Author Topic: US gave Israel time to continue war - Bolton  (Read 2000 times)

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Henny

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US gave Israel time to continue war - Bolton
« on: March 23, 2007, 07:45:16 AM »

LONDON: The United States resisted calls for a cease-fire in last summer's Israel-Lebanon war to give Israel time to defeat Hizbullah, the former US envoy to the United Nations said.

The demand for an immediate cease-fire - backed by much of the international community but ignored for weeks by the United States and Britain - was "dangerous and misguided," John Bolton said in a BBC interview aired Thursday.

Bolton agreed with the assertion that the US had given Israel free rein.

"What was wrong with that?" Bolton said. "They had been attacked, they were responding. The fact was that Israel was subject to a military threat from Hizbullah on a continuous basis. Hizbullah had committed an act of aggression and Israel was reacting in its own self-defense. And if reacting in its own self-defense meant the defeat of the enemy, that was perfectly legitimate, under international law and frankly under good politics."

The United States eventually backed diplomatic moves for a cease-fire and the deployment of international peacekeepers to end the 34-day conflict.

Approximately 1,200 people were killed in Lebanon during the fighting. Most were Lebanese civilians. A total of 159 Israelis, mainly soldiers, were also killed in Hizbullah clashes with Israeli troops and by Hizbullah rockets lobbed into Israel.

Israel failed to achieve its main goals - destroying Hizbullah and returning two Israeli soldiers captured by Hizbullah.

Bolton, who stepped down from his UN post in December after failing to gain Senate ap-proval, said he was "damned proud of what we did."

Bolton was interviewed for a BBC radio documentary on the war to be broadcast in full next month. The former ambassador r is writing a book about his days at the UN titled "Surrender is Not an Option."

British Foreign Office Minister Kim Howells said Bolton's remarks came as a surprise.

"I certainly didn't get the sense that there was some sort of formal collusion between the Americans and the Israelis," he told the BBC.

A Hizbullah spokesperson said Bolton's comments indicate that the US administration is responsible for the war, "as a main partner in carrying out a joint US/Israeli policy aimed at the Lebanese people which Israel carried out."

"This confirms all we have said in the past, that the US ... which gave the green light, along with Israel, are responsible for the killing of Lebanese children and all the destruction brought on to the country."

"It also confirms what we have said ... This is an administration of war that aims to create 'destructive chaos' in the region, it is a terrorist administration and all its members' hands are stained with the blood of Lebanese children as well as the children of Iraq and Palestine."

The spokesperson asked what position members of the March 14 Forces would take now of a man they once called a friend: "Bolton's statements condemn those who consider him a friend as he is only a friend to the Israeli enemy." - AP, with additional reporting by Hani M. Bathish

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=2&article_id=80765

Plane

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Re: US gave Israel time to continue war - Bolton
« Reply #1 on: March 23, 2007, 08:47:04 PM »
I agree with Bolton, Hezbolla needs to stop thinking that they can attack with impunity , because international pressure will show up on Israel before they are much hurt.

Hezbollah was handed a major defeat that they can call a vitory , but I don't think that they would like to have a simular victory every year.

Lanya

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Re: US gave Israel time to continue war - Bolton
« Reply #2 on: March 23, 2007, 11:10:39 PM »
Bolton is not a good man, in my opinion.  He was pugnacious....whoever expects the ambassador of our great nation to be pugnacious?  That's what you expect from your Krushevs, your Hugo Chavezes.   But not the USA.  Now, sadly, we're in that "little man syndrome" category.   
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BT

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Re: US gave Israel time to continue war - Bolton
« Reply #3 on: March 23, 2007, 11:34:28 PM »
Quote
But not the USA.  Now, sadly, we're in that "little man syndrome" category.   

Sad to see you thinking Adlai Stevenson a "little man" as your mention of Kruschev and Stevensons performance during the Cuban Missile Crisis brings to mind. He wasn't offering tea and crumpets he was pugnacious and demanding, he left the soviet ambassador in tatters and shocked the socks off of many of his contemporaries.

When comparing present to past please have an understanding of both.




Plane

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Re: US gave Israel time to continue war - Bolton
« Reply #4 on: March 23, 2007, 11:40:47 PM »
"This confirms all we have said in the past, that the US ... which gave the green light, along with Israel, are responsible for the killing of Lebanese children and all the destruction brought on to the country."



Who gave and when the green light to Hezbollah to kill and  capture Isreli soldiers ?

Lanya

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Re: US gave Israel time to continue war - Bolton
« Reply #5 on: March 24, 2007, 12:45:25 AM »
BT....
I didn't know Adlai Stevenson had any role in that at all.  I lack the knowledge of that period that you have.   
I'm not suggesting offering tea and crumpets only...but as a start, yes.  Hospitality is a nice start.  Then talk.  Then a bit more talk.  Agree to another meeting.  Try to be agreeable, so that after a few back-and-forths, the other side at least thinks of you as someone who isn't against them from the get-go.
I don't think Bolton ever went in good faith.  I could be very wrong and I hope so. But from what I've read that he said, from his views, I see him as a hardass whose negotiating skills were lacking.   
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Amianthus

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Re: US gave Israel time to continue war - Bolton
« Reply #6 on: March 24, 2007, 12:47:51 AM »
I'm not suggesting offering tea and crumpets only...but as a start, yes.  Hospitality is a nice start.  Then talk.  Then a bit more talk.  Agree to another meeting.  Try to be agreeable, so that after a few back-and-forths, the other side at least thinks of you as someone who isn't against them from the get-go.

Maybe you should provide that advice on to Ms. Pelosi?
« Last Edit: March 24, 2007, 07:53:39 PM by Amianthus »
Do not anticipate trouble, or worry about what may never happen. Keep in the sunlight. (Benjamin Franklin)

The_Professor

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Re: US gave Israel time to continue war - Bolton
« Reply #7 on: March 24, 2007, 06:50:11 PM »
Well, if I were the U.S. President, I would have not only given Israel permission or latitude to continue, I would have helped them in any covert way I could including intelligence. Israel made a huge mistake by backing down and it will cost them. The Israel of "old" would have continued until the job got done. Too bad. Radical groups like Hezbollah should be totally eliminated form the face of the Earth.

Xavier_Onassis

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Re: US gave Israel time to continue war - Bolton
« Reply #8 on: March 25, 2007, 06:28:11 PM »
Well, if I were the U.S. President, I would have not only given Israel permission or latitude to continue, I would have helped them in any covert way I could including intelligence. Israel made a huge mistake by backing down and it will cost them. The Israel of "old" would have continued until the job got done. Too bad. Radical groups like Hezbollah should be totally eliminated form the face of the Earth.
===========================================================
Perhaps is radical groups like Hagana and Irgun had been eliminated, none of this would have happened.

Hezbollah came into existence only after and as a result of Israel playing one Lebanese group against another and invading Lebanon.

Hezbollah is not an action, it is a reaction to Israeli incompetence, misfeasance and colonization.

Allow me to make the observation that Hezbollah kicked Israel's ass, and won considerable respect in the region.

Israel is on the WRONG SIDE.

It's time to squeeze them into making nice with their neighbors. Israel has cause the US enormous problems over the years.

And no, the Third Temple will never be built, Read Heifer Sacrifice or No, and no, Jesus is not coming back. 

Boulton is a horse's ass and may he soon join Juinorbush, Dickless Cheney, Elliot Abrams, Carl Rove and Donald Rumsfeld on  permanent display in thre Museum of of Annoying Has-been Incompetent Boobs of American politics.
« Last Edit: March 25, 2007, 06:31:39 PM by Xavier_Onassis »
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The_Professor

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Re: US gave Israel time to continue war - Bolton
« Reply #9 on: March 25, 2007, 11:45:50 PM »
I am sure Domer has a differeet view of this issue. :-)

Also, we repsectfully disagree on many issues surroundig Christianity and Israel, and that is certainly acceptable. We all make our own decisions and live with the consequences...