Breaking News: Lebanese Army Convoy

[malaise]

with about 1,000 vehicles driving behind it hit by Israeli fire. Four dead, many cars on fire. CNN live.

[Selatius]

1. Why is Israel bombing the Lebanese Army??????

Can somebody explain the point of that if they want the Lebanese Army to disarm Hezbollah???

[Lerkfish]

3. because, apparently, what they SAY they want and what they REALLY

want seem to be in conflict.

[raysr]

76. I'll say it

FUCK Isreal!

[atfqn]

92. Thank you.

You took the words out of my mouth. Fuck Israel indeed.

[Fredda Weinberg]

13. They didn't target the convoy ... there were rockets being launched

Doesn't anybody treat this shit with some skepticism? Look up the town, people ... it's in the middle of active fighting.

[Cooley Hurd]

17. Sorry, Fredda, but Israel has the most advanced recon in the entire...

...middle east (as well as the most advanced intelligence organization in the ENTIRE world!). Why do they KEEP ATTACKING the WRONG people???? :shrug:

[Fredda Weinberg]

27. They target launchers and have no control over where those

missiles come from. Read the Newsday article I cited; it gives a clearer idea of what's going on than the alternet screed.

[Cooley Hurd]

47. But, is it tactically sound to smite an entire area frought with civilians

The Mossad MUST know where Hezbollah is firing from. They MUST know the difference between the Lebanese Army and Hezbollah militants.

[Patchuli]

95. Much like our own officials,

too much conceit, arrogance and testosterone/estrogen can make people stupid, perhaps? @ least the Clenis knew what to do with his...heheee sorry. I wish an overactive sex drive was the main problem with our pRes...!

[Selatius]

20. Israeli warplanes blew up the Lebanese Army barracks in Beirut.

This was back some weeks ago. Did Israel say that was a mistake?

[BrotherBuzz]

51. In all fairness, it was a mistake...

A mistake on the the Lebanese Army's part for locating it's barracks right next to a TV transmission tower, the intended target. :shrug:

[DoYouEverWonder]

24. We need a new excuse

They launched rockets is getting old.

[Name removed]

28. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Lerkfish]

39. I'm confused why they even bother to come up with rationalizations

anymore. They obviously don't care what anyone else thinks, so why try so hard to reframe the obvious into the ridiculous?

[LostinVA]

45. My Ignore list is growing by leaps and bounds

I can no longer stomach warmongers and people who RATIONALIZE WAR CRIMES.

Ugh.

[Lerkfish]

46. LOL!

I was just thinking something similar.

[LostinVA]

49. Great minds and all that jazz

[malaise]

70. Ain't that the truth

:D

[leftchick]

58. It is hard to stomach

why anyone would TRY TO justify the deaths of over 1000 CIVILIANS. :puke:

[Fredda Weinberg]

42. Yeah, it's easier to imagine blood thirsty Israelis who chase

down refugees for target practice. Reality bites, dude and the alternet article has none of the context you find in the Newsday piece.

[breakaleg]

63. I'm sorry, but that many vehicles, such a large convoy, cannot

possibly be misinterpreted. Do they think Hezbollah is going to come out of hiding and provide one large target?

Clearly they thought that such a large group could only be recognized as civilians fleeing.

This was no mistake. How could it be?

[alfredo]

91. They've made mistakes before. They mistook an American

communications ship that was flying an American flag, was in international waters, was well known in the region because it had sailed the region for years, had only one 50 cal machinegun, had sunbathing sailors smiling and waving at the Israeli surveillance aircraft that flew over the ship for two hours, for an Egyptian horse transport half the size of the American ship. It was so obvious that two Israeli pilots refused to fire on the ship. They were the only ones punished for the "mistake."

I'm not a Christian. I am under no obligation to forgive., but I will when Israel apologizes. Been waiting since 1967.

[ThomCat]

71. There is no need to imagine it when the facts verify it.

Over and over and over again.

There are estimated to be over 800,000 refugees now. And that number was two weeks ago so it has certainly grown by now. There is no way for that many people to be homeless if Israel was really only targetting the locations of missile launchers.

The satelite photos show widespread mass destruction of entire cities and towns. That doesn't happen unless it's deliberate.

The news reports of destroyed hospitals, factories, farms, oil refineries, and bridges are proof that Israel is pursuing a bloodthirsty policy. They are actively trying to kill as many people as possible but destroying anything that could keep those people alive.

With all the inforamation out there, how can you still imagine that Israel is being reasonable, moral or ethical? That just boggles the mind.

[arcane1]

86. being a citizen of Israel automatically makes you a saint...

incapable of doing anything wrong or evil

didn't you get the memo?

[The Stranger]

48. Oh my.

Are you being serious?

[EFerrari]

73. Right! What the heck is that TOWN doing in the middle

of a battelfield? :sarcasm:

[countryjake]

96. They were miles away from the fighting, traveled all day for hours,

to get out of the fire-zone; where is your skepticism? There were media there following the exodus, filming the convoy as it reached villages to the north, with locals lining the streets with food and water for the children and exhausted elderly...these people have been under siege for weeks, with no aid able to reach them, completely cut off. They were being led North by their own army, Lebanese soldiers, with the understanding that their safe-passage was guaranteed thru a U.N. pact with the IDF.

It's hard to understand the lack of compassion some have.

[leftchick]

23. Because they want to, they can and

no ones seems to be able to stop them. It is obvious they are trying to wipe Lebanon off the map.

[Name removed]

54. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[zippy890]

83. your comment is uncalled for in this discussion

please refrain from anti-jewish remarks

[alfredo]

89. They mistook it for an Egyptian horse transport.

That was the excuse they gave for the murder of our sailors on the unarmed communications ship the USS Liberty.

[Lerkfish]

2. but...but...but....Israel is DEFENDING itself

[LostinVA]

30. But... but... Lebanon is trying to push them into the sea!.

[uppityperson]

4. I think this is the same story, Reuters

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L1185351.htm
Israeli aircraft fired at least five rockets at a convoy of hundreds of cars carrying people fleeing south Lebanon on Friday, killing at least three people and wounding eight, witnesses and rescue workers said.

They said the convoy that had left the town of Marjayoun earlier in the day was targeted by at least one drone near the village of Kefraya in eastern Lebanon.

Around 3,000 civilians and 350 Lebanese security men had left the town in the convoy a day after Israeli forces seized the area.

[malaise]

7. That's it n/t

[QuestionAll...]

10. wait, am I hearing this right?

the Lebanese army is trying to help citisens to get away from the Israel flyer targets, and gets bombed for it?

my distain for the IDF grows even deeper, if that's possible.

on edit: the Israeli Offensive Force.

[ThomCat]

5. Does anyone need more proof that Israel is out to destroy

Lebanon?

[Fredda Weinberg]

9. How 'bout proof period? It's a war zone round Marjayoun

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/world/wire/sns-ap-mideast-fighting-a-taste-of-war,0,6589405.story?coll=sns-ap-world-headlines

Soon after the shells burst in balls of flame to the left, peacekeepers spotted up to 10 rockets, probably part of Hezbollah's arsenal, streaking skyward. About five minutes later, an Israeli warplane dropped a bomb on the suspected launch site.

[tocqueville]

16. please don't reinvent reality

"...from the area around Marjayoun, was hit near Chtaura in the Bekaa Valley."

check a Lebanon map

[Fredda Weinberg]

29. Yeah and the Newsday article references Marjayoun

Got another one?

[ThomCat]

19. What does that have to do with bombing a convoy

of civilians and Lebanese army vehicles?
or bombing a UN station after telling them repeatedly that they wouldn't?
or bombing factories when no missiles were reported anyplace nearby?
or bombing dairy farms when no missiles were reported anyplace nearby?
or bombing ambulances that are clearly marked?
or creating a "relief corridor" for international aid and then bombing the end of that corridor?
or telling civilians to evacuate an area and then bombing the roads while all the civilians are walking out of town?

There is nothing Israel could do that you wouldn't excuse and wish away.

[Fredda Weinberg]

32. It's called "war", Thom and I'm adding context the alternet

article left out, like the drone attacked after missiles were launched.

[muriel_volestrangler]

79. Your story talks about a war reporter who went to Marjayoun and then left

Later on, once he was back at U.N. base on a hill near Ibl El-Saqi, in southern Lebanon, he saw some rockets, and their launch site got bombed.

The civilians were near the village of Kefraya in eastern Lebanon, when they were bombed. In a completely different part of the country.

See? The only connection is that they both talk about people who had, at some earlier time, been in the town of Marjayoun.

[Marr]

82. Actually, this is called "slaughter".

Please, go on excusing it. Help me put these dead people "into context".

[LostinVA]

33. It doesn't -- the spinning on this thread is making me nauseous

[Lost-in-FL]

52. It is sickening

sick, sick, sick... I just can't believe it.

UN check point attacked... oh but there we fighters near by.

Refuge Camp bombed... but, but, maybe they hide weapons there.

Sickening, all the rationalizations.

[LostinVA]

56. Hospitals attacked -- oh, Hezbollah weapons installed

It is literally like the Freeper rationales for the stuff at Gitmo, Iraq, etc.

ARRRGGGHHHHHHHHH

[FlaGranny]

64. Didn't you see the picture of those cars?

All those civilian cars were carrying rocket launchers? :sarcasm:

[originalpckelly]

6. Opportunity knocks once again.

Those Lebanese soldiers must be having a blast with all this opportunity flying around.

[Lost-in-FL]

8. Hezbollah fighters were hiding near the convoy...

and were shooting rockets :sarcasm: :sarcasm:

[Fredda Weinberg]

11. I wish it were mere sarcasm

But according to someone who was in Marjayoun, yeah, that's what he describes. This is the pattern folks, no matter what alternet says.

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/world/wire/sns-ap-mideast-fighting-a-taste-of-war,0,6589405.story?coll=sns-ap-world-headlines

Soon after the shells burst in balls of flame to the left, peacekeepers spotted up to 10 rockets, probably part of Hezbollah's arsenal, streaking skyward. About five minutes later, an Israeli warplane dropped a bomb on the suspected launch site.

[ThomCat]

31. So they bombed the Lebanese army?

And the civilian refugees?

That is just crazy.

[Fredda Weinberg]

37. War is crazy which is why we argue instead

So why has Hezbollah been shelling ever since Israel evacuated Lebanon?

[ThomCat]

44. Israel has not evacuated Lebanon. They drove the civilians

out with constant bombs on their heals. They also bombed the civilians on the road.

Hezbollah is clearly retaliating for Israel's mass murder of Lebanese citizens. And I don't blame them.

[frylock]

77. that statement right there shows you don't know fuck all

Israel evacuated Lebanon? Bukllfuckingshit they did.

[5X]

34. That narrative has nothing to do with the OP's story. n/t

[LostinVA]

38. hahahahaha

[LostinVA]

36. With little babies strapped to their backs as shields n/t

[tocqueville]

12. Israeli drone fires on REFUGEE convoy

8 minutes ago

BEIRUT, Lebanon - An Israeli drone fired missiles into a convoy of refugees fleeing fighting in the southern town of Marjayoun, killing or wounding up to 15 people, witnesses and security officials said.

Al-Jazeera television reported that the Lebanese Interior Minister Ahmed Fatfat said three people were killed and seven wounded.

The convoy, made up of more than 100 civilian vehicles in addition to vehicles carrying Lebanese soldiers and police from the area around Marjayoun, was hit near Chtaura in the Bekaa Valley.

Marjayoun was taken by Israeli soldiers Thursday, and intense bombing and artillery fire has been reported in the region.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060811/ap_on_re_mi_ea/mideast_fighting_convoy_attack

[Fredda Weinberg]

14. Israelis are targeting missile launchers

So who's launching missiles?

[tocqueville]

21. sure

read the description again

there are no Katusjas launchers in the Bekka valley. The rockets would fall inside Lebanon.

How come the rest of the world doesn't buy the Israeli version ? Are 470 millions Europeans anti-semites ?

[leftchick]

26. So the missile launchers were embedded in the convoy right?

wow! I am simply amazed at that rational.

Wait! There is one in the baby's car seat QUICK SHOOT!



A convoy of vehicles snakes along a road toward the southern village of Marj el-Khokh, near the southern town of Marjayoun, Lebanon, Friday, Aug. 11, 2006, as smoke rises in the town of Jdeidet Marjayoun, background, following an Israeli bombardment. U.N. peacekeepers were dispatched Friday to evacuate about 350 Lebanese soldiers and police detained by Israeli forces in Marjayoun a day after Israeli soldiers swept into the southern Lebanese town, security officials said. (AP Photo/Lotfallah Daher)

[ThomCat]

57. Gee. I see a missile launcher right in the middle.

It's in the trunk of that compact car coming up the hill. Bomb Everyone within a mile of that car!
:sarcasm:

[leftchick]

59. the one with the babies and white flag right?

:(

[ThomCat]

60. You have to wonder if the Israeli pilots have

any sense of how evil they are. They are murdering defenseless, innocent people callously and deliberately simply because somebody told them to. How can someone obey orders to bomb civilians who are trying to flee?
:grr:

[leftchick]

62. I do wonder that

every day now. :(

[TahitiNut]

35. That propaganda is wearing thin and has strained credibility beyond reason

It's far more likely that "If it moves, shoot it!" is the operational directive.

[LostinVA]

40. I'm impressed -- your meming is just relentless

[ThomCat]

41. No, they are CLAIMING that they are targetting missile launchers.

Unless there are missile lauchers hidden every 15 feet across every town and city in South Lebanon Clearly Israel isn't seeing and targetting any missile launchers.

They're targetting anything that moves, and any vital infrastructure that doesn't.

[Fredda Weinberg]

43. Read the Newsday article - from an eyewitness who ain't Israeli

n/t

[leftchick]

50. read the linked article and you will find

UN Peacekeepers and an AP photographer in the convoy. I am sure they were right next to the missile launchers that are kept in the back of the station wagons.

<snip>

The state-run National News Agency said at least four people were killed.

The convoy — more than 100 civilian vehicles in addition to vehicles carrying Lebanese soldiers and police — was hit near the town of Chtaura in the Bekaa Valley.

Security officials in the Bekaa said at least nine rockets were fired on the convoy.

Two U.N. peacekeeping armored vehicles led the convoy out of the Israeli-occupied town of Marjayoun; it was not know if they were still with the convoy at the time of the attack.

Associated Press photographer Lutfallah Daher was with the convoy. He said he saw one dead body and many others wounded.

[charlie]

65. Read the Newsday article and you'll find

that the author tried to get out of Marjayoun, but found himself trapped and had to return. He's fair game now, I suppose. Fish in a barrel.

[leftchick]

72. I read it today

it sounds like this one. These people and the refugees are so much braver than the Israeli Pilots dropping bombs with no conscience.....


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060811/ap_on_re_mi_ea/mideast_fighting_a_taste_of_war_1

<snip>

Artillery shells whistled and burst, warplanes screamed and bombs thumped, sometimes several exploding in succession. Drones buzzed, scanning for targets. Rockets, likely fired by Hezbollah, lifted off in threes and fours like wind rushing through a tunnel.

The hotel shuddered from the cacophony of blasts in the surrounding hills. Doors rattled on their hinges. I pulled my mattress onto the floor, laid my bulletproof jacket nearby and flinched as shells screeched toward impact. Finally, at 5 a.m., I dozed off as the bombardments eased.

It soon started again. Less than 24 hours after arriving in southern Lebanon to cover the war, I witnessed the full ferocity of fighting that has forced hundreds of thousands of Lebanese to flee.

My vantage point in the abandoned village of Ibl El-Saqi, whose Christian and Druse residents have no allegiance to Israel's Hezbollah foe, was safer than neighboring towns. Yet shells had struck several houses and the entire population had fled the intense bombardments around them.

... yeah hangin with Hezbollah no doubt. :eyes:

[malaise]

75. You're spinning a top

in mud. It no longer moves. Your defence of this slaughter is irrational.

[tocqueville]

61. to Fredda Weinberg

1 dead in Israeli strike on convoy By JOSEPH PANOSSIAN, Associated Press Writer
5 minutes ago

BEIRUT, Lebanon - An Israeli drone fired at a convoy fleeing attacks in southern Lebanon, killing at least one man and wounding other people, witnesses and hospital officials said.

The state-run National News Agency said at least four people were killed.

The convoy of more than 100 civilian vehicles as well as vehicles carrying a detachment of 350 Lebanese soldiers and police was hit near the town of Chtaura in the Bekaa Valley.

Hospital officials in the town of Job Jannine said they received 25 casualties from the attack; it was not immediately clear how many were fatalities.

Security officials in the Bekaa said at least nine rockets were fired on the convoy.

Two U.N. peacekeeping armored vehicles led the convoy out of the Israeli-occupied town of Marjayoun; it was not know if they were still with the convoy at the time of the attack.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060811/ap_on_re_mi_ea/mideast_fighting_convoy_attack

#1 they weren't hit in Maryayoun since the town was taken by the Israelis
#2 the convoy was deep inside Lebanon, where there aren't any launchers of the type you name. Their range is too short.



look for Marjayoun and Bekaa on the map.

[countryjake]

74. Now at least 4 dead, one a Lebanese soldier, 40 evacuees wounded...

the strike was on a convoy of 1500 vehicles, which included the 350 Lebanese soldiers who had been detained at the Christian SLA base in Marjayoun when the IDF captured that town.

It is described as "unbelievable carnage" and total chaos as IDF planes and drones can still be heard, while the convoy tries to make it out of the valley alive.

Michael Ware of CNN is making calls in from the convoy with his report on the Israeli attacks.

[Igel]

68. The Bekaa runs quite a ways,

but I'm afraid I have to say that the two stories are either about different attacks, or one is hopeless inaccurate.

Chtaura is about 1.5 miles SW of Zahle, maybe 35 miles from Marjayun.

Don't know what the Israelis were shooting at. I'm not disposed to assume that every civilian they kill was done so they can extract the blood for the rituals, or even just because they enjoy seeing Arabs killed, so I figure there may well be a reasonable explanation. But yours isn't it.

[tocqueville]

80. Why can't you accept facts ?

Injured Lebanese man Afif Jamil, 66, is seen in the operation room at the Bekaa Hospital in the town of Zahle in the eastern Bekaa Valley, Lebanon Saturday, Aug. 12, 2006. An Israeli drone fired Friday at a convoy of more than 100 civilian vehicles as well as vehicles carrying a detachment of 350 Lebanese soldiers and police fleeing the Israeli-occupied town of Marjayoun, killing at least one man and wounding others, witnesses and hospital officials said. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser) Email Photo Print Photo

It's a SINGLE attack and the reporting is accurate. They shot at them because they hate them. They shot at them because they are losing this fucking war.

[oasis]

15. It's time for a corporate media BULLETIN on terrorists plot in Britain.

;-)

[opihimoimoi]

22. Bradah Oasis, Dis War is stoppable but the Bushies want it to continue

BushCo is looking for a reason to attack IRAN and it seems, the whole Middle East.

Its da oil.

[oasis]

53. Bush is the "War President". Any war, anywhere is good for him. (eom)

[MyNameGoesHere]

18. Whoohoooo!

Another cheer for your war team post. Or it is heading that way. You go people! cheer them on whatever your side is.

[spanone]

25. War with Lebanon = war with Syria = war with Iran = war with ........

No. Korea? China? Russia? They will be lined up.

[daleo]

55. Like the Gulf War 1991, "Highway of Death"

Why fire on Lebanese soldiers? I thought Israel was after Hezbollah.

[countryjake]

66. Listen to CNN...Israel is still terrorizing that convoy...1500 vehicles...

Michael Ware of CNN is with it...he is breathless and not sure if another strike is coming or not. Total chaos just half an hour ago, four dead, hundreds of evacuees with nowhere to take cover, sitting ducks on the road, with white flags flying.

This is war crime, without doubt, so where is the UN, ICC, ICJ?

[ThomCat]

67. Israel doesn't recognize any international body's right

to judge anything they do.

The only way Israel will answer to the International Criminal Court is if other nations drag them in front of it.

[countryjake]

94. After today's attacks, the ICJ may think differently.

Lebanon - Protecting civilians cannot await diplomatic efforts
ICJ calls on Hezbollah and Israel to abide by laws of war
7th August 2006
http://www.icj.org/news.php3?id_article=3990&lang=en

UN rights body condemns Israel over Lebanon
Fri Aug 11, 2006
http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/articlenews.aspx?type=worldNews&storyid=2006-08-11T170841Z_01_L11807745_RTRUKOC_0_UK-MIDEAST-LEBANON-RIGHTS.xml&src=rss

U.N. rips lack of aid access in Lebanon
Thu Aug 10, 2006
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060810/ap_on_re_mi_ea/mideast_fighting_aid

ICJ: Israel, Hizbullah committing war crimes
07.21.06
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3279504,00.html

[David__77]

69. I'm glad that DU's war party defends such crimes openly.

At least they're being morally consistent and forthright. Of course, the morality is reactionary and backward...

[Junkdrawer]

78. Still negotiating the UN Cease Fire I see...

"Give us our way, or else."

[malaise]

84. Security Council meeting about to

begin live on CSpan1.

[EFerrari]

81. Kick, wordless kick. n/t

[fooj]

85. Holy shit! These people are out of control!

Stop this madness!

[Poll_Blind]

87. Lebanese convoy attacked by Israel today were freed captives!

OMG. Please see this thread!

PB

[malaise]

88. Great thread

Kofi up now - looks like agreement.

[BeHereNow]

90. PROOF that they knew EXACTLY who they were targeting.

Despicable.
War Crimes.
No discussion, no debate.
WAR CRIMES.
All for the neocon agenda to
attack Iran.
BHN

[countryjake]

93. How could they miss this....

A convoy of vehicles snakes along a road toward the southern village of Marj el-Khokh, near the southern town of Marjayoun, Lebanon, Friday, Aug. 11, 2006, as smoke rises in the town of Jdeidet Marjayoun, background, following an Israeli bombardment. U.N. peacekeepers were dispatched Friday to evacuate about 350 Lebanese soldiers and police detained by Israeli forces in Marjayoun a day after Israeli soldiers swept into the southern Lebanese town, security officials said. (AP Photo/Lotfallah Daher)