Something's don't change

Poor little Israel. She always feels like she is being bullied by the remainder of the Middle East. This is true. However, the manner of how they have approached the present situation has been poor at best. This seems like a repeat of what happened back in the late 70s. Israel attacked Lebanon through the push of Ariel Sharon, then the minister of defense, and because of a much worse attach which killed 37 people. Back and forth infighting went on for a while and then other coutries became involved. Many people were killed and for over 4 years, the fighting continued until Israel invaded Lebanon invaded in 1982. Israel felt the need to show their enhanced military power because of all the other attacks that were occuring in the Middle East (the Iran/Iraq war, Soviet invasion of Afganistan).

So now here we are in 2006, Israel attacks Hezbollah because some soldiers were kidnapped. And now they are trading missles back and forth and the Lebonese people are being attacked because a small terrorist sect that exists in their country. Israel could have brought this matter up to the UN, but thanks to the US and their attitude related to the invasion of Iraq a few years ago, they went in on their own without the backing of the UN. It will be interesting to see how this continues to pan out, but so far not good.

In the meantime, US is standing back because they are torn. This a terrorist group that is against. However, Hezbollah is not in control of the Lebonese democratic government, so they do not run a state. On the other side, even if we wanted to become involved in this conflict, we could not provide troops. We are spread too thin as it is and their was mention of adding more (not less) troops in Iraq. When the Mossad has a lot of pull in the US government because of the money that they can throw around, who knows what will happen.

I feel that this conflict will go on for a while. I also feel that the surrounding countries will try to get involved saying they feel threatened by what's happening. Olmert, the prime minister of Israel, will not back down or others will step over him or his country. Hezbollah, will not back down and will continue to be funded by other terrorist nations/groups through weapons, cash, etc. to continue to front their war. After all Hezbollah is close enough to Israel to fight this battle for other countries. This will go on at least through the end of the year. Chances are, like last time, it will be a long, drawn out battle.

Lebanon/Israel Conflict

So unless you have been living in a cave you know that in the middle east besides the war that the US is in with Iraq there is another war going on with Israel and the Hezbollah led Palestinine state which has spilled into Lebanon.

All of this started with the kidnapping of an 19 year old Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit. I saw a picture of the kid and he really looked like an innocent teenager who is in the army because he has to be. Before the war he was probably thinking he would do his time in the army and then would go out. Who would have thought he would be the catalyst to and all out invasion.

Though if you think the whole war started over this one young soldier you would be totally naive and basically stupid. The tension has been brewing for centuries. The Arab nations of the middle east has always been an area of conflict and unrest. I don't think I can remember a time where there was peace in the middle east. If not Iran v. Iraq or Lebanon v. Syria or etc.. it was always something. Those nations just can't get along and I firmly believe will never get a long. Its like there is a mentality of: nothing can be worked out until you're dead.
Then all of the sudden in this mixing bowl of hate and resentment, in 1948 the Jewish people, through the help of other nations, were able to create the state of Israel smack dab in the middle of the midsts of these Arab nations. It's like me going to a bar filled with Yankee fans and taking a stool claiming it as my own and then cheering for the bo sox.

All of the sudden all these Arab nations had something to agree on, which is there hate of Israel.
Which leads me to the current situation of the conflict going on in Lebanon.

I fear that this conflict is doing more harm then good. Yes they are trying to eliminate Hezbollah but they won't ever be able to, because new terrorist groups will spring up. They are like weeds. Also they are creating new excuses for people to hate Israel. I am sure now that one of the children in Lebanon who had their parents killed in the recent bombings will grow up to hate Israel. It is a perpetuating curse that will go from generation to generation.

Israel needs to just protect itself and isolate itself from its Arab neighbors. I can't say I fully understand this topic as I have no real background in it and I never lived it. But these are just my thoughts.

Roy's Background

Everybody has their own unique story, here is mine.

I was born in Buffalo, New York in 1976, when I was only a few months old my parents moved an hour east to Rochester, New York, My home town. Growing up in Rochester definitely contributed to the shaping of who I am, especially being a minority and Rochester not being very diverse. I grew up in that traditional all American way except I had the added twist of living in a Korean family.

After I graduated from high school I moved on to Undergrad at the University at Buffalo. They say that your college years are the best years of your life, and they were for me. My 4 years at UB were fantastic. It was 4 years of summer camp. I did nothing except eat, sleep, and play... of course with your occasional studying. College taught me more about life than it did book knowledge. Graduating from UB was a bit scary but I had to grow up sometime and unlike most UB'ers I graduated in 4 years (instead of 5) and with no immediate plans I moved back home to Rochester, NY.

Living back home was a very difficult transition. I had just spent 4 years living by my own rules and now I was back with my parents living under their rule. The first couple years were definitely with a lot of conflict, but God definitely brought me back home for a reason, and it was to definitely to spend time with my parents. I got to really know my parents as people and appreciate them and love them. I know I wouldn’t have felt the same way if I didn’t live with them during this span. Of course there were still the fights and the arguments but we learned well how to live with each other and of course I found my way back to UB during the weekends to continue to party. I worked for a few years before I started on my MBA at the William E. Simon School of Business at the University of Rochester.

During my MBA program I made a 4 month hiatus to Sydney, Australia to study abroad at the University of New South Wales. It was interesting how I even came to study abroad, I hadn't really planned on studying abroad, I attended a meeting and that same day just submitted my application. The next thing I knew I got a call from the study abroad office that had said that my application had been accepted. At first I was really apprehensive about going. I have never gone anywhere for such a long time on my own. Now I was going halfway across the world by myself for 4 months. I didn’t know one soul in Australia and I almost backed out. And I am so glad I didn't. I had the most amazing 4 months in Australia. Going on my own and exploring this new “world” made me develop life skills I never thought I had.
After Australia, I graduated from the UR with my MBA and in 2003 I left to start my grown up life in New York City. That first year in 2003 I re-united with my one true love and 3 short years later we’re about to be married in less than a month. Amazing how time flies.

Chris's Background

Everybody has their own unique story, here is mine.

I was born on the east side of Detroit in November 1975. I lived in the city of Detroit until I was 12 and moved to the suburb of Eastpointe (formerly East Detroit). I grew up in a strict Catholic family and wen to Catholic school all my life, so that plays a lot into my personality, good or bad.

I went to the University of Detroit, which was probably the biggest life changing period in my life. I was a very introverted person before I headed to college in 1993. I became a more extroverted person during this period and took more of a role in different groups and affiliations which helped me come out of my shell. It definitely made me a better rounded person. After college I stayed in Detroit, worked in accounting and finance, but felt I need to further my knowledge. I started my post-undergraduate at the University of Michigan in 2000 for my MBA. In the beginning I was working and going to school, which was very challenging. I also wanted continue to join extracirricular activities while at U of M. I wanted to make a difference for the evening students and I did.

While I was at the University of Michigan, I decided to do a study abroad program. I did this for two reason. I always wanted to study abroad and secondly, I had not planned on staying in Michigan, so I did not plan on staying at my job at Kmart, so I felt it was a good way to break off my ties with them. I loved going to the Australian Graduate School of Management in Sydney. It was great to live somewhere else outside of Detroit and also outside of the US. It gives you a totally different perspective. Plus, I also met my co-contributor of this project and roommate of three years, Roy.

Since my trek in Australia, I decided to head to New York for professional and personal reasons and have loved it ever since. I miss Detroit and always enjoy visiting there, but from a career standpoint, I would never be able to enjoy the career opportunities that I have in New York. Over the last week, I have moved over to Brooklyn from Manhattan, which in my short time has given me a different perspective of New York City. And it's only just begun...

Another part that guides my personality is my family and friends. I am very close with my parents and my brother and sisters and I have made friends throughout my life and I cherish all the times that I spent with them. They too have a part in my views...

However, my views are like my life, unique.

This blog was spawned one drunken night in the halls of Kinsale tavern. The blog is all about perspective. How one person many look at something or some situation and perceive it differently from another. Our aim is to share with you once a month our perspectives on a certain subject. The perspectives could be very similar or could be very different. We welcome any subject ideas as well as any contributors.