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David Potter is a veteran paratrooper of the 82nd Airborne Division and served through two enlistments, including the war in Grenada, and is trained in aviation electronics and computer networking. Today, from his home base in Louisiana, he drives trucks and takes prides in the "made in Israel" products he delivers throughout the United States.
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By David Potter
July 31, 2006
The death of innocent women and children in Qana, is of course, a sad and regrettable thing. The deaths of innocents always are. There is something revolting about the idea of young lives being cut short in this manner; and the world as always, has been quick to blame Israel.
Yet little has been said about the rocket attacks by Hezbollah, which has been using children such as these as human shields. If indeed it was an Israeli weapon which brought down the building these children were sleeping in, it was not Israel which was at fault - but Hezbollah. It was Hezbollah which sought refuge among the civilians of Qana. And it was Hezbollah which brought an Israeli attack upon Qana -- first by their presence -- and second by their rocket fire into Israel's cities.
Hezbollah is at fault for hiding behind the women and children of Qana and using them as human Shields. They knew that Israel's attacks would come. Perhaps they were even counting on it, to deflect world criticism away from their terrorist group, and towards Israel. It would not be the first time a terrorist group has used the deaths of children as a rallying cause. At the very least -- Hezbollah can be accused of negligence in the deaths of these children. But there are also hints that Hezbollah may have had a far more direct role in their deaths.
Not only is Israel not at fault -- it may not have even been involved.
According to the Associated Press:
"The Israeli Army said it was investigating Qana. It said it was puzzled that the strike on Qana happened between midnight and 1 a.m. local time and hit next to the building, but that the building only collapsed around 7 a.m. Brig. Gen. Amir Eshel said it was at least possible that the explosion was caused by munitions stored inside the building."
It would be just like Hezbollah to set off a bomb inside this building - after luring dozens of innocents inside -- just to have something they could blame on Israel. After all, that's what terrorist organizations do.
If true . . . it is a sign of Hezbollah's desperation over Israel's campaign.
They had everything to gain and nothing to lose. And previously, things had not been going well for Hezbollah. They expected world condemnation for Israel's campaign to destroy them; but for the most part, it was not as large as they hoped for. True - their usual "allies" in Europe were quick to condemn Israel.
Maybe they were not allies in the conventional sense, but the hesitation and lack of leadership among European countries served the same purpose. There was none of the expected support from the Arab world however.
Instead -- the Arab world criticized Hezbollah.
Some of the Lebanese criticized Hezbollah also. Lebanon was entering an age of prosperity compared to the Civil War years. Syria had been forced to leave. Lebanon had a new airport in Beirut. There were shops and places of business, where before there had been only poverty and ruins. Although buildings with bullet holes in them were ghastly reminders of the past, Lebanon considered itself to be "the other democracy" in the Middle East.
"Why" many of them asked, "did Hezbollah chose now to start a conflict".
Perhaps it was for the same reason they may have also blown up the building in Qana, and taken the lives of innocent women and children. Hezbollah thrives on conflict. Peace and prosperity on the other hand, have the opposite effect. It tends to diminish Hezbollah, and relegate it to a level of less importance.
Without conflict Hezbollah -- like other terrorist organizations -- cannot survive.
Lebanon's government had also reached a moment of truth; and in principle at least, had agreed to dismantle Hezbollah. True -- they would have needed the help of an international force. Lebanon's military was not strong enough to do it themselves. The offer was being negotiated however, and might have been the final ingredient that forced Hezbollah into an act of desperation.
If taking Israeli hostages was a calculated risk for Hezbollah, then so would be blowing up a building full of Lebanese civilians. At this point in time, of course, the investigation has barely begun. The idea that Hezbollah blew up the building -- and not Israel -- is now speculation. It is simply a theory but, like all theories, it can be tested. Today, there is only the "mystery" of why a building that was not even allegedly hit by Israel, took so long to crumble to the ground.
If it were hit by Israel -- it took 6 hours to fall?
A matter of minutes . . . people could understand.
But a matter of hours . . . could only involve an act of desperation by Hezbollah.
Views expressed by the author do not
necessarily reflect those of israelinsider.
 
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