I think you are seeing malice where there may not be any, at least not in any significant quantity. The US does not "do it" to black people - certainly not as a matter of policy. I think the same is true with Israel. It costs money to hold prisoners, if they are innoncent of any wrong doing and Israel knows it, it invites the possibility of massive public backlash from the international community and it tarnishes Israel's image even further. There are of course going to be cases where innocent people are jailed just as will always be the case until humans cease to exist. Nothing will ever change that as mistakes are not going to disappear any time soon. Indeed there will always be the odd-ball case of criminal wrongdoing where some jerk on a power trip wants to throw an Arab in jail for no reason. Again, I don't see this as something widespread or at epidemic levels. What I do see is MILLIONS of people gathering in public forums burning flags, chanting "death to Israel", inciting hatred of Israel, and marching around with their children dressed up like Rambo. This speaks volumes and does very little to support the case that many jailed are innocent of any wrongdoing. From what I can see, and more importantly from what I hear out of the mouths of angry Arabs in that part of the world makes me believe that Israel probably holds thousands in prison, and most are probably there for a good reason.
Actually, the US
does make it matter of policy as evidenced by our whacked out legal system, which continuously puts away more black people for illigitimate crimes then it does for white people. For God's sake, we have minimum sentancing laws that punish
crack cocaine users more harshley then people with
powder cocaine because we
know perfectly well that black people use crack because it's cheaper.
We have instatutuionalized and accepted racism in our society. This is fact.
I refuse to believe that Israel has anything fairer and would wager my left arm that it's even worse.
Also, Israel has never recieved international criticism for their development of a secret nuclear program (which they lied about on several occassions) or there nuclear arsenal (a.k.a. "the worst kept secret in the Middle East"), so what makes you think the world is gonna jump on their back about a few dead Palestinians?
C'mon Crypto... be objective here.
And indeed just a fraction of the total casualties Israel has endured as well - it is a two-way street.
That's what *I'm* saying.
Easy now - I never attacked your morals. It was a question that was perhaps poorly worded, but completely relevent to the discussion. I see the release of a man who killed one Israeli man and smashed the skull of a four-year old Israeli girl completely ridiculous, irresponsible, and immoral. I see it as a bad move, especially when that murderer is greeted as a hero and vows to fight again. At the crux of the issue is your assertion that Israel and Hezbollah made out equally well (or not at all). I think the propaganda victory alone for Hezbollah completely invalidates this position. My point was that a known terrorist is now back in the mix with a desire to inflict more harm. Israel has two dead bodies, hardly strengthening them tactically or politically.
It earned
your sympathy, didn't it?
Am I heartless to propose the potential benefits of international sympathy?
Israel is like any other political establishment - they make every choice weghing the pros and cons. This wasn't a concession. This was a deal.
Neither side benefits and neither side loses.
Well, those people happen to be right. I'm not pretending the issue is being reported differently, but rather debating someone who thinks it should be..............
I think the media fails to stress the fact that Israel handed over 199 dead Palestinians.
To ignore this, in my opinion, is irresponsible journalism.
Perhaps, but one of those 5 has already vowed to fight again. I'm putting my money on the fact that they all find their way back into the fight before long.
"Find their way back"? Assuming they were there to begin with?
If they
weren't terrorists back then they sure as hell are now. They were in prison all this time! Could you blame them for hating the country that falsely imprisoned them (if this is what happened)?
Not really. He committed double murder (only one murder if the word of a murderer is good enough for you - you being 3rd person, don't get upset). Regardless of anything that has happened, that man has no business ever seeing the outside of a prison cell.
Agreed.
Something is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. Israel didn't set the "price", Hezbollah did. It isn't Israel that created the value, it is Hezbollah. Israel would have given 200 dead Palistinians for every Israeli held captive and more. Would Hezbollah have agreed to a 2 for 2 deal? No way in the world. Israel would have, and it would have been an equal 1 to 1, right?
If the rates of death were 1:1, then maybe you'd have a point... but they're not.
So the point is moot.
Abrax....you wear your heart on your sleeve and in the world politic, someone will take advantage of you to benefit themselves.
"If you're not a liberal when you're 25, you have no heart. If you're not a conservative by the time you're 35, you have no brain."Your probably somewhere closer to 25 than 35......but with every year, your making progress
And some call me too
jaded.
Sometimes I just don't understand
what I am...
All the things you use to support your position are not based on existing facts of international law, laws of war and spoils or issues of national sovreignty....but are on "moral" grounds and on how people "should" be treated.....which is simply an opinion on your part.
As Terry said, international laws are followed by the international community
if and
when it benefits them. Otherwise, "ink on a page" will not stop global super powers from doing what is in
their best intrests - morality be damned. My choice to
recognize this,
call them out on it and do what *I* can to
change it doesn't mean I'm a "liberal". It means I won't tolerate international bullying and that I hold my princibles higher then my country does.
I just choose to not be a hypocrite.
