http://www.cnn.com/...
Someone kidnaps an Israeli soldier so Israel bombs the power plant and conducts group punishment of the civilians in Gaza. Civilians are killed and we all know Israel can walk through that area with no real opposition. They claim its to get the soldier back but that makes no sense. If anything he would come back in a body bag after these kinds of disproportionate attacks. It seems more an excuse to reoccupy. Then the same thing happens from Beirut and they begin the same disproportionate attack, they bomb the airport and other civilian targets and warn of an invasion. They do flybys over the Syrian presidents house. Considering how screwed up the whole situation is I can only see this as a way of provoking a larger fight with Syria.
A fight they know the U.S. is itching for but isn't in the right position to get public support. However, what if that position were handed to us. We will have a new war front before the elections and a new call to rally around the flag. Its perfect, Republicans can rally their religious base. I cannot understand Israels overreaction as anything other than knowing that the U.S. will back them and possibly the U.S. wants this right now. I could be missing something, but none of this smells right. I saw the original stoking of war with Iraq as a way to win midterm elections. Nothing else explained the timing. Now I see it again but using Israel as a proxy to get things started. I haven't heard anything about the U.S. asking Israel to behave. In fact I see the opposite.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/...
I have seen europeans calling their attacks against the rules of war, rules against collective punishment. I haven't seen anything other than the simple approval of Israel protecting itself, apparently by any means.
I've thought for a while that Syria was Bush's next target. That if they could pull it off they would use a new battle front to gain more power here at home. At least it will give them good news. We can win outright battles. Its occupation we cant win and that really isnt all that important to these guys.