Over 1000 people are packed into the Mosque at Ali el-Nahri, to remember 5 of the town’s Martyrs who died in the recent war. All were civilians. They had been hastily buried during the hostilities, in some cases before their relatives had even been informed. Today is a chance for them to be remembered. The security seems tighter than usual – my credentials are checked several times. The reason why becomes apparent when the main speaker arrives. Dr Hussain Al Hajj Hassan is a senior figure in Hizbollah and someone who the Israelis have vowed to assassinate. He is a powerful and charismatic speaker. Most of his address is given over to paying tribute to the towns Martyrs. However he is not lost for words on subjects like Israel, Olmert and Bush.
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One of the dead was Fouad Foudhi, a local communist who worked as a volunteer for Lebanese popular rescue. When a bomb hit a local building he went immediately to rescue the people inside. He was followed from the sky by an unmanned drone, which fired two small missiles at him as he ran down the street.
The more I hear about the so-called drones the more they turn my stomach. Essentially these tiny unmanned aircraft are for surveillance; they carry state of the art camera equipment and watch from very high up. However they also carry small missiles, which are used to attack vehicles and people. Again and again I have been shown civilian cars and buses that have been destroyed by these devices, killing all inside. The bit that really gives me the shivers is that somewhere, an Israel a man or woman is sat by a computer screen steering the craft and firing its missiles at whatever target they select. To be blunt, they are playing a computer game with real people’s lives. Most military analysts believe that this is the shape of things to come.
Words and pictures copyright the author but free to progressive media, NGOs etc.
Contact by email for details.
The more I hear about the so-called drones the more they turn my stomach. Essentially these tiny unmanned aircraft are for surveillance; they carry state of the art camera equipment and watch from very high up. However they also carry small missiles, which are used to attack vehicles and people. Again and again I have been shown civilian cars and buses that have been destroyed by these devices, killing all inside. The bit that really gives me the shivers is that somewhere, an Israel a man or woman is sat by a computer screen steering the craft and firing its missiles at whatever target they select. To be blunt, they are playing a computer game with real people’s lives. Most military analysts believe that this is the shape of things to come.
Words and pictures copyright the author but free to progressive media, NGOs etc.
Contact by email for details.
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