Terrorism, since 2001, hasn't been so spectacular, but it does not make it any less heart-wrenching. We've heard of several places whose photos will make even the two-time winner of the Hot Dog-Eating Competition lose his appetite, several times over. Jordan, India, Madrid and London come into mind.
But does a full-scale assault against those with twisted ideals mean anything to them at all? The Hizbollah militia, which covers several countries in the Middle East, had apparently kidnapped two Israeli soldiers - the two, unfortunately, have yet to be found - and Israel's response was to bomb the cities of Lebanon. Bombs away, they say, for finding the soldiers are the most important things at the end of the day!
But almost a month into the bombings later, nothing has been resolved except a UN resolution to a "full cessation of fighting in Lebanon". Hang on, you say - whatever happened to the word "immediate"? No, you wouldn't have thought that the United Nations might have added that word to the resolution. Israel had earlier tripled the number of troops in the city that CNN has described as "the biggest losers, whatever happens". But really, since Iraq, has anyone really believed in the UN?
This brings us to think about a few things. Firstly - most importantly - has the bombing of Lebanon helped bring the Israeli soldiers back, possibly even from the dead (I touched wood when I said that)? It is highly improbable that sustained bombing on the country is going to solve anything. On a harsher note, Israel tried the same thing on Palestine. Didn't really work now, did it?
Secondly, even if Israel is making a concentrated effort to bomb out the militants, if you like, why are they doing such a bad job at aiming? Considering that America - and probably American technology - is backing the Holy Land, you'd have thought they might at least have hit their target. Unless, sadly, Israel was indeed trying to bomb innocent children in Lebanon. A significant number of casualties and moralities have been under the age of 12, and Israel has to answer to that. It doesn't matter if it's two, three or a hundred Israeli soldiers that Hizbollah had kidnapped - nothing justifies the murder of children who had nothing to do with the kidnap, and even thinking that Lebanon was just beginning to be a better place to live.
Really, nothing, do you understand? You can bring your case to the Big White Elephant of the UN - but ask your conscience, Mr. Olmert. If Israeli militia were to nab two Hizbollah soldiers, would you allow a full-scale bombing on innocent children?
A reminder of who you really want to aim at - but then again, I'm becoming unsure. Politics is not a game, but if it was, it certainly isn't black nor white - it is in a thousand differing shades of gray, but gray nevertheless.
Hassan Nasrallah, secretary-general of the Hizbollah.
