>>Mike wrote: Question: What made these people in Lebanon decide to launch suicide attacks? Whim? Folly? High spirits? Or perhaps a reaction to earlier events? Maybe we should look at these events before making such a statement.<<
Laurent replies: >> Mike, I assume (I could be wrong) you're referring to Lebanese attacks after Israel invaded Lebanon. Then I will use the same argument you're using: what prompted Israel to invade Lebanon? Whim? Folly?<< I was speaking in general about Sarah's comment that "the war (Islam versus the West) began in the 80s with the first suicide attacks in Lebanon", and I was not trying to say that the other side started it, only that it goes back a long way, as you well know, and it is tremendously difficult, if not impossible, to say 'who shot first'. I mentioned Lebanon because it was a direct quote from Sarah, no more reason than that. Laurent: >>Or perhaps it's the same leftist theory that Israel wants to invade and annex the entire area?<< Mike says This is not a leftist theory. Laurent: >>Well no matter how long this lie is being repeated in the media worldwide, I cannot understand how a tiny country of 5 million jews that control 1% of the middle east area would even dream of winning a war against 200 million surrounding arabs? One would have to be crazy to even think of engaging in such an aggression.<< Mike says Unless one had very powerful friends and one of the best-equipped and trained fighting forces on the planet. And regarding lies in the worldwide media, tell me please who distorts the news from the middle east the most. We disagree on this but I sent a lot of information on this off-list and have yet to see a reply. Can you not accept that the Israeli propaganda machine is infinitely superior to anything that the Palestine side could manage? Laurent said: >> Simply put, Israel is trying to survive, not expand. Territorial encroachments are for security reasons (eg Kibboutz in northern Israel being shelled daily).<< Mike says I simply do not believe this. I sent you evidence to disprove this, evidence based on the memoirs of such 'lefties' as Ben-Gurion and Yitzhak Rabin. 'Territorial encroachments', a lovely euphemism, are for wholly different reasons. Laurent said: >> No, the rhetoric has changed over the decades, it has become more clever, but the same hate still prevails.<< Mike says The rhetoric on both sides has indeed become more clever but you see only one side of it, as I imagine you would say about me. In my heart I have no hate for anyone and I imagine that you were not referring to me personally. I am engaged in an investigation to try to see what really happened here and what's really happening now. I know this is difficult and I will try to see all sides but what I have read has informed me, to a small extent compared to you, Laurent, I am sure, but please do not attribute hate to my motives. I do not attribute hate to yours, and in fact I wish you a very happy xmas too. Talk to you in the new year, Regards, Mike.
