Savagery and religion

Savagery: an act of cruelty or violence.

Would you not say that what is going on in Lebanon and Gaza meets the above definition? Is not destroying the nation of Lebanon an act of savagery, savagery beyond either necessity or belief? What exactly is the point of destroying an entire country because one element of that country embarrassed the Israell military by entering Israel, killing eight soldiers, and capturing two? Was this whole campaign not planned a year ago and is just using this latest incident as an excuse to destroy Lebanon? Lebanon is to be destroyed because they cannot control Hezbolla - but everyone knew they could not before the carnage even began. And if Hezbolla is the target why are the Israelis bombing civilian areas, cars and vans, and killing innocent civilians, including large numbers of children? These are acts of savagery beyond doubt. As near as I can see the only difference between what Israel is doing to Beirut and what Genghis Khan did to cities is that they are not piling up the skulls at the city limits. Maybe they haven't thought of it yet.

Now a question about religion, or at least what passes for religion in the U.S. nowadays. You know, I am sure, that there are those who believe in the coming "Rapture." Some of these people (I guess they can be described as people) are urging our government to speed up the violence in the Middle East because they believe the Rapture is imminent and war in the Holy Land has to occur before the Rapture can occur. You know that it is against the law to falsely yell "fire" in a crowded theatre. So why should it not be against the law for these nitwits to goad our country into a devastating "war" because they alone believe in this utter nonsense. Especially when our idiot president may actually believe in this crap himself? Now I am in favor of religious freedom. But only up to a point. When they have influence, and when they are actively attempting to influence foreign policy because of their unique beliefs, and when what they want threatens all the rest of humanity, I don't think they should be permitted to espouse these dangerous (and completely without foundation) beliefs. This is far worse than merely yelling "fire" when it is not justified. If members of the various Churches of the Completely Daffy want to believe in this stuff, let them, but certainly don't let them lead the rest of us into oblivion because of their totally ridiculous beliefs.

Dear Condi, our basically useless but well-groomed pretend Secretary of State, says that what is happening in Lebanon and Gaza is simply "the birth pangs of a new Middle East." What are we to think? What is this new Middle East she has in mind? Does she actually believe that Iraq is going to become a democratic model for all the the Middle East, as Bush continues to want to pretend? Does she mean that after Israel destroys Hezbolla, Gaza, and Lebanon, Israel and the U.S. will be supreme in the Middle East and there will therefore be peace? Does she mean that Syria and Iran will be so frightened of the U.S. they will just capitulate and agree to U.S. hegemony over the entire area? Just what in the hell does she mean? Or does she even have any idea of what she means, which I find more than merely doubtful?" How the foreign ministers she deals with can keep from bursting out in laughter at her pathetic attempts at diplomacy escapes me. Of course it is not all her fault, after all, she has to present the babbling nonsense of our pretend president, he of the full mouth and uncouth behavior. How far the mighty have fallen.

In an interview with a reporter from the Los Angeles Times he said, among other things that I found strange, "Israeli aggression, so-called..." What in the world could be so-called about Israeli aggression? Does he think the destruction of Lebanon and the murder of hundreds of innocents, including children, isn't real, that is just being made up? This is our basic problem here in the U.S. The media is so biased towards Israel that now the entire country believes in Israeli propaganda. Israel is perfectly innocent. The problem is the Palestinians and Hezbolla. Israeli genocide (aided and abetted actively and blatantly by the U.S.) is just "so-called." There is no hope for peace in the Middle East until reality somehow becomes obvious in the U.S. Reality was left behind in 2000 and has yet to catch up. Not to worry, be happy, things are going well - for Halliburton and Cheney.