I have just acquired information of a most alarming nature from the Middle East News Line, the most reliable of sources, regarding the situation of the war in the north. Please! spread this information absolutely as widely as possible, especially in the U.S. Send this to everyone you can, put it on your lists and websites. If ever a groundswell of response was necessary, it is now.
The Bush administration is playing a good cop-bad cop routine with Israel. Bush is not taking phone calls from Olmert, but is saying positive things to the press. Sec. of State Rice is the one who is communicating with Israel, and she is putting pressure on Israel not to send in ground forces. The goal is a "ceasefire" in the next 72 hours.
Unfortunately, we are dealing with a novice, confused government that is lacking the essential part of the male anatomy (figuratively this applies also to Livni) that will allow it to mount a ground war in the face of Rice’s objections. If we were determined to do so, we damn well could.
What is more, Steve Hadley, Bush’s National Security Advisor, was in Russia two days and made a statement to the effect that the U.S. has no evidence that Iran and Syria are involved in what’s happening here — thereby making it a local Israeli issue. A local Israeli issue is precisely what it is not!!
The facts:
Even though there have been over 1,000 Israeli Air Force sorties into Lebanon, with airport, etc. bombed, the Hezbollah missiles continue to hit us. In fact, it’s getting worse. Eight people were killed in the last attack on Haifa. Hundreds have been wounded. Residents of Tel Aviv are now warned that they may be attacked. Rosh Hanikra and the Golan have been hit. What is happening? Without a ground expedition, it’s impossible to strike accurately and actually take out the missiles. Hezbollah is threating our strategic facilities and this remains a real danger.
There are other sources of major concern: The C-802 rocket that hit the Israeli ship on Friday was a sophisticated radar-guided weapon that comes from Iran via China. Israeli authorities were surprised: they didn’t know Hezbollah had these. This means intelligence is lacking and we don’t know what else they have.
The fact of the Iranian weapon makes even clearer what is well understood: Iran is involved here. Hezbollah is not a rag-tag operation, it is an Iranian expeditionary force. Israel is the canary in the mine, dealing with what the west will deal with in larger terms down the road, if no action is taken. Iran is testing the waters!!
In spite of talk in the last day or two (which I had duly reported) of an IDF goal of putting the Lebanese army on the border, the IDF is opposed to this. Putting the Lebanese army on the border without taking out Hezbollah strength will be counted as a victory by Hezbollah. The Lebanese army is much weaker than Hezbollah; Hezbollah will strengthen its forces behind the lines and then come forward to attack us again. Hezbollah strength must be removed.
Here in Israel, there must be pressure on the government to stay strong, stay the course, do what needs to be done to take out Hezbollah strength. This should be shared with every member of the Knesset.
But even more important is pressure from inside the U.S. on Bush; he is focused on the election later this year and needs to know that American voters are watching him now!!!
Please, call or write to President Bush:
[] Remind him that he promised to defend Israel if it is attacked by Iran.
[] Point out that this is exactly what is happening now.
[] Speak about his readiness to act in places like Afghanistan, and how this is the same thing.
[] Say that the U.S. will face greater difficulty down the road with Iran if it doesn’t show resolve in supporting Israel now, because Iran is testing the western world.
Ask him to communicate directly and unequivocably to the Israeli government that it has the full support of the U.S. in doing what needs to be done to take out Hezbollah strength, including a ground action.
Ask him to acknowledge that our fight in Israel is also the U.S.’s fight.
Ask him to oppose a ceasefire before the job is done.
Phone calls are best, then letters (snail mail or fax), then e-mail. Do as you can.
White House Comment line: 202-456-1111
TTY/TDD Comment line: 202-456-6213.
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington DC 20500
Fax: 202-456-2461
e-mail: [email protected]
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