See The Real Meaning of War on a Personal Level
If you ever thought that the war in Lebanon was just politics, you need to watch this video by Joey Nasser on www.YouTube.com.
Sometimes we forget that what is happening in front of our eyes is affecting real people, real families, and innocents. There is no blood in this video clip, but what you will see is the beauty which was Lebanon and the devastation of the war. No, we do not advocate the message of the film maker, but we do realize that there are many factors at play in Lebanon right now.
What this video clip does is bring the war into real visual terms down on to a personal level for each viewer. It is hard not to be touched I have to say as I watched the clip that my heart goes out to people on both sides, in Lebanon and in Israel, for the destruction and devastation that they are experiencing. I do not know what I would do if this was my community and home that was at stake. Want to know and see the real meaning of war, it is in human suffering.
Condoleezza Rice is to go to Lebanon to try to broker a settlement to bring in outside NATO troops to try to calm down the fighting and to disarm Hezbollah, the independent militia, that is fighting this war with Israel. But, can a ceasefire or resolution be found? I think not. The split between the two combatants is so extreme that only a tenuous peace could be found, if any.What do I think will happen? I think that the destruction to both sides will continue until an outrage point is found and then the world will step in. We will have a repeat of UN forces or in this case NATO forces policing the front in south Lebanon, which will simply allow for more guerilla violence as military targets will be closer at hand for Hezbollah to pick off. Eventually, Iran may use their influence with Hezbollah as a bargaining chip for favorable treatment on their nuclear policies. There are larger forces at play here than just who kidnapped a soldier.
This brings to mind just why is Hezbollah so important in Lebanon? Where is the popularly elected government? In the light of a void of leadership and action on behalf of the people, someone will step forward to fill it, this is what Hezbollah has done.
To try to understand why Hezbollah is so important to some regions of the Middle East, one must look very carefully at the regime in charge of the country. In Lebanon, Hezbollah provides relief to the general population in much the same manner that Hamas does in Palestine. They both provide support care to the population such as hospitals, clinics, monetary support, and other human social services. It is difficult for a population who has received "benefits" to rise up and strike at their benefactors. One way to stop this trend is for the mainstream government to step in and provide these services that the militias have been providing. This will turn the people's hearts from these militias that are funded from questionable sources. Lebanon must make inroads in improving their social support services as right now the general populace feels that Hezbollah is the only one who really cares about them on a human needs level.
It is terrible to watch the destruction and grief of everyday citizens as so much destruction is wrought. The answers seem elusive and the solutions seem thorny, but we must struggle to find them.
There was a picture in my local paper today that defined the anguish of war for me. It was not a picture of smoldering ruins in a once vital neighborhood. It was not a picture of bleeding civilians, their limbs torn by a bomb blast. It was not a picture of weary soldiers slogging into yet another battle. It was the picture of a grief-stricken father holding his 2-year old daughter, his face contorted in anguish as he mourned his two dead sons. The young boys were among 31 people killed in a rocket and mortar attack in Baghdad's Karradah district this week.
It is the personal price of war that tears at my heart but never really seems to be addressed. Yes, it is reported and it sickens us, but it never seems to be emphasized by the political and military leaders who are responsible for creating such tremendous pain, suffering, and destruction. People, their families, their homes, their very livelihoods are but statistics of a "measured response" or an "acceptable casualty count."
I don't understand how organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah, which purport to be social agencies providing many services to their compatriots, can pursue a course of violence that rains down so much terror and suffering on those same constituents. It doesn't make sense to help their people with one hand and hurt them with the other. I don't understand why the people don't see the imbalance. What good does it do them to support a benefactor who provides medicine and food if he also ignites the bombs that kill your children. Dead people don't need medicine or food.
Posted by Secret Citizen | Sat Jul 29, 09:30:00 PM EDT
Thank you Secret Citizen for pointing this out. I would not want any of my family members to be considered and "acceptable casualty" in any war.
What is concerning to me is that as the violence continues instead of the Middle Eastern Muslim population turning from Hezbollah, many are embracing their cause and even embracing the cause of the PLO and Hamas as well. This conflict is polarizing the region along theological lines and setting the stage for even more terrible acts of terrorism and the spread of secretarian violence. It appears that the conflict is start to spiral out of control.
Posted by The Watcher | Sun Jul 30, 08:04:00 AM EDT
I hate to point out the obvious, but the entire region (Israel, Lebenon, Palestine, Jordan, Iran, Iraq...) has been polarized for at least a generation. This most recent warfare is simply another in a long list. At this point, I don't think anyone knows what it will take for the Jewish and Arabic populations in the region to get along. The hatred is so ingrained, that they don't know anything else. There is intolerance on both sides, and it is born and bred into them with each new generation. A tenative peace may be achieved for the current conflict, but this war has been on-going for a long time. I hope for change in the future, but I fear that it will not be until the all-too-distant future. In the mean time, it appears that both sides will utilize almost any opportunity to inflict pain and casualties (civilian and otherwise) on each other. And neither side is willing to back down or extend the first olive brach...
Posted by Anonymous | Tue Aug 01, 04:20:00 PM EDT
Yes of course you are right, the strife in that region is not new news.
Much of the problem stems from the regarded "intrusion" of a non-Muslim population (Israel) into a historically Muslim world-- once a part of Muslim lands under the caliphate, always part of Muslim lands.
Therein is the sticking point today with Israel's existance from the Muslim point of view.
Israel's very existance is an intrusion into the historical Muslim holy region and must be removed in order for the caliphate to be returned to power and to rightly govern and offer religious guidance to the Muslim people worldwide.
Many Muslim extremists believe that the re-establishment of the caliphate is a very important goal. Remember for Muslims there is no separation of church and state. They should be as one. The government is an extension of their religious faith in a desire to live as followers of Muhammad.
Posted by The Watcher | Tue Aug 01, 08:54:00 PM EDT