Israël, Libanon/Gaza, oorlog #58

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Op zondag 20 augustus 2006 14:19 schreef Hallulama het volgende:

Arabische Wereld:
Randverschijnsel: Bedreiging van de Islam
Hoofdzaak: Zelfbeschikking, en de strijd is in naam daarvan (terwijl de publieke opinie dus meent van niet)
?

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Op zondag 20 augustus 2006 14:22 schreef -scorpione- het volgende:

Om zelfbeschikking te behalen moeten ze Israel van de kaart vegen?

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Op zondag 20 augustus 2006 14:24 schreef Hallulama het volgende:

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En ik tikte nog zo:

(dit gaat dus verder dan slechts Israel / Palestina, dit gaat meer over Al Qaida, en het mondiale terrorisme)

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Op zondag 20 augustus 2006 14:26 schreef -scorpione- het volgende:

Ja, je kunt dat wel tikken, maar de realiteit op dit moment is dat men zich centreert op Israel.

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Op zondag 20 augustus 2006 14:28 schreef Hallulama het volgende:

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Dan komen we weer terug op de publieke opinie, die wordt hevig beinvloed door termen als terrorisme, en de nuance vervaagt dan. We moeten ons meer afvragen wat de werkelijke redenen zijn voor hun strijd. Wij zijn het meest bij de tijd in deze tijd, dus wij mogen wat dat betreft de verantwoordelijkheid wel nemen. In een hutje in Gaza heeft men nou eenmaal niet toegang tot dezelfde bronnen van informatie zoals wij dat hebben.

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Op zondag 20 augustus 2006 14:35 schreef -scorpione- het volgende:

Ik kan me toch niet aan de indruk onttrekken dat de islam wel een heel centrale rol speelt voor de landen in het M-O. Zelfbeschikking is in mijn ogen niet meer dan een tussendoel om nog meer gebruik te maken van de macht die de religie islam geeft. Als die basis is gelegd zie ik niet in waarom men vervolgens het islamitische rijk niet wilt uitbreiden.

Ik zie de islam gelijk aan de communistische en kapitalistische ideologieën. Aangezien het kapitalisme de overhand dreigt te krijgen zie je dan ook dat de commies en de moslims de handen nogal eens in één slaan. Iran en Syrie met Rusland en Noord Korea, maar ook Venezuela en Cuba roeren zich. Samen kunnen ze dan tegen de gezamelijke vijand van de ideologie van het kapitalisme.

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Op zondag 20 augustus 2006 14:49 schreef Hallulama het volgende:

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In dat geval is het toch heel simpel? Als ze een voet in Europa zetten dan laten we ze verdampen, no problem, dus misschien moeten we ze het voordeel van de twijfel geven, en gewoon eens luisteren naar wat ze precies te zeggen hebben?

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Op zondag 20 augustus 2006 14:55 schreef -scorpione- het volgende:

Voordeel van de twijfel? ik zou niet weten waarom.

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En het is toch zo dat als ze nu voet op Europese bodem zetten om de boel over te nemen dat ze dan echt gaan voelen? Ik zeg daarom ook dat ze daar nog niet aan toe zijn. Maar als ze wel sterk genoeg zijn om een vuist te maken dan zullen ze dat mijns inziens zeker niet laten. Waarom denk je dat Iran zo bezig is met nucleaire technologie? Precies, om sterker te worden.

Een ideologie heeft nooit genoeg tot ze praktisch de hele wereld bezet. Iedereen moet de waarheid toch horen?

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Op zondag 20 augustus 2006 14:58 schreef Hallulama het volgende:

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Ga je altijd problemen te lijf met een dergelijke negatieve houding? En leg mij nou eens uit, jij denkt dat ze hier de boel komen overnemen, maar hoe denk je dat ZIJ zich voelen, bijvoorbeeld, met al die Amerikaanse bases in hun regio? Was Iran niet compleet omsingeld, inmiddels? Graag een reactie op deze vraag, ik ben echt heel benieuwd hoe je dat ziet.
[..]

Ik denk dat je misschien stiekem ergens diep van binnen gewoon een klein beetje bang bent.

Angst is een slechte raadgever, laat je niet gek maken, volgaarne

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Op zondag 20 augustus 2006 15:03 schreef -scorpione- het volgende:

Ten eerste, het antwoord op je eerste vraag heb ik al gegeven, namelijk dat een ideologie de wereld helemaal wil hebben.

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Op zondag 20 augustus 2006 15:26 schreef -scorpione- het volgende:

Het pot verwijt de ketel snap ik niet helemaal. Welk verwijt maak ik dat ik zelf ook te verwijten ben?

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Op zondag 20 augustus 2006 15:49 schreef Hallulama het volgende:

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Je neemt niet alle ellende in de wereld op je schouders, maar je hebt wel een uitgesproken mening over de crisis in het Midden-Oosten, maar dat is waarschijnlijk gewoon omdat je het leuk vindt, echter, wat is de discussie dan nog waard, kan je er dan nog enigszins objectief in zitten, denk je?

Je geeft af op terroristen, maar als we dieper duiken en gaan kijken WAAROM die terroristen strijden, dan wordt het opeens te lastig, omdat we dan ook naar onszelf moeten kijken, zie ik het zo goed?

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Op zondag 20 augustus 2006 12:11 schreef Hallulama het volgende:

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De vernietiging van Israël moet je niet letterlijk nemen,

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Op zondag 20 augustus 2006 16:03 schreef -scorpione- het volgende:

Ik geef helemaal niet af op terroristen. Sterker nog, ik roep het hardst hier op fok dat het een misbruikte term is.

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Ik volg de ellende in de wereld en andere zaken uit interesse ja. En daarom ook met de grootste objectiviteit, ik sta overal namelijk helemaal buiten en heb geen echte uitgesproken voorkeuren. Mijn enige voorkeur is dat ik zo weinig mogelijk hinder wil hebben van welk regime dan ook.

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Op zondag 20 augustus 2006 16:29 schreef more het volgende:

Die gasten zijn daarin bloedserieus, alleen ze hebben er de macht niet voor. (gelukkig)

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Op zondag 20 augustus 2006 13:48 schreef Slayage het volgende:

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niet zo onwaarschijnlijk als dat wapentransportverhaal, feit is dat ze er waren

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Op zondag 20 augustus 2006 17:03 schreef Hallulama het volgende:

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Tijdens de emotionele opwelling wellicht, maar laat die gasten 10 kilometer hardlopen, en moet je eens zien of ze nog ergens moeite mee hebben, wanneer ze weer helder kunnen denken, ik denk 't niet.

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Op zondag 20 augustus 2006 17:57 schreef more het volgende:

Van leiders verwacht je een andere instelling, we hebben het niet over de man op de straat.

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Op zondag 20 augustus 2006 14:19 schreef Hallulama het volgende:

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Okay, Klez, let goed op, ik vraag me af of het misschien juist andersom in elkaar steekt:

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(dit gaat dus verder dan slechts Israel / Palestina, dit gaat meer over Al Qaida, en het mondiale terrorisme)

Wat wij te horen krijgen, in beide kampen:

Westerse Wereld:
Randverschijnsel: Verkrijgen en behouden van invloed in landen waar grondstoffen zitten of belangrijk zijn voor de distributie van grondstoffen
Hoofdzaak: Bedreiging van vrijheid en democratie, en de strijd is in naam daarvan

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Arabische Wereld:
Randverschijnsel: Zelfbeschikking
Hoofdzaak: Bedreiging van de Islam, en de strijd is in naam daarvan

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Wat er echt gebeurt, in beide kampen:

Westerse Wereld:
Randverschijnsel: Bedreiging van vrijheid en democratie
Hoofdzaak: Verkrijgen en behouden van invloed in landen waar grondstoffen zitten of belangrijk zijn voor de distributie van grondstoffen, en de strijd is in naam daarvan (terwijl de publieke opinie dus meent van niet)

quote:

Arabische Wereld:
Randverschijnsel: Bedreiging van de Islam
Hoofdzaak: Zelfbeschikking, en de strijd is in naam daarvan (terwijl de publieke opinie dus meent van niet)

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De propaganda machines in beide kampen maken de mensen uit beide kampen dus bang door te gebruiken wat hen het meest aanspreekt en hen het meest dierbaar is. Bij ons is dat vrijheid en democratie, bij hun is dat de Islam. Dit is logisch, ze hebben immers pionnen nodig voor hun strijd, en dat zijn wij, en wij komen slechts in actie als het echt, voor ons persoonlijk, dierbare zaken betreft.
Voor het Westen geldt dat allang niet meer.
Het is niets meer dan een tactisch spelletje.

Ik ben redelijk overtuigd van het bovenstaande, maar wellicht dat u mij uit de droom kunt helpen?

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Last update - 08:27 21/08/2006
Senior IDF officers: Hezbollah hostilities liable to restart soon
By Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondent

Members of the Israel Defense Forces General Staff say that "round two" between Israel and Hezbollah could begin within months or even weeks, probably over the renewal of arms deliveries to the organization from Iran and Syria.

One senior officer told Haaretz on Sunday that throughout the month-long war with Hezbollah, Iran and Syria attempted to smuggle large quantities of weapons to Lebanon. He said that the efforts were stepped up over the past week, following the cease-fire and the end of Israel Air Force sorties deep in Lebanese territory.

The officer noted that while UN Security Council Resolution 1701 calls for an embargo on arms shipments to Hezbollah, no mechanism has been put in place to enforce this embargo, and said that Israel will have to intervene if the deliveries continue unchecked.
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Specifically, the military source said, Israel will be forced to carry out aerial assaults on trucks traveling from Syria to Lebanon if they can be determined to contain arms shipments. Otherwise, he said, Hezbollah would renew long-range rocket attacks on Israel within a matter of months.

"If we know that a truck is carrying arms, we'll strike," he said. "There is simply no alternative."

He confirmed that the IDF was aware that such action could lead to new Katyusha attacks on communities in northern Israel.

"We presented this assessment to the government, too," he said.

The army hopes that an enforcement mechanism can be activated within a few weeks to reduce the likelihood of weapons making their way into southern Lebanon.

Despite Hezbollah's refusal to give up its arms, IDF officers believe that Resolution 1701 can be implemented, at least partially. In some parts of south Lebanon, the organization has instructed its militants not to appear in public with weapons.

IDF officers pointed with satisfaction to the fact that the new resolution places responsibility for events in southern Lebanon squarely at the feet of the Beirut government, and also creates international obligations toward Israel.

Thousands of Israeli soldiers remain in southern Lebanon. Five brigades of the regular army are deployed on the ground, though at somewhat below their full strength.

The eastern sector has been evacuated, with the exception of the Hamamis hill, near Metula. A Lebanese Army brigade has already set up headquarters near Marjayoun, in an area that was used by the Lebanese gendarmerie before the war. The IDF's Nahal Brigade controls the Taibeh area, Armored Corps Brigade 188 has the area south of Nahal, Armored Corps Brigade 7 has claimed the Maroun al-Ras area, the Golani Brigade is deployed north of Bint Jbail and the Paratroops is in control of the western sector.

If the deployment of the Lebanese Army goes according to schedule, IDF officers believe that the Israeli forces can be withdrawn to within a kilometer or two of the northern border in ten days or so.

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British kit found in Hezbollah bunkers
By Bob Graham, Michael Evans and Richard Beeston
Video: Times Online TV
AN URGENT investigation was launched last night after Israel accused Britain of indirectly supplying Hezbollah terrorists with military night-vision equipment that helped them to target Israeli soldiers in Lebanon.

The equipment was found by Israeli troops in Hezbollah command bunkers in southern Lebanon. Each set was stamped “made in Britain”.

The Israelis made representations to the Foreign Office after it was revealed that Britain had sold 250 night-vision systems to Iran in 2003 for use against drug smugglers.

Foreign Office officials said early indications seemed to suggest that the night-vision equipment found by the Israelis was not part of the batch sold in 2003 to Iran. However, thorough checks were being made to compare serial numbers on the equipment found in the Hezbollah bunkers with those on the ones exported legitimately to Iran.

The Iranians are the prime sponsor of Hezbollah, and the Israeli authorities are demanding to know whether the equipment sold to Iran three years ago ended up in the hands of Hezbollah, which killed 117 Israeli soldiers during the month-long clashes in Lebanon.

A Department of Trade and Industry official said night-vision equipment of military specification required an export licence. The investigation will look into whether any British company might have breached export regulations.

The batch of 250 night-vision systems were given a special export licence in 2003 because they were intended to be used by Iranian police trying to stem the flow of heroin and opium from Afghanistan into Iran. Although there is what amounts to an arms embargo against Iran, aimed principally at stopping the export of equipment that could benefit Tehran’s suspected nuclear weapons programme, the request for night-vision equipment was approved in recognition of the counter-narcotics work.

When the export was agreed, Mike O’Brien, then Junior Minister at the Foreign Office, told the Commons: “The goods are for the use on the Iran-Afghanistan border against heroin smugglers.” He said there was “no risk of these goods being diverted for use by the Iranian military”.

If any of the equipment has been diverted to Hezbollah, it would be a serious embarrassment for the Government. Hezbollah’s “external security”, the military wing of the militant organisation, is proscribed as a terrorist group. The Government has also made clear its support for Israel’s struggle with Hezbollah and has approved the transit of bunker-busting bombs and missiles for the Israelis from the US through British airports.

Liam Fox, the Shadow Defence Secretary, said: “If this turns out to be true, and Iran supplied backing for Hezbollah, it will have consequences for any future military exports to Iran. And it points the finger all the more strongly at Iranian involvement in destabilising the Middle East.”

One set of the equipment was found by Israeli forces in the southern Lebanon village of Mis-a-Jebel on August 10, in a house belonging to a 60-year-old man whose four sons are all Hezbollah fighters.

One was described as a Thermo-vision 1000 LR system with a serial number 155010, part number 193960. Other equipment, including radios also thought to be British, and sophisticated recording and monitoring devices, were found.

Israeli commanders had complained that night-time operations in the border region had been hampered by the ability of Hezbollah fighters to observe and counter their moves. In more than six days of fighting around the village of Mis-a-Jebel, the Israelis lost six soldiers and 20 more were injured.

Lieutenant-Colonel Olivier Radowicz, an Israeli commander, said: “The night-vision unit was used to observe the movement of troops. You can also record what you are watching. Then it is connected to a computer. You can obtain a perfect intelligence picture in real time. It is then connected to firing systems.”

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The War on Lebanon and the Battle for Oil

by Michel Chossudovsky

July 26, 2006
GlobalResearch.ca

Is there a relationship between the bombing of Lebanon and the inauguration of the World's largest strategic pipeline, which will channel more than a million barrels of oil a day to Western markets?

Virtually unnoticed, the inauguration of the Ceyhan-Tblisi-Baku (BTC) oil pipeline, which links the Caspian sea to the Eastern Mediterranean, took place on the 13th of July, at the very outset of the Israeli sponsored bombings of Lebanon.

One day before the Israeli air strikes, the main partners and shareholders of the BTC pipeline project, including several heads of State and oil company executives were in attendance at the port of Ceyhan. They were then rushed off for an inauguration reception in Istanbul, hosted by Turkey's President Ahmet Necdet Sezer in the plush surroundings of the Çýraðan Palace.

Also in attendance was British Petroleum's (BP) CEO, Lord Browne together with senior government officials from Britain, the US and Israel. BP leads the BTC pipeline consortium. Other major Western shareholders include Chevron, Conoco-Phillips, France's Total and Italy's ENI. (see Annex)

Israel's Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Binyamin Ben-Eliezer was present at the venue together with a delegation of top Israeli oil officials.

The BTC pipeline totally bypasses the territory of the Russian Federation. It transits through the former Soviet republics of Azerbaijan and Georgia, both of which have become US "protectorates", firmly integrated into a military alliance with the US and NATO. Moreover, both Azerbaijan and Georgia have longstanding military cooperation agreements with Israel.



Israel has a stake in the Azeri oil fields, from which it imports some twenty percent of its oil. The opening of the pipeline will substantially enhance Israeli oil imports from the Caspian sea basin.

But there is another dimension which directly relates to the war on Lebanon. Whereas Russia has been weakened, Israel is slated to play a major strategic role in "protecting" the Eastern Mediterranean transport and pipeline corridors out of Ceyhan.

Militarization of the Eastern Mediterranean

The bombing of Lebanon is part of a carefully planned and coordinated military road map. The extension of the war into Syria and Iran has already been contemplated by US and Israeli military planners. This broader military agenda is intimately related to strategic oil and oil pipelines. It is supported by the Western oil giants which control the pipeline corridors. In the context of the war on Lebanon, it seeks Israeli territorial control over the East Mediterranean coastline.

In this context, the BTC pipeline dominated by British Petroleum, has dramatically changed the geopolitics of the Eastern Mediterranean, which is now linked , through an energy corridor, to the Caspian sea basin:

"[The BTC pipeline] considerably changes the status of the region's countries and cements a new pro-West alliance. Having taken the pipeline to the Mediterranean, Washington has practically set up a new bloc with Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey and Israel, " (Komerzant, Moscow, 14 July 2006)

Israel is now part of the Anglo-American military axis, which serves the interests of the Western oil giants in the Middle East and Central Asia.

While the official reports state that the BTC pipeline will "channel oil to Western markets", what is rarely acknowledged is that part of the oil from the Caspian sea would be directly channeled towards Israel. In this regard, an underwater Israeli-Turkish pipeline project has been envisaged which would link Ceyhan to the Israeli port of Ashkelon and from there through Israel's main pipeline system, to the Red Sea.

The objective of Israel is not only to acquire Caspian sea oil for its own consumption needs but also to play a key role in re-exporting Caspian sea oil back to the Asian markets through the Red Sea port of Eilat. The strategic implications of this re-routing of Caspian sea oil are farreaching.

What is envisaged is to link the BTC pipeline to the Trans-Israel Eilat-Ashkelon pipeline, also known as Israel's Tipline, from Ceyhan to the Israeli port of Ashkelon. In April 2006, Israel and Turkey announced plans for four underwater pipelines, which would bypass Syrian and Lebanese territory.

"Turkey and Israel are negotiating the construction of a multi-million-dollar energy and water project that will transport water, electricity, natural gas and oil by pipelines to Israel, with the oil to be sent onward from Israel to the Far East,

The new Turkish-Israeli proposal under discussion would see the transfer of water, electricity, natural gas and oil to Israel via four underwater pipelines.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1145961328841&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

“Baku oil can be transported to Ashkelon via this new pipeline and to India and the Far East.[via the Red sea]"

"Ceyhan and the Mediterranean port of Ashkelon are situated only 400 km apart. Oil can be transported to the city in tankers or via specially constructed under-water pipeline. From Ashkelon the oil can be pumped through already existing pipeline to the port of Eilat at the Red Sea; and from there it can be transported to India and other Asian countries in tankers. (REGNUM )

Water for Israel

Also involved in this project is a pipeline to bring water to Israel, pumping water from upstream resources of the Tigris and Euphrates river system in Anatolia. This has been a long-run strategic objective of Israel to the detriment of Syria and Iraq. Israel's agenda with regard to water is supported by the military cooperation agreement between Tel Aviv and Ankara.

The Strategic Re-routing of Central Asian Oil

Diverting Central Asian oil and gas to the Eastern Mediterranean (under Israeli military protection), for re-export back to Asia, serves to undermine the inter-Asian energy market, which is based on the development of direct pipeline corridors linking Central Asia and Russia to South Asia, China and the Far East.

Ultimately, this design is intended to weaken Russia's role in Central Asia and cut off China from Central Asian oil resources. It is also intended to isolate Iran.

Meanwhile, Israel has emerged as a new powerful player in the global energy market.

Russia's Military Presence in the Middle East

Meanwhile, Moscow has responded to the US-Israeli-Turkish design to militarize the East Mediterranean coastline with plans to establish a Russian naval base in the Syrian port of Tartus:

"Defense Ministry sources point out that a naval base in Tartus will enable Russia to solidify its positions in the Middle East and ensure security of Syria. Moscow intends to deploy an air defense system around the base - to provide air cover for the base itself and a substantial part of Syrian territory. (S-300PMU-2 Favorit systems will not be turned over to the Syrians. They will be manned and serviced by Russian personnel.)

(Kommerzant, 2 June 2006, http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=viewArticle&code=IVA20060728&articleId=2847

Tartus is strategically located within 30 km. of the Lebanese border.

Moreover, Moscow and Damascus have reached an agreement on the modernization of Syria's air defenses as well as a program in support to its ground forces, the modernization of its MIG-29 fighters as well as its submarines. (Kommerzant, 2 June 2006). In the context of an escalating conflict, these developments have farreaching implications.

War and Oil Pipelines

Prior to the bombing of Lebanon, Israel and Turkey had announced the underwater pipeline routes, which bypassed Syria and Lebanon. These underwater pipeline routes do not overtly encroach on the territorial sovereignty of Lebanon and Syria.

On the other hand, the development of alternative land based corridors (for oil and water) through Lebanon and Syria would require Israeli-Turkish territorial control over the Eastern Mediterranean coastline through Lebanon and Syria.

The implementation of a land-based corridor, as opposed to the underwater pipeline project, would require the militarisation of the East Mediterranean coastline, extending from the port of Ceyhan across Syria and Lebanon to the Lebanese-Israeli border.

Is this not one of the hidden objectives of the war on Lebanon? Open up a space which enables Israel to control a vast territory extending from the Lebanese border through Syria to Turkey.

"The Long War"

Israeli Prime minister Ehud Olmert has stated that the Israeli offensive against Lebanon would "last a very long time". Meanwhile, the US has speeded up weapons shipments to Israel.

There are strategic objectives underlying the "Long War" which are tied to oil and oil pipelines.

The air campaign against Lebanon is inextricably related to US-Israeli strategic objectives in the broader Middle East including Syria and Iran. In recent developments, Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice stated that the main purpose of her mission to the Middle East was not to push for a ceasefire in Lebanon, but rather to isolate Syria and Iran. (Daily Telegraph, 22 July 2006)

At this particular juncture, the replenishing of Israeli stockpiles of US produced WMDs points to an escalation of the war both within and beyond the borders of Lebanon.


Michel Chossudovsky is the author of the international best seller "The Globalization of Poverty " published in eleven languages. He is Professor of Economics at the University of Ottawa and Director of the Center for Research on Globalization, at www.globalresearch.ca . He is also a contributor to the Encyclopaedia Britannica. His most recent book is entitled: America’s "War on Terrorism", Global Research, 2005. To order Chossudovsky's book America's "War on Terrorism", click here.


Related article on Lebanon:

"Triple Alliance": The US, Turkey, Israel and the War on Lebanon, by Michel Chossudovsky - 2006-08-06

Revised, 28 July 2006.

Annex



The BTC Co. shareholders are: BP (30.1%); AzBTC (25.00%); Chevron (8.90%); Statoil (8.71%); TPAO (6.53%); Eni (5.00%); Total (5.00%), Itochu (3.40%); INPEX (2.50%), ConocoPhillips (2.50%) and Amerada Hess (2.36%). (source BP)