[PW] Re: ? Israeli soldiers

[John Franklin]

Nope, never seen that version. The only conflicting versions I've  
seen have to do with which side of the border they were taken from.  
The only geographical reference I've seen is for "the area of Aitaa  
al-Chaab", which is, of course, on the Lebanese side of the border.  
I've seen English, French, and Indian reports which name the town.

The official Israeli version, of course, denies this, and the U.S.  
press mirrors this -- they say the solders were inside moving  
vehicles (not barracks as you say) -- but, well...

I hate to put it this way, but: most people consider lying to be a  
relatively minor ethical shortcoming compared with, say, killing  
civilians. The Israeli government knowingly bombed a manned UN  
observation outpost and a bunch of ambulances while in Lebanon, and  
then dumped cluster bombs all over an urban area they were about to  
vacate. If they're willing to do those things -- to say nothing of  
the things which they deny doing, like firing on that German ship the  
other week -- then one has to at least consider the possibility that  
they may tell some lies. When you toss in the reports that a campaign  
against Hezbollah was planned in advance, it seems even more likely.

-John Franklin

On Oct 31, 2006, at 1:02 PM, Mary Barna wrote:

> John, one was taken from his barracks before the war started,  
> wasn't he?