Israeli Officers Ambushed on Northern Border
The role of UNIFIL in the events in question remains cloudy. Several photos show them side by side with RPG-toting Lebanese troops. IDF sources emphasized the close cooperation with them and wondered about the date of the photographs. On the other hand, if they were involved, then Israeli notification of activity may have served as important intelligence in Lebanese planning of the attack.
The possibility that Lebanese troops involved were trained by the U.S., and that the weapons they used were American, further complicates the picture.
Barry Rubin notes that the mainstream news media, in their typical style, as, for example, the New York Times, presented the event as a “he said, she said,” with the overall effect of reinforcing Lebanese claims. AFP, as if to bolster the Lebanese claims, published a photo of the tree-cutting equipment with the soldier over the other side of the fence and the following caption:
Israeli soldiers use a crane as they appear to cut a tree on the Lebanese side of the border in the southern village of Adaisseh, Lebanon, Tuesday, Aug. 3, 2010. Lebanese and Israeli troops exchanged fire on the border Tuesday in the most serious clashes since a fierce war four years ago, authorities said. A Lebanese officer spoke on condition of anonymity under military guidelines, said the clash occurred as Israeli troops tried to remove a tree from the Lebanese side of the border.(AP Photo/Lutfallah Daher)
Note the use of “appear,” which refers either to the cutting of a tree or “on the Lebanese side of the border,” an implication repeated by quoting a Lebanese officer claiming it was on their side of the border. This, of course, follows in the wake of the MSM’s almost total lack of interest in Israel’s revelations several weeks ago that Hezbollah has dug into civilian areas with their military and their arsenal.
A comparison of the IDF and UNIFIL statements, however, suggests that the Lebanese case of Israeli violations and Lebanese warning shots does not stand up to scrutiny. UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti mostly sounds evasively vague.
Some of the best coverage has come from blogs. In particular, Israellycool and the Muqata have live-blogged events.
Speculation on why this occurred today runs the gamut. Some believe that it’s an effort to sabotage the direct negotiations to which the Arab League gave the green light last week and should be seen in the context of yesterday’s rocket attacks from Sinai. Others think it’s an effort by Hezbollah to distract attention from the latest revelations that they were involved in the Hariri assassination. Still others argue it’s related to the latest visit of the Saudis and the Syrians to Lebanon.
In any case, the incident is a reminder of the volatility of the region, how easily it is subject to sabotage, and how readily the MSM will play its role in enabling the most belligerent players.
And how much did the USA GIVE the Lebanese in military assistance in the last few years?
a couple BILLION?????
The US provides military aid, much of which is quickly absorbed by Hizbullah. The US (and France) provide advanced communication gear to strengthen Lebanon against the likes of Hizbullah and Syria; instead they use that gear to look for Israeli intelligence assets and pass their findings on to Hizbullah.
UN peace keeping 101.
Step one of any peace keeping effort. Know where the dang border IS!
Step two Don’t stand next to the Lebanese armies “Hezbollah regiment”.
3. If there’s a problem tree in ‘no man’s land’. Paint your chainsaw sky blue and cut it down for the Israelis to KEEP THE PEACE!
4. Why is the UN guy in the video putting a sky blue bib on after the shooting has just started? Any one could make a sky blue bib and dye a beret blue. Why such easily forge-able ID? Get some decent ID.
http://www.honestreporting.com/articles/45884734/critiques/new/Special_Alert_Media_Collusion_in_Lebanon_Ambush.asp
One has to realize that most Muslims support the Extremists. This is part of the Muslim culture and Tribal identity. Elements of the Pakistani Military and The Pakistani Intelligence support the Taliban. The Egyptians pay lip service to restricting smuggling into Gaza when smuggling is going unabated and rockets are directed at Eilat. The differences and enmity between the Sunni and Shiite branches of Islam disappear when it comes to fighting the “Big Satan” and the “Little Satan”. Therefore it is not surprising that Hezbollah and the Lebanese Government together are united in the goal of destroying Israel and exterminating all Jews. The Muslims In the US are all united in supporting the Mosque near ground zero which is a symbol of the traditional sign of Muslim conquest and victory. The disturbing thing is that the “useful idiot” Shorty Egomaniac BikeLane/pedestrianMall Mike has fallen for them.
Ambush facilitated by U.N forces and Lebanese armed forces,
not to mention, media invited to cover the targeted killing,
not of the “those who invaded sacred Lebanese land”, but
specific high ranking officers, who arrived on the scene.
The surviving officer, a decorated Captain of Ethiopian origins,
will reveal the time line shortly. This was a set-up. Israel is
too restrained and undoubtedly will suffer more losses from
“Turning the other cheek” policies.
This incident is uncannily similar to the notorious DMZ tree incident of 1976, in which DPRK troops murdered two US officers supervising a tree trimming in the neutral zone at Panmunjom.
This is unfortunate but I recommend restraint even in this bare-faced agression by Hizbullah and elements within the Lebanese army…usually I don’t….Because only when showing strength and resolve to defend ourselves will we be respected by these people…..but….
We need to be analytical here… This was pre-mediated by them. Why? Hizbullah has managed to forestall their trial and guilt in the Rafiq Hariri assasiantion (His son Sa’ad is currently the Lebanese PM) for the past 5 years.
Rafiq stood up to Young Asad of Syria wishing for a Free Lebanon; free of Syrian occupation and influence. Hizbullah is a proxy terror army of Syria and Iran.
Asad gave the assasination order (for others to be as well)as per one of his ministers and his lackeys, Hezb Allah carried it out.
The United nations STL-special tribunal is about to implicate and indict senior Hizbullah members in Rafiq Hariri’s assasination. Therefore they are looking for a way to deflect the stigma and blame while at the same time justify their existence. Ininterestingly enough Iran is also looking to divert atention away from it as it struggles to buy more time for enriching Uranium and constructing Nuclear bombs.
Therefore, let’s see if the UN STL will actually arrest Hizbullah members first…then if there are any further attacks we can procede to teach them a lesson.
In Addition, last week Nasrallah promised to either cause a civil war in Lebanon or start a conflagration with ISrael.