What IS the level of complicity of the US in Israel's assault on Lebanon?

[bigtree]

and the further prosecution of this war?

I'm interested to hear just how those who support Israel's actions view the U.S. level of involvement, blame, complicity, described in concrete, verifiable ways. Dissenters to a lesser extent for this.

Not the venom and innuendo, but, just where in this conflict do you see the ties and connections that make us responsible (morally and otherwise) for what Israel actually does?

[babylonsister]

1. Great question! I will

be 'listening' with interest!

:popcorn:

[The Magistrate]

2. Nothing Major, Sir

The U.S. does supply munitions and weapons used.

The activity is not carried out at the behest of the United States, or in any particular co-ordination with its pirposes or strategies.

[Warren Stupidity]

5. "or in any particular co-ordination with its pirposes or strategies."

And you know this how?

[Behind the Aegis]

8. I would agree.

This would also implicate everyone else...it is like a bizarre game of "6 degrees of Separation."

[Warren Stupidity]

3. Bush rushes bombs to Israel. 'Nuff Said. nt.

[LiberalPartisan]

4. Moral support

Resupply of war material, Intelligence data, equipment and working to give Israel time to make a serious dent in Hezbollah's ability to attack Isreal.

All as it should be.

[Erika]

23. Hezbollah's ability to attack Israel?

How about Israel's ability to attack the U.N. in their drives. Sometimes you have to look at reality.

[burythehatchet]

6. 110% nt

[Freedom_from_Chains]

7. Complicity, hell we planned it. n/t

[blonndee]

9. Morally? Equally responsible. n/t

[TankLV]

10. Correction: Israel's assault on the TERRORISTS Hezbollah

who have hidden in Lebanon behind women and children while INTENTIONALLY targeting Israeli and other nations INNOCENT CIVILIANS - EXCLUSIVELY.

Big Difference.

But who am I to stand in the way of a poor argument such as the one you are trying to make.

[Kagemusha]

12. So the IDF soldiers were civilians too.

Just checking.

[blonndee]

13. Funny, I didn't see that the OP made an argument. nt

[bigtree]

14. The Hizbollah aren't suspended in air

the country and it's citizens have been upended, some 600,000 refugees fled their homes.

There's no argument here. I don't need to hide behind trick questions. I'm interested in how those who support Israel's actions view the U.S. involvement in them, whether you view it as complicity, co-opted. or whatever. What are the concrete levers, props, etc. if any?

I also want to hear the depth of responsibility some might feel for Israel's actions, but that's more controversial and not very focused, so I'd rather leave that part alone.

[BillZBubb]

15. Cut the propaganda bullshit and answer the question.

Israel is the biggest terror organinzation in the Middle East right now.

"Hiding behind women and children". Hezbollah stays where they live, they are people who live with women and children. What is Hezbollah supposed to do, stand out in a field with their rifles while the Israeli's American paid for F-16s and tanks blow them up from a distance???? Get a clue.

[Pavulon]

17. Yep

That is exactly it according to the laws of war. If they hide among civilians they might as well kill them first.

No state has to absorb attacks from an enemy who fights among civilians.

They count on asymmetrical warfare for an advantage. It only works if the greater force chooses not to attack targets that will kill civilians when they are destroyed.

[Divernan]

18. Hezbollah is provider of schools, roads, medical care/infrastructure

Middle East experts describe Hezbollah as a quasi-governmental entity in Southern Lebanon. From what I have read, many Hezbollah in southern Lebanon are men who have jobs/professions in the area - whether lawyers, engineers, laborers. Sounds like a version of a National Guard - on active duty in their home base and therefore living at home. Just as the US's illegal pre-emptive war on Iraq has swelled the ranks of Iraqis willing to fight the US occupation; Israel's disproportionate response to the kidnapping of two soldiers has activitated many Lebanese to join with Hezbollah in defending their country from Israel's broadbrush attacks on Lebanese civilians and infrastructure.

I am stunned that anyone could be so politically naive as to posit that the US gives billions to Israel (or any other country) with no strings on the recipient country's foreign policy.

[C_U_L8R]

11. our bombs our planes our money

sounds like its our war too

[Pavulon]

16. I sell you a gun

what you do with it is your business. We supply arms. If we did not the french and russians would.

We have zero responsibility for the actions of a sovereign state.

Is Russia responsible for the actions of all the states it sells arms to??

[Divernan]

19. Did the French/Russians give billions to Israel to purchase weapons?

Selling someone "a gun" is not comparable with providing billions of dollars with which to purchase a sophisticated air force, bunker buster bombs, etc.
U.S. foreign aid of the amount provided to Israel comes with not merely strings attached, but steel cables attached. Even the small amounts of foreign aid the US provides to third world countries for things like health care has "strings" attached that the recipient govt. agencies cannot also provide information/supplies for abortions - even though the U.S. foreign aid is kept in a strictly separated funding stream by the recipient govts. And connect the dots between all those countries who provided token forces in the Coalition of the Willing to their receipt of foreign aid from the U.S. So I totally disagree with your statement, "We have zero responsibility for the actions of a sovereign state."

[Erika]

26. I agree totally.

With our massive infusion of funds to Israel, we cannot simply wash our hands of their actions.

[Clarkie1]

20. We are not responsible for what Israel does.

Israel is a sovereign state.

[Erika]

21. Funded by the U.S.

If we stopped the funding, the Israel military would be dead in the water. Honesty.

[Clarkie1]

22. The seller of a gun is not responsible for what the buyer does with it.

Honestly.

Edit: If you go down that road and look at international arms sales worldwide by every country participating in the trade and assign responsibility for every conflict to those that sell the arms to the states involved in the conflict, you will see how untenable that line of reasoning is (besides being faulty on other grounds).

Also, getting back to the issue at hand, if we weren't selling arms to Israel there would be no Israel, in my opinion. I'm for the existence of Israel.

[Erika]

24. But their should be a moral questioning, right?

Isn't that what is the basics for gun checks here before purchase?

[Clarkie1]

25. There should always be moral questioning, yes.

We certainly should not sell arms to thugs and murderers.