Who should pay for the rebuilding of Lebanon?

[breakaleg]

In all seriousness, I think it should be Israel. If that means that funds that were normally directed to Israel (ie. US funds) should go to Lebanon, then so be it.

If Israel has to suffer financially for it's actions, then that's at least one price they should pay.

The US, I believe, realizes that it cannot leave Iraq in the state it was in as a result of their war on it. Whatever happens there, they plan to at least rebuild the infrastructure they destroyed. Israel should do the same.

I realize this will likely never happen. But in the interest of fairness, it should at least be put out there as a possibility.

[CanuckAmok]

1. Clearly, it should be the French.

Lazy, smelly savages.

[HEyHEY]

4. Our French or Europe's French?

[CanuckAmok]

8. There's a difference?

Oh, right, the France French can make a decent movie.

[HEyHEY]

13. BTW you see there is another uninspired....

Canadian movie coming out? A comedic drama about a cop from Quebec teaming up with one from Toronto to solve a case.... basically it's like Beverly Hills cop only instead of black and white it's French and English.
God, why can't my country make an orignal movie?

[CanuckAmok]

19. I like the ones about driving from (anywhere) to Vancouver and never...

...actually getting here.

on edit: but as long as it has Donald Pinsent in it, I'll at least rent it.

[HEyHEY]

2. Rock and roll!

This should be a gooder!

:popcorn:

[CanuckAmok]

35. Rock is dead. All hail paper and scissors!

[T Wolf]

3. You are right - it will never happen.

A fair approach would be for all US aid to Israel to go to Lebanon. But even with that, we (US taxpayers) will be footing the bill.

It'll only happen if Haliburton gets the contract.

[David Dunham]

6. We should take it out of US payments to Israel.

Israel is choosing to cause the destruction and should "pay" for the reconstruction.

[breakaleg]

11. This is what I was going for...

To say Israel should pay would be met with, they don't have the funds. So the only way they could pay, would be to divert the aid they get from the US or wherever. They would pay indirectly, I guess.

[mmonk]

5. The world.

The world is allowing it to happen so far.

[breakaleg]

15. I kind of agree that the world is allowing it. But

the world's voice is the UN. And as long as the US has veto power, and continues to use this veto power to stop any real resolutions or actions, or waters down any initiatives, then what can the UN do?

How does the UN work around the US? Are they supposed to do what the US did in Iraq and ignore themselves and enact a plan outside it's guidelines? I don't see how they can.

[mmonk]

20. In my opinion,

any country (permanent member) that breaks the UN charter should give up it's veto power until it can refrain from doing so. That is the only way the UN can work, if the member states adhere to the rules.

[breakaleg]

23. that would certainly be a great consequence

[Skidmore]

7. Would be a fine job for all those IDF people who levelled it

to begin with. Forget the money. They should have to build it up brick by brick and restore the infrastructure. We've heard constantly that infamous "Pottery Barn Rule" over here and are we ever ponying up for Iraq. Should apply to every nation which goes to war.

[shaniqua6392]

9. Israel should rebuild Lebanon.

Oh yeah. Israel does not have enough money to do that. It would be done with our tax dollars in the end.

[breakaleg]

17. Yes, it would. But is Israel were made to suffer financially for

it's actions, then ultimately, the money would come out of their pockets.

[eFriendly]

10. You break it. . . You buy it.

Israel, of course, should pay for the re-construction of Lebanon.

[wakeme2008]

12. US will

I see no bid contracts....

:grr:

[MGD]

14. It depends on the outcome as far as I'm concerned.

If Hezbollah wins, then Hezbollah and Lebanon can work it out amongst themselves. If Israel wins, then Lebanon, Israel, and America need to work it out.

[Behind the Aegis]

16. Lebanon.

[Igel]

27. Perhaps Iran and Syria? n/t

[Behind the Aegis]

28. I'd agree with that even more! n/t

[no_hypocrisy]

18. * would present the bill to Syria and Iran if he had a vote. n/t

[MGD]

22. I doubt it actually. He would want to use US dollars as leverage

[fearthem]

21. Israel

[Fuzz]

24. What? They don't have oil to finance the rebuilding?

[cgrindley]

25. Lebanon

It's their mess.

[noonwitch]

26. Iran, Syria, and any other nation supporting Hezbollah

If Israel is successfull in driving Hezbollah out and can forge an alliance with Lebanon, perhaps they will help out in the long run.

[mmonk]

34. Forge an alliance?

That will go over well with the bombardment victims. What's that you're smoking?

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

29. Bill Gates

He started it

[RandomKoolzip]

30. Mark Farner of Grand Funk Railroad

He started it

[jody]

31. Israel's finance minister said his country is among the 20 wealthiest

countries in the world and by 2015 will be in the Top 10. See “In 10 years, Israel could be one of the 10 richest countries in the world,” Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told guests at ICSEP’s first annual United States Awards Dinner. Milton Friedman expressed similar beliefs to those assembled at New York’s St Regis Hotel: “Israel has the potential of being the Hong Kong of the Middle East,” he said in his video address.

Israel can obviously pay its own bills and should pay to rebuild Lebanon.

[asthmaticeog]

32. So sayeth the Talmud, "He who denies it supplies it."

Therefore, by the wisdom of the sages, Jordan should pay.

"But why?" I can already hear Jordan protest, "We had nothing to do with it!"

He who denies it supplies it, Jordan. He who denies it supplies it.

[enid602]

33. five years from now

Five years from now, I don't think you'll be asking the same question. There will be so many Lebanons, Iraqs and Afghanistans that no one will expect anyone to rebuild them.