Syrian occupation employed a wide range of policy means to transform Lebanon into a “client state” and a Syrian political satellite. By means of military control and political penetration, media repression and alien colonization, Lebanon has lost its independence. Under foreign rule within the matrix of a foreign-manipulated police state, the Lebanese suffer from Arabization and Syrianization that deny the people, especially the Maronite Christians, their freedom and dignity. Many have been forced into exile across the countries and continents of the Lebanese diaspora.

My ex’s family was part of the Lebanese diaspora.
His dad foresaw the imminent civil war and got his family out just in time. That was the early 1970s. Ex’s Dad had good timing, look what his family missed:

Central to the atmosphere of fear that enveloped Lebanon was the practice of kidnapping and arrest of Lebanese citizens, the use of torture against them, and often their virtual disappearance that included, unknown to their families, removal to the Mezza and Palmyra prisons in Syria.

And you’re just plain wrong about Israel “obliterating” the country. My former cousins-in-law repatriated to Lebanon a few years ago because they had just had children and wanted to raise the kids in their homeland. They came back to the US because their business in Lebanon failed. But they go back every summer for vacation and to visit their family.

Israel bombed southern Lebanon a few years back, since Hezbollah has gained quite a foothold in that country, and were using Lebanese territory from which to attack Israel. Sound familiar?

Mary: you have revealed your anti-Semitic agenda by placing Lebanon’s woes squarely at the feet of Israel. Evidently you have no knowledge of the Muslim-Maronite Christian conflict that led to Syria’s intervention in Lebanon’s affairs, years before Israel ever became involved.

On 11 March 1978, 11 Fatah members led by the 18-year old female Dalal Mughrabi travelled from Lebanon and killed an American tourist on the beach. They then hijacked a bus on the coastal road near Haifa, and en route to Tel Aviv commandeered a second bus. After a lengthy chase and shootout, 37 Israelis were killed and 76 wounded [1]. This, the Coastal Road Massacre, was the proximate cause of the Israeli invasion three days later.

The Hamas Charter calls for a Jihad against the “Zionists.” What is Jihad?

Jihad on the Web:
* a holy war waged by Muslims against infidels

I think you need to reread the Hamas Charter. The entire thing is about a Jihad against Jews and Israel.

Well done, Elise.

You bore me.

I don’t DO high school cat fights.

The UN has just FORCED Israel to open a humanitarian corridor for food, fuel, and medical supplies.

I’d say it’s Israel who’s the joke now.

The rest of the world is disgusted by their choices, and Israel has now complied with UN demands.

Well done, United Nations!

The American and Israeli neocons have been completely discredited, and the Security Council–including nations like Austria, Costa Rica, and China—-are no longer being bullied by the United States, but standing for common decency.

Israel was FORCED to open the humanitarian relief corridor for 3 hours a day (announced this morning) because of the Security Meeting/speeches condemning them last night.

Condi reminded me of Colin Powell’s presentation: knowing that finally, everyone except Israel was against her, and she was defending an immoral policy.

Good riddance, Condi. You can go now.

So what’s your point?

So much I’m-sure-I’m-right babbling from the very people who don’t even KNOW that Israel has blockaded food, water, fuel, and medical supplies from Gaza for close the 3 years. And that the United States, with the direction of Bush/Cheney/Rice, supported that starvation-inducing blockade.

Stunning, how much they don’t want to know.

The only posts on the board that descend into childish cat fights or invective or hatefulness, are those posted by ObamaIsAFraud. Everyone knows it.

Let’s just skip those posts, knowing that rational, factual conversation will never happen with her.

She’s boorish, and foolish.

Stick to the rational posters.

They play all sides, xax.

Always have, always will.

Divide and conquer. We all know where the IDF learned those techniques.

How many “bits and pieces” were left after the terrorist organization Irgun bombed the King David Hotel?

Some deaths matter, and some deaths don’t, right, William?

What?