This is something for us all to ponder......
A different, important take on a current situation.
A man whose family was German aristocracy prior to World War II owned
a number of large industries and estates. When asked how many German
people were true Nazis, the answer he gave can guide our attitude
toward fanaticism.
"Very few people were true Nazis," he said, "but many enjoyed the
return of German pride, and many more were too busy to care. I was one
of those who just thought the Nazis were a bunch of fools. So, the
majority just sat back and let it all happen. Then, before we knew it,
they owned us, and we had lost control, and the end of the world had
come. My family lost everything. I ended up in a concentration camp
and the Allies destroyed my factories."
We are told again and again by "experts" and "talking heads" that
Islam is the religion of peace, and that the vast majority of Muslims
just want to live in peace.
Although this unqualified assertion may be true, it is entirely
irrelevant. It is meaningless fluff, meant to make us feel better, and
meant to somehow diminish the specter of fanatics rampaging across the
globe in the name of Islam. The fact is that the fanatics rule Islam
at this moment in history.
It is the fanatics who march. It is the fanatics who wage any one of
50 shooting wars worldwide.
It is the fanatics who systematically slaughter Christian or tribal
groups throughout Africa and are gradually taking over the entire
continent in an Islamic wave.
It is the fanatics who bomb, behead, murder, or honor-kill.
It is the fanatics who take over mosque after mosque.
It is the fanatics who zealously spread the stoning and hanging of
rape victims and homosexuals.
The hard quantifiable fact is that the "peaceful majority" the "silent
majority" is cowed and extraneous.
Communist Russia comprised Russians who just wanted to live in peace,
yet the Russian Communists were responsible for the murder of about 20
million people. The peaceful majority were irrelevant.
China's huge population; it was peaceful as well, but Chinese
Communists managed to kill a staggering 70 million people.
The average Japanese individual prior to World War II was not a
warmongering sadist. Yet, Japan murdered and slaughtered ts way across
South East Asia in an orgy of killing that included the systematic
murder of 12 million Chinese civilians; most
killed by sword, shovel and bayonet.
And, who can forget Rwanda, which collapsed into butchery. Could it
not be said that the majority of Rwandans were "peace loving"?
History lessons are often incredibly simple and blunt, yet for all our
powers of reason we often miss the most basic and uncomplicated of
points: basic Peace-loving Muslims have been made irrelevant by their
silence.
Peace-loving Muslims will become our enemy if they don't speak up,
because like my friend from Germany, they will awake one day and find
that the fanatics own them, and the end of their world will have
begun.
Peace-loving Germans, Japanese, Chinese, Russians, Rwandans, Serbs,
Afghans, Iraqis, Palestinians, Somalis, Nigerians, Algerians, and many
others have died because the peaceful majority did not speak up until
it was too late.
As for us who watch it all unfold; we must pay attention to the only
group that counts: the fanatics who threaten our way of life.
Lastly, at the risk of offending, anyone who doubts that the issue is
serious and just deletes this e-mail without sending it on, can
contribute to the passiveness that allows the problems to expand.
J Carter, Savannah , GA
Mike Know's what? That North Korea actually recently agreed to admit 3rd party weapons inspectors to check on it's nuclear program? Yes it did. Why? Because the incriminating evidence was on it's way to Syria already. Yours is a typical marxist rant.
Anyone can find out who runs a news paper, you don't have to investigate it. It is posted already.
Elimination results from lack of education.
Bill Peter
The Old and New Testaments were both written by Jews. in the NT. Paul, Peter, Mathew, Mark, Luke and John were all Jewish Israelites by birth and by faith. It took a while for the gentiles to be added to the New Testament system, See the 2nd Chapter of Acts, by then (approx. 40 AD)the authorship was established. Josephus is a good read, unless you don't like objective historical work that is accepted widely in academia.
Floyd Billings, Maui, Hawaii
to anas syria......because syria is a dictatorship who works with other dictatorships ie iran and n korea
frabs, vienna,
This is something for us all to ponder......
A different, important take on a current situation.
A man whose family was German aristocracy prior to World War II owned
a number of large industries and estates. When asked how many German
people were true Nazis, the answer he gave can guide our attitude
toward fanaticism.
"Very few people were true Nazis," he said, "but many enjoyed the
return of German pride, and many more were too busy to care. I was one
of those who just thought the Nazis were a bunch of fools. So, the
majority just sat back and let it all happen. Then, before we knew it,
they owned us, and we had lost control, and the end of the world had
come. My family lost everything. I ended up in a concentration camp
and the Allies destroyed my factories."
We are told again and again by "experts" and "talking heads" that
Islam is the religion of peace, and that the vast majority of Muslims
just want to live in peace.
Although this unqualified assertion may be true, it is entirely
irrelevant. It is meaningless fluff, meant to make us feel better, and
meant to somehow diminish the specter of fanatics rampaging across the
globe in the name of Islam. The fact is that the fanatics rule Islam
at this moment in history.
It is the fanatics who march. It is the fanatics who wage any one of
50 shooting wars worldwide.
It is the fanatics who systematically slaughter Christian or tribal
groups throughout Africa and are gradually taking over the entire
continent in an Islamic wave.
It is the fanatics who bomb, behead, murder, or honor-kill.
It is the fanatics who take over mosque after mosque.
It is the fanatics who zealously spread the stoning and hanging of
rape victims and homosexuals.
The hard quantifiable fact is that the "peaceful majority" the "silent
majority" is cowed and extraneous.
Communist Russia comprised Russians who just wanted to live in peace,
yet the Russian Communists were responsible for the murder of about 20
million people. The peaceful majority were irrelevant.
China's huge population; it was peaceful as well, but Chinese
Communists managed to kill a staggering 70 million people.
The average Japanese individual prior to World War II was not a
warmongering sadist. Yet, Japan murdered and slaughtered ts way across
South East Asia in an orgy of killing that included the systematic
murder of 12 million Chinese civilians; most
killed by sword, shovel and bayonet.
And, who can forget Rwanda, which collapsed into butchery. Could it
not be said that the majority of Rwandans were "peace loving"?
History lessons are often incredibly simple and blunt, yet for all our
powers of reason we often miss the most basic and uncomplicated of
points: basic Peace-loving Muslims have been made irrelevant by their
silence.
Peace-loving Muslims will become our enemy if they don't speak up,
because like my friend from Germany, they will awake one day and find
that the fanatics own them, and the end of their world will have
begun.
Peace-loving Germans, Japanese, Chinese, Russians, Rwandans, Serbs,
Afghans, Iraqis, Palestinians, Somalis, Nigerians, Algerians, and many
others have died because the peaceful majority did not speak up until
it was too late.
As for us who watch it all unfold; we must pay attention to the only
group that counts: the fanatics who threaten our way of life.
Lastly, at the risk of offending, anyone who doubts that the issue is
serious and just deletes this e-mail without sending it on, can
contribute to the passiveness that allows the problems to expand.
J Carter, Savannah , GA
Mike Know's what? That North Korea actually recently agreed to admit 3rd party weapons inspectors to check on it's nuclear program? Yes it did. Why? Because the incriminating evidence was on it's way to Syria already. Yours is a typical marxist rant.
Anyone can find out who runs a news paper, you don't have to investigate it. It is posted already.
Elimination results from lack of education.
Bill Peter
The Old and New Testaments were both written by Jews. in the NT. Paul, Peter, Mathew, Mark, Luke and John were all Jewish Israelites by birth and by faith. It took a while for the gentiles to be added to the New Testament system, See the 2nd Chapter of Acts, by then (approx. 40 AD)the authorship was established. Josephus is a good read, unless you don't like objective historical work that is accepted widely in academia.
Floyd Billings, Maui, Hawaii
to anas syria......because syria is a dictatorship who works with other dictatorships ie iran and n korea
frabs, vienna,
Dan Tanner from Las Vegas, really?
I suppose you drive a Thunderbird and live at the Desert Inn?
Loaren, Devonshire,
CB Houston. You have it backwards. After World War II the British actively prevented Jews reaching Israel. The British Navy arrested Holocaust survivors on the high seas and sent them back to the countries who had murdered their families.
Zened, London,
i just wonder why Israel has the right to obatin the NUCLEAR, while syria has not that right , why USA do not ask israel to dump their nuclear wepaons instead asking syria not to develope the nuclear technology
anas, damascus, syria
North Korea, Syria, and Iran. Three rogue nations that blatantly support terrorism. And of all the countries in the world, including our so-called superpower of a nation, only Israel has the moral courage to do what needs to be done.
If the American leadership truly had morla courage, they would destroy the nuclear facilities in North Korea and Iran before the NEXT attempt to sell nuckear material to a terrorist state succeeds.
Olan Knight, Murphy, Texas
If Israel were not to take this action, I can assure you that the future scenario would be thus: Iran (or their proxy Syria) launch a neuclear strike on Israel killing thousands and affecting hundreds of thousands. immediately afterwards, the world, as one, will urge restraint from Israel, begging her not to plunge us all into WW3 (the pressure, as usual, falling upon poor old Israel). And as for the protagonist? Maybe a token admonition from the UN while the rest of the world shakes their heads and bemoans Islamic extremism. And then... hey ho, life goes on, the new series of Big Brother is on telly tonight.
Ivor, Chelmsford, UK
For you who think being born in the middle east automatically qualifies you as terrorist/evil:
They aren't getting nukes (if they indeed are) to launch a first strike, they are to feel more secure from the US. Yes you read that right, people there are as afraid of the US as the US is of terrorists. They simply want to have some leverage against the mighty war machine that is the US army. A nuke certainly is just that.
And please realize, the US doesn't want nukes in the middle east because that will give these countries something to defend themselves with.
Michael Nabb, Ã…kersberga, Sweden
To all you american war fans...haven't you learned anything from Iraq? You talk as if this raid was miraculous by any standards , i cannot say i'm impressed, let those commandos go into Iran & try doing the same raid & then i will impressed.
Here is what Former national security adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski said about these events "If we escalate the tensions, if we succumb to hysteria, if we start making threats, we are likely to stampede ourselves into a war, which most reasonable people agree would be a disaster for us,"
S Ahmed, Cairo,
PKincaid of Sussex, NB: What a specious argument against the US! You ignore the fact the entire world, not just the US, was in a war that the Japanese and Germans started. The fact that its end was hastened by the use of the nuclear weapons is also overlooked. You forgot that the Germans were also in the race to produce a nuclear weapon? Maybe you think they wouldn't have used it if they hadt it first? That not just the US would have been in greater jeapordy but also Canada? The US beat them to it and helped the rest of the world by hastening the end of the war. It is precisely because the US knows and understands the devastation caused by these weapons that it fears what can happen if they fall under the control of unstable and irresponsible dictatorship regimes and terrorists. They have stated their goals for all "non-believers." The US has set the example, unfortunately some nations choose to ignore it. I will be at the expense of the entire world, not just the USA.
Taras Myhowych, Rochester, NY/USA
Q: Why shouldn't any nation posses nuclear power?
A: For the same reason you don't let a 9 year old play with a gun: one must prove responsibility prior to obtaining power. You need a stable container for unstable content. Fanatic, terror-supporting regimes do not qualify. End of story.
Q: What really happened in this alleged "strike"?
A: Don't waste your time on the press. The truth circulates in the relevant intelligence forums and will probably never be made available (maybe in a generation or two). All you experts out there who speculate only contribute to conspiracy manifestation.
Q: Assuming something like that really happened, could they have really pulled it off?
A: yes. Anything is doable with proper planning and execution.
Q: Assuming nothing happened, why act shady?
A: Did you see "Wag the Dog"? you should check it out.
Nimrod, Tel Aviv, Israel
It's really amazing seeing all the comments coming from the US all look all the same, CNN and the other medias are doing a great job!
Andre, montreal, canada
"history cannot lie and much will be told about our current president and the tough decisions which he had to take
..."
Frank Dacal //
________
Don't be too sanguine about that, Frank. History often lies, or makes errors, or falls into complacent agreement using partial information.
Observe how close "consensus" came to writing into the history books that the US lost the Vietnam War! And yet the obvious evidence was there that it had won and turned over defence to its SK ally two years before that "ally" was abandoned and deprived of enough assistance to survive, by the US Congress over two Presidential vetos.
To this day, many are desperately trying to keep the historical lie alive.
Many other examples exist, and the worst ones are those where we don't know what we don't know.
Brian H, Vancouver, BC Canada
Iraq and Afghanistan are simply side shows, the warm up act for the main event, IRAN. GWB and the Brits have committed men and materiel to establishing beacheads on the east and west sides of Iran. We will keep bases and troops there until such time as a detemination is made about what to do with Iran.
Possessing staging areas that border Iran give US and coalition forces a great advantage in terms of lauchning air assaults. Naval assets in the in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman add allow the US to ring Iran to its south with massive firepower.
Do not make the mistake of assuming our continued occupation of Iraq is all about stabilizing the government and oil; that's only the part the Media presents. Our main goal is to preserve air overflight corridors and to maintain bases on Iran's borders. That is why Iran is fighting a Media War by providing weapons to insurgents. That is also why US war planners are Ok with accepting such a small number of casualties right now.
Scott, Durham, NC, USA
The "Axis of Evil" is not Iraq-Iran-North Korea. For anyone who bothers to read the 2002 State of the Union Address the axix of evil was described as WMD linked to an international terrorist group backed by a rogue government or regime. Iran, Iran and North Korea were identified by US Intelligence and Security Agencies as being the most likely and dangerous in that order.
I would wait for proof of what has been said coming to light. Both Syria and Israel are being extremely quiet about the incident for it to have been nothing.
The clear message the air raid demonstrates to Syria and more importantly Iran, North Korea and Russia is that US technology can still run circles round the most sophisticated Russian air defence systems.
Another question if Iran's nuclear programme is solely for peaceful purposes, why did they keep the Uranium enrichment plants secret ?
As non signatories to the Nuclear NPT neither India Pakistan or Israel have done anything illegal.
Bill, Stavanger, Norway
Chorus please (waving arms as conducting) "But they only want nuclear material for peaceful purposes..."
Appeasement has never worked, will never work, and only encourages the appeased to take further liberties regarding the appeaser's security. Will there have to be a nuclear disaster for the world to understand what we are dealing with here?
Wake up!!!
Danny , Reno, Nevada
Denis from Brooklyn is mistaken in fact. Israel IS entitled to develop nuclear weapons as it has not signed the NPT. Iran is NOT allowed to develop nuclear weapons as this is in violation of the NPT which it HAS signed. In return for signing the NPT, a country gets assistance from the IAEA to develop nuclear power for civillian purposes, but has to allow those facilities to be monitored.
These are facts, not opinion and demonstrate what appears to many to be "double standards" -- they are not double standards, but different legal positions in which each country finds itself.
Though many countries would like Israel to sign the NPT, as a sovereign government it is free to choose which treaties it signs and which it does not.
Ian, London, UK
It's like the beauty queen from South Carolina who was a little ignornat about world geogrpahy. Iran has an N at the end of it. Iraq has a Q. Syria is next to one of them. We're not sure which one, but it's a threat to Israel which is about 6000 miles from Des Moines so therefore it has to be a threat to our right to drive over 55. Personally the beauty queen thinks it'd be better if we erase all the countries we can't recognize from the map.
Nuclear material from where is where and for how long and ho the heck got the stuff in the first place isn't going to knock OJ off the headlines because we all know where Las Vegas is, don't we?
As for Israel Moses was lost 40 years in the desert and couldn't figure out where it was, despite divine intervention from the burning bush.
"Was that right, Yahweh, or left at the Red Sea?"
"You are where you are."
"Isn't Ur in Iraq?"
Peter Nolan Smith, phattaya, thailand
I am not afraid of a stable democracy (Israel) possessing nuclear weapons. I'm terrified of an Islamic theocracy, which has stated publicly it wishes to see Israel cease to exist, possessing nuclear weapons; Iran, with its obviously insane leader, could use its nukes on Israel, or, more likely, facilitate the use of nuclear weapons by terrorist organizations. We know Iran openly supports Hamas and Hezbollah, providing financing and arms to these (and other) groups. We also know Iran is supplying the Iraqi insurgency with bombs and other munitions, as well as funding, so we also know Iran is responsible for perhaps hundreds of U.S. military deaths.
If the world does not wake up soon to the threat Iran poses, we'll likely see a mushroom cloud or two over an Israeli or even a western city, and then it will be too late.
John, Los Angeles, USA
Excellent. Well done Israel! This is progress!
Liberty Valence, Phuket, Thailand
Hey Nasreen, ever heard of this guy called Chamberlain? Brilliant talker and very cooperative!
Dave Tuttle, Marysville, USA
Hate America, love America - it's not important. War is coming on a grand scale so the West will either stand up or its children will live under Islamic law.
However all our pacifist friends will get what they want - peace. Unfortunately it will be the peace of the dead.
Greg Dail, Smithfield, USA
Thanks God for Israel in Middel East. The West should help the indigenous, non-Arab people of the region to reclaim their lands from the expansionsit Arab regimes. Northern part of Iraq should be given back to the heirs of Nimrods descendants, and rebuild their capital, Nineveh which is like the land of Israel before the creation of Israel in 1948, in disolate.
Newman, NewYork, NY, USA
Newman, NewYork, Newyork
Sean... it probably wasn't radioactive materials. It was more likely the tools and equipment necessary to make it or to weaponize it.... wow
Patrick, bergenfield, NJ
To Harv Klassen, Winler, Canada... "Like it or not the Jews are God's chosen people."? How elitist of you. Starting to sound like Nazis.
MJ, New York, NY
Oddly, Syria has yet to produce--i.e., parade-before-the-jaundiced-lenses-of-the-All-J'Whatsit-Network--the customary bodies, wreckage, film footage, photos, and "eye witnesses." One would expect to see live feeds of the wailing masses at crater's edge "where once there stood a birdseed factory" [sic]. Instead, nothing--except for the fortuitously "recovered" external fuel tanks.
Per my maps, IF the IAF and IDF did in fact pull this off (and they DID), then they cut through their neighbors' backyards both in their comings and their goings (and they DID). A wink, a nod: tacit Arab approval? Apparently so.
Syria is in a real pickle. It cannot admit/reveal what happened without revealing/implicating itself--and a host of others. Said "others" have far more at stake on the world stage than does their proxy and regional bit-player Syria. Thus, Syria falls on its own Faustian sword-"with a little help from [it's] friends."
Meanwhile, Israel quietly grins like a Cheshire cat.
phenry, Hagerstown, USA/MD
qazi> "Islam means peace"
"islam" means "submission"
qazi> "and is a religion of peace"
LOL. Don't you read the news?
aisgreen, Georgia, USA
I think some of Iraq's wmd materials ended up in Syria before the US invasion. I heard there were a number of 747s that went to Syria from Iraq before the Americans arrived.
K D, Rural, Alaska
there are or trere will be a War?all the paths points to petrol
Rolando, Mercedes, Argentina
The VERY best solution to the entire middle east situation AND to the illegal immigration problem in the USA is to relocate Israel to Texas. Let the Israelis have Texas and they'll take care of any illegal immigration, the old fashion way. Why not give them Texas? - Mexico will own it in 50 years otherwise anyway. And the Jewish Lobby in the US runs half of congress already. The middle east countries can then go back to abusing each other like they've done for centuries and the world can go back to being a boring place.
JD, New Orleans, LA
What's insane is the notion of letting a terrorist supporting nation, (like Syria) give a nuclear devise to Jewish, American hating fanatics who will use it on us. Only thing crazier than that is a person who thinks Israel should not shut down a Syrian run nuclear weapons program. That scares me as much as the terrorist.
Mike, Carrollton, USA/TX
Was the nuclear material found in Syria from North Korea of such a magnitude and such a threat to Israel that they could not have summoned the International Atomic Energy Commission to verify it?
This sounds all too familiar.
John Frazier (frazierjh@aol.com)
John Frazier, Brooklyn, New York
Steve T. of Idaho Falls may be ingterested to know that the second World War started two years before Pearly Harbor. If it hadn't been for Roosevelt preparing the USA for war in Europe, the outcome could have been different, and clearly he was a Democrat. Learn your hisotry, boy.
Earl Berg, Toronto, Canada
If this is right... chapeau!!!!
Dario Cukier, Alabama,
The Isralis should make Syria and Iran a giant HIGHWAY OF GLASS!
The US should likewise glassify North Korea.
Bob, Charlotte, NC
Just questions:
What if Syria got a nuke and bombed Isael? What we would then have to do?
What if Iran got a nuke and bombed Israel? What would we have to do?
I read a lot of discussion mostly that are opinionated but no one wants to give answers...Answers require thought not feelings. Give these questions some thought. I would love to hear your answers.
Eric Kalter, Chino,
People have ben so politicized that their comments show no basic understanding of the Middle East. and our role in it. the importance of Iraq is not just in its oil. It is the larget, most populous, most sstrategically located and best resourced country in the Middle East. Getting Iraq right is essential to other initiatives, and that is why the bad guys are fighting so hard. Think back, if you can, to the situation Bush inherited. WE had no fly zones with Iraqis shooting at our planes every day. WE had a deteriorating sanction regime condemned as inhumane by many and corrupted by profiteers. Supose we had not invaded and deposed Sadaam. Would that pre war situation have been better, if it had continued? As for Syria, the thinking is that they might be brought round to join the majority of Arabs by discouraging bad behavior that harms others, especially Israel and Lebanon. Push too hard and you push them closer to their ally Iran.
Claire W Solt PhD, West Palm Beach, FL, USA
To all those 'skeptics', AKA far-left America and Israel hating extremists, I agree....Israel should prove the existence of this nuclear material. This is my proposal - Israel should set up a lead-shielded structure, place the captured nuclear material inside, and let the looneys and wackos in to personally examine and handle said material. What could be more reasonable?
Jim R, Orlando,
Isn't it remarkable that it has come to this? How far down the blind alley will Israeli and Arab leaders march. They offer everything to their masses except peace. Look back at all of the opportunities lost and understand future consequences become more dire.
Perhaps it is an indictment of mankind as a specie. Will we always stop short of enlightenment and compassion?
Sure Hitler and Churchill are gone today. But we are always at square one.
Honesty and transparency are not signs of weakness. They are measures of character. If only there was one nation that would embrace this.
The elephant in the room may well be that nation states are spectacularly dysfunctional, especially with modern technology.
If we don't destroy ourselves, we need to start looking for a new paradigm for the sake of the children and this fragile planet.
Jerry, Smithfield, Virginia, USA
Precisely *because* brave Americans went to war (more than once) and huge numbers suffered and died protecting your freedom, you ungrateful and willfully blind liberals (American and European) can cry for the terrorists. They loudly proclaim their intent to convert, kill, or subjugate us all, yet you think they can be appeased? You cowards and collaborators don't deserve a friend like the US. The brave Englishmen, Frenchmen, Germans, Italians, and all the others, who stand with America when the cause is right, but maybe not politically expedient, are the ones our brave men and women - and your own - are fighting to protect. Unfortunately, the cowardly dogs in all our houses will benefit from this bravery and sacrifice as well. In the end, the US will continue to protect their undeserving hides, because this nation will always be the beacon of freedom and justice for the world. Political dissent is one of those freedoms we protect, even for those so fundamentally wrong-headed.
Adam, philadelphia, USA
We're living in a world where these things are really happening, whether the US media and other political parties want to admit that they are. The US is not responsible for every aggression in the world. As a matter of fact in my view, we have done what we can to prevent aggression - aggression that, unfortunately, has been directed at us in devastating manners. Somehow, we've managed to be protected from much of that since 9/11, but the agression and danger is still continuing around the rest of the world. And, it has nothing to do with us being in Iraq. We weren't in Iraq when all fo this started.
Luckily, there are other countries out there that are fighting to keep the world and their own homelands safe. It's too bad that those who stand up to terrorism are the ones who are condemned for it. To all of those who criticize those who stand up for our safety around the world, what do you really think is the alternative?
Lynn Fairchild Martin, Lynchburg, Virginia
That's right Denis, Brooklyn, NY. Only the US has nuclear used weapons, and, interestingly, after that experience has never used them again. Do you know why the weapons were used over Leo Szilard's and Neils Bohr's entreaties to Truman not to?
We dictate to others who can and cannot have nuclear material, although not the knowledge, because, frankly, we don't trust other third-world governments that are typically lead by fascists, dictators or fundamentalist mullahs to be worthy of the trust required to possess such destructive weapons. Such states do not have the checks and balances, nor the perceived moral hesitancy to unleash such an awesome elemental force upon the world. Iran is the prime example.
A world in which any rogue nation, failed state, extra-national organization (e.g., al Queada), or crackpot despot can buy a nuke off the shelf is very destabilized world. One in which it is most probably that the US will not long be the only nation to have used nuclear weapons.
Scott, Durham, NC, USA
Anyone who still has any lingering hope that history will be kind to Bush is simply reaching for something that isn't there, much like his faith based policies that put his personal views of religion and morality over wisdom and rational thought.
Israel and the USA can bomb, steal and lie all they want, but eventually we'll all have to live with the reality that many more nations will have nuclear weapons to thwart aggression from their enemies. The Iraq war has only escalated their drive and determination to achieve a nuclear reality. The US is weaker than it has been since Vietnam and probably more so considering the drawdown that has happened since the end of the Cold War.
Pakistan is on the brink of an Islamic revolution and they DO have nuclear weapons...and neither the US nor Israel ever did a thing to them aside from pouring billions into their effort on the war on terror. Add India to the list of US taxpayer funded nations and you have another reason to go nuclear.
sgurdog, jacksonville, fl
Denis, pull your head out of the Middle Eastern Sand. These Islamic Fascists have ties directly to Hitler in WWII, and were defending his bunker in Berlin. You don't think they will use nuclear weapons if they get them? They are suicidal already.
You can't practice your pacifism in the belly of a hungey wild Tiger. Nor can you practice it without your head!
God Blees the military and civil defense that keep us safe in spite of all the children in adult bodies, who are afraid to face down thew Fascists of the world! LIke the Character wetting his pants on the stairs in Saving Private Ryan while the big Nazi Fascist was putting the knife in his friend's heart upstairs. You can't let the Fascists scare you into defeat, or you will end up a slave to Tyranny, as per the last 100,000 years of human history. Same goes for the athiest Communists with no morals or compassion (Mao is in the recod book for Genocide for a reason, because the silly folks like Denis let him murder 60,000,000+)
DC, HOuston, Texas
Far from being grateful to Israel, I am becoming more and more fearful for the implications their intervention- or assault- will have on the rest of the wider world.
So what if they have the capacity to produce nuclear weapons? The U.S and Israel have vast stockpiles of nukes but neither stockpiles have been used in hostility ... yet. So why will the reality be any different in Syria?
It is the increasing beligerence of the zionist wolf that is a threat to global longevity and security, not wildly exagerated fears of state-sponsored terrorism in Islamic nations. I feel especially for the vast majority of the Jewish community throughout the world who are embarassed by the actions of the state of Israel at this time when there was no imminent threat to it's national security.
Sometimes, I feel sad that Britiain hastily departed from Palestine when I look at the mess that modern Israel has become.
Darren, Greenhithe, Kent, U.K
If this is all an Israeli conspiracy then why
1) Don't the Syrians bring world press to see the bombing site?
2) Did the NK issue such a quick a strong condemnation?
3) Did china call off the 6-way talk?
Please explain...
neo, jerusalem, israel
There always seems to be an someone watching over Isreal.
Dadzo, Derry, USA Pa.
The day Israel gets toasted will be the day the Democrats get their heads out of the sand...... any American supporting this party of defeat and aid of the enemies should be deported.
Jay, Los Angeles, CA
I cant believe this. Israel and America are just once again finding a perfect opportunity to set another country up! When the initial raid occured (6th Sept) America and Israel were either silent or condemned the accusasion. Now (23rd Sept) they openly admit it and have come up with an original excuse! Why were they silent so long? It just seems too easy.
I also cant believe how easy it is for some of you to act as if these nations (Syria, Iran, N. Korea, Iraq.. takeyour pick) do not contain 'human beings'.. so why not blow them to bits?!??!?!
Wake up to the corruption and deceipt that the American and Israeli government are shoving down our throats! Please dont let us have another Iraq.. enough innocent people have died, including the soldiers!
Tamara Al-Om, Wales, UK
The biblical prophecy (Isaiah 17) of Damascus, Syria getting nuked is getting closer. All the prophecies are playing all exactly as foretold thousands of years ago. Get ready folks, we're in the last minutes of the end of days before Christ returns!
ArmegeddonThroughToYou, Atlanta, GA, USA
While I approve of Israel's actions, the fact is that practically all nations in the area are threatened by U.S. aggression. They know that the only way they can stop our army is with the threat of nukes. Thus, their governments would be neglegent NOT to seek that type of protection. Somehow, we have become so riteous that we are unable to put ourselves in the other man's shoes, and we will pay for it for the next century at least.
bruce, Park City, Utah
Look at the facts of who the real troublemaker in the mideast is. They are always agitating country against country.
Commandos don't just walk in and pick up radio active nuclear items and walk away with them.
Look at their history of false flag operations going way back to the Stern Gang.
What about the countraband nukes this small country has?
Larry, Bismarck,
We live in dangerour times. Israel has every right to make preemptive moves to slow the inevitable. As do we in America, as we have done.
BDC, Modesto, California / U*S*A
So Turkey are also getting involved, in what I suspect muslims will see as 'yet another attack on their relgion and brothers'.
I think everyone should do what they can to stop these unstable countries getting nukes. However, who can blame them, not because of isreal having them, but because Pakistan (which can't seemingly control anything within it's borders) and India have them. At least India is a stable, peaceful and religiosly tollant country.
Oh, and I noticed the BBC are yet to run this story, anything displaying the constant threats Syria, Iran and the palistinans pose anyone wanting peace in the region are blanked out.
Paul, Camberley,
Somebody please remind me, what happened to international law?
As far as it is concerned, such incursion into an independent territory by another state's forces is considered unlawful and should have been persecuted by the international community.
Then again, the US government and their Israeli lackeys have been making a mockery of the international laws for so long they probably no longer hold ground in any case.
That's just clearly showing "democracy" in action.
Good job.
Michael, New York, US
Israelis have become America's merceneries after having been defeated in the last war in Lebanon. It's a shame our soldiers are risking their lives to support the war-crime regimes of Bush and Olmert.
Ami , Tel Aviv, Israel
M.Amzallag, Paris - very well put!
I have never heard Israel state that they wish to remove the Muslim nations from the face of the earth; they simply wish to exist, much to the consternation and protestations of their neighbors.
A good defense is the best offense.
Jimmy, Roseville, CA, USA
Just as with most information not to the liking of the MSM, this information doesn't make very big headlines. I for one would like to see more information in the news and less editorial censorship in the MSM. What ever happened to just the news.
Robert R, Kissimmee, FL
Why can't they have nuclear weapons? Israel, the US and the UK all have them, and they attack other folks, so surely one's aggressive behaviour can't disallow ownership? Hypocrisy is ugly.
Steve French, Karlsruhe, Germany
No WMD in Iraq? Well maybe not physically visible in Iraq but probably sitting in Iran and Syria. Just waiting for Israel, the UK and US to drop our guards. Hussien thought he had a fool proof hiding place. He also probably thought he could keep running long enough, that the forces would leave Iraq just like in Desert Storm and then he would be able to get his weapons back and stike Israel.
JB, Shelby, NC
Ho hum. So another Arab regime ruled by a brutal dictator is trying to insure its survival by acquiring the ultimate weapon. Doubt the peace at any cost crowd will even care. Their minds are already made up. As usual there is the same old condemnation of the US and Israel. Very tiresome but expected. No the lessons of history have not been learned. The West is too weak morally and spiritually to stand up to these ruthless thugs. UBL releases a tape praising the murderers of 9/11 as his own and we have people in this country convinced its own government was responsible. Ive never been more discouraged at our so called leaders who prefer the easy path of appeasement while our enemies sneer at us. The march of radical Islam, like the march of its twin Nazism, is not going to be stopped by the meaningless bromide of dialogue and cultural understanding. To them its either submit or die. Accept it.
Al, Cburg, Va
Sorry Denis but the US nuclear strike took out at least 9 main military targets at one time. It was designed to take out the targets in order to prepare for the invasion of Japan. Although civilians died it was a military strike and not a civilian. The same for the second atomic weapon. It was designed to interup the main military distribution point in Japan. Both targest were selected because of their military significance in preparation for an invasion. The same thing could have been accomplished with conventional weapons with about the same cost to the Japanese but a much highter cost for our own.
Robert, Denham Springs, LA
Denis,
The Syrian government is not a democracy. It is a country that clearly has a disdain for the rule of law and actively supports terrorist organizations. You seem like an enlightened guy. Why don't you move there? How about North Korea? I'm sure you would love it there. Common sense is truly uncommon.
Wes, San Antonio, TX
The Middle Eastern countries that potentially have nuclear weapons have all stated numerous times and in numerous venues, that they want to use them to destroy Israel and all of their "Zionist" allies, which includes the United States. Israel has never stated anything close to this...they will use any weapons they have to defend themselves, and, I might point out, it has never been proven that they have nuclear weapons. It was just proven that Syria did, against UN sanctions.
Deborah, Indianapolis, Indiana
At least Israel is not swayed by the talk. They know evil, they call it evil and they act to prevent it.
Jay, Dallas, USA
the raid was "daring" was it?
"secret" military base, eh?
amazing that people swallow up this dreadful propaganda.
after all of the lies and hidden agendas behind the iraq war, people still immediately believe unknown sources and their unfounded rumours.
where's the evidence?
Brian, London, UK
All this talk of nuclear 'material', as phrased in the article, is probably misleading readers. IF the IDF sent a team to the site, it's very unlikely that they brought back anything other than swipes for later analysis. Such swipes would have minute amounts of radioactive material on them, IF such material had been present. It would only be prudent to get such swipes [assuming getting them was feasible] before taking any action.
Syria is Israel's problem [and Turkey's], not ours. Iran is, in the short-term, Israel's problem, as well.
Henry Bowman, St. Louis, USA/Missouri
Seems the winds of WWIV are beginning to pick up.
JL, Seattle,
why all this conversation about Israel doing our dirty work? Syria is in Israels backyard, and are dedicated to their distruction. Iran, Syria Iraq and the rest of the Islamic countries. What else would you have them do? This is not about Libs, Neocons, and whatever . This is about survival.
Dan, New York, USA
To : JKeegan in Canada: No surprise that a Canadian would be so skeptical. Have you read about the Israeli raid on Entebbe? Thay are very clever and resourceful and when they decide to take action they are usually successful.
Dmurphy, Charlottesville, VA
Oh my! I can't believe that any of you here believe that there were no WMD in Iraq before the war! Anyone remember Desert storm? The mustard and Sarin gas that Saddam was using against us? What were those? Weapons of minor destruction? What a bunch of idiots you Liberals are! Everyone forgets the mass convoy of trucks that were rolling into Syria just before the war. You know, after the first time Saddam kicked out the IAEA inspectors he moved all his stash to Syria. Once completed, he welcomed the IAEA in to inspect with open arms. So, if Sarin and Mustard gas and nuclear material from N. Korea are not weapons of MASS destruction, WHAT ARE?!
Right not Wrong, Tampa Bay, USA!!!
sorry if my comments seem harsh but im not a fool i do know the facts very well and i dont suffer from that dangerous virus politicallus correctimus which causes sudden blindness and a need to criticise apparently bad things in an attempt to feel good about oneself and elevate oneself to some high level of judgemental purity. some doctors believe it comes from fear and the "if you cant beat them join them "complex..or the" lets jump on the band wagon everybody else did" philosophy. which is also the fear of standing up for what is right even if you are alone..which takes guts..how many of you watch or pretend not to see a woman being raped or a black man been beaten up on the london underground but dont get involved but on the same note love to express youselves in that politically correct light joining the crowd feeling safe in numbers afraid to stand up and say the truth because its just not very popular.
frabs, vienna,
Hey Good Job Nancy Pelosi and Dennis Kucininch...I would like to thank you and your liberal traitors firends for the inspiraition you have given our enemies when you visited Syria this year. The fruits of your efforts to undermine America, make us look weak and divided and inspire the hearts of terrorists/rogue nations everywhere have been succesful..Thanks again...stupid Liberals
Steve, Newtown, Ct, USA
Israel was spot on in this action. Syria and Iran are both hell bent to destroy that nation. Israel has a right handed down to their forefathers for that land. Read the Bible. These nations have been fighting for thousands of years. Israel, with the obvious and blatent desires of Iran and Syria deep in their minds, cannot allow either of them to gain a nucledar advantage.
For thos that say everybody has a right to obtain nuclear weapons, you are ignorant of the fact that these nations invade other nations for the sole purpose of grabbing more land. Israel has not sights on either of those countries and is perfectly happy if they would just be left alone.
Mike, Murrieta, CA
Why should we believe this story? Because the Syrians are not complaining very loudly, nor are they pitching a fit at the UN. Instead, they rushed this week to N. Korea for high-level meetings. Thanks Isreal, but don't think you did our dirty work for us. Syria is in your backyard. You would be doing our dirty work if you ran patrols along the US/Mexican border.
Chuck, Chicago, IL USA
Hey Denis from Brooklyn you seem to forget that the same killing of innocent civilians occured from the other side as well. Just ask the Chinese and the Koreans! Altough civilians were killed more lives would have been lost if the main island of Japan had to be invaded, study your history. Unfortunately that's war.
Doug, Royal Oak, MI
Was the nuclear material found in Syria from North Korea of such a magnitude and such a threat to Israel that they could not have summoned the International Atomic Energy Commission to verify it?
This sounds all too familiar.
John Frazier, Brooklyn, New York
The blind left wingers comments on this site who actually want to compare a regime like Seria to Israel and that they should both be equel militarily scare me. Come on relifious freedom is at stake here.
jason, Huntington Beach, Ca
Announcing that you have seized nuclear material (in a hostile act of war I might add) is a whole lot different to actually producing the undisputed evidence for the world to see. As for the person who complained about North Korea and Pakistan having nukes, the US / Israeli action in Iraq / Syria (and maybe Iran) it is a wakeup call to the rest of the world. If you're weak you get bombed...sorry "democracy", but if you have nukes, they won't mess with you. Well done for making the world a safer place. In the meantime, more Americans are killed in road traffic accidents than by terrorists yet we spend trillions on war and a pittance on our own infrastructure (bridge collapse in Minnesota springs to mind). Well, not in my name. The sooner Dr Ron Paul is elected President the better.
Danny Miller, New York, NY, USA
Has the West ever set about addressing the concerns of others? Has anything been done to settle any of the thorny issues? How does the world look to Muslims? What do they see in Palestine? in Iraq? in Afghanistan? And next in Iran? Why is the West not capable of spending 500 billion on peace not war. The West is the richer and better educated. There is no excuse. We have to try sincerely for peace (not blindly) The alternative is the obvious spiral to destruction.
Phil, Hong Kong,
Well, the world can do without the USA too. If only America would let others be, the wotld would be a lot safer and peaceful .
Sab, Kuala Lumpur,
Well ladies and gentlemen, what is clear is that things are moving in the middle east in directions that no-one, not anyone, likes or can be happy with.
As was said, "you do not make peace with your friends, you seek peace with your enemies".
Time for a little less of the right and wrong side taking - what we awnt is a bsis for a robust peace, preferably before the whole lots blows up and we have a world wide tragedy.
Michael taylor, Delhi, India
Perhaps Mike in London would propose that we give support to the terrorists that he lives with in London.
David Garfunkel, New York, NY
Dennis, You can't uninvent atomic weapons any more than you can uninvent the bow and arrowand it's naive to think that the lion will ever lie down with the lamb.
It's an old ,but true,adage:
"If you want peace,prepare for war."
Alan, London, UK
It's funny, after 9/11 the left said Bush failed to connect the dots and prevent the attack. Now we have Isreal connecting the dots in Syria over months and months and when they take action to destroy something in its early stages the left says, "Dots, what dots, there are no dots here"
drm, gilbert, az
Both Syria and Iran have been providing Hezbollah with their most advanced weapons and it's only a matter of time before their WMD's will be given to them as well.
And to those juvenile conspiracy theorists, let me just point out that the attack was announced by Syria, while Israel and the US have made no comment about it and haven't even admitted that Israel did it.
And of course Syria has for curious reasons been surprisingly mum about the issue, instead of launching it's usual response of propaganda and threats. It obviously doesn't wish to highlight the issue too much for fear of the world becoming aware of it's violent aims.
Mike, Vienna,
Are these the same reliable sources in Washington who told us about Iraq's WMDs?
Izhar, aberdeen,
Nations bent on destruction of civilization and human rights should NOT have Nuclear Weapons. NKorea, Syria, Iran are all very very evil regimes that do not support what we liberal believe in and that's free speech. As a Democrat, I say good for the Israelis! Folks, we must wake up! The terrorists would most likely kill a democrat than a republican. I'm sick of all this division in the US. It's free speech vs dictatorships!!
David Harvey, Little Rock, Arkansas
Incredibly naive people like Denis from Brooklyn are astounding...Japan attacked the United States and virtually destroyed our Pacific Fleet dragging us into WWII. They would not surrender until we obliterated their two industrial cities. Would you have preferred tens of thousands of additional American soldiers killed to extract a surrender from the imperial Japan? Israel's nuclear deterrance is probably all that has kept the murderous Arab regimes from completely over running the tiny democracy. Do you think Israel's disposal of its main line of defense will bring the Arabs around to peace and harmony? You condemn Israel for destroying a nuclear cache N. Korea delivered to Syria with the intentions of destroying Israel. You and your ignorant ilk just amaze me.
William Pollack, Memphis, TN...USA
Yes Denis, you are right... Israel should allow a neighbor run by terrorist faction Hezzbollah to have nukes supplied to them by another evil gov't N. Korea. How dare they try to stop terrorists, especially when 2 weeks ago the MSM reported that at a separate location in Syria a WMD warhead (chemical weapons) exploded killing Iranian revolutionary guards among others as they attempted to mount the WMD warhead on a missile.
By all means be my guest and support terrorists while they repeatedly threaten a second holocaust on Israel.
I guess ignorance is bliss, because you are the happiest person in the world.
patriot, Atlanta, GA
Stev T. from Idaho, is a typical Neo coservative republican and his opinion is very typical.
As a Free Human Being and a Free nation every one has the right to all sort of weapons they choose. Who opened the Pandoras box of neuclear weapons? Finger points to no else but to USA..........
Shams Khan, Fort Lee, NJ, USA
The bad news is that the Department of State will continue with the NorK negotiations despite this evidence of the NorK's intent to circumvent them.
Anyone else think it's amusing that the Norks send their nuke stuff to the same place Saddam sent his CBW stocks?
john Samford, Mamphis, TN., CSA
A significant aspect of this that is overlooked by it seems EVERYONE is that this site was protected with the newest Russian TOR-M1 surface-to-air missile defense system. Russia sold Syria on this system being immune to countermeasures. The mobile systems just went into Syrian service this August. That Israeli fighters were fired upon by this system and DID defeat it with electronic countermeasures is colossal news for U.S. and Israeli command.
Guess who also bought Russia’s bill of goods on this air defense system? IRAN is now defending their key military and nuclear sites with the very same junk.
Mike Sparks, Schaumburg, IL
Re: US use of nuclear weapons.
Denis, you need to read your history. American war planners expected up to 1,000,000 American casulties if we invaded the home islands of Japan. Do you believe that would have been better than the death of 200,000 Japanese? The US also thought that 3,000,000 Japanese, at a minimum, would have died.
I am sure you have never served in a war..I have. There has been no worse experience in my life than loading the pieces of what used to be my buddies on to a helicopter. Don't come around running your mouth about things you have little to no knowledge of. I have spent the last thirtyfive years studying how wars come about. How many have you spent?
John Potts, palmer, Alaska
Most of the time things are excactly as they appear. It makes perfect sense for Syria, North Korea, and Iran to cooperate against the west.
Thank you Israel, most Americans love, respect, and support your country.
Those that choose to ignore or disbelieve that we are in a war for the survival of the west sleep easy. There are noble, resolute, and yes deadly men watching over you whether you support them or not.
KE Mayfield, Colorado, USA
Jackie,
WRT to your comment about the US military being "poor, back and uneducated", you should hang your head in shame for mouthing such a slur while my brothers and I defend your life every day. Go to the Pentagon's website and download the annual statistical summary of soldier demographics. The only racial group that under-indexes relative to its proportion of the general population is Asians, and only slightly so. All other racial groups serve in direct proportion to their size. Likewise, the household income distribution of new recruits closely mirrors that of America - it is a disgrace to say otherwise and it robs us of our status as proud, professional moral agents to imply that all were forced into service due to a lack of economic opportunity. It's hogwash and you should be ashamed. Finally, the distribution of IQ scores in the military actually skews high relative to the general population due to the enforced recruiting standards. Get your facts straight!
Jonathan, US Army, Dallas, TX,
It is hard to know what to believe as there is so much misinformation out there and everyone has an agenda. However, I do not think that the Israelis would risk their soldiers if they did not feel that there was a real threat or the potential for real benefit (especially after the summer war in Lebanon). While Israel gets support from the west, in the end, Israel still must be able to rely on it's own and make decisions that protect it's future, as history has shown that the world will stand by and not protect the Jewish people. Because of this, as long as there are Jews, there will always be a State of Israel.
KS, Illinois, US
Mike from London,
please tell me where in the article it claims as you say, "It is very stupid to claim that syria has nuclear weapons,". It talks about "nuclear materials", NOT WEAPONS!!!
hophead, Hometown, MD USA
Praise God who created the earth. God bless Israel. Thankyou Jesus.
John Bale, San Diego, us ca
i dont have a good feeling about this. what are the odds that syria and north korea are going to simply accept the loss of life? expect at the least heightened attacks by hezbollah and hamas on isreal. are we close to world war 3? probably not, but we've had decades of cat and mouse half measures like this, and the dictatorships are getting stronger, not weaker. If you're going to have a war, don't you have to win it eventually, and engage in regime change?
rich, newark, delaware
Syria is our friend and very peasceful, remember, Nancy Pelosi told us so when she played her own foreign policy, this all must be wrong
jim, denver,
As an American, I am appalled at the general geopolitical ignorance my fellow citizens have. Here is how they view world events: a country they have never heard of rises to their conciousness because of a threat; we respond to the threat; it never occurs to the pea brains that this "new" threat has ties, allies and agendas shared with other countries that had they been observant would know have been going on for several decades or more; i.e. NK, Iran, Syria; sometimes Libya, sometimes Iraq and so forth. The world is aborn anew for them and when one of the cabal joins in to reinforce one of their quasi allies; a wit not fully half developed condems the President for taking one of them on. We are powerful, but we have to pick and choose which one or several we want to tackle at once. The USA domestically and with close allies like Canada, has more then enough oil and energy to avoid going after a mid east country for oil alone.
T. Stuart, Corapolis, PA
I agree that the general public is at the mercy of those who present the facts. Those who criticize a leader such as the President (who is proactive) should be grateful that our American way of life has remained unchanged relatively since 9/11. If we lived in other countries, innocent lives would be disposed on a daily basis. Reagan was correct in saying that we cannot negotiate with terrorists. A terrorist is out to steal, kill and destroy. It's their life or mine. The first to the "punch" wins. Are we going to let the terrorists get the first "punch"?
R Kenyon, Donalsonville,, Georgia
And yet no criticism for an attack on a sovereign nation?
Farrukh, Woking, UK
What were you saying last year when Syria and Iran attacked Israel using Hizbolah as their army, what did you say?????
John W, Fort Worth, Texas USA
If an Arab or Persian country sent commandos in to destroy Israel's nuclear cache would it be considered an act of war justifying retaliation?
Why does Israel's right to defend itself trump the right of other nations to do the same?
Non Globalist, Somewhere, U.S.A.
Instead, sip that Latte and yearn for a "multipolar" world where the US and Israel are "contained".
Or better yet, invade the wrong country, bust the military, and spend all our time and energy chasing ideological illusions instead of dealing with issues. While you're at it, make sure that you play into the hands of your antagonists, and assit them in establishing hegemony over the region.
As a bonus, destroy your standing in the world, and your moral authority. Mebbe a latte would wake you up!
Mike, Durham, NC USA
If the assertions are true, I am not surprised.
I guess the relationship with North Korea would be of a similar nature to that Israel maintained with apartheid South Africa.
Israel helped that government develop an atomic weapon in exchange for many important economic trade arrangements and the provision of a test site, Israel having tested its weapons at least once and perhaps three times.
But this topic is virtually forbidden to the mainstream press.
It is important to keep historical facts like this in mind when trying tro judge the current situation.
Israel is not the innocent fighting off beasts. It is one of them.
JOHN CHUCKMAN, Toronto, Canada
How can we believe anything the Americans say?
Bush lied to the world when he said that Iraq had WMD.
This nuclear material seems to have been discovered at just too convenient a time to be credible to justify proven liar Bush to comply with Israel's demand that America invade Syria and Iran.
Remember Bush Lied about Iraq.
Daniel Finkelstein I challenge you to print this comment!!!
Joseph Garrick, Dunfermline, Scotland
Surely no one thinks we are going to assist Israel if it comes to all out war against Syria/Iran when American troops could be killed. Democrats, Iran's Amadinejad and our NY media will not allow that to happen.
Vince Hugh, Atlanta, Ga
Because of our conscript many thousands ( literally) try to get in. The first prerequsite is excellence at high scholl ie brains. At the end a very very few are taken. Knowing some through the back door I must tell that they are the sweetest, sweetest kids in the world who dont know the words - "cant be done'. A few yyuears ago a young officer was killed charging through a hail of bullets attempting the save an abductee. 50per cent of Israel are connected somehow to the holocaust. 75% suffer Post traumatic syndrome. Nothwithwithstanding all we are growing faster than all western economies and have been declared a developed nation last week. These guys are the very tip of e sword - i dont love them - i adore each one - love and adore.
Zuni , Tel Aviv, Israel
As always, Israel leads the way........
Harry Bauskin, Toronto,
So, Israel is allowed to defy dozens of UN resolutions, and is alleged to have 200+ Nuclear warheads , is allowed to maintain internationally recognized occupation of gloan,sheba farms, WB and Gaza, while anyone else who opposes American hegemony is labeled a terrorist.
This is duality is what leads people to hate America and consequently its people, and its values,
Leo, Nicosia, Cyprus
I am truly amazed that so many commentators here fail to understand that as long as Israel has nuclear weapons at its disposal (perhaps they need them!) their enemies are going to want them too.
The only way out of this mess is not to 'nuke' all who get in the way of current US policy in the region (think maybe Iran), but to have sensible negotiations to end sixty years of war between Israel and her neighbours. I mean, is Jerusalem really worth Armageddon for the rest of us?
Adrian Gilbert, Tonbridge, England
I wonder why Israel/US did not bomb the source N. Korea?
I wonder if having a United Nations is any longer necessary?
I wonder if it is not a crime to kill Serians, but a crime to kill Israelis?
I wonder if global warming is a good thing, to put a merciful end to our poor planet?
I wonder if people have lost the remains of their wit, to believe what is said to be going on?
Teleb, Florence,
Francis Scalzi...et al. you KOOL-AID drinking lefties(..zombies)
i suppose you don't know about the 500+ tons of yellow cake uranium that the un spirited from the alTuwaitha nuclear power facility outside of baghdad when it fell?
i suppose you don't know about the 500+ 122mm chemical roundsthat have been found to date...gee...i wonder if one of those were found in a nyc subway if it would be called a wmd?
i suppose you don't know about the 300 tons of RDX high explosives that was found...i hear that if you put that stuff into aluminum tubes and cap the end that it makes one hell of a bomb!
i could go on but i figure that even you dumbass lefties get the point. i have recorded video of all the democrats saying that sadamn had wmds...your whole case against bush is built on lies...lies of ommission...lies of context(..in and out)
do some research!
ExT, OHIO,
Once again the Democratic Leadership shows that they are some of the best Allies the enemies of the U.S. have. You can bet there won't be any attacks in the U.S. till after the election.
Ed, Phoenix, AZ. U.S.A
To Jackie from Bedford. I agree if we are going to be serious we should consider a draft with no deferments for school etc. As a veteran of 25 years in the Army I ask you to please do your homework and don't listen to the Democrats lies. The military is NOT full of blacks or uneducated poor people. The are some of the bravest and brightest our country has to offer and work in a very high tech occupation. They come from all walks of life and from my experience most from the middle class. I am not certain what the middle class is but I hear the politicians talk about it all of the time.
P.J.
Hawaii
PJ Young, Mililani, USA Hawaii
I doubt the anti-war lobby in the West believes one word of this. It will take a nuclear bomb in London, New York or Tel Aviv before they acknowledge the threat - then they will blame Bush. Welcome to the new Dark Ages.
Tony G, Harrogate,
The punishment of Syrian regime for all his crimes and assassination committed in Lebanon become more and more closed
DIRANI, Paris,
Please, grow up !!!
If there was any large scale operation against Syria, producing "condemning evidence", those evidence will had been made public. In this case there are only rumors nothing else.
Does anyone remembers Collin Powell trying to convince the UN before the invasion (with some grainy satellite photos), that some Iraqi army mobile kitchen units were in fact mobile biological labs.
Same story different actors.
Liapis, London, UK
God Bless America, God Bless the Jews, his chosen people.
May the Lord have mercy on the foolish pawns who allow the evil to be spread by their ignorance. Christ be with you all.
Stephen, Cornell, WI
Also to all of you who criticize and condemn your own countries for trying to keep you and your way of life safe, go and find somewhere else to live that suits you more. Maybe you could try those countries that have supported terrorism. But, they probably wouldn't want you either.
Lynn Fairchild Martin, Lynchburg, Virginia
I really wonder what spin will be put on the next attack by terrorists so that the liberals can:
A)Blame Bush
B)Deny there is any danger at all
C)Say that all we need to do is be nice to the enemy who believes we need to convert or die
D)Say that somehow their liberal candidate would do a better job of protecting us by hiding the truth from the public until the day it is too late and then blame the conservatives for not taking action sooner
It is a really nice place to be if you are a liberal, kind of like a prozac existence.
Chris, Mechanicsville, VA, USA
How about Libya? Turned in five hundred tons of WMD'. CHECK OUT FOR YOUR SELF!!!! Why do you think we took off the SANCTIONS after all these years Because of the Iraq war they want to be friends!!!!
Roger Stright, Amesville, Ohio
Why does Israel's right to defend itself trump the right of Arab or Persian nations to do the same?
Syria would be morally justified should they decide to retaliate.
andy, Florida, U.S.
David Wooten doesn't believe anythng our Government says.
How bout the Times, Dan Rather, CNS, ABS, Move-on; does he believe them? I think we can find a definition for his disorder in the DSM.
George Bedway, Winchester, VA
May Allah lay his revenge on Israel and all sorts of other liars. Israel did not find these matrerials in syria, but produced them itself, and this will be proved by Syria.
This is why arab countries need nuclear weapons, for protection from this evil west.
Jazeer, Paris, France
Israel should stop persecuted the palestinians. Apartheid South Africa had the bomb. they are no longer.
Wilbur, L.A., usa
Apparently the nay sayers (conveniently) forget history. It was June of 1976, and Israeli commandos did what said could not be done: they flew many miles over hostile country to the equaly hostile Entebbe Airport, Uganda. Once there, and facing opposition, they liberated over 200 hostages from a hijacked French airliner and flew them to safety -- again, over vast distances. I dare say the recent raid into Syria by Israeli commandos was possible; not easy to be sure, but very, very possible. In fact: quite likely.
Reed D., Auburn, California/USA
Be a sheep and work for your leader, instead of thinking your self about it
Michal, Liberec, Czech Republic
You guys that are against war in Iraq and Syria, protecting these people would not stand against the nazzi regim if they kill jews tomorrow... as they have done in world war II...I cant beleive the vecitim is going to jail and the terorists enjoy your protection...shame on you! They wish America to die and all you have to do is protect them...
O, New York City, USA
I wish I knew what the material was. Was it radioactive? if so, enough to be harmful? Could this material's origin still be traced after it had been vaporized by conventional explosives?
If it could, North Korea would be inviting retaliation by giving Syria material for a "dirty bomb." But if there were enough of this material to make an atomic bomb, no residue from it could be traced to its origin with anything like the certainty needed to justify retaliation.
Mike Hollins, Los Angeles, CA
Can they prove to us that and show that material with pride on CNN . not holding my breath though .
Leyla , Oran , Algeria
i think it is so bad to attack Syria...because there are children and you don't have to do the same mestake of Irq another time in Syria...(i meant America an UK) !It's better to change the President..(and You can do it ;-) i know... ) than attacking normal people, who do'nt know anything about nuclear weapouns...!The syrian people can't suffering more..., Tahnks
Merbaa, Baden, Germany
EU - go back to sleap, Muslim fundamentalists are eating you from within. God bless Israel who has courage and decency to take action when needed
Israeli, Israeli, Israel
In years to come it will be known to all that IRAQ moved their chemical weapons to Syria. They obviously had these weapons since it is known and a fact that they used it on the CURDS! If anyone out there believes that after SADAM used it on the CURDS he decided to voluntarily get rid of these weapons ......they live in a fairy tail world! The history books will prove it!
Kiko, Charlotte, nc usa
Come on now, what's wrong with third world dictatiorships having the bomb? Of course they will use it responsibly! I mean, we trust the USA, Israel, Russia, China, France, England, etc... Why not trust Iran,Syria, The Congo, or Sudan? They are civilized, right?.... lol... Stupid liberals....
Bob Sloggin, Washington DC, USA
Syria has always been the warehouse of Terror. They trained the PLO from 1967 through 1982 in the Camps of Lebanon, they support, train and arm Hizbollah until today (Hizbollah needs no introduction). Almost every act of terror purpotrated worldwide during the recent 40-50 years has its roots in Suria.
What will it take, how many more have to die for the free world to get rid of this regime.
A Lebanese
Aach Lebnan, Denver, USA
This board seems to have been taken over by rabid zionists and warmongers from the US. Well i'll join them and wish god speed to Iran in their quest for the bomb, whats good for the goose is good for the gander.
Zak, London, UK
The west in general and US in particular has always courted with despostic rulers in Pakistan that has proliferated nuclear bomb technology to other rouge states.
The US/West has not pressured or made any effort to remove the nuclear capabilty from PAkistan that has sent a good majority of terrorist to the democratic countries.
It woudl be reasonable to apply the same treatment that US/West wants for Iran to Pakistan as well. It is about time or it will be too late before they send those nuclaer genies towards your homeland !
Vernon, San Jose, USA?CA
This is a lie. This paper is owned by either the Rockerfellers, the Warburgs or the Rothchilds and the information is coming from the cia.
We are currently investigating who owns this paper and who is responsible for printing this propaganda.
I am aware my posts are being blocked from public view and we will be seeking the arrest of those responsible for these lies.
We are very close to bringing forward the evidence that will bring these people to justice once and for all.
There is no evidence to back up this story at all. It is a fabrication.
Mike Knows
Mike Knows, vancouver, Bc
To Harv Klassen in Winler, Please consider this:
The Old Testament was written by Jews for Jews, The New Testament was written by Christians for Christians, and the Koran was written by Muslims for Muslims. They are all strongly biased towards their intended audience and should be of no relevance to others. It is when they are imposed on others that the trouble starts.
Bill Peter, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
I feel sorry for Tony from Texas, as he has obviously missed out parts of the bible, or was it upside down at the time! If I remember there was the Exodus from Egypt back to the promised land, they were also enslaved in Babylon, there was also the siege of Jerusalem around 50-70AD which was Chronicled by Josephus and the fall of Jerusalem was followed by Masada. It then fell later after the Eastern Roman Empire under the Seljuik Turks, most famously governed by Saladin, however this period, which had started centuries before was a period of tolerance until Real Politik of the 20th Century loomed and started ruining the status quo that had existed for more than a Millenia.
Maybe you should have looked to the Talmud for your religo/historical answers and not a bible which was probably the King James version and which written to suit the 17th Century Morals. As for the modern military aspect look at their activities and learn about the USS Liberty. Political wool over eyes more like!
Jason Fishman, beijing, china
England did not cause or suggest Jewish settlement of the middle east post-WW2. In fact, they went against previous agreements, (ie: Balfour Declaration) and attempted to keep Holocaust refugees out of Israel. Problems in the region began when surrounding countries (Jordan, Syria, Egypt) took offense to an official Jewish presence in the region. (Even though Jews have been documented as settling in Israel for the past 2,000 years.) Unfortunately, Syria has proved yet again to be anything but a real partner for peace. Good for Israel, nobody could complain about a nations right to defend its own people.
Chris Jamison, Sacramento, California
If there was ever an Ally, Israel has shown itself to be courageous, full of strength and honor, and to be using cutting edge technology and methods. However, even when Israel had little technology, it fought with its courage and intelligence. Today, they are a democracy in the midst of chaos, and yet they hold their heads high and do everything imaginable to contain the difficulties of being a nation in the middle east. Israel is a small but strong Ally, and that alone will help it survive as an American Friend, but more so than its strength, Americans should look at its values, its honor, its truth. They are not a war mongering state, despite the situation that has required them to be militarily prepared. Yet, by the same token, they do not ignore their responsibility to defend themselves. They do not come to the US and say "Defend Us". They seek not war, they wish for peace and cooperation and happiness. They are an oasis in the center of a desert of chaos and irrationality.
Jon, Tampa, USA/FL
To Paulo: (I read an article that claims the raid on Antebbe was staged...given the lies and deceit you see today.. it may well have been a hoax to build up Israel.)
How much more terrorist-fed dogma are people going to swallow. Speak to the people who were abducted to Entebbe. Speak to the French crew who chose to stay behind with the Jews as the terrorists were - sickenly - separating Jewish passengers from the non-Jewish passengers. Speak to former PM Bibi Netanyahu whose brother was killed rescuing the hostages. Speak to the soldier who was so badly wounded during the rescue operation that he is a quadriplegic.
Patricia, Binyamina, ISRAEL
The whole mess in the Middle East is talked about and predicted in Ezekiel 38 and 39. We may try to solve the problem but God will have his way in the end. Damascus will be totally destroyed (Isaiah 17:1) . Ezekiel tells of the nuclear destruction and clean-up required in 39:12-16.
Why is the accuracy of Bible info never in the news?
Stan Martin, Etowah, TN
It really seems to me as the media can and does form the opinion of most people.
Notice there was no evidence offered to back up this Nuclear claim, and yet, most are ready to premptive Nuke the other. Mass war based on just what...
Next Syria will offer tours of the site and allow air and soil samples but that will be much to late as the public has already based there desision on utter crap, just like happened for Iraq.
Further claiming one policital party is better or worse than another is just silly. They are not in control anyway, and further them that are in control are still on-matter which name is placed on Govt.
Its well past time when people need to think for themselves, reading some history can really help.
Randy, French Road, CA
I have more fear of an attack on Americans by Americans than I do of any foreign terrorist. Some people on here listen to way too much Hannity and don't realize how their treats of hanging liberals for treason, etc is pure unadulterated FASCISM. Maybe they realize but don't care to accept the fact that they are the terrorists and aggitators of hatred.
Blackwater is a perfect example of how a gov't can inflict terrorism on another nation by proxy. The taxpayers pay for their "services" but the gov't has little to no oversight of how they spend our money. As it has come out recently (if you actually read an entire news article and can decipher its contents without some talking head doing it for you) Blackwater is one of the conduits of illegal weapons being delivered to right wing (Shiite) militias. If you listen to sound bite news you might believe that Iran and Syria are the only suppliers of note. Did the Iran/Contra scandal teach you nothing?
Baron de Graft, jacksonville, fl
Israel has just provided further evidence, that it has not intentions for peace. As its own creation was based on racism, deportation and many massacres, there is no surprise of such an attack; furthermore Syria was the mastermind behind the recent humiliation of the Israeli army in Lebanon.
One must not forget that many of neighbouring Arab countries are becoming very capable militarily, indeed, Israel's game is very very dangerous and thus this could be the last straw.
There is no surprise that the USA did support such illegal act, after all the USA history of piracy and crimes against good humans around the world speak for its self.
Finally how does Israel see the future? Total isolation from all but two (Egypt and Jordan) of the Arab states, or good relationships that leads to massive economical advantages?? The recent action is clear evidence of Israel's continuous miss calculations.
Mr Green, Oslo, Norway
Could it be that the Syrian military was bribed to give the IDF the secrets of the pantsyr radar? Nah. A corrupt Arab military? No way.
Could a penetrated Russian regeme have sold the secrets of that radar bloc system to the Mossad?
IDF industries are premier providers of upgraded avionics for Soviet Aircraft. When you are familiar with your opponents technology you can make educated guesses about where his next generation will be. Russian systems are evolutionary.
I would bet the Russians got cash for their radars. No regrets.
Did they mention any Koreans who were snatched yet?
Lawrence, Washington D.C., E.E.U.U.
I have been reading most of the comments here and I am completely surprised of the attitude of a lot of the posters. If people can read a bit on the subjects brought up they would understand more of the issues involved. Israel is shown is a democratic country whereas in reality it is one of the most totalitarian countries in the world. In Israel you are either a jew or you are nothing and have no rights at all. Also if you add up all the Israeli civilians killed against the civilian Arabs killed you will find that about 8 Arabs are killed for every Israeli. The IDF is killing Palestinian woman and children almost every day, the settlers are stealing more Arab land all the time, the list could go on for ever. I was as an observer in one of the Palestinian refuge camps, it was only inhabitated by women, children and very old man. Then the oh so proud Israeli Air force arrived and flattened the camp, over 500 woman children and old man died in this attack. Enough said
jurgen, Perth, Australia
I wonder why nobody ever equates a nations' possession of nuclear weaponry as the original scam which was NUCLEAR DEFENSE as in nobody in their right minds would attack another nation which had nuclear weapons.As far as I'm concerned every country should have them and right mindedness would be an epidemic. What would be the benefit of widespread radiation to the profit mongers who are the heart of all evil on this planet?
Mary, Chicago,
Consider A: Israeli commandos were operating near and within a very sensitive Syrian military installation some time before the airstrike; B) Israel has nukes, would definitely retalliate in kind and all of Syria and most of Iran are within striking distance; and C) Syria's air defence network was taken down easily with little effort and so could Iran's. Therefore, if Iran, Syria and their associates think they could have eliminated any threat of Israeli retaliation with a surprise attack--which is very, VERY unlikely--they would have succeeded in doing nothing but killing millions including their own, as well as making large portions of their own homelands uninhabitable for quite some time.
Carl, Pittsburgh, USA
The U.S. used nuclear weapons to end World War II and save 100,000 American lives that would have been lost in an invasion of Japan. Nukes have been held in reserve for 62 years.
The Syrians, Iranians, and other sponsors of terrorism would hand them off to be used in 62 days. . .
Timothy Avery, Belmont, USA / CA
Let Great Britian solve this mess? They encouraged the settlement of Jews in the middle east after WWII. Shouldn't they be responsible for this matter since they created it in the first place?
CB, Houston, Texas
This was a brilliant strategy for the Israelis. All power to them. This should (but who knows about the stupid, fanatical countries in the region) remind them of just who they are screwing with. Good for Israel!
J. Tidball, Anniston, USA/AL
Hurray for Israel!!
Max, Boston, USA
okay so as a response there's two options for these guys, either they raise it at the UN security council where they'll be backed by russia and china respectively, or they launch retalitory military responses against jersulasem and seoul respectively, this isn't a good outcome either way, especally if syria does have a legitmate desire along with iran to obtain nuclear weapons. and iran helped facilitate that acquision in the process.
dustin frank, southern pines, USA, NC
To all who thinks that US and Israel just leave Syria and Iran alone are not thinking straight. Imagine a nuclear armed Iran and Syria.. it will be unimaginable. West, Europe and Israel will be a sure target of nuclear terrorism. There will never be peace in the future. Israel and US have nukes.. are they using it? No.. but will the terrorist countries will? No doubt they will.. maybe not by themselves but to terrorist groups that are itching to have a hand to those precious nukes.
Richard, Jacksonville, FL
hey den broon, uk
It seems that you forget that the United States sent its youth to die in your neighborhood a couple of times. I would thnik that you would understand the position that we all are in.
WW1 and WW2 were fought with an understanding that all evil must be confronted and defeated in its earliest stages.
Appeasment and lack of action is the allie to these monsters.
Iran, Syria, and North Korea are the enemy we face and it is no dought that they would find glee in touching off a nuke in Isreal, Europe or the United States.
Peace is the ulitmate prize and the spilling of blood is the only way to achieve that end. Hopefully with the grace of God will we prevail in this task and hope that people that think the way you do are few in number and on the otherside. If they dared to set a nuke off. The response would be swift and devestating to those countries involved.
Iran, Syria and North Korea would cease to exist.
Peace be with you.
Rob, Coral Springs, Florida
I do believe that the whole Middle East must be free of all forms nuclear weapons and even nuclear technology. Why not starting with Israel’s nuclear arsenal and Iranian nuclear program??
I do not believe in any way that the tiny poor country of Syria has any potential to carry any kind of nuclear researches or applications.
The Middle East is and will be, for a considerable amount of time, a key player in international security. It will be the trigger of the official 3rd World War in the years to come. So let us make it nuclear-free region.
Nizar, Montreal, Canada
I agree with Harv. When you look at the preponderance of evidence, it is in Israel's favor. I find it hard to see the Jews as agressors when they are surrounded by enemies. It's as if the world has already forgotten the holocaust.
jeff, mint hill, usa, nc
It amazes me that the whole World has forgotten that only one nation on Earth has ever used the nuclear bomb. This nation is now accusing other nations of acquiring weapons of mass destruction when they are the only ones who have used 2 weapons of mass destruction against civilian cities - not military targets. The US opened Pandora's box and they have unleashed the horrors within it. It is very sad that we would even consider attacking a country based entirely on accusations and assumptions from the only country that has used nuclear technology as a weapon. Nuclear technology for weaponry has always been wrong. If the US wants countries to stay away