Johannes
11-21-2006, 06:59 PM
So I'm reading the latest report from the BBC from their "investigation" into the war that Hezbollah started with Israel by invading Israel and kidnapping soldiers. Specifically, the Beeb was looking into Israeli use of cluster munitions (which Israel is itself doing) against Hezbollah positions. Israel provided the UN with maps of the areas they used cluster munitions against, so that makes it easier for folks to look into these things. The BBC is relying heavily on an AA report.
Then I came across this line: "As well as highlighting the issue of cluster bombs, Amnesty found that Hezbollah hid Katyusha rockets among civilians and often fired them into Israel from the cover of civilian villages."
I was surprised, because the BBC has been rather vehement about denying reality by denying that Hezbollah used human shields despite massive evidence to the contrary. But my surprise only lasted another second since this was (I kid you not) the following sentence (in a new paragraph):
But researchers found no evidence that Hezbollah actually used civilians as human shields during the fighting.
Huh? So using your house as cover for my missiles isn't using you as a human shield? What would Hezbollah have to do, strap a civilian on someone's arm to hide behind?
here is the whole article:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6167458.stm
Then I came across this line: "As well as highlighting the issue of cluster bombs, Amnesty found that Hezbollah hid Katyusha rockets among civilians and often fired them into Israel from the cover of civilian villages."
I was surprised, because the BBC has been rather vehement about denying reality by denying that Hezbollah used human shields despite massive evidence to the contrary. But my surprise only lasted another second since this was (I kid you not) the following sentence (in a new paragraph):
But researchers found no evidence that Hezbollah actually used civilians as human shields during the fighting.
Huh? So using your house as cover for my missiles isn't using you as a human shield? What would Hezbollah have to do, strap a civilian on someone's arm to hide behind?
here is the whole article:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6167458.stm