Have the western democracies lost all moral courage?

Question

I ask in relation to the present crisis in Lebanon. The Bombing of Qana and the targeting of UN Peacekeepers are glaring examples of overstepping of boundaries by Israel. Instead of making small noises can any western nation actually stand up to USA? Does any one now seriously think that this crisis is about two kidnapped soldiers?

Answer 1

Israel is a law unto itself.The UN speaks out but it's authority has been greatly diminished by the attitude mainly of USA.The UN has been labelled by Bush and his cowboys as nothing more than a debating society.They only use the UN when thier looking for approval for one of thier gun slinging campaigns.If they don't get yhe result they want they go ahead anyway.If America wants to justify an action they say "terrorism".If Israel wants to justify an action it says "terrorism"or "holocaust".Acts of extreme violence are used time after time to justify more of the same.
Of course this isn't about two kidnapped soldiers it's about Israel hating its neighbours just as much as it is hated by them.Any excuse is good enough,especially when the two countries whose comments could make a difference{Britain and the US} are busy causing the death of thousands of civilians in the name of "The war on terror".They cant openly criticise Israel for its over the top responses without damning themselves.
People in glass houses..... and all that.

Answer 2

No one will stand up to the U.S through a fear of retribution, the crisis has about as much to do with the two kidnapped soldiers as WWI was about the assassination of the Archduke. As for moral courage, we never had any to begin with. Btw Tequila mentioned that its 'there' war. 1 slight problem with that was the fact that the western nations are the reason there is a state of Israel in the first place. Which makes these past 60 years of fighting all our fault.

Answer 3

Not all of them no, Germany obviously don't want to get involved.

The countries who decided not to get involved in the War in Iraq seem to have escaped bombings by islamic militants.

Only the Australians, England, the US, Spain and obviously Israel have been on the receiving end of terrorist attacks.

I really do think we should keep our noses out of other countries business unless specifically asked or if it is going to be a threat to world wide peace (cause another world war).

If Israel handed back occupied land I think we'd see a reversal in the situation and their unwillingness to do that is making the situation wrong. After all, when Germany did it, the world did not stand back and let them.

If there is a break through in renewable energy - a cheap, easily made renewable energy form, safe form then the I think that the US will suddenly forget about their friends in Israel and they'd be left to sort the situation out for themselves. Without the US backing, Israel would be sitting ducks for Palestine uprising.

The Israeli's believe they are God's chosen people, if they really are, they should act as such, take the higher ground and end what they are doing both in Lebenon and Palestine.

It's definately NOT about the kidnapped soldiers, for all they know they could have been in one of the houses they've blown up!

They've even fired upon a clearly marked UN aid convoy with BBC reporters on board!

Answer 4

With the current economic climate the US is far to involved in the economies of all the other western democracies. We should turn to our former 'enemies' the ex communist Russia and communist Chinda as the up and comming economic superpowers to promote moral courrage. This is fraught with difficulty as China has perhaps the worst moral record and Russia is still struggling with 'internal' moral situations.
Our only hope now to forge a powerful and moral european nation that can step forward as an economic rival to the US and tip the balance of world power away from the top 3% of wealth in the world towards a thriving, populous and moral supernation.

Answer 5

No, I do not think it about two kidnapped soldiers. Nor do I think Western Governments can stand up to America unless the people of Western countries make a clear declaration to their governments that they will not tolerate this kind of support. We appear to disagree even protest, but our (GB) Government carries on regardless. Perhaps we should be aware that World Powers have their own agendas that are not really related to what the people of their countries think?? This is nothing new, selective altruism/you kiss mine/tomorrow you are dead, has been the order of the day since forever. We all do what suits us by & large??

Answer 6

The kidnapping of the two soldiers is the straw that broke the camel's back. They have been fighting for centuries, and by killing the U.N. Peacekeepers they showed how much of a monster they really are.

But I think the USA and the rest of the world should leave em to it.

It's noones fight but their own.

Answer 7

Of course it was never about two soldiers.

To answer the rest of your question. What we are now witnessing is what us liberal democrat Americans call the New World Order.

When this is all over. The USA is going to dominate the entire world. I am from the USA but I do not agree with this. I believe what makes us a democracy GLOBALLY is having different countries with different beliefs.

Answer 8

it's not a question of standing up to the usa - it is a question of standing up to israel.

hizbollah began this scrap. they relied on their weakness and illegitimacy to justify their long-term and pointless war against israeli civilians.

israel knows that it is bigger, better, and cleverer than hizbollah. israel also knows that standing by while rockets rain on its cities unanswered will only serve to weaken democracy in the country (and israel is the only real democracy in the region).

the us will not censure israel because it knows that censuring israel and then having israel ignore that censure will be disastrous for the standing of western opinion in the entire region. it will also not censure israel because destabilising a fragile democracy (it is a miracle that israel has held off military administration for so long) is in no-one's interest.

israel's present course of action could probably be bettered, but shouting 'no, no , no - just let the bullies hit you.' is never the way to go.

there is absolutely no point in looking for a 'cessation of hostilities' in the present situation; we need a solution.

Answer 9

The Western democracies know it is world hegemony by the US and its ties to Israel that afford them to live in peace instead of warring with their neighbours all the time like the Arab and African countries do and wrecking their good position in the world economy.

Answer 10

Do people still believe that the US and Britain are democracies. The majority of both nations are against what the leaders are doing.