[mburbank]

Okay.

But "it's likely just one of many fabricated stories (most of which are recycled from accusations made against the US in Iraq) coming from Lebanon" is wrong. It comes from a popular Israeli paper and was written by an Israeli, not from Lebanon, as even the smallest amount of reserch or reading would have revealed, Mr. 'read my syllabus and until you do I'm right.' Your knee jerks just as much as anyone elses.

Hypothetically, if it turns out the Israelis did indeed use lots of clusterbombs, the way the US does, what would you think of that?

Is it neccesary? Strategic? Moral?

I think none of the above. Cluster bombs, by design kill indiscriminantly and by design can continue to kill after a conflict is over, or a ceasefire has been signed. Like land mines (which the US uses) they have a function beyond their immediate strategic use. They begin as tactical weapons and become terror weapons.

So you find Haaretz has a... questionable track record. As the source of all knowledge on Israel, I yield to you. It is, hwoever, my experience that governments have a 'questionable' track record as well when it comes to being truthful. So. As a hypothetical, would it be okay with you if Israel deployed a large number of cluster bombs in their war with Lebanon?

And just so we're on an even playing field, and before you ask, no, it is not at all okay with me that Hezbollah kidnapped two soldiers and won't give them up, and that they deliberately target civillians. In fact, I can't think of much Hezbollah does that's okay with me, but even in the light of that, I am sometimes able to wonder if what Israel does is okay.



And just to be clear, are there seriously Many Israeli citizens, who work for Haaretz, or hold tenure at Israel's Universities who believe that te existance of Israel is a war crime? That the state commits war crimes, I'd be happy to believe that, I believe it of my own country. I think you'd be hard pressed to find a country that goes to war that doesn't commit war crimes. It's just the winners are usually not punished. But that the existence of israel is in and of itself a war crime and ergo it should not exist? Citizens? And you know them to be employees of Haaretz and Israeli unniversities? Not just a few loose canons, but 'many'? I'm not an Israeli, I never lived there, I hold no doctoral degrees in the history of Israel or the middle east as I know you might be, although the source of your superior knowledge has never been revealed. I'd be very interested in a thread devoted to your sourcing the idea that many israeli citizens feel the existence of israel constitues a war crime. I do not deny the possability in the least. But you have certainly piqued my curiosity.