LEAHY ON LEBANON

Written by: listener on Aug 2, 2006 5:11 PM EDT

Here's a clip from Senator Patrick Leahy's statement August 1st on the Senate floor:


We are committed to protecting Israel’s security and we support Israel’s right of self defense, including going after Hezbollah fighters who often launch their attacks from civilian areas.

But for Israel’s sake, for ours and especially – especially -- for the sake of innocent lives on both sides of these battle lines, it is vitally important to ask whether destroying Lebanon – not Hezbollah, but destroying Lebanon -- will make Israel more secure or instead rally Muslims behind Hezbollah and give rise to further hatred and insecurity. I believe that continued bombing of civilian areas in Lebanon will not destroy Hezbollah, but in a perverse way, it may strengthen it.

The fact that these attacks are being carried out with such intensity and are yielding so much death and destruction, with weapons supplied by the United States, and at a time when we are trying to repair our already frayed relations with Muslims around the world, is all the more reason for the United States and the people of Israel to consider and answer this question frankly and honestly. I am concerned, as others have also warned, that a short-term tactical victory – even if possible – could prove to be a hollow victory at great human cost.

The Statement is worth reading in full:
leahy.senate.gov/press/200608/08...

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