So says this news story:
JERUSALEM (AP) - Israel declared Tuesday it was ready to fight Hezbollah guerrillas for several more weeks, raising doubts about international efforts to broker an immediate cease-fire in the fighting that has killed more than 260 people and displaced 500,000. The military said early Wednesday it sent some troops into southern Lebanon searching for tunnels and weapons.
Despite the diplomatic activity, Israel is in no hurry to end its offensive, which it sees as a unique opportunity to crush Hezbollah. The Islamic militants appear to have steadily built up their military strength after Israel pulled its troops out of southern Lebanon in 2000.
There is a fairly absurd news story going 'round that the United States has given Israel just one more week to deal with Hizbollah. My guess is that its Euro-weenie wishful thinking. From all I can see, Israel is determined in a final reckoning with Hizbollah - and that is for the good, and our efforts should be directed at keeping the world off of Israel's back until a decision is reached in the military sphere.
As a side note for my fellow Catholics, the Holy Father has asked us to pray:
Noting that July 16 was the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the Pontiff reminded his listeners that the mountain which has attracted so many pilgrims over the centuries is "just a few miles from Lebanon," near Haifa, where terrorist bombs recently struck. He urged the faithful to "pray to Mary Queen of Peace, that she may implore from God the fundamental gift of harmony, bringing political leaders back to the way of reason and opening new possibilities of dialogue and understanding."
In the end, it will take a change of heart on the part of our terrorist enemies - I pray that this change will come soon and with as little violence as possible, but if the enemy's heart is to remain hardened to all sense of right and justice, then we will simply have to continue the battle.
UPDATE: To be more concise, the Pope asks for prayers for the terrorists. I know, at first glance, that doesn't seem right - but it is what Believers must do. Pray that their hearts will be opened.
Posted by Mark Noonan at July 19, 2006 12:46 AM
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"To be more concise, the Pope asks for prayers for the terrorists...Pray that their hearts will be opened."-MN
Yes. I will pray to God that the terrorists' hearts will be opened, and that they will let go of their hatred and lay down their weapons. As Bearman has often said, this GWOT is a spiritual war. Prayer warriors are urgently needed.
Posted by: Freedom1 at July 19, 2006 02:41 AM
Posted by: Mark Noonan at July 19, 2006 02:44 AM
Posted by: Freedom1 at July 19, 2006 02:45 AM
Freedom & Mark, Double Amen! Every day my humanity is challenged by the news of the day! Instead of going out and taking up arms(like.... they would let me if I could anymore), I pray! Without a doubt it keeps me at the forefront of the battle! God bless my brothers in arms(spiritually & physically) and may there lights peirce the darkness and set captivity captive, in the love of christ! Sorry I don't get by much these days! G-night for now!
Posted by: bearmanUSMC at July 19, 2006 03:14 AM
payback time 4 the marines in '83.
Posted by: OhioOrrin at July 19, 2006 08:12 AM
It is not easy to pray for one's enemies. Especially when they have been torturing and mutilating the bodies of our soldiers. Much easier to pray that they will fall swiftly into a pit of hell. But no one said that Christianity is easy. Praying for our enemies is a central rule in our faith. I've been praying for Osama's heart ever since I learned his name. I guess I can add that dreadful Iranian president's name to my list. If prayer really is a supernatural force, I wonder how much extraordinary power could be unleashed in this battle with terror if every Christian began praying daily for the top 5 evil-doers? (Yes, I meant to use the term evil-doers; evil is evil and it serves no purpose to call it other than what it is.)
Posted by: Maewynia at July 19, 2006 08:19 AM
Posted by: Macker at July 19, 2006 08:53 AM
What we need is more people willing to give-up the retribution role, and have the spiritual courage to talk with your enemy, if nothing else to engage the chance that a single innocent civilian may be spared from the childish nature of two groups who can't see past their own selfish need for blood.
Vanity is still a sin, and this is what we have here, vanity, self-loving image bolstering. On one side we have a group who has made their stripes preying on the hopelessness of the Lebanese people, molding, and using them to further ideological wants; On the other side we have a wet-behind the ears politician, listening to the same old men who Sharon was casting-off as his mortal-coil was preparing to be cast off, and now has the blood-lust that comes from the adoration of scared people.
I will keep all those caught between these convergant forces in my mind, and would remind everyone that the real losers here are the Lebanese and Israeli civilians.
Posted by: Third Eye Open at July 19, 2006 09:03 AM
...the real losers...
So predictable and so wrong. As Israel takes down Hezbollah the safety of the populations of both countries will be greatly enhanced. Who loses here are the terrorists and the terrorist-enabling governments.
The Lebanese, just as the Israeli UN ambassador said, will be glad the Israelis destroyed Hezbollah and basically kicked Syria out of Lebanon, giving them true self-rule.
But it will not stop there. Syria and Iran are still clearly in Israel's sights.
Posted by:
Reverend Scaramonga at July 19, 2006 09:27 AM
...the real losers...
So predictable and so wrong. As Israel takes down Hezbollah the safety of the populations of both countries will be greatly enhanced. Who loses here are the terrorists and the terrorist-enabling governments.
The Lebanese, just as the Israeli UN ambassador said, will be glad the Israelis destroyed Hezbollah and basically kicked Syria out of Lebanon, giving them true self-rule.
But it will not stop there. Syria and Iran are still clearly in Israel's sights.
Posted by:
Reverend Scaramonga at July 19, 2006 09:35 AM
My prayer is for the terrorists and their leaders and for the Americans and the Israelis and their leaders that God would grant wisdom to all and that all come to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour.
Posted by: B.Poster at July 19, 2006 09:45 AM
It sure looks like the natives are getting restless, zoot. From the Washington Post
Conservative intellectuals and commentators who once lauded Bush for what they saw as a willingness to aggressively confront threats and advance U.S. interests said in interviews that they perceive timidity and confusion about long-standing problems including Iran and North Korea, as well as urgent new ones such as the latest crisis between Israel and Hezbollah.
Tick, tick,tick. Better bomb soon dumbya or you will lose the haves and have mores and idiots.
Posted by:
Ash at July 19, 2006 12:45 PM
Post a comment
"To be more concise, the Pope asks for prayers for the terrorists...Pray that their hearts will be opened."-MN
Yes. I will pray to God that the terrorists' hearts will be opened, and that they will let go of their hatred and lay down their weapons. As Bearman has often said, this GWOT is a spiritual war. Prayer warriors are urgently needed.
Freedom,
Amen
:)
Freedom & Mark, Double Amen! Every day my humanity is challenged by the news of the day! Instead of going out and taking up arms(like.... they would let me if I could anymore), I pray! Without a doubt it keeps me at the forefront of the battle! God bless my brothers in arms(spiritually & physically) and may there lights peirce the darkness and set captivity captive, in the love of christ! Sorry I don't get by much these days! G-night for now!
payback time 4 the marines in '83.
It is not easy to pray for one's enemies. Especially when they have been torturing and mutilating the bodies of our soldiers. Much easier to pray that they will fall swiftly into a pit of hell. But no one said that Christianity is easy. Praying for our enemies is a central rule in our faith. I've been praying for Osama's heart ever since I learned his name. I guess I can add that dreadful Iranian president's name to my list. If prayer really is a supernatural force, I wonder how much extraordinary power could be unleashed in this battle with terror if every Christian began praying daily for the top 5 evil-doers? (Yes, I meant to use the term evil-doers; evil is evil and it serves no purpose to call it other than what it is.)
So Say We All.
What we need is more people willing to give-up the retribution role, and have the spiritual courage to talk with your enemy, if nothing else to engage the chance that a single innocent civilian may be spared from the childish nature of two groups who can't see past their own selfish need for blood.
Vanity is still a sin, and this is what we have here, vanity, self-loving image bolstering. On one side we have a group who has made their stripes preying on the hopelessness of the Lebanese people, molding, and using them to further ideological wants; On the other side we have a wet-behind the ears politician, listening to the same old men who Sharon was casting-off as his mortal-coil was preparing to be cast off, and now has the blood-lust that comes from the adoration of scared people.
I will keep all those caught between these convergant forces in my mind, and would remind everyone that the real losers here are the Lebanese and Israeli civilians.
...the real losers...
So predictable and so wrong. As Israel takes down Hezbollah the safety of the populations of both countries will be greatly enhanced. Who loses here are the terrorists and the terrorist-enabling governments.
The Lebanese, just as the Israeli UN ambassador said, will be glad the Israelis destroyed Hezbollah and basically kicked Syria out of Lebanon, giving them true self-rule.
But it will not stop there. Syria and Iran are still clearly in Israel's sights.
...the real losers...
So predictable and so wrong. As Israel takes down Hezbollah the safety of the populations of both countries will be greatly enhanced. Who loses here are the terrorists and the terrorist-enabling governments.
The Lebanese, just as the Israeli UN ambassador said, will be glad the Israelis destroyed Hezbollah and basically kicked Syria out of Lebanon, giving them true self-rule.
But it will not stop there. Syria and Iran are still clearly in Israel's sights.
My prayer is for the terrorists and their leaders and for the Americans and the Israelis and their leaders that God would grant wisdom to all and that all come to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour.
It sure looks like the natives are getting restless, zoot. From the Washington Post
Conservative intellectuals and commentators who once lauded Bush for what they saw as a willingness to aggressively confront threats and advance U.S. interests said in interviews that they perceive timidity and confusion about long-standing problems including Iran and North Korea, as well as urgent new ones such as the latest crisis between Israel and Hezbollah.
Tick, tick,tick. Better bomb soon dumbya or you will lose the haves and have mores and idiots.