Syria, Israel in Lebanon

Lebanon always has been and still is the theater for all the Middle Eastern governments and their oppositions to flex their political and military muscles. Today the Syrians and the Israelis are justifying their political and military aggression by each other’s presence. Both are feeding on the hatred and divisions of the political and the religious parties of Lebanon. Israel long has held Syria responsible for Hezbollah’s actions, so why don’t they go straight to the source and bomb Syria’s infrastructure?

No U.S. government official or candidate would dare to criticize Israel’s government today, because of the election. We all know what happens if you upset the Israeli lobby; you are labeled an anti-Semite. In fact, the U.S. will replace the bombs used by Israel in Lebanon. The U.S. should make an immediate stop to Israeli military aggression and should support a “get out of Lebanon” policy for both Syria and Israel.

NABIL CAPTAN

Huntington Beach

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It is amazing how all the talk is about Israel needing to get out of the security zone and not a word about Syria needing to get out of all of Lebanon (Feb. 10). Why is that? Israel and Lebanon could have had peace a long time ago. They have no border disputes. Lebanon resembles Israel more than Syria. Without Syria’s hold on it, Lebanon could have bloomed. Without Hezbollah using its villages and neighborhoods as hiding places for their killers, it would not have been bombed by an angry Israel back from burying its dead.

I don’t buy this so-called cockiness of the Lebanese population. The very fact that people don’t say a word about Syria tells me that they are gripped with fear. It all goes back to Hafez Assad of Syria. Every drop of blood spilled in this conflict is on his hands.

BATYA DAGAN

Los Angeles