Lebanon-A lesson in Nuclear Politics

I used to really doubt whether a nation really needed a nuclear arsenal, I believed that the Pokhran explosions and the subsequent minimum deterrent we built were unnecessary provocations. But now I think I understand the dangers of being or atleast appearing weak. The continuous bombing in Lebanon by Israel with scant regard to human life is a case to the point, had Lebanon been a nuclear power the equations would be vastly differen!

Undoubtedly anyone who has followed the events of the past weeks would agree that Israel has defied every international convention with complete impunity. But why? Because they are strong, because they have the US president wagging his tail in their courtyard, I am not mincing words here, the US has done absolutely NOTHING to prevent this from happening, they send Ms. Rice over, but not to press Israel for a ceasefire because they know Israelites wouldn’t listen, but to bulldoze Lebanese government into reigning in Hezbollah. And understandably she has failed. It is undeniable that Hezbollah is a major threat to the region and its act of mounting attack on Israeli territory was nothing short of declaration of war. But that just doesn’t give Israel the right to bomb civilians indiscriminately with the hope of terrorizing Hezbollah into surrender and as an added benefit show other nations including Syria and Palestine who the boss of Middle-East is.

They have killed UN observers, women and children and the heart-rendering scenes brought from Lebanon speak volumes of how low a nation can stoop!

One of the offshoots of this war (which would not be apparent in the immediate future) will be the mass recruitment of the survivors of this tragedy, into terrorist organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah. Infact reports from South Lebanon talk about how Hezbollah is working to provide relief for the civilians.

I am not half as enraged by Israel as I am by the United States of America, Mr. Bush, who goes around the world talking of bringing lasting peace to Middle East, has done nothing but watch from the sidelines. This war has exposed the double standards that he adopts when the “terrorists” are not some Islamic fundamentalists hiding in caves, but bomber aircrafts from Jerusalem blazing the sky killing innocent civilians! His reaction to yesterday’s bombing in Quana village (killing 37 children among 57 civilians) is classic, does our joker call for complete ceasefire and cessation of Israeli hostilities? Nope, all he says is-"(Yesterday's) actions in the Middle East remind us that the United States and friends and allies must work for sustainable peace," The Middle-East would be better-off if you go back to fending cattle in your Texan ranch Mr.Bush!

All we can do is pray for the people of Lebanon, who through no fault of theirs are held up in such a treacherous impasse! May there be peace in middle-east!!

PS: As I am publishing this I see news feeds that Israel is continuing its air-strikes despite the “two-day ceasefire” it had declared for civilians to flee, thanks to a loop-hole in their commitment-so much for human life!