I have a problem with this pic

[Ric]

I have a couple of problems with this picture.

http://www.nowpublic.com/node/78644

1) the artillery rounds are already fused when the kids are signing them.

2) Kids in an active artillery position (not very safe at all)

3) They are being reported to be signing the rounds as "gifts to the lebanese children" when that's not at all apparent. The only one I can read says "Hesbollah with love from Israel" which is understandable.

 

[M.Kalashnikov]

Sorry Ric i don't its there right to sign the shell's if this was 9-11 and i had the chance to sign a jdam on a US-F15 going to A-Stan. I would with pride and Patriotism. This is War and may the best man win.

 

[Pilgrim]

I don't have any experience with Army artillery rounds. My experience is with Navy 5" rounds, and as I recall it took a lot to arm them, acceleration up the tube and spin.

Israel doesn't have the luxury of lots of real estate to have a 'front' and a 'rear'. I expect this artillery position isn't far from a school, or settlement, or kibbutz, etc.

Pilgrim

 

[PershingRiflesC-7]

Pilgrim has it right about the artillery rounds requiring a certain number of rotations before the fuse is active.

As to children in an active firing position, if I were an Israeli soldier, I would do everything possible to send them away.

 

[Sistema1927]

War is hell. As has been stated, there is no "front" for Israel, they are fighting for the very survival of these children.

 

[espanola]

The fused rounds are safe enough for the kids to be signing them...
Having to go to the bomb shelter a half dozen times a day and perhaps having friends of yours killed by missles may make you feel like signing a round or two.
I don't think they're being scarred for life--not by what's in the picture. Psychologically, it actually makes them feel like they are doing something to help their situation.

 

[ccwolff]

Not a very safe place to be, but then again because Hesbollah is targeting the Israeli civilian population they are probably not any less safe.

I don't have any proof but you can bet that some photographer could not resist getting those kids to do that.

Well, at least they are be taught that sharing is a good thing.

 

[45Cal]

Relax, it's a Hallmark moment.

 

[Big Gay Al]

The question I have, if those are Israeli children, why aren't they writing their messages in Hebrew, the national language of Israel??? That would make more sense to me.

I think it's a staged photo by some anti-Israeli group.

But that's just my opinion.

 

[45Cal]

You may be right as it sure looks like NP added those captions for propaganda purposes.

But the gift of signed 155MM Howitzer shells
sent out to Hezbolla and Hamas is A-OK' with me.

 

[espanola]

I've heard it was staged. But, even if not, remember, a WHOLE lot of Israeli's speak english, and there are quite a few Israelis who were Americans who emigrated.
Besides, haven't you always found it amazing whenEVER there is any kind of protest or march anywhere in the world on any issue, that a number of signs are in english?

 

[FPrice]

I think it's a staged photo by some anti-Israeli group.

If you click on the small picture of the man this is attributed to, LNathanielRock, you can see other pictures which seem to explain his viewpoint. I take it (his viewpoint) as being quite anti-Bush and anti-Israel.

 

[45Cal]

With views like that LNathanielRock,
could become the next leader of the UN.

 

[Jonathan]

In the local paper I saw an AP photo of a similar girl, maybe the same girl, signing one in Hebrew. Considering there are clearly 2+ photographers present, I'm sure it was at least manipulated for the photo.

 

[LynnMassGuy]

I have taken no sides in this mess. It's not my war. It's very sad but not my concern. I hope it doesn't become our soldiers' concern.

 

[PCGS65]

The middle east countrys always have taught hatred to toward one another.
I think it's human nature. Most of them hate americans most of all. Mostly for bigotry reasons.
Heck look what goes one here in our own country. Just on a smaller scale.

 

[cbsbyte]

I have a major issue with the young childern writing hate messages on artillery shells, especaily since it can be used against your own side by people who will blog it across the internet before the truth of the image ever is released, (from what we can read in the photos the messages are intened for Hezbolla and Hamas leadership, not civilians), if it was not a staged photo by Western photographers who wanted a captavating images for their bosses. Below is a link to a blog that supposedly has the true story behind the images. On the side the anit-Israel websites are using this the imagesto the fullest extent to demonize the Israelis for their attack on Lebanon. But who knows for sure what explanation is correct. In the end I have no dog in this fight, but I do have major issues with Israels actions, both political and military in treating the Palestintians . though I believe Israel does have a right to defend itself from attack, either from conventional forces or terrorist.

http://adloyada.typepad.com/adloyada/2006/07/how_to_demonize.html

 

[OrvilleYertleson]

Since the people launching rockets at Israel are trying to kill those young children, why not let them get a few words in?

 

[71Commander]

It has to be staged

Why would they be writting in English?

 

[bogie]

In Israel, those are not children.

Those are reservists.

 

[1911 guy]

Want it both ways?

So when we see pictures of our guys writing messages on bombs and missiles, it's O.K., but let someone else do it and it's hateful?

Oh, sorry. I forgot, they're jewish, so automatically the trouble makers in any situation.

Several THOUSAND rockets have been fired into Israel in the last week and people want to get upset that some Israelis are either A) taking it personally or B) engaging in a bit of homefront PR.

There are a lot of things that could have been done differently by all involved (Israel, Hammas, Hezbolla, Palestinians, etc. etc.) but why gripe about this? How about saying something about the root issues?

 

[Fosbery]

I don't see anything actually on the shells that says about Lebanese children. If this is just children writing jestful messages to Hezbollah, that's fine.

But if they're not, and they are written to innocent children, that's worrying. These children shouldn't be taught to hate their innocent neighbours and certainly not to wish death upon them - especially children. Of course they should be taught to fight Hezzbollah when it attacks Israel, but not the innocent people of Lebanon as a whole. If they get taught to hate all their neighbours, we'll never see peace in the Middle East.

 

[Dannyboy]

If that is an active artillery position, those kids are in one of the safest places in Israel. Those cowards in Hezbollah don't have the heuvos to actually target the IDF so they just target civilians.

 

[U.S.SFC_RET]

Those fuses are timed fuses that are designed to either detonate at a certain known distance from the Artilliary Piece. I also believe that those fuses do not arm those artilliary rounds until they leave the cannon to a certain distance.

 

[lionking]

quote;I have taken no sides in this mess. It's not my war. It's very sad but not my concern. I hope it doesn't become our soldiers' concern

I wont say Ill always completely support what Israel does without question but the PLO straps suicide bombs on kids...Israelis basically live in a war zone.This pic on the site says "to kill Lebanese children",hmmm.
After 9-11 the Palestines were shown celebrating in the streets,that tends to make me feel biased toward Israel.
To have kids sign a artillery round,well its not good publicity I guess but that whole corner of the world is just a big mess with no end in sight.