in hostile actions at the time of their deaths, and 25 percent of all those killed were minors. During this same period, meanwhile, no Israelis were killed by violence emanating from Gaza.
July 30th, 2006 at 7:50 amIsrael has gone crazy today by blowing up a building in Qana, Lebanon, killing at least 50 people of which 27 are confirmed as children! Fascism has taken over Israel and PM Olmert must be turned over to the Hague to be tried for war crimes! President Bush is also an accomplice to war crimes in Lebanon and in Iraq > shame on the US Congress as well!
July 30th, 2006 at 8:13 amNO country on the planet would allow terrorists to launch attacks without a reprisal.
Comment by richb — July 30, 2006 @ 7:26 am
Have you the remotest idea how laughably ignorant and uninformed this comment is? There are many, many countries that have wrestled with the scourge of terrorism, some for decades. Those that succeed in eradicating it, or pushing it’s significance far down the scale of risks, have generally done so by not killing and/or imprisoning hundreds of innocent people.
Now it appears the US is insisting on relearning this rather obvious lesson from scratch:-(
July 30th, 2006 at 8:18 amTeach America a lesson boycot their goods for your lifetime and teach your children that too
July 30th, 2006 at 8:19 amPM Olmert must be turned over to the Hague to be tried for war crimes! President Bush is also an accomplice to war crimes in Lebanon and in Iraq > shame on the US Congress as well!
Comment by Jay Randal — July 30, 2006 @ 8:13 am
I don’t expect they have ratified it, but if they pass through 3rd party countries that have, he could be in trouble. Rice too I hope.
July 30th, 2006 at 8:20 amBoycott of American Goods Over Iraq War Gains
by Erik Kirschbaum
BERLIN – No more Coca-Cola or Budweiser, no Marlboro, no American whiskey or even American Express cards — a growing number of restaurants in Germany are taking everything American off their menus to protest the war in Iraq.
Although the protests are mainly symbolic, waiters in dozens of bars and restaurants in Hamburg, Berlin, Munich, Bonn and other German cities are telling patrons, “Sorry, Coca-Cola is not available any more due to the current political situation.”
July 30th, 2006 at 8:21 amMideast Street Anger Turns into Calls for Boycott of U.S. Goods
by N Janardhan
DUBAI, Apr 22 – The university cafeteria at the University of Sharjah has stopped selling softdrinks manufactured by U.S. multinationals, and instead stocks other beverages produced in the country or region.
July 30th, 2006 at 8:22 amThe American economy is â€surviving on Arab money, which is used to supply the Israelis with monetary and military assistance to kill the Palestinians who are resisting the occupation for 50 years,” Nawal Jasim, head of the Women Students’ Union at the university, said in explaining the boycott.
GO AND DIRTY YOUR OWN HOLIDAY RESORTS ON YOUR OWN CONTINENT NOT OURS
July 30th, 2006 at 8:25 amBrian > Israel’s leaders hide behind Bush’s skirt, but someday Olmert might step foot in some nation that will send him to the Hague for war crimes! The World Court does not have the power to sentence anyone to death, but can give Olmert life in prison, which members of the Bush Regime deserve as well!
July 30th, 2006 at 8:40 amComment by Jay Randal — July 30, 2006 @ 8:40 am
No argument here:-)
July 30th, 2006 at 8:44 amAs for the oil spill off Lebanon: the Israelis may have harmed themselves in causing that, because it might wash down the coast and foul the beaches of Israel, which would end tourism for the rest of the summer! PM Olmert is an extremely incompetent leader and a dirty fascist as well!
July 30th, 2006 at 8:49 amNew maximum-security jail to open at Guantanamo Bay
Far from winding down, the controversial US detention centre is expanding
By Andrew Buncombe in Washington
Published: 30 July 2006
The controversy over the US-run detention centre at Guantanamo Bay is to erupt anew with confirmation by the Pentagon that a new, permanent prison will open in the Cuban enclave in the next few weeks.
Camp 6, a state-of-the-art maximum-security jail built by a Halliburton subsidiary, will be able to hold 200 prisoners. Commander Robert Durand, a spokesman for Joint Task Force Guantanamo, said the $30m, two-storey block was due to open at the end of September. He added: “Camp 6 is designed to improve the quality of life for the detainees and provide greater protection for the people working in the facility.”
July 30th, 2006 at 8:55 amHAd enough of this site and Americans to last a life time goodbye and good riddence forever …….
July 30th, 2006 at 8:57 amRE: #47 The Grass isn’t always Greener
I’m sorry you feel that way TC. Just remember, the grass isn’t always greener. You won’t find any sympathy for your mission of Boycotting America over at FOX and its affiliates. I’m an American, and while I sympathize with you, I don’t want to be boycotted either. I didn’t do anything to hurt you or your people. We’re all just trying to survive the war of the tyrannical tycoons, just like you.
July 30th, 2006 at 9:08 amWe’re all just trying to survive the war of the tyrannical tycoons, just like you.
Comment by Insert_Foot_in_Mouth — July 30, 2006 @ 9:08 am
That is what it all boils down to… A small psychopathic few wreaking havoc on the masses. Odd to me how we tolerate it.
July 30th, 2006 at 10:36 amThe madness must stop. A credible broker must be found to broker a cease fire and negotiate a truce.
July 30th, 2006 at 10:41 amThe news this morning is intolerable.
The despoiling of one of the most beautiful areas of the Mediterranean is a disaster, the results of which will be felt for years — this in addition to the destruction of Beirut.
July 30th, 2006 at 10:45 amI believe it is a red herring to blame the capture of two Israeli soldiers for the current war. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of Palestinian civilians being held without charges. I believe there are two sides to this conflict but we seem to be hearing more of one side and our government’s support of that one side.
July 30th, 2006 at 10:51 amA war like this doesn’t start with two soldiers — that act was merely a catalyst to begin something that was ready and awaiting the opportunity.
#29 you have your opinion and it has merit, I however disagree.
If you think countries will sit idly by and have rockets launched towards its civilians in an ad hoc basis, I think you are mistaken. I simply don’t think countries or it’s citizenry would allow that to go unchallenged.
the stated goal of Hizbollah and it’s parent Iran is the elimination of a country and it’s people. From which point would you negotiate on that issue.
I loathe the loss of innocent life on either side….no Hizbollah…..no attacks on either side. Israel was at harmony with a fledgling government in Lebanon, they were not looking to have this situation.
rich
July 30th, 2006 at 11:06 amIts not just an environmental disaster, it is also a humanitarian disaster that Bush and Rice keep cheerleading for.
The latest Israeili bombing of a shelter and killing of many children is followed by the lame “we are terribly sorry for this, but Hezbollah keeps firing their rockets from next to hostels such as this”.
Rice, without giving a piano recital, returns from the middle east. Good, she has no credibility, and neither does the United States. George Bush, our beloved “war president” has his wish, hundreds of “rag heads” will be killed, just as he wants. The man is an insane cocaine sniffing alcoholic desperately in need of a program to help him gain mental balance.
The media keeps cheering the Israelis on. The world looks on in horror as the Hez aims missiles, from Iran no doubt, into Israel, but says nothing about the hundreds American missiles are killing. All is fair in a George Bush war. He is the one you see cheering on the lions. Whatta guy!
July 30th, 2006 at 11:14 amI loathe the loss of innocent life on either side….no Hizbollah…..no attacks on either side. Israel was at harmony with a fledgling government in Lebanon, they were not looking to have this situation.
rich
Comment by richb — July 30, 2006 @ 11:06 am
First of all, apologies for my earlier aserbic response.
I agree with you in principle that Hizbollah is one of the key threads of the problem. I think this is largely undisputed, except perhaps by Islamic fundamentalists. This is not at issue on the thread, Israels response is.
Hizbollah had been launching rocket attacks into border settlements, resulting it must be noted in very few casualties. There is not much difference in the casualty rates inflicted for example, on the British by the IRA. This is not to excuse it you understand, but to put it in context.
Despite several decades of terrorism, the British never bombed Dublin City or our airports, blockaded Dublin port, or took any action that killed hundreds of Southern Irish civilians indiscriminatley, and make no mistake, these options were on the table.
Certainly they made some blunders, and did some dreadful things, but in the main and luckily for all involved, cooler heads prevailed.
Israel would have been much wiser to work carefully with the Lebanese government to eliminate the problem that way, as the British did with Ireland. What does Britian have next door now? A prosperous and confident friendly economy with whom they share a common internal customs border, as well as regular and enthusiastic co-operation on many issues within the EU.
Israel could do far worse than to follow that model, they have been trying collective punishment for 50 years, and you certainly couldn’t claim that it’s working. Time to look to conflicts were there has been widespread resolution, and try a different approach.
July 30th, 2006 at 11:25 amExcellent comments, Brian.
July 30th, 2006 at 12:38 pm#47 no offense taken, and your follow up is insightful. My main point is that Israel is being asked by the world community to negotiate with people that want them dead and gone. It takes two for peace….it worked with Egypt and Lebanon (before this), Hizbollah has never negotiated.
the Lebanese gov’t to me acquiesced as did the World community too much with the Hizbollah cancer. I don’t believe prior to the current situation Lebanese citizens by and large wanted anything to do with Hizbollah.
I agree with you a strong and driven Lebanese army would’ve been preferred, so as to deal with the terrorists…alas that did not happen.
nice going round with you, I like to learn and read others opinions.
rich
July 30th, 2006 at 3:34 pm#47 Brian
Your comment is well thought out and would work except for one thing. All of you pressing Israel to back down are forgetting a key factor. It takes two to tango and two to agree. A unilateral act by Israel will accomplish nothing except more violence directed at Israel. Israel has professed peace since 1945 to no avail. Their only chance for survival is to go on the offensive until there is no more threat of attack on their home ground. A cease fire and/or truce and the end of violence in the Middle East is not the responsibility of Israel alone. The major responsibility lies in our Blood Red (once White) House. The Bush murderers must immediately change their priorities from murder for oil to pressure for peace. The US must join the Israelis in the true fight–not with some esoteric term called terrorism–against the true declared enemies of the US and Israel: Arabs and Muslims and the Arab countries supporting the other side (PEOPLE, people willing to kill us in any manner, people of all ages and both sexes, people, bad (in our view) people. The Arabs/Muslims have decreed the destruction of Israel and the Great Satan (You and me, Baby) through Jihad. They have declared this war as abhorrent as it may be. Sacrificing Israel may sound good on the Sunday talk shows and look good on the Blogs but it will do nothing to protect this Country from attack. We took on the Germans, Japanese, and Italians and won because we were dedicated to the honor of this Country. Since then we have had our collective ass kick all around the globe because we are dedicated to greed, not National Honor. There is no hope for this Country until the driving force of corporate greed is removed from our Government, from the local Sheriff to the big Poobah and we again join in the fight for National Honor. How’s that for a Sunday sermon?
July 30th, 2006 at 3:45 pmthe Lebanese gov’t to me acquiesced as did the World community too much with the Hizbollah cancer. I don’t believe prior to the current situation Lebanese citizens by and large wanted anything to do with Hizbollah.
In the early years of the “troubles” (the Irish have a flair for understatement), the British behaved very badly. The Irish government even contemplated and invasion of the North. Similarly, the British on many occasions considered limited invasions of the South, because IRA arms dumps and logistics where often across the border in the Southern jursdiction.
Isreal has a problem with Hizbollah as does Lebanon, as did the South of Ireland with those who favoured “driving the British from the Island” effectivley ethnically cleansing the north. Instead the British and Irish governments worked together to isolate and undermine those who supported terror, and bolster those who supported democracy.
The Lebanese, those doing the dying, are no more the “enemy” of Israel than any citizen of the South was an “enemy” of the British.. You have lumped in the innocent bystanders with the hoodlums.
Israel is not destroying Hizbollah, they are bolstering it, as the British flooded the ranks of the IRA on bloody Sunday. Worse than that, they have become no better than terrorists themselves, with the death, dismemberment and immolation of hundreds of innocents of their conscience.
Their actions are completely indefensible, regardless of the provocation, no military can be allowed to kill civilians with impunity, and I sincerely hope that Olmert and his generals are tried in some future court.
July 30th, 2006 at 4:27 pm10,000 tons? If my math/science is right, that’s about one-fifth the size of the Exxon Valdez spill.
July 31st, 2006 at 1:27 amI suppose it was another ‘accident’ by Israel? I’m sure they had no idea that that would happen. And taking out a power station will REALLY teach those Hezbolla people a lesson! I bet August in Lebanon is really nice, no need for power. Electricity, what for? Iraq is getting along just fine without theirs. Those Lebanese people should have thought about that! Saddam was a ‘Bad Guy’, who oppressed his people for years, so the U.S. had to invade Iraq, and kill hundreds of thousands of the ‘oppressed’ Iraqi’s, in order to bring them a real “Democracy”! We’re not quite ‘there’ yet, so more people have to die, but they’ll come around, sooner or later. Israel is such a ‘Copy-Catter”.
July 31st, 2006 at 2:19 amSimilarly, the British on many occasions considered limited invasions of the South, because IRA arms dumps and logistics where often across the border in the Southern jursdiction.
July 31st, 2006 at 5:26 amSimilarly, the British on many occasions considered limited invasions of the South, because IRA arms dumps and logistics where often across the border in the Southern jursdiction.
Comment by Caitlin — July 31, 2006 @ 5:26 am
I’m not sure why you reposted this portion of my post. The key point of course is that they didn’t invade the South, we would no doubt have had an horrific bloodbath on our hands (as we have in Lebanon) if they had.
July 31st, 2006 at 6:22 am