Comments on: Why They Died http://beirutspring.com/blog/2007/09/06/why-they-died/ Blogging Lebanese politics, business and society since 2005 Wed, 23 May 2012 14:09:18 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Amnesty: Lebanon Discriminating Against Palestinians | The Beirut Spring, a Lebanese Blog http://beirutspring.com/blog/2007/09/06/why-they-died/#comment-7500 Amnesty: Lebanon Discriminating Against Palestinians | The Beirut Spring, a Lebanese Blog Wed, 17 Oct 2007 11:39:41 +0000 http://beirutspring.com/blog/2007/09/06/why-they-died/#comment-7500 [...] Amnesty: Lebanon Discriminating Against Palestinians   Lebanon’s troubles with international watchdogs just don’t seem to end. After the incident with Human Rights Watch, now Amnesty International is slapping Lebanon on the wrist. [...] [...] Amnesty: Lebanon Discriminating Against Palestinians   Lebanon’s troubles with international watchdogs just don’t seem to end. After the incident with Human Rights Watch, now Amnesty International is slapping Lebanon on the wrist. [...]

]]> By: leo http://beirutspring.com/blog/2007/09/06/why-they-died/#comment-7499 leo Tue, 11 Sep 2007 21:26:57 +0000 http://beirutspring.com/blog/2007/09/06/why-they-died/#comment-7499 <i>“although it kinda doesn’t make sense to blame Hezbollah for their “dumb”non-guided missiles”</i> Does it mean Israel should forgo use of precision-guided weapons in favor of "dumb" weapons to satisfy HWR watch requirements? I am sure they are technically capable of laying more than one carpet of those dummies. Daisy-cutters, anyone? What a load of ... “although it kinda doesn’t make sense to blame Hezbollah for their “dumb”non-guided missiles”

Does it mean Israel should forgo use of precision-guided weapons in favor of “dumb” weapons to satisfy HWR watch requirements?
I am sure they are technically capable of laying more than one carpet of those dummies. Daisy-cutters, anyone? What a load of …

]]> By: leo http://beirutspring.com/blog/2007/09/06/why-they-died/#comment-7498 leo Tue, 11 Sep 2007 21:12:28 +0000 http://beirutspring.com/blog/2007/09/06/why-they-died/#comment-7498 Ali @ 15 <i>"To the Zionist, The phrase “Soon enough we will have to go nuclear”, that is not constructive. Such kind of talk gives right to crazy leaders in Iran to go nuclear as well. With such phrases you are not helping in stopping the spread of nuclear weapons in the region, and seriously who wants that?"</i> You are correct assuming Ahmadnejad reads this blog and assuming his desire to go nuclear rests solely on ability of Israel go nuclear. Ali @ 15

“To the Zionist,
The phrase “Soon enough we will have to go nuclear”, that is not constructive. Such kind of talk gives right to crazy leaders in Iran to go nuclear as well. With such phrases you are not helping in stopping the spread of nuclear weapons in the region, and seriously who wants that?”

You are correct assuming Ahmadnejad reads this blog and assuming his desire to go nuclear rests solely on ability of Israel go nuclear.

]]> By: Benjamin Cook http://beirutspring.com/blog/2007/09/06/why-they-died/#comment-7497 Benjamin Cook Tue, 11 Sep 2007 20:08:36 +0000 http://beirutspring.com/blog/2007/09/06/why-they-died/#comment-7497 This reeks of a semantics arguement. Did Hizb hide amongst the populace. Sure. Did they hold people at gun point and force them to get hit by rockets... probably not. Israel's point remains: Fighting opposing forces that use guerilla and/or insurgent tactics cause much higher civilian casualties. The fact that his appears to be News to HRW shouldn't surprise anyone. This reeks of a semantics arguement. Did Hizb hide amongst the populace. Sure. Did they hold people at gun point and force them to get hit by rockets… probably not. Israel’s point remains: Fighting opposing forces that use guerilla and/or insurgent tactics cause much higher civilian casualties. The fact that his appears to be News to HRW shouldn’t surprise anyone.

]]> By: Hazbani http://beirutspring.com/blog/2007/09/06/why-they-died/#comment-7496 Hazbani Sun, 09 Sep 2007 19:13:07 +0000 http://beirutspring.com/blog/2007/09/06/why-they-died/#comment-7496 Surprise, As an Israeli saying some thing not 100% negative about the Hizb. Ball bearings are put in missiles since the 17-18th century, perhaps before there were ball bearings. Such ball bearings are standard ammo. in Nato and Russia. They are designed against infantry and other soft targets. The Hizb. did not put the metal balls in the war heads. They bought or got the missiles that were designed militarily and used them against civilians. It has been suggested that Israel will learn from the Hizb. and start manufacturing and using such missles with nominal bulls eye +/- 100 meters or even 300m. Israel can produce thusands of these for the price of one wing of F 16. Is it legal? is war legal? Surprise, As an Israeli saying some thing not 100% negative about the Hizb.
Ball bearings are put in missiles since the 17-18th century, perhaps before there were ball bearings. Such ball bearings are standard ammo. in Nato and Russia. They are designed against infantry and other soft targets. The Hizb. did not put the metal balls in the war heads. They bought or got the missiles that were designed militarily and used them against civilians.
It has been suggested that Israel will learn from the Hizb. and start manufacturing and using such missles with nominal bulls eye +/- 100 meters or even 300m. Israel can produce thusands of these for the price of one wing of F 16. Is it legal? is war legal?

]]> By: Akiva M. http://beirutspring.com/blog/2007/09/06/why-they-died/#comment-7495 Akiva M. Sun, 09 Sep 2007 09:18:41 +0000 http://beirutspring.com/blog/2007/09/06/why-they-died/#comment-7495 "although it kinda doesn’t make sense to blame Hezbollah for their “dumb”non-guided missiles" That argument would make more sense had Hezbollah: 1) Not announced that they were intentionally targeting Israeli cities with no military value whatsoever; or 2) Not packed their missile warheads with ball bearings, which are useless against military targets (even individual soldiers) but perfectly tailored to maximize the damage to unprotected civilian flesh and unarmored civilian property. Anyone who thinks Hezbollah had any interest at all in avoiding or minimizing civilian casualties needs their heads examined “although it kinda doesn’t make sense to blame Hezbollah for their “dumb”non-guided missiles”

That argument would make more sense had Hezbollah:

1) Not announced that they were intentionally targeting Israeli cities with no military value whatsoever; or

2) Not packed their missile warheads with ball bearings, which are useless against military targets (even individual soldiers) but perfectly tailored to maximize the damage to unprotected civilian flesh and unarmored civilian property.

Anyone who thinks Hezbollah had any interest at all in avoiding or minimizing civilian casualties needs their heads examined

]]> By: Akiva M. http://beirutspring.com/blog/2007/09/06/why-they-died/#comment-7494 Akiva M. Sun, 09 Sep 2007 09:10:01 +0000 http://beirutspring.com/blog/2007/09/06/why-they-died/#comment-7494 "Hezbollah should take all feasible measures to ensure that Hezbollah forces do not place civilians or UN personnel at unnecessary risk by deploying in, firing from or storing weapons in populated areas. The Lebanese government should investigate these practices. (Human Rights Watch’s report on Hezbollah’s deliberate and indiscriminate rocket attacks on civilian areas of Israel also calls for the Lebanese government to investigate those practices: http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/08/30/lebano16740.htm)." I wouldn't hold my breath on this one. Or any of the others, really, though I hope someone in Israel is paying attention to this: · Israel should revise its military policies that effectively treat all persons remaining in an area following evacuation warnings as combatants, so that in the future it targets only people or structures that constitute valid military objectives under the laws of war. Israel’s Winograd Commission, in particular, should investigate this issue. Even if they think it will give Hezbollah a tactical advantage, as the July war proved the media disadvantage of being wrong and its impact on future action is probably worse than the tactical disadvantage of requiring more intel that "we said leave". Not to mention the moral implications. “Hezbollah should take all feasible measures to ensure that Hezbollah forces do not place civilians or UN personnel at unnecessary risk by deploying in, firing from or storing weapons in populated areas. The Lebanese government should investigate these practices. (Human Rights Watch’s report on Hezbollah’s deliberate and indiscriminate rocket attacks on civilian areas of Israel also calls for the Lebanese government to investigate those practices: http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/08/30/lebano16740.htm).”

I wouldn’t hold my breath on this one.

Or any of the others, really, though I hope someone in Israel is paying attention to this:

· Israel should revise its military policies that effectively treat all persons remaining in an area following evacuation warnings as combatants, so that in the future it targets only people or structures that constitute valid military objectives under the laws of war. Israel’s Winograd Commission, in particular, should investigate this issue.

Even if they think it will give Hezbollah a tactical advantage, as the July war proved the media disadvantage of being wrong and its impact on future action is probably worse than the tactical disadvantage of requiring more intel that “we said leave”.

Not to mention the moral implications.

]]> By: Ali http://beirutspring.com/blog/2007/09/06/why-they-died/#comment-7493 Ali Sun, 09 Sep 2007 01:10:42 +0000 http://beirutspring.com/blog/2007/09/06/why-they-died/#comment-7493 To the Zionist, The phrase "Soon enough we will have to go nuclear", that is not constructive. Such kind of talk gives right to crazy leaders in Iran to go nuclear as well. With such phrases you are not helping in stopping the spread of nuclear weapons in the region, and seriously who wants that? To the Zionist,
The phrase “Soon enough we will have to go nuclear”, that is not constructive. Such kind of talk gives right to crazy leaders in Iran to go nuclear as well. With such phrases you are not helping in stopping the spread of nuclear weapons in the region, and seriously who wants that?

]]> By: The Zionist http://beirutspring.com/blog/2007/09/06/why-they-died/#comment-7492 The Zionist Sat, 08 Sep 2007 23:16:51 +0000 http://beirutspring.com/blog/2007/09/06/why-they-died/#comment-7492 btw mustapha...I see the question nasrallah ad's on your site.. takes alot of guts - I respect that - you are making the fate of your nation (rather than accepting it by default) be well btw mustapha…I see the question nasrallah ad’s on your site..

takes alot of guts – I respect that – you are making the fate of your nation (rather than accepting it by default)

be well

]]> By: Suzanne http://beirutspring.com/blog/2007/09/06/why-they-died/#comment-7491 Suzanne Sat, 08 Sep 2007 09:34:12 +0000 http://beirutspring.com/blog/2007/09/06/why-they-died/#comment-7491 I'm always curious how this kind of research is conducted. It's explained here: "Reproduced below is a list of 97 incidents involving civilian casualties and civilian infrastructure that we have investigated in Lebanon. The information listed below, based on our field investigation of the sites and witness testimonies, includes the date and time of the strike, the method of attack, the village where the attack took place, and the death toll. Because place names often vary, our researchers also took the GPS coordinates of individual strikes, which should allow the IDF to coordinate this information with its strike logs and establish the specific military target attacked." 97 incidents... that's a lousy number if you would ask me. Testimonies? Since when in Hezbollah reigned south testimonies are independent? Reports such as these from human right organisations smell when research is done in messed up countries. Unfortunately usually messed up countries have to deal with human rights organisations. So I am not going to blame HRW for doing their work :) I’m always curious how this kind of research is conducted.

It’s explained here:

“Reproduced below is a list of 97 incidents involving civilian casualties and civilian
infrastructure that we have investigated in Lebanon. The information listed below,
based on our field investigation of the sites and witness testimonies, includes the
date and time of the strike, the method of attack, the village where the attack took
place, and the death toll. Because place names often vary, our researchers also took
the GPS coordinates of individual strikes, which should allow the IDF to coordinate
this information with its strike logs and establish the specific military target attacked.”

97 incidents… that’s a lousy number if you would ask me.
Testimonies? Since when in Hezbollah reigned south testimonies are independent?

Reports such as these from human right organisations smell when research is done in messed up countries.

Unfortunately usually messed up countries have to deal with human rights organisations.

So I am not going to blame HRW for doing their work :)

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