By Marc J. Sirois, The Daily Star (Lebanon), February, 09 2008

Canada's official report on the deaths of four United Nations peacekeepers - including a Canadian officer - at Israeli hands during the summer 2006 war in Lebanon is a slap in the face to those who died and their families, to those who wear the same uniforms, and to those who selflessly serve the UN around the world. In essence, it took an official board of inquiry almost 17 months to determine less than what was obvious within hours of the attack: that the incident was "tragic," that the deaths were "preventable" and that the Israeli military was "responsible."

by MOHAMAD BAZZI

Ever since Hezbollah and its allies began an open-ended protest
against the US-backed government on December 1, Beirut's gilded
downtown--built for wealthy Lebanese and foreign tourists--has become
more authentically Lebanese. Where Persian Gulf sheiks once ate sushi,
families now sit in abandoned parking lots, having impromptu picnics,
the smell of kebabs cooked over coals wafting through the air. Young

PART 1: Winning the intelligence war
By Alastair Crooke and Mark Perry
(Asia Times Online)

Introduction
Writing five years after the attacks of September 11, 2001, US military expert Anthony Cordesman published an account of the Israeli-Hezbollah conflict. "Preliminary Lessons of the Israeli-Hezbollah War" created enormous interest in the Pentagon, where it was studied by planners for the Joint Chiefs of Staff and passed hand-to-hand among military experts in Washington. Cordesman made no secret of his modest conclusions, rightly recognizing that his study was not only "preliminary", but that it took no account of how Hezbollah fought the conflict or judged its results.

This edition of Radio Tadamon! features sounds from Beirut recorded during the height of the Israeli assault on Lebanon & voices from the streets of Montreal recorded during multiple solidarity demonstrations with the Lebanese people.

Featuring multiple voices & interviews from Beirut which provide a picture of the first days of the Israeli 2006 attack, the present-day impacts of the war on the people of Lebanon, voices of international solidarity from the streets of Montreal & interviews providing important historical context / political background to the 2006 Israeli assault on Lebanon.

by Bilal El-Amine, Sasha Wright
An Interview with Bilal El-Amine in South Lebanon, From Left Turn

Bilal El-Amine, founding editor of Left Turn, moved back to his native Lebanon over a year ago. When Israel started bombing Lebanon, Bilal did what he knows best and started reporting for independent media outlets on the Israeli devastation of the country and the Lebanese resistance. He reported almost daily from South Lebanon throughout the 33-day invasion for Flashpoints on Pacifica radio network. Left Turn editor, Sasha Wright, spoke with Bilal immediately after the UN “cease-fire” resolution was passed about the context of Israel’s invasion of Lebanon, its impacts on Lebanese society and politics, and about the South Lebanese Resistance and Hezbollah.

By CounterPunch News Service

From an interview conducted shortly before the ceasefire by reporters from the Turkish Labor Party daily, Evrensel.

Q. What is the current state of your relations with the Socialist movement?

Hasan Nasrallah: The socialist movement, which has been away from international struggle for a considerable time, at last has begun to offer moral support for us once again. The most concrete example of this has been Hugo Chavez, the President of Venezuela. What most of the Muslim states could not do has been done by Chavez, by the withdrawal of Venezuela's ambassador to Israel. He furthermore communicated to us his support for our resistance. This has been an immense source of moral strength for us.

We can observe a similar reaction within the Turkish Revolutionary Movement. We had socialist brothers from Turkey who went to Palestine in 1960s to fight against Israel. And one of them still remains in my memory and my heart; Deniz Gezmis..!

August 7th, 2006

On August 12, at 7 am, Lebanese from throughout the country and
international supporters who have come to Lebanon to express solidarity
will gather in Martyr's Square in Beirut to form a civilian convoy to
the south of Lebanon. Hundreds of Lebanese and international civilians
will express their solidarity with the inhabitants of the heavily
destroyed south who have been bravely withstanding the assault of the
Israeli military. This campaign is endorsed by more than 200 Lebanese
and international organizations. This growing coalition of national and
international non-governmental organizations hereby launches a campaign
of civil resistance for the purpose of challenging the cruel and
ruthless use of massive military force by Israel, the regional
superpower, upon the people of Lebanon.

by Mike Whitney

“The world has become accustomed to the idea of mass migrations and has become fond of them…Hitler—as odious as he is to us—has given this idea a good name in the world.” Ze’ev Jabotinsky; Ideological founder of the Likud Party “One Palestine Complete” p 407

“The raw logic of Israel’s distorted self-image and racist doctrines is exposed beyond confusion by the now-stark reality: the moonscape rubble of once-lovely Lebanese villages; a million desperate people trying to survive Israeli aerial attacks as they carry children and wheel disabled grandparents down cratered roads; limp bodies of children pulled from the dusty basements of crushed buildings. This is the reality of Israel’s national doctrine, the direct outcome of its racist worldview.” Virginia Tilley “The Case for Boycotting Israell” Counterpunch

Making War in Canada
Canada produces military equipment used in attacks on Lebanon, Palestine
by Dru Oja Jay
http://dominionpaper.ca/foreign_policy/2006/08/07/making_war.html
Canadian companies and taxpayers played an important role in the production of much of the military equipment that is currently being used to bomb villages, neighbourhoods and key infrastructure in Lebanon and carry out military operations in Gaza. That is the conclusion of research compiled by the Ottawa-based Coalition to Oppose the Arms Trade (COAT).
CTV.ca recently reported on the tens of billions of dollars in military aid supplied to Israel by the US government. COAT, however, says that aside from diplomatic support for Israeli bombing, Canadian taxpayers are also doing their part in military support, albeit indirectly.

(a totally ideological and right wing perspective, but very interesting nonetheless...)

Thom Shanker
New York Times
07/31/2006

WASHINGTON

POUND for pound and pounding for pounding, the Israeli military is one of the world’s finest. But Hezbollah, with the discipline and ferocity of its fighters and ability to field advanced weaponry, has taken Israel by surprise.

Now that surprise has rocketed back to Washington and across the American military.