UN Peacekeepers Killed used by Hizballah

Retired Canadian Major General Lewis Mackenzie was interviewed on CBC radio, and had some interesting news about the UN observer post hit by Israeli shells; the Canadian peacekeeper killed there had previously emailed Mackenzie telling him that Hizballah was using their post as cover.



" We received emails from him a few days ago, and he was describing the fact that he was taking fire within, in one case, three meters of his position for tactical necessity, not being targeted. Now that’s veiled speech in the military. What he was telling us was Hezbollah soldiers were all over his position and the IDF were targeting them. And that’s a favorite trick by people who don’t have representation in the UN. They use the UN as shields knowing that they can’t be punished for it."

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Another UN position of the Ghanaian battalion in the area of Marwahin in the western sector was also directly hit by one mortar round from the Hezbollah side last night. The round did not explode, and there were no casualties or material damage. Another 5 incidents of firing close to UN positions from the Israeli side were reported yesterday. It was also reported that Hezbollah fired from the vicinity of four UN positions at Alma ash Shab, Tibnin, Brashit, and At Tiri. All UNIFIL positions remain occupied and maintained by the troops.

http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unifil/pr010.pdf

[White_Male_Canada]

oops,forgot to sign it.

That was me there.

CBC audio :

http://cbc.ca/metromorning/media/20060726LMCJUL26.ram

[chefmike]

So...Hezbolloh bad...Maliki good...it sounds like our resident pinhead and cheerleader for the fiasco in Iraq is flip-flopping again...

Maybe you neocon cocksuckers shouldn't start sucking each other's dicks just yet...

It looks like the speech that Karl "the criminal" Rove scripted and provided for Maliki was a just another sloppy attempt at damage control by the neocon gang of stooges in the White House...

Iraq breaks with U.S. and assails Israeli raids

By EDWARD WONG and MICHAEL SLACKMAN
Published: July 20, 2006


BAGHDAD, Iraq, July 19 — Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki of Iraq on Wednesday forcefully denounced the Israeli attacks on Lebanon, marking a sharp break with President Bush’s position and highlighting the growing power of a Shiite Muslim identity across the Middle East.

“The Israeli attacks and airstrikes are completely destroying Lebanon’s infrastructure,” Mr. Maliki said at an afternoon news conference inside the fortified Green Zone, which houses the American Embassy and the seat of the Iraqi government. “I condemn these aggressions and call on the Arab League foreign ministers’ meeting in Cairo to take quick action to stop these aggressions. We call on the world to take quick stands to stop the Israeli aggression.”

The American Embassy did not provide an immediate response.

The comments by Mr. Maliki, a Shiite Arab whose party has close ties to Iran, were noticeably stronger than those made by Sunni Arab governments in recent days. Those governments have refused to take an unequivocal stand on Lebanon, reflecting their concern about the growing influence of Iran, which has a Shiite majority and has been accused by Israel of providing weapons to Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shiite militant group.

Top Shiite politicians in Iraq have myriad connections to Iran. Many officials in Maliki's political group, the Islamic Dawa Party, fled into exile there to escape persecution by Saddam Hussein.

Maliki also has other ties to pro- Hezbollah leaders in the region.

He spent most of his 23 years in exile in Syria, where he ran the Damascus branch of the Dawa Party. Syria supports Hezbollah and Hamas, the militant group that now leads the Palestinian government.


http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/07/20/news/shiite.php

[chefmike]

And now for the damage control from FAUX News, unfair and unbalanced, we distort, you decide...

Fox Trashing Dean for Maliki Comments; Ignores Statements Made By Maliki

During last night's (7/26) "Special Report with Brit Hume", Fox News Correspondent Major Garrett filed a flowery, shining report on Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and his appearance before Congress yesterday. The report rained praise on Maliki as well as the war in Iraq, but took a sharp turn to attack DNC Chair Dr. Howard Dean for his claim that Maliki is an "anti-Semite". Garrett did not, however, provide details to the viewers as to why Dean made the comment and simply attacked him.

Garrett began the segment by giving this brief summation of why some were upset with Maliki: "Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, a symbol of Iraq's fledgling Democracy, strode into the well of the house hoping he had diffused the controversy over his government's condemnation of Israel, and his refusal to condemn Hezbollah." Garrett then diverted the course, discussing protestor Medea Benjamin and continuing to blanket Maliki in praise. Eventually, the segment turned vicious when the topic veered to Dr. Dean.

MG: "But far away from the pomp of the House Chamber, Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean attacked Maliki as no Democrat had before."

HD (Palm Beach, FL): "The Iraqi Prime Minister is an anti-Semite. We don't need to spend 200, 300 and 500 billion bringing Democracy to Iraq and turn it over to people who believe Israel doesn't have a right to defend itself and who refuse to condemn Hezbollah."

MG: "Dean, who has clashed before with Hill Democrats over strategy and policy seemed oddly out of step with Democrats who attended Maliki's speech, and those who while still critical of Maliki and Hezbollah offered supportive appraisals of the risks he faces."

Jack Reed (clip): "He's risked not just his political career, but his life, to try to bring stability to his country and progress to his people."

MG: "Virginia Republican John Warner said Dean's anti Semite attack on Maliki didn't deserve a response."

JW (clip): Dismiss Howard Dean. Really, he's a disappointment I hope to even some Democrats. I don't care to deal with that."

While Dr. Dean may or may not be correct in his estimation of Maliki, a "fair and balanced" news source would find it appropriate to actually include the comments made by Maliki so viewers would be able to judge for themselves. Fox refused to do this, attempting to diffuse the situation - that after years of fighting and almost 2,600 American lives - we've simply installed another anti-Israel regime in Iraq. So, rather than confront the issue - Fox chooses the low road and attacks their favorite target, Dr. Dean.

For those that watched this segment, and were left uninformed, here are the actual comments made by Maliki, so you can judge whether Dr. Dean was correct in his assessment or not:

“The Israeli attacks and airstrikes are completely destroying Lebanon’s infrastructure."
“I condemn these aggressions and call on the Arab League foreign ministers’ meeting in Cairo to take quick action to stop these aggressions. We call on the world to take quick stands to stop the Israeli aggression.” (Maliki outright states that he condemns Israel - which Garrett ignores and claims it's "his government".)

The official release from Maliki's office included:

"Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki denounces the Israeli raids on Lebanon and warns of the consequences of escalation in the region."

"The prime minister calls on Arab foreign ministers to meet to take a clear stand that condemns the criminal acts in Lebanon and Gaza and affirms this assault will make Lebanon's people more united and cohesive in the face of the Israeli challenge."