World War III

So unless you've been living under a rock the last few days, you've probably heard that World War III has commenced.  It seems that Isreal has decided to attack the sovereign country of Lebanon because a terrorist group is holed up there.  This is the country that just recently overthrew a puppet government run behind the scenes by the syrians. 

So what is Isreals decision?  Attacking this country, a country with nearly 25,000 american's living there http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/07/14/lebanon.us.citizens/index.html.  Now the US is having to figure out a way of evacuating it's citizens from this country that is being bombed and shelled on a daily basis by the IDF (Isreali Defense Forces).  They took out Beirut International Airport, they are blocking the countries ports, and bombing all the roads leading out of the country, basically stranding the innocent lebenese citizens, the americans, and anyone else not involved with attacking Isreal. 

I personally feel that isreals actions are uncalled for.  If you want to fight the terrorists and bring your kidnapped troops back that's one thing but the Isrealis are literally attacking the country itself.  Israel's chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Dan Halutz, told Israel's Channel 10, "If the soldiers are not returned, we will turn Lebanon's clock back 20 years."  http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/07/12/mideast/index.html

The Lebenese people just recently fought for a new government, all that Isreals actions will do is invite even more terrorists to the region and turn more people against Isreal.  It's time the US take a stand and tell the Isrealis to back down.  By having such a defiant stance and being unwilling to tell Isreal to back down we're just inviting even more attacks on our soldiers and citizens abroad and our citizens here at home. 

Our super smart government.

So I'm watching the news today, cause I have nothing better to do, and they're talking about how there are 25,000 americans stuck in Lebanon, most of whom want or need to be evacuated. What's the government's response? Leave the people there while we formulate a plan. They're basically following the same playbook they used during hurricane katrina. While other governments swiftly moved to get their citizens out, the US has sat on it's thumbs leaving people in harms way.

Then it's reported that people being evacuated will receive a bill for the governments trouble. These are people who were either there studying, vacationing, or working but because Isreal got a bug up it's ass about something, now Americans are caught in the middle of this mess and thanks to the IDF they have no ways to get out of the country.

I can understand the reasoning behind charging someone for evacuation from a hostile area when they go there knowing full well that it's dangerous and violence could break out at any moment. West Africa anyone. These people though are in a relatively stable country. Sure they've had their moments there but the lebenese are caught in the middle. They have a terrorist organization sponsored by syria that is based there but they really don't have the means or public support to uproot them. Then Isreal goes around pissing everyone off and just generally mucking things up even more.

While writing this I've spotted something on CNN that says now people being evac'd won't have to pay. Yeah because american's are sick of stupid policies.

So basically the government needs to get their shit straight. We need to tell the Isreali's to settle and the lebenese government to clean up hezbollah or else.