SUBSIM Radio Room Forums - [Politics] Lebanon Aid Appeals

Many of you are making simple humanitarian aid into a political issue. This isn't about Hesbollah or Israel. This is about the people who did nothing wrong, the people who do not support Hezbollah, who never raised a weapon to an Israeli, the ones who are suffering because of a war that they never began nor ever wanted. Children are dying constantly. Should we tell them to just sit tight until 20 years (or more if you think back before Hezbollah) of conflict is solved? Because given the way things are going that isn't anytime soon. Should these innocents be forced to suffer because of the ignorant and selfish policies of those who are responsible? This is an issue without sides. It is about the innocent.

Also you can't, first, blame people for electing members of Hezbollah. Thats their democratic right and to say that we will qualify our aid based on whether they pick the right candidate is ultimately anti-democratic. Also, the Lebanese government didn't choose not to take control of the SOuth of Lebanon. They did not allow Hezbollah to take over. No after the Israeli occupation the south was devastated and there was no way for the Lebanese government to support it adequately. Hezbollah was supported by Iran and Syria financially and were able to do what the Lebanese government was not capable of doing. And I might add that since Israel is bombing the Lebanese infrastructure into pieces they are effectively crippling the Lebanese government's ability to function thus recreating the situation in which Hezbollah was initially allowed to enter.

People's conceptions of Hezbollah are, I think, very incorrect. Most people see Hezbollah as only a terrorist organization which attacks Israel. However it is a viable social movement with much support simply because it does for many Lebanese what their elected government could and cannot do. Hezbollah uses its money to create hospitals and to rebuild the areas which it occupies. By destroying Lebanon again Israel has effectively given hezbollah more ability to survive once the attacks have ceased. They won't be able to bomb Hezbollah from existance, not without destroying everything alive in the South.

At this point you can't blame the Lebanese peoplethemselves for Hezbollah and so they don't deserve to suffer like this. Letting them starve and die without trying to help is a crime, literally.