Dexter: I have no idea what you are on about. I would normally, in my modest and unassuming way beg forgiveness for my deficiency in English but actually knowing your posting skills I tend to think it is not my fault.
TP: "Does Rachamim really think Israel has a right to launch air salvos without prior UN approval?": I believe that I recently asked you to research a neat little thing called "Causus Belli." I truly hope you do so as it will help both of us avoid the same exchange over and over.
The UN is NOT the arbiter of International Law (how many times has THIS repeated?). Were all nations to go to the UN and seek permission for an operation, the element of suprise would be negated. Can you even imagine the implications?
Furthermore, everyone got a great kick out of Dubya's WMD Hunt in Iraq. Imagine though, how things might have been had Israel not neutralised Saddam's nuclear ambitions in the early 1980s? For that matter, the Rail Gun but the issue is one and the same.
While Western nations such as your sit on their laurels and pimp Mid-Eastern oil, other nations such as my own must suffer and sit on their hands, waiting for annihilation? Is that how you see it? Syria has been in a state of perpetually Declared War for how long? Then, if Israel obtained irrefutable Intel on the intent of the project should it have instead gone to the Security Council so it could then notify Syria of any and all charges? Then wait about 3 years for Sanctions to run their course (they never work)? The idea is laughable but thank G-D itis not legally important so it is all academic.
I would also ask you to think about geography. Syria is a nation bordering us. It is a nation that has consistently tried to destroy us since we became a nation. Syrian missles could hit any city in our nation in less than 10 minutes. The idea is not to wait until it is an actual problem but to nip it in the bud as they say. It is called "PROACTIVITY."
"How does the kidnapping of 2 soliders by a group of militants justify the attacking of a sovereign nation, killing many hundreds of non-combatants in indiscriminate bombings thus violating every known Convention to man?":
I will patiently explain a few things to you TP. first, we knew the two had died less than 4 days after the event. By 7/16/06 we had no illusions. When the event actually happened on 7/12/06 there had been just under 6 months of daily shelling, by Hezbollah, affecting just about all of Galilee.
The unprovoked shelling , on the first day, would have been perfect legal grounds to INVADE the nation. Instead, as almost ALWAYS, Israel tried to sit it out. Attacking Lebanon is not a decison made lightly. There is a very intricate dynamic in Lebanon and our presence there will undoubtedly ALWAYS have reprecussions that will reveberate for many years if not decades.
On 7/12/16 they launched yet another salvo of 120 mm ordnance into the Israeli village of Zarit and then crossed 100 meters into Israel, where our Outer Border Barrier sits, and blew it up. They then did the same with the Inner and as the jeep rolled over a small crest fired RPGs into the vehichles. Our Squads are 6 to 7 men depending on whether or not a CO is present and this was a full Squad with CO, in 2 jeeps rolling in tandem one behind the other. ALL men were hit. Killing 3 immediately, thinking 2 others to be dead, they dragged 2 others who may or may not have been still living through the holes and into a stolen UNIFIL auto and into Lebanon.
A tank on Border Duty was deployed rapidly and still on Israeli soil (our Border Perimiters lie at least 100 meters into Israel so as to not violate another nation's border inadvertantly), it hit an IED packed with 360 kilograms of explosive. The IED was detonated via remote, thus they were able to score a Total, killing the entire crew and Killing the tank. An infantryman, bless his heart tried to retireve the tank crew after it hit the IED and was himself mowed down by gunmen.
Both wounded soldiers still on the Israeli side died before they could be evacuated so, they had killed at least 10 and kidnapped 2 others before any soldier made it into Lebanon on their own accord. A bit different when you do not pop nuggets out of context, but assimilate ALL the information, right?
Then, still on the 12th, Israeli publicly announced by both PM Olmert and Defence Minister Peretz that Israel was going in UNTIL the Lebanese Armed Forces deployed south of the Alawi River and replaced Hezbollah which here to fore had been the only armed force south of Alwai since 2000 (not including UNIFIL which by written agreement was not allowed to even have regular patrols unless personally OKd by Hezbolli regional command).
The Lebanese Govt. did not say a word. It is true that Israel deployed a single Battalion (Cheruv/93rd Battalion, K'fir Brigade, Infantry) into Lebanon , which was totally legal under Law but the point being that it was strictly Search and Rescue, no Neutrlisation Objectives, no Infrastructural Objectives, no Military Objectives per se. That did not take place until 7/13/06 when the Lebanese Govt. still refused to deal with the issue and Hezbollah had fired up its Katyushas., truck mounted, and underground siloed multiple launchers and all of Galilee was under attack.
Infrastructure, as I explained to you many times, is Military Doctrine 101 stuff. Anytime you engage in a Ground War you HAVE to target infrastructure. You describe Hezbollah as a "bunch of militants." If you think that you really do not have a clue. I just posted the other day in a thread by David that Hezboolah is an integral part of the Lebanese Govt. While it was not the case per se in 2006 it was true in the defacto sense since the Govt., was impotent in all of Southern Lebanon and Beka'a.
Hezbollah was founded by the Iranian Revolutionary Gurad which to this day operates 2 military bases outside of Ba'albek in Beka'a. Iran funds and trains them, and Syria arms them. They are the only Lebanese Govt in the regions I mentioned. Hezbollah's mere existence under International AND Lebanese Law is illegal but of course the Lebanese were and are in no position to deal with this huge threat. You can see what happened earlier this year when the Govt did try to spank the group. Now Hezbollah ahs EVEN MORE power and stature.
When a group has coopted power as Hezbollah has done, the entire nation must be dealt with as a Belligerent. Israel took great pain to minimise non-combatant deaths, i.e. Collateral Damage. I would have to look up the number but we did at least 36 different Leaflet Bombing sorties over the country. We warned the non-combatants what Nasrallah and company were up to. We warned them that we had no choice but to respond and for all concerned to move north of the Alawi.
Although roads and bridges are included in Infrastructure we left routes available that could not support heavy vehichles like Launchers, and such. Yet people being people, sometimes chose to stick it out. Hell, we even had computerised AND human phone calls to all land lines in the region, as well as computerised text messages and calls on mobiles. What other army has ever taken such care?
But of course, in your mind Israel should have just kept absorbing the missiles and armed incursions unto its land, right? So what if they slaughter and kidnap at will. So what if they launch 120 mm rockets at will all day long, 7 days a week on multi launchers.
As for Conventions, Israel did not violate a single one.
"TP makes excuses for terrorists killing Israelis.": Niiiice. You might want to actualy research International Law before posting. IF Israel were in violation, why is it not being charged? I ask you many times, and you never answer. The best you can manage is "The US is its friend." Cool EXCEPT that this would not stop it from being charged, only possibly work in the UN under Security Council which as nothing at all to do with actual Law. Why has Israel never been charged? Please answer it.
You can quote Leftist sites until you are blue in the face but the fact of the matter is this: Israel is not violating a damn thing because Israel is the Jewish State and only Jews have EVER had a nation there. See, all that "occupation" crap sounds real neat but has no basis in reality.
THEN you have to take Jordan into the equation. You probably do not even realise Jordan is comprised of the bulk of the former British Mandate. The monarchy is in the hands of Arabians (from what is now Saudi Arabia) given to them by YOUR country, for services rendered against the Turks in WWI. "Palestinians" were offered THAT and plenty more in 1919 but turned it down in hopes of getting IT ALL (nothing changes). Still, virtually the entire population of Jordan is made up of..."PALESTINIANS."
THEN, you have Israel giving 100% of Gaza, land equalling 100% of the so called "WB" and there goes your idea out the window...
Of course, there are some who believe Israel is an "Occupier" simply for hoping to exist on 1/9th its historical landmass, as in HAMAS, et al. Are you one of those TP? Do you say Israel has no Right to Exist? If you agree that Israel has a moral and historical right (it was already given the Legal right in the 1940s), what is your problem?
The Greenline? The Greenline was never a Border! It was an Armistice Line!!! What makes you imagine that once they finally get around to founding their long ballyhooed state, that they will not then their gaze to little Israel, a land very well devloped thanks to the effort of its People, and try to again that as well?
Fact is, under the Ross Plan in the early 1990s they were offered all of Gaza, all of the "WB," all of E. Jerusalem, and the "Palestinian Right of Return!" They REFUSED. R-E-F-U-S-E-D. Please enter reality TP.