Lebanon: We See You. We Hear You.
Dean
I am not the world's biggest Ayn Rand fan, but I cannot stop thinking of that quote today.Another current catch-phrase is the complaint that the nations of the world are divided into "haves" and the "have-nots." Observe that the "haves" are those who have freedom, and that it is freedom that the "have-nots" have not.
---Ayn Rand, THE ROOTS OF WAR, 1966
Look at this Lebanese insurgency: it's Christians, it's Druze, it's Shia and Sunni Muslim, all shoulder-to-shoulder.
The Arab world--no, the entire world--is at the cusp of something marvelous. Something miraculous. Will we make the right moves in response?
Am I the only one who would, right now, happily drop the 101st airborne into Beirut to help these people?
That might be the wrong move but oh baby.... is this Tienanmin Square, or is it The Berlin Wall? God let's hope it's the latter. Let's hope, hope, hope.... and if we pray, let's pray.
Related Posts (on one page):
I can't remember the name, but I saw a movie about a couple of kids right at the beginning of the civil war. They were just like us. Getting into trouble, laughing at odd neighbors, trying to keep their parents from finding out what they were doing. The mother of one was a lawyer. They were Muslim and had a friend who was a Christian girl. It was no big deal to the boys but after things started getting hairy they made sure the girl hid her crucifix.
One of my good friends had Lebanese relatives who came here to get away from the fighting. They kept expecting that they would be able to go home soon.
I hope they get to go home now.
Perhaps, but I also make sure that my neighbor won't run my kid over while he's taking his first steps.
In other words - we make it clear to Assad:
No touchie!
I was astounded and have renewed faith that SOME of our youth is getting it!
(Not a crowd I usually consider to pay much attention to such things)
Highlight of my night, and trust me it was a great night ^_^
She is quite right that statist, collectivist, dictatorial regimes, such as Prussia in World War I, Nazified Prussia in World War II, Communized Russia during the Cold War, are the ones who start wars -- and then it is free nations like the United States of America that finish them, sometimes with a bang.
That is a beautiful woman in that picture. Lebanon was once free, prosperous, and pro-Western, like unto another Israel even, until the PLO moved in and wrecked it. The more I think about that scum Arafat, the more I think there must be a Hell. The people of Lebanon deserve to be free once again.
Dean asked the right question: Will this be another Tienanmin Square or another Fall of the Berlin Wall? Will we stand by and watch tyrants roll their tanks through the streets to crush the rebellion, as we disgracefully did in Hungary (and Suez) in 1956 and in Czechoslovakia in 1968, or will we actively and effectively empower the freedom fighters as we did in World War II, and in Grenada and in Nicaragua under President Reagan?
That is a beautiful woman in that picture: Victory to her!
Syria to Pull Troops Out of Lebanon in Months (Assad)
I'd say it's probably best if they're not aware of much in the way of overt action (beyond rhetoric) on our part. I'm with Andrew saying that it's probably better if they feel they own it.
In the meantime, we can let the Syrians know that if they try to crack down, we'll come to the aid of the Lebanese... by land.
This is an easy litmus test. Anybody who ain't enthusiastically in support of the people of Lebanon, the people of Iraq, the people of Afghanistan -- are pretty much weenies.
Hank Barnes
Wrecked my point with bad grammar!
Hank Barnes
Is it just me, or is every Lebanese woman a total hottie? So far, every shot I've seen from the demonstrations with young women in them, the chick is gorgeous! I'm talkin'g two snaps up in Z formation here, fellas.
"This is an easy litmus test. Anybody who ain't enthusiastically in support of the people of Lebanon, the people of Iraq, the people of Afghanistan -- are pretty much weenies."
I'll be much harsher. Anybody who is not enthusiastically on the side of freedom is my enemy.
Casey Tompkins wrote:
"Ok. I'll be the crass, disgusting one.
Is it just me, or is every Lebanese woman a total hottie? So far, every shot I've seen from the demonstrations with young women in them, the chick is gorgeous! I'm talkin'g two snaps up in Z formation here, fellas."
I say that anybody -- except a man's man -- who can not appreciate the pulchritude of a beautiful woman is the one who is crass and disgusting. Sexiness is sacred. That is where I stand.
Months? Maybe?
Not good enough.
U.S. official implicates Syrian-based group in Tel Aviv attack...
"...The new conclusion comes as the Bush White House already is demanding that Syria immediately pull its troops and intelligence services from Lebanon and allow free and fair elections -- and complaining that Syria has allowed supporters of the Iraqi insurgency to operate and run supply lines within Syria."
Sort of looming in a Fezzik-like manner, instead of jumping in immediately.