Bloody right, we should all be very, very concerned and troubled by these latest acts of terrorism in Lebanon. As we write, so far, we have had exploding pagers, and now walkie-talkies. What’s next, mobile phones, the tablets that you and I use daily?
Whatever you may think of organisations like Hamas and Hezbollah, the point is Israel (most observers reckon) is again being totally reckless and indiscriminate. They have blown up countless number of innocent people who were driving, shopping, doing ordinary things that everyday people do, except now these folk find themselves with life-changing injuries, many having lost their eyesight, use of their hands, or both. Whilst no doubt some terrorists were involved among the casualties, this method of killing and maiming is causing indiscriminate collateral damage among civilians; several children are among the victims.
We all should be worried because weaponizing technology in not only very serious for Lebanon, but for the rest of the world, you and I included. Can you honestly say that in light of what has happened in the last couple of days, you will not at least cast a worried thought as you lift your mobile towards your face to answer it?
“Ah,” I hear you say, “but I don’t belong to a terrorist group!” Neither did many of the victims. It doesn’t seem to matter anymore. And how many other bloodthirsty organisations will now be trying to emulate what’s happened. You and I will always be targets because we are Westerners, and many people from thousands of miles away hate us just because of where we were born.
Yes, be worried indeed.
Should we be worried about device explosions?
First, I would like to congratulate Israel and its intelligence community—Mossad and others involved—on a brilliantly planned and successfully implemented operation of such scale. I am sure it will be included in intelligence history books, causing envy or fury, depending on the reader.
As I understand from what is now in the media, it took years to happen, which shows Israel’s strategic approach. ABC News says Israel has been planning and preparing this operation for years. Israeli intelligence penetrated into the pagers’ supply chain at some point, establishing fake pager-trading companies. To prevent suspicions, these firms have been selling their devices to consumers in any country, not just Lebanon.
Other sources say that Israel planted explosives into Taiwan-made pagers. I think there could be different versions to hide actual details.
Anyway, the trick was that those devices meant for shipping to Lebanon had been secretly equipped with tiny explosives waiting for the signal to be activated.
When the time came, somebody sent a signal.
Now, as Israel is starting its military operation to wipe away Hezbollah’s attacking capability, their hitmen are panicking as they don’t know how else these damned Zionists can surprise them next time. I mean, what if their electronic cigarette explodes? Tactically, this operation is a great precondition to diminish Hezbollah’s terrorist potential, curbing Iran’s capability as well.
I evaluate this operation as a Good vs Evil thing, so again, congrats to Israel.
Should we be worried about it? Yes, the global intelligence community is already worried. US sources say that if Israel did it, China could do it, too. I personally don’t worry, as I own a smartphone, which is an open book to the FSB if they want to track me down and monitor my digital activities. I am over it already; this is part of life in Russia.
As to the explosions, I don’t think we should be worried about it until we are terrorists or support their activities. I am not, and I don’t.
Should We Be Worried About Device Explosions?
Through-out this war of revenge I can find fewer and fewer differences between the two sides. This is yet another example. If Hamas had put bombs inside pagers, there would be no question that it was an example of terror. These pagers were distributed to Hezbollah but clearly many of the explosives went off with the innocent nearby. I just watched a video of a Walkie Talkie exploding next to an Ambulance in the middle of a big crowd. While an intelligence triumph, the people of Lebanon will be angry about the harm to the innocent.
Hezbollah will respond and that reply will be called a terrorist attack. Of course, how will BiBi stay out of a Courtroom if he lets that slide? He must keep the cycle going. Not to fear, this conflict has plenty of room to grow. PM Netanyahu will avoid the Israeli Judicial System at least through the winter.
What I find most amazing is that the Israeli public doesn’t seem to understand that when you kill innocent bystanders by the tens of thousands, you radicalize the entire society. Five years from now, some other outrage will be committed and the Israeli public will wonder, again, why they are the victims of such hate. They will be told that it’s because they are Jews and are victims.
Do not confuse the above with a defense of the atrocities of last October. Those attacks had to be answered and every nation must be allowed to defend itself. Payback times two was certainly called for. The IDF needed to go in and destroy those who did this terrible thing.
But, as I have said before, you cannot kill an idea with a gun. Israel must be wise enough to go to the Arab States and ask for help. They must show the people of Gaza and the West Bank that they have a future. Things can get better and they can go back to their olive groves and enjoy the warm sun on the same hillsides their grandfathers farmed. They must feel safe.
Netanyahu doesn’t want this. In his dystopian racist dream, these cockroaches must know the power of the Jew. They must fear the IDF. And we must all fain surprise at the outcome. Now it’s Hezbollah’s turn. While BiBi will deny the connection to their roll, those pagers will have killed as many Israelis as Lebanese in the end.