UN-Israeli inquiry into Lebanon peacekeeper deaths

Sad, but he didn't say what constitutes "all day" bombing. One at 7 pm, another at noon and one at 7 pm? Surely not constantly all day or communications would have gone out much sooner. The Israelis, after all, are not bad shots.

"The Hezbollah is clearly evil but is Israel really "not" evil?"

Israel is no more or less evil than the US (how many Afghan children died after 9/11)?

But of course that is all predicated on the highly dubious claim to the existence of "Evil" as opposed to less religious, more science-based approaches to human action.

Claude, your question is to the point, and it sounds as though someone really messed up. But I feel compelled to urge you, as I have been urging folks on the other side, not to speak of entire nations or peoples as though they were one being. It's quite possible there are evil men on all sides of this insanity, but let's be careful not to lump in those that may be trying, as we speak, to get their leaders to cool it.

Perhaps you'd like to know Kofi Annan also said, about the Israeli shelling of the UN position:

"(The UN soldiers spent all day) pleading with them (the Israeli army) to avoid striking their location (the UN observation post)".

This should answer your question about wether the Israelis knew what they were doing (they did) and wether it was one bomb or more.

Who were the people being shelled:

1. Clearly marked

2. Long-established

3. Unarmed military

4. Observers

5. Pleading (all day) to the Israeli army

For some it may be a "justified war" but this attack, in and of itself, wasn't justified, period.

Will, I'm not sure why you would associate the notion of evil with religion, but I am aware of rather conclusive scientific evidence that there are individuals that derive pleasure from harming others and experience no remorse. Does this not suit your definition of evil?

CNN reported this morning that UN officals investigating this deadly attack claimed that the shelling of the UN observation post occured throughout the day, even after the 4 obsevers were killed and attempts to find their bodies were underway and that prior to the deaths they had contacted the Israeli army numerous times to try to get the shelling stopped.

Jane Holl Lute, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, has stated that:

"Despite repeated requests to the IDF (Israeli Defence Forces) for abatement, firing was maintained during the rescue operation."

So even while the UN was trying to rescue its wounded, the IDF continue its firing of this peaceful position.

This is a -very- ugly picture.

World leaders (excluding the US, as usual) are right to ask for answers.

Citizens of the world are justified to blame the IDF for these easily preventable deaths.

This is all very interesting. I'm anxious to know what may have been going on below the surface. Why Israel chose to bomb the U.N. post.
It would seem their aim was to bomb that area, and the U.N. was in the way. It's quite possible that the UN intentionally stayed there as an impediment to Israel's military strategy. The UN is supposed to be neutral, but is that always true?
We really don't know all the facts, I'm sure. Not enough to pass judgement on anyone yet. It will be interesting to see how this develops.

All war is evil, that's the bottom line.being sorry about things on either side doesn't help the fact that innocent people are always getting killed and caught up in it. Thye aren't goin gto stop I don't think unless soemthing drastic is done. I hate even the thought of war.

claude i have to agree with john in his statement about being careful in saying whole nations. i personal have met extremely evil pepole right here in my hometown, i also have a beloved kindred who is Israeli and in the past have had beloved friends who were islamic . all of them were and are the kindest pepole i have ever met. they have taught me the lesson of knowing that until i have lived in such circumstances i cannot give a fair opinion, i have also witnessed what war does to a human being and your right its ugly, foul, and horrific what mankind has allowed to develope unfortunatly it will continue.
like that star trek episode where there were only two pepole left from the race one had white on the left side of his face the other on the right yet both had been conditoned to hate until there was nothing left. this will be the fate of this world if we continue to allow it to happen. i admire your compassion in your articles i appreciate your concern and i hope that all this effort from you will plant a seed for the best.

People reading my posts should note I understand only a "handful of leaders" actually decide of the course of events (especially at times when war is raging).

For instance, I'm well aware very few Israelis actually have any influence whatsoever on the IDF (Israel's army).

When I refer to "Israelis" in my posts, I'm intending to designate those who take the decisions and those, by extension, who counsel or influence them. Period.

As far as I'm concerned, Israelis, Lebanese and Palestinians, especially the innocent civilians, are sick of the ongoing war and conflicts, in the region.

All of this, the war, the hate and the absence of diplomacy, is -very- sad but rest assured, I truly believe only a few people actually take "decisions".

The rest of the citizens (of these countries and of the world) should nevertheless take notice of the gravity of the issues at hand.

"For some it may be a "justified war" but this attack, in and of itself, wasn't justified, period. "

--How could the Israelis miss they just aimed for the Hezbollah flag - flying right next to the UN Flag.--

You mean to say a Hezbollah flag was floating at a neutral and unarmed UN observation post?

That's highly unlikely (read: very, very unlikely).

For everyone's enjoyment of this particular issue, here's a direct link to see what the Hezbollah flag looks like and another link to know a little bit more about what the Hezbollah stands for (in case you don't already know how much evil it packs).

Even if you're a Hezbollah fighter on crack, you wouldn't go swinging a Hezbollah flag in the air while the IDF is flying fully-loaded bombers over your head — the UN, for their part, would never fly the Hezbollah flag next to theirs... even less so during this war. It wouldn't make any sense, whatever way one looks at it.

Dear Bruce, if you have any proof for your statement, you're welcome to bring it forward!

Here you go Claude
http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474976770324

Sure looks like the Hezbollah flag to me. As they say a picture is worth a thousands words.
In addition, your comments about Hezbollah not being anywhere near the UN just doesn't ring true either. Check out this article http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=37278180-a261-421d-84a9-7f94d5fc6d50.

Comments Claude

Thanks for taking some time to present the evidence supporting your post.

I've taken the liberty, nonetheless, to dig the story behing the image you mentioned, presenting a UN and a Hezbollah flag, floating side by side.

This image has been published, for the first time on June 25, 2004, in Jed Babbin's book "Inside the Asylum: Why the UN and Old Europe are worse than you think".

As such, the image of the two flags floating side by side isn't very relevant since it wasn't taken during this conflict and specifically NOT at the UN observation post that was bombed.

There, you have the -real- facts.

The author, Jed Babbin, has written two books, up to this day. Both of them bark up the same tree where "the rest of the world is out to get America", through the UN or otherwise.

Some would argue Jed Babbin is an alarmist.

I believe he's onto something but, in general, his "documented" conspiracies are based on personal feelings and assumptions so it's better to be careful before believing his hype without a tad of intellectual rigor. This being said, the plots he describes are exciting to read about. Yes, everybody loves a good story!

It's still good that you brought the image of the flags into this comments thread because it help us all stay alert to the various views that are "out there" but I believe your point about Major Hess-von Kruedener is much better.

Here's a Canadian Major who sent an e-mail 9 days before the bombing to say the Hezbollah fighters were basically using the UN base as a cover to shell the Israelis. CTV hasn't talked about this e-mail until now, after the bombing. Why have they waited so long? I don't know but I find the facts a little too "convenient" not to be a little bit skeptical. Call it my "Columbo" side! Wether it's true or not (read: genuine) is anybody's guess, at this point.

The Major went on to say that apart from the UN observation post, the Hezbollah fighters would set up near hospitals, mosques and orphanages. Fortunately, Israel has used of judgement into not blowing all these places to smitherines... so, following that wise logic, why did the IDF bomb the UN's post, in particular?

Joel Kom, the Ottawa Citizen journalist, composed his articles based on files from Steven Edwards. He doesn't explain why the IDF found it "fine and dandy" to bomb a UN post in order to hit constantly moving targets (the Hezbollah fighters) which obviously endangered the unarmed UN personnel (most probably against their will).

History will unfortunately remember the IDF, and not the Hezbollah, as those who took down unarmed UN personnel who were on "observation" duty.

Now, the real question here is wether the UN knew the Hezbollah fighters were using the UN post as a shield before the bombing. If that's the case, then Kofi Annan will have some explaining to do. If he honestly didn't know beforehand, then something -urgently- needs to be done about the communications at the UN because they obviously don't work!

If I were a UN military on a mission and I had to write to CTV to seen any action regarding such disturbing Hezbollah manoeuvers around my neutral observation post, instead of reporting to the UN itself, I would say it's a major, even critical, problem.

As for the UN "playing nice with the terrorists", my opinion is that they try to play neutral and that can come off, to one side or the other, as being a "latent partisanship" in favor of the opposing side.

Being neutral is NOT an absolute science but at least, it's better than blowing up the neighbors with bombs and heavy artillery, as the IDF and the Hezbollah are doing nowadays.

Whew! That was a long answer...

BIG DEAL if they weren't there they would still be safe WOULDN'T THEY what gives one or more countries or their leaders the right to stick their noses into everybody else around the world's business every country out there including usa has made some piss poor judgments in the past and it continues on and on we don't have enough national guard to defend our own southern boarder from the 2nd and 3rd biggest problems we have (kind of a tie)illegal immegration,and drugs no1 being troops somewhear they dont belong (iraq)and not being whear they belong (north korea,and iran)so lets just build them both ( lebanon,and israiel ) a nuclear power plant so they can convert them into plutonium or uranium enrichment plants for war heads just like we did in (north korea ,and iran) and we are going to do in iraq and every one not getting shot at to guard their own country and mind their own business

So, in short:

1. the UN should cease to exist;

2. Nuclear technology shouldn't be spread;

3. Our borders should be shut tight.

Am I forgetting something?

Skip #3 and add this: A new world agency will be established and if anyone so much as thinks about launching unprovoked violence on ANY nation, they will be wiped from the face of the earth, the end, no take backs, no pinkie swears, good bye.

O... k... a... y...

Someone "forgot" to talk to a friend, today ; )

I think you hit 3 good points just add a few more charity starts at home America should feed clothe shelter and give health care to all Americans before passing it out around the world

oh yea and educate