Disproportionate response and the media

I grabbed this image from Rastaman's blog, Islamanazi, and am displaying it here because I think it's great. I'm sick of the term 'disproportionate response' being used to describe Israel's actions against Hezbollah. A country can't win a war playing 'tit-for-tat' or 'missile-for-missile'. You win by being better, bigger, stronger, and you do that by having more firepower and using it.

One sure way for a war to drag on with no winner, is to piddle around and not give it your ALL. Decisive response is required when one is attacked. It's not Israel's fault that Hezbollah did not calculate or anticipate Israel's response to the taking of their two soldiers.

I don't know who originally created the image or I would give credit.

Here is a sample of Rastaman's posts today, go read it and others:

This is NOT a “Crisis”.

I listen to the TV news commentators and read the online news and keep hearing or seeing the word “crisis”. This is no crisis for Israel, they have everything well in hand and know exactly what to do. It’s no crisis for Lebanon, for all the governmental whining about casualties and destroyed infrastructure. The casualties are primarily Hezbollah, and the civilians that do get hit knew not to be there, (go read more Islamanazi)

Speaking of the media, Webloggin has a great article, "Liberal Death Star “Fears” letting Israel Kill Terrorists".

Today’s lead editorial in the Liberal Death Star (aka The New York Times), “No More Foot Dragging,” reflects the dissonance that liberals always bring to discussions about national security, and everything else for that matter. It’s all too familiar, but never less annoying, no matter how many times you hear it. “Saddam Hussein was a bad guy, but …” “No one is FOR abortion, but …” “Of course, racial discrimination is wrong, but …” None of that narrow-minded, black and white thinking for them. Leave that to the mouth breathers in the Christian right. In the present case, they apply their nuanced analysis to the current efforts by Israel to eliminate the cancer that Hezbollah is in the Middle East. Not surprisingly, they have decided that what is needed now is a ceasefire. There’s a shocker—liberals wanting to stop fighting terrorists. (more)

There is a must see video, "Pallywood" at In the Bullpen. Palestinians (or should I say actors) making up the news, directed, acted and reported ... fake news. Go watch.

The following article was left here at Right Truth as a comment, but deserves to be read, at least in part, on the front page:

THE THIRD FRONT, BY: FERN SIDMAN

While Israel is engaged in heavy fighting with Hezbollah terrorists on the northern front and Hamas terrorists on its southern front, it would appear that Israel's proverbial nemesis, better known as the media, has opened a third front with its incessant assaults on Israel.

While the media may not be launching Katyusha or Kassam rockets aimed at Israeli cities, the rockets that the media launches are instrumental in degrading Israel in the war of public opinion. Case in point would be the drastic difference in the content and modality of reporting between the two major cable networks, CNN and Fox News.

To the average viewer, it would appear that CNN and Fox are reporting the news from two different planets. While it is true that the Ted Turner owned CNN, has its own left wing agenda along with the perfunctory anti-Israel bias that goes with that territory, and Roger Ailes' Fox News has a more conservative, pro-Republican platform, the stark and extreme contrasts cannot be missed. To state that their coverage of the current war between Israel, Hezbollah and Hamas is diametrically opposed would be a gross understatement.

One need only press the button on their television remotes for a period of an hour or so, to gain tremendous insight into the world of media propaganda, distortions and lies. For a truly mercurial experience, just spend an evening with Anderson Cooper and Larry King of CNN and then visit with Sean Hannity and Bill O'Reilly over at Fox.

The story according to CNN is the following: Israel is murdering Lebanese children and civilians en masse, Israel is not making a dent in Hezbollah's power, Israel is not forthcoming in opening up a corridor for humanitarian assistance to Lebanon, Israel is causing a refugee crisis amongst the Lebanese population, Israel is using phosphorus in its weaponry, Israel refuses to agree to a cease fire, Israel's retaliation against Hezbollah has been "disproportionate", Israel refuses to engage in negotiations with Hezbollah over a prisoner exchange. CNN's conclusion is: World opinion will turn against Israel because of its actions. One can only scratch their heads and ask, is there a pattern developing here???

As we watch Anderson Cooper taking us for tours of hospitals in Lebanon showing the burnt and mangled faces of Lebanese children, while giving platforms to Hezbollah supporters who spew forth their party line which includes accusations against Israel for starting this conflict by occupying Palestine, to scared and trapped Americans who blame Israel for the destruction of Beirut. Repetitive images of Israeli tanks and gun ships shooting missiles into Lebanon fill our screens ad infinitum, while there is never a image of a Hezbollah terrorist shooting a Katyusha rocket into Israel.

If this weren't enough one sided and biased journalism, we are also treated to an hour of Larry King, who gives more than ample time to Hezbollah journalists, Syrian ambassadors, and a whole host of other Israel bashers. King allows them to make hate filled speeches riddled with inaccuracies and grandiose distortions about Israel and her role in this current conflict, while never challenging them in any kind of meaningful and significant manner.

In marked contrast to CNN's coverage of the war, there is a definitely a more "fair and balanced" coverage on Fox News. While far from being totally fair and balanced Fox News takes pains in researching new details from their reporters in the Middle East and presenting a more even handed account of the situation in Israel.

From Sean Hannity to Bill O'Reilly to Greta Van Susteren to Sheppard Smith, one can see that these journalists are dedicated to digging out the truth by ask searing questions concerning the facts of the situation, which are so very often buried under the propaganda and lies of Hezbollah and other Arab spokesmen who are allowed lengthy platforms for their vituperative and vitriolic rhetoric against Israel.

There is no question that Fox News is far from perfect and has on more than one occasion fallen prey to the CNN and New York Times syndrome of making Israel the scapegoat for the world's problems, but by in large, Fox has made a concerted effort, thus far, to reporting the news with a high degree of accuracy.

That is all that we can ask from the media. In general, they always have been instrumental in generating negative feelings towards Israel and have been the biggest asset of the cause of Hamas and Hezbollah and other terrorist organizations in the region. Right now, they represent the third front that Israel must contend with. An enemy that is funded not by regimes predicated on terror but on corporate dollars. It is an enemy that never runs out of rockets or mortars or missiles, for their verbal missiles and subliminal messages are in infinite abundance and these fatal weapons shape a public image of Israel that is more deadly than rockets because they pervade the hearts and minds of their viewers.

Linked with bRight&Early, "First Cup"

Comments

[Thor]

The "disproportionate response" argument of Hezbollah and the left is silly. Israel is still missing its 2 soliders. It seems to me that the response has not been harsh enough.

[Get It Straight]

This article is a must read.Please send the link around. http://www.huntingtonnews.net/columns/060729-wilson-comment.html

[Debbie]

Fern Sidman, it was my pleasure to post the article. You are welcome to continue leaving your articles here any time. When I can, I will post them on the front page. This particular article was most appropriate.

[FERN SIDMAN]

Debbie,

Thanks for posting this on your front page.

Fern Sidman

[shana]

I really like your site. We have much in common