Why does no one seem to have a problem when Isreal attacks another country?

Question

When the United States wanted to invade Iraq I remember a strong response from the international community and the decision to invade was at least debated and had to be justifed with the premise of Iraq having weapons of mass destruction. In the case of Isreal and Lebanon it seem like war just happened on a whim and no one in the international community has responded as strongly to Isreals invasion of Lebanon as with the US invasion of Iraq. What's going on?

Answer 1

When the US prepared to invade Iraq, it invoked the doctrine of pre-emptive self-defense. Legally, that requires (1) a proportional response to (2) a clearly established and (3) imminent threat to one's own country or one's allies. (Where these elements come from and how they got to be considered international law is an answer to another question!) There were and are legitimate questions about each of those three elements. Therefore, the legality of the US invasion is questionable. (I happen to find compelling reason to consider it legal, though perhaps unwise, if you want to take my bias into account.)

While the US's action was based on a threat that had not yet been realized (viz., that Iraq would provide WMDs to terrorists who would use them against us), Israel's conduct is based on the simpler doctrine of self-defense. It is an ancient doctrine of international law, one included in the UN Charter, that any nation that suffers an aggressive act has a legitimate right to defend itself and -- to some extent -- to make reprisals against the aggressor. When an armed Lebanese militia (Hezbollah, which Lebanon is responsible for, because they were operating freely on Lebanese territory) crossed into Israel, killed four Israeli soldiers, and kidnapped others, those were acts of war. Israel clearly has every legal right in the world to respond to those attacks. The only part that is questionable is whether Israel's response has been proportional, which is required for acts of self-defense in international law (as in the law between individuals). For those who ignore Hezbollah's decades of terrorism and violence, it usually seems disproportionate, while it generally seems proportionate to those who are familiar with Hezbollah and its history.

Therefore, the entire rationale for the US invasion of Iraq is questionable at best in terms of a war justified by international law. By contrast, the fact of Israel's actions in Lebanon is indisputably justified under international law, while only the extent of Israel's actions are questionable. That is why there is relatively little outcry among those who matter about Israel's actions in Lebanon compared to the considerable controversy caused by the US invasion of Iraq.

Answer 2

Have you studied the history of the area? If you have you must be aware of all the concessions that Isreal made in the past (recent past as well) They are very protective of their soldiers. They have also lived their life as a potential target for any extremist group (Prior to that any Arab group period) Does Anwar Sadat ring a bell? You know head honcho from Egypt who attempted to make peace with Isreal. He was assinated for his attempt. Isreal is fighting terrorists. Lebanon had a chance to use their army to restrain Hezbollah but, they didn't. Their attack on the infrastructure of Lebanon has only one purpose - To make it impossible for more rockets to be delivered from Syria, Iran, China and Russia to the terrorists. There is no way for you to understand what is happening there until you open your eyes and mind. Why don't you ask why Isreal needs to fight at all. The answers may prove enlightening

Answer 3

Isreal is under the US hand, the US could make Isreal stop the fighting with a few quick phone calls. Isreal attacked on the belife that a soilder was kidnapped, One soilder and no body or Ransom tape sounds like the Rwanda Set Up(Where the Hutu Military shot down the Hutu Presidents plane and blamed it on the tutsie milita to spark Public Anger and the Hutu Milita to attack Tutises

Answer 4

The United States went to the UN before going into Iraq. The UN is a corrupt organization that was making plenty of money from the food for oil program. Many countries such as Russia and France stood to lose billions of dollars if the Saddam Hussein regime was toppled. Of course they cried foul - it hit them in the wallet.

Israel did not go before the UN - they just acted. There has been plenty of outcry about it.

How come there is no International outcry about suicide bombers blowing up buses and restraunts in Israel?

Answer 5

first off.. Israel is their own country.
they have 100% right to invade Lebanon on any circumstance considering their people were taking from action. there is no need for any talk or debate from outsiders. if that had been any other country, the same actions would have been taken. maybe just on a different level considering the presidents and prime ministers are all of different value.

Answer 6

Israel occupied Lebanon and Hezbollah kept suicide attacks on Israel and killing people right and left. They said if Israel would leave they would stop killing them. So they left and for 6 years they kept killing them. 5562 Attacks over 6 years time.
Israel just got tired of it and the international community wondered why it took so long for them to do so.
So now they are retaliating what did they expect them to do?
If I came and blew up your sister. Crippled your mother and was sending bombs in to kill other relatives as they had a wedding.
blew up the wedding party. Don't you think eventually you would get mad and come after me?

Answer 7

Israel has not yet declared war. If they do, it would have to be approved first and they would have to have more than one point of view. They do not want this. People from all over the world are crying foul on this one, but most goes unreported by American media.

Answer 8

sure! i'm moving to Thailand in a pair of months for one million twelve months to paintings at an Elephant project :) i'd stay longer although this is fairly no longer situation-free with the visa, i'm no longer allowed to make money over there.

Answer 9

ISRAEL DIDN'T START THE WAR .
THE TERRORISTS DID.
ISRAEL IS FIGHTING AGAINST TERRORISTS JUST LIKE THE REST OF DEMOCRATIC WEST.

YOU NEED TO ASK WHY THE LEBANON REJECT THE CEASEFIRE THAT THE U.N OFFER TODAY....
WHY THE LEBANESE GOVERNMENT LET THEM HEZBOLLAH TO SHOOT FROM THERE TOWN BETWEEN WOMEN'S AND CHILDREN'S?? HOW THEY CAN LET USE CHILDRENS AS A HUMAN SHIELDS??

Answer 10

because israel is defending itself. it has bent over backwards to comply with all the peace keeping crap issued to it by the international community. enough is enough. they aint taking any more crap from the terrorists.