December 2012

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
            1
2 3 4 5 6 7 8
9 10 11 12 13 14 15
16 17 18 19 20 21 22
23 24 25 26 27 28 29
30 31          

Blogs & Sites We Read

Blog powered by Typepad

Search Site

  • Search Site
    Google

    WWW
    http://accidentalblogger.typepad.com

Counter

  • Counter

Become a Fan

Cat Quote

  • "He who dislikes the cat, was in his former life, a rat."

« The Lebanese Smoke Screen | Main | "The Way To A Man's Heart ... »

August 01, 2006

Comments

Found this interesting article in the New Yorker with interviews with Lebanese (politicians, Hezbollah, ordinary folks) about the current situation - many surprisingly insightful statements.

Sujatha:
Thanks for the link. It is indeed quite revealing. Robin Wright of The Washington Post did a similar piece in which she points out that one of the biggest mistakes the US makes is to lump all Islamic opposition to the west in one generic basket of "terrorism" without taking into consideration what the locals feel. That is why we are surprised again and again when the Palestinians vote for Hamas, the Egyptians elect Muslim Brotherhood members and the Lebanese put Hezbollah in the parliament.

Yesterday's ABC Evening News interviewed some Lebanese Americans in the L.A. and Chicago areas. There were both Muslims and Christians among them. All characterized Hezbollah as a "resistance" group not terrorists. I guess one man's nationalist is another man's terrorist. In Indian history, we have seen that Netaji, Bhagat Singh, Chandrashekhar Azad - all those who offered up armed resistance to the British colonial rule, were termed dangerous terrorists by the British government.

But whatever they are, the US must speak to its "enemies" - Iran, Syria, N. Korea and yes, if necessary to Hezbollah and Hamas. That is what diplomacy is for. Not for constantly riding a high horse like a macho he-man and bringing on disasters.

Here is a rather long article from the Israeli newspaper, Haaretz. The gradually changing perception of Israel in the mind of most of the world is described here rather chillingly and truthfully. As Warren Goldstein points out, the fawning, uncritical and rabid friends of Israel may be its worst enemies.

The comments to this entry are closed.