Another quick post

I've never been woken up by the sound of anit-aircraft fire before, but today has been unique. Israel has immobilized all 3 runways at Beirut international airport, calling the airport a 'hub' for hezbollah weaponry. I find myself getting very angry. Lebanon is just beggining to rebuild its infrastructure. Syria has been gone for only around a year. Israel blames the government for this (I know that one of the members of the cabinet is Hezbollah), but the government has no control over the actions of Hezbollah. Any effort to disarm Hezbollah would lead Lebanon down the path to another civil war. The Israeli government is saying that they will send Lebanon back 20 years. Unbelievable!! All of this talk of terrorism, and now i think i realize what terrorism is. Terrorism may be kidnapping soldiers, but a much more severe form of terrorism is what is happening now in Beirut. Terrorism is waking to anti-aircaft fire and the sound of bombs stiking the airport (only around 9-10 miles from my present location). On may 8th of last year there was a parade in honor of hezbollah and syria where almost 200,000 people came out in support of them. On May 14th of last year almost 1.5 million people took to the streets of Lebanon to counter the hezzbollah parade, and demanded that syria exit the county. Lebanon is not the same as hezbollah, but now this uniquely open city of Beirut is seeing the infrastructure that was built in the last few years destroyed for the actions of hezbollah. What more can I say?

If you are worried about me, you can know that i am very safe where i currently am, and i will not leave unless advised to. Worry instead for the people of Lebanon, and the people of Northern Israel. I am going to class now, and I thank all of you for your thoughts, comments and concerns. I'll try to post about my trip to syria next time.

PS Go Centurions! (that's for you eloy)