The occupation of Lebanon continues apace. posted by Richard Seymour

The Israelis claim to have siezed the Christian town of Marjayoun according to the BBC. As with previous siezures, this is probably not as final as it seems. They apparently had pretty heavy fire from resistance fighters who presumably have made a tactical retreat. This town is very close to the Litani in the south-east (good detailed map of Lebanon here), but one assumes that they have in fact helicoptered troops in after bombing the area to shreds. Especially since they are also said to have advanced on the small town of Khiam, only 7 kilometres past the border, reaching the outskirts in the inevitable "bed to quell Hezbollah rocket-fire". Khiam is of symbolic value to the Israelis, as it has been their favourite little torture centre during the earlier occupation of Lebanon. According to Lebanon Updates, it has been announced by an Israeli official that military operations will be suspended for two days, which presumably means that they will not attack anything except when they do, kill no one except who they kill, bomb nowhere except where they bomb. If it means anything at all, that is.

Quick run down. So far, the Israelis have bombed: ambulances, emergency installations, mosques, churches, refugee camps, husainiyas, media installations, UNIFIL forces, houses, apartment blocks, shops, villages and fleeing cars. They have destroyed more than 70 roads and bridges, all three airports, four ports, more than 22 fuel stations, tens of industrial factories. Thousands of civilian homes have been bombed. On the latest underestimate, 1020 have been killed, 3568 wounded and over a million displaced.

In other news, an alleged plot to blow up a number of airplanes departing from Heathrow Airport (I assume, since that is the focus of coverage) was allegedly foiled by the police and despite the fact that it was not planned for today and they have no knowledge of any other plot, the government have decided to make a big emergency today. I wouldn't be so unscrupulous, boys and girls, as to claim that the government would utilise this situation to manipulate public fears and divert attention from their little domestic crisis, and I'm sure you wouldn't either. No - we will never see tanks rolling into Heathrow on the basis of no specific information or evidence and with no apparent value in thwarting or repelling any putative attack. Never. That isn't how we do things here. Those creepy, greasy, lying sacks of maeconium and hot arse wind in the government are motivated only by bountiful concern for human welfare. No planes will depart from Prestwick today.