What About the Lebanese Christians? –updated–
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Today, 10,000
Arab-Americans united in Dearborn, Michigan in support of the Lebanese. One Arab-American blog has the action, but beware, because the pictures of dead children are gruesome.
But President George W. Bush is not sending Secretary Rice to the Middle East
until next week. Why?
There's only one reason and it's ugly. Bush is allowing Israel to pound CIVILIAN
structures, endangering the already fragile Siniora government in Lebanon, because
he thinks Hezbollah will be scared away. Not a chance.
Meanwhile, the Republican Party has launched an all out pr offensive.
I'd like to remind people that there are Christians
in the line of fire, not just militant Islamists and Muslims, but American, Arab *and Lebanese Christians. Does Bush have a clue? Here's just one article on The
Forgotten Christians of Lebanon.
The number of innocent people in the line of fire hasn't inspired Bush into
action. How many times do I have to say it: Israel's targeting of government
and civilian structures is only going to strengthen Hezbollah among the people.
What is he thinking?
As for the Lebanese Christians,
many of whom are Catholics, they've become fodder for the conservatives, who
have sold out American interests and outsourced our foreign policy to Israel,
who is a good ally, but who is using our silence to escalate this war. And I know I'm repeating myself, but remember Iraq? It's bad, people, and Olmert doesn't care. Perhaps that's because he knows Bush will do nothing.
Where is the American press? Where is the leadership in the Senate?
Why aren't America's interest placed first? Ian's post, The Sunset of the Pax Americana, is a must read.
On that note, there are yet more humiliating stories about Bush's
Katrina-style response to the Lebanese crisis, with more here.
I talked about the dangers of the cruise
ship – navy destroyer escort earlier. Today, it's full out damage control
by the Bush administration.
Again I say, Israel has every right to go after Hezbollah, but the indiscriminate
bombing and destruction of the Lebanese governmental infrastructure is making
a mockery out of the Jewish cause. That President Bush is supporting these efforts
through inaction, or worse, outright support through turning away, is inexcusable.
America is the only hope the region has, so we must regain our honest broker status.
What's happening to Lebanese Christians is being lost in the mix.
In English and in Arabic, shedding tears and sweat, Washington's Lebanese
Catholics prayed yesterday for peace in their homeland, filling a new white
church at noon on a sweltering workday.Catholics are the largest Christian community in Lebanon, and the special
Mass at Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Church was celebrated by Cardinal Nasrallah
P. Sfeir, considered one of the most influential leaders of the country's
Christians. Nasrallah was in the United States this month when the violence
began and spent his last day — yesterday — speaking about the holy nature
of peacemaking.(snip)
Also yesterday, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops urged in a statement
for the United States to “exert greater leadership” to work toward
a cease-fire, to restrain Israel and to move quickly into negotiations between
all the parties.The statement, written by Bishop Thomas G. Wenski, chairman of the conference's
Committee on International Policy, said that although current fighting may
have been provoked by “extreme armed factions” of Hamas and Hezbollah,
Israel's military response has been disproportionate and sometimes indiscriminate.“Our Conference appeals to all leaders in the region and to the leaders
of our nation to make it clear that violence, from whatever side, for whatever
purpose, cannot bring a lasting or just peace in the Land we call Holy,”
the statement said.
*UPDATE (7.25.06): I need to clarify something written above, where the * appears, beyond the italicized portion, which I've add. But rather than offer my own explanation, I'm going to let a reader Ross talk about it, even though my assessment isn't quite the same as his. However, I hope another viewpoint, one much more personal, is beneficial here.
Hi, I must say you have a great site. I'd just like you to know that the Lebanese Christians cannot be refered to as “arab christians” because they do not have arab bloodlines at all. By calling them “Arab” you are denying their heritage which has been suppressed by the Arabists and Islamists for hundreds of years. The fact is that Lebanon wasn't an Arab country before the Arab conquest. The Christians are the last decendents of the Phoenicians. Arabs could never enter into their community because of islamic law. The Christians could however enter the Muslim Community. This is why the Muslim communities in Lebanon may have some non-arabs but the Christian community is totally Arab free. Please Write an article of something about this because I feel like the Lebanese Christians deserve to have their Identities acknowledged and not be thrown in one group with the people who stole their land. Thanx for your time. Once again wonderful site. Keep up the good work. – Ross
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