Landmark of the Resistance
October 2, 2010 4:02 PM Subscribe
Lebanon has one tourist attraction that's making money, the Hezbollah financed "Landmark of the Resistance", a theme park commemorating multiple wars with Israel.
As somebody who visited Lebanon as a tourist this July, perhaps I can link to a few of Lebanon's real tourist attractions?
posted by onalark at 4:20 PM on October 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by onalark at 4:20 PM on October 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
"Fifty years ago the WHO launched a huge campaign to eliminate smallpox, one of the worst diseases mankind has ever known, a real killer that destroyed tens of millions of lives. There was a global programme of vaccination, involving doctors and governments in every country. Together they finally wiped it from the face of the earth."JG Ballard, War Fever
"I'm glad, doctor - if only we could do the same for war."
"Well, in a real sense we have, Ryan - almost. In the case of smallpox, people can now travel freely all over the world. The virus does survive in ancient graves and cemeteries, but if by some freak chance the disease appears again there are supplies of vaccine to protect people and stamp it out.... Left to itself, the smallpox virus is constantly mutating. We have to make sure that our supplies of vaccine are up-to-date. So WHO was careful never to completely abolish the disease. It deliberately allowed smallpox to flourish in a remote corner of a Third World country, so that it could keep an eye on how the virus was evolving. Sadly, a few people went on dying, and are still dying to this day. But it's worth it for the rest of the world. That way we'll always be ready if there's an outbreak of the disease."
Ryan stared through the plastic windows at the wall map of Beirut and the TV monitors with their scenes of smoke and gunfire. The Hilton was burning again.
"And Beirut, doctor? Here you're keeping an eye on another virus?"
"That's right, Ryan. The virus of war. Or, if you like, the martial spirit. Not a physical virus, but a psychological one even more dangerous than smallpox. The world is at peace, Ryan. There hasn't been a war anywhere for thirty years - there are no armies or air forces, and all disputes are settled by negotiation and compromise, as they should be. No one would dream of going to war, any more than a sane mother would shoot her own children if she was cross with them. But we have to protect ourselves against the possibility of a mad strain emerging, against the chance that another Hitler or Pol Pot might appear."
"And you can do all that here?" Ryan scoffed. "In Beirut?"
"We think so. We have to see what makes people fight, what makes them hate each other enough to want to kill. We need to know how to manipulate their emotions, how we can twist the news and trigger off their aggressive drives, how we can play on their religious feelings or political ideals. We even need to know how strong the desire for peace is."
"Strong enough. It can be strong, doctor."
"In your case, yes. You defeated us, Ryan. That's why we've pulled you out." Dr Edwards spoke without regret, as if he envied Ryan his dogged dream. "It's a credit to you, but hte experiment must go on, so that we can understand this terrifying virus."
"And the bombs this morning? The surprise attack?"
"We set off the bombs, though we were careful that no one was hurt. We supply all the weapons, and always have. We print up the propaganda material, we fake the atrocity photograms, so that the rival groups betray each other and change sides. It sounds like a grim version of musical chairs, and in a way it is."
"But all these years doctor...Angel and Moshe, Aziz..hundreds of people dying!"
"Just as hundreds are still dying of smallpox. But the thousands of millions are living - in peace. It's worth it, Ryan; we've learned so much since the UN rebuilt Beirut thirty years ago."
"They planned it all - the Hilton, the TV station, the McDonald's...?"
"Everything, even the McDonald's. The UN architects designed it as a typical world city - a Hilton, a Holiday Inn, a sports stadium, shopping malls. They brought in orphaned teenagers from all over the world, from every race and nationality. To begin with we had to prime the pump - the NCOs and officers were all UN observers fighting in disguise. But once the the engine began to turn, it ran with very little help."
"Just a few atrocity photographs...."
posted by empath at 4:32 PM on October 2, 2010 [6 favorites]
JG Ballard
I had been thinking, "What Tom Clancy novel is this?"
posted by Joe Beese at 4:53 PM on October 2, 2010
I had been thinking, "What Tom Clancy novel is this?"
posted by Joe Beese at 4:53 PM on October 2, 2010
The Telegraph story linked to above doesn't use the word "terror" or "terrorism" anywhere (but does use the word "resistance" more than once), whereas gadling.com, an AOL subsite, does indeed use the word "terror" along with the phrase "mayhem and destruction", and also views the park through the lens of the American Disneyland, though amusement parks predated D-land by several decades, if not centuries.
posted by telstar at 4:55 PM on October 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by telstar at 4:55 PM on October 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
I requested permission from the Lebanese army to visit a couple of Hizbu'llah's other tourist attractions. al-Khiam is the former detention centre used by Israel's proxy militia to torture Lebanese civilians in the 80's and 90's. After the Israeli withdrawal and subsequent SLA departure, Hizbu'llah turned the former French barracks into a museum of sorts to display some of the heinous crimes which were committed.
Another spot which Hizbu'llah has taken over and allowed tourists to visit is Beaufort Castle, which offers fantastic panoramic views of Northern Israel, the Golan Heights, and the Biqa’a Valley.
posted by gman at 5:15 PM on October 2, 2010 [2 favorites]
Another spot which Hizbu'llah has taken over and allowed tourists to visit is Beaufort Castle, which offers fantastic panoramic views of Northern Israel, the Golan Heights, and the Biqa’a Valley.
posted by gman at 5:15 PM on October 2, 2010 [2 favorites]
do they also portray the killings and attacks against US ?
check through this list and see how often they appear
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0001454.html
posted by Postroad at 6:46 PM on October 2, 2010
check through this list and see how often they appear
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0001454.html
posted by Postroad at 6:46 PM on October 2, 2010
Lebanon has one tourist attraction that's making moneyI'm pretty sure it has more then one. It's a pretty popular tourist destination for middle easterners in general.
posted by delmoi at 7:08 PM on October 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
do they also portray the killings and attacks against US ?
Because god knows that no one pays attention when americans get killed. I'd never have known about any of those if it wasn't for you posting that link.
posted by empath at 7:25 PM on October 2, 2010 [2 favorites]
Because god knows that no one pays attention when americans get killed. I'd never have known about any of those if it wasn't for you posting that link.
posted by empath at 7:25 PM on October 2, 2010 [2 favorites]
I wonder how many of those attacks on Americans would've happened if we'd reigned in the Israelis and demanded a fair shake for the Palestinians.
posted by shnarg at 8:47 PM on October 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by shnarg at 8:47 PM on October 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
I wonder how many of those attacks on Americans would've happened if we'd reigned in the Israelis unicorns and demanded a fair shake for the Palestinians. Faeries.
MTMPFY (Made That More Plausible For You).
posted by ZenMasterThis at 9:40 PM on October 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
MTMPFY (Made That More Plausible For You).
posted by ZenMasterThis at 9:40 PM on October 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
If the Israelis don't attack us, we won't attack them. We are not terrorists, we are very peaceful people.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 10:23 PM on October 2, 2010
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 10:23 PM on October 2, 2010
OK, I cheated with the last one; that wasn't technically Hezbollah. But you get the point.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 10:23 PM on October 2, 2010
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 10:23 PM on October 2, 2010
shnarg: "I wonder how many of those attacks on Americans would've happened if we'd reigned in the Israelis and demanded a fair shake for the Palestinians"
Have you trolled successfully with that line before, or is this the first time?
Right, because if Israel didn't exist fundamentalist Muslims (or anyone else) would have absolutely no reason whatsoever to want to attack the United States or Americans abroad. Ever.
posted by yiftach at 10:26 PM on October 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
Have you trolled successfully with that line before, or is this the first time?
Right, because if Israel didn't exist fundamentalist Muslims (or anyone else) would have absolutely no reason whatsoever to want to attack the United States or Americans abroad. Ever.
posted by yiftach at 10:26 PM on October 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
Right, because if Israel didn't exist fundamentalist Muslims (or anyone else) would have absolutely no reason whatsoever to want to attack the United States or Americans abroad. Ever.Well, why not? You didn't see them attacking any other countries until they invaded Iraq, did you (I'm talking about Spain and the UK). You don't see them attacking Canada. You don't see them attacking Mexico or Japan. Why do you think that is? What makes the U.S. a compelling target in the way Chile and Australia are not?
posted by delmoi at 11:58 PM on October 2, 2010
do they also portray the killings and attacks against US ?
I don't know, does the 9/11 memorial have a section commemorating the attacks on Palestinian refugee camps by Falangist militias? Or would that be irrelevant, much like your comment in this thread (apparently so urgent that you didn't have time for capital letters).
Does the Vietnam memorial mention the dead in the Korean war? And where is the section of the Holocaust museum in DC dedicated to those dead in the Rwandan genocide?
Apparently museums and memorials tend to focus on one thing or another, shocking I know. I stubbed my toe this morning and is that mentioned in the Imperial War Museum? No, it is not. Do you know why? A conspiracy of silence, that's why.
posted by atrazine at 12:42 AM on October 3, 2010 [6 favorites]
I don't know, does the 9/11 memorial have a section commemorating the attacks on Palestinian refugee camps by Falangist militias? Or would that be irrelevant, much like your comment in this thread (apparently so urgent that you didn't have time for capital letters).
Does the Vietnam memorial mention the dead in the Korean war? And where is the section of the Holocaust museum in DC dedicated to those dead in the Rwandan genocide?
Apparently museums and memorials tend to focus on one thing or another, shocking I know. I stubbed my toe this morning and is that mentioned in the Imperial War Museum? No, it is not. Do you know why? A conspiracy of silence, that's why.
posted by atrazine at 12:42 AM on October 3, 2010 [6 favorites]
Atrazine said: Does the Vietnam memorial mention the dead in the Korean war? And where is the section of the Holocaust museum in DC dedicated to those dead in the Rwandan genocide?
I have no idea whether they have a physical exhibit, but they have a lot of stuff online. Here, take a look.
posted by Joe in Australia at 2:22 AM on October 3, 2010
I have no idea whether they have a physical exhibit, but they have a lot of stuff online. Here, take a look.
posted by Joe in Australia at 2:22 AM on October 3, 2010
I have no idea whether they have a physical exhibit, but they have a lot of stuff online.
Oh man, I had a feeling that I shouldn't have included that one. Ok, consider that example retracted. Come to think of it, there probably are sections on other 20th century genocides.
posted by atrazine at 2:43 AM on October 3, 2010
Oh man, I had a feeling that I shouldn't have included that one. Ok, consider that example retracted. Come to think of it, there probably are sections on other 20th century genocides.
posted by atrazine at 2:43 AM on October 3, 2010
Look here, Burhanistan, you know perfectly well that the Romans kicked the Jews out of Judea and Samaria, and if that doesn't justify taking over Philistia 1900 years later, I don't know what would. So that means the Arabs were the aggressors, and always will be, no matter how often Israel attacks them. Besides, G-d told the Israelis they could have it, it isn't their fault He didn't tell anyone else, is it? When He tells me I can have my neighbors' TVs and such, He doesn't let them in on it, either, He just leaves it up to me to do the job.
posted by Jimmy Havok at 2:57 AM on October 3, 2010 [4 favorites]
posted by Jimmy Havok at 2:57 AM on October 3, 2010 [4 favorites]
The Arabs in the M.E. were killing Jews and Brits before the UN took over the Mandate from Gt
britain and allowed for two states, at which point the Arab states in the region invaded Israel.
The US had the option, offered by Gt Britain, to take over the Mandate but turned it down. When the Italian ship got attacked by Arabs, it was not an Am ship.
The argument that if Israel did not exist, no one would have been ever attacked is absurd because it rewrites a possible scenario that does not exist and hence can not be shown to be valid or not valid.If the UN did not help to create the state of Israel, then what would the role be years later for the US? Well given our military expansion into some 141 nations (not counting unknown secret bases), you might imagine we would be involved in that region too.
posted by Postroad at 5:02 AM on October 3, 2010
britain and allowed for two states, at which point the Arab states in the region invaded Israel.
The US had the option, offered by Gt Britain, to take over the Mandate but turned it down. When the Italian ship got attacked by Arabs, it was not an Am ship.
The argument that if Israel did not exist, no one would have been ever attacked is absurd because it rewrites a possible scenario that does not exist and hence can not be shown to be valid or not valid.If the UN did not help to create the state of Israel, then what would the role be years later for the US? Well given our military expansion into some 141 nations (not counting unknown secret bases), you might imagine we would be involved in that region too.
posted by Postroad at 5:02 AM on October 3, 2010
Desperately sad and desperately funny all at once. I've always considered the incapacitation of Sharon an enormous setback for the peace process. It will be another generation at least.
posted by eeeeeez at 5:06 AM on October 3, 2010
posted by eeeeeez at 5:06 AM on October 3, 2010
You didn't see them attacking any other countries until they invaded Iraq, did you
Are you oblivious to the havoc unleashed by the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka, the Janjaweed in Sudan, the Taliban in Afghanistan and the Front Pembela Islam and the Jemaah Islamiyah in Indonesia? What about the fatwas against Salman Rushdie and Taslima Nasreen?
posted by eeeeeez at 5:25 AM on October 3, 2010
Are you oblivious to the havoc unleashed by the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka, the Janjaweed in Sudan, the Taliban in Afghanistan and the Front Pembela Islam and the Jemaah Islamiyah in Indonesia? What about the fatwas against Salman Rushdie and Taslima Nasreen?
posted by eeeeeez at 5:25 AM on October 3, 2010
eeeeeez: "Desperately sad and desperately funny all at once. I've always considered the incapacitation of Sharon an enormous setback for the peace process. It will be another generation at least."
What's amazing is that you managed to preface your own statement with my exact sentiment after reading it. My only regret is that Sharon isn't fit to stand trial for his war crimes in Lebanon.
posted by gman at 5:48 AM on October 3, 2010 [1 favorite]
What's amazing is that you managed to preface your own statement with my exact sentiment after reading it. My only regret is that Sharon isn't fit to stand trial for his war crimes in Lebanon.
posted by gman at 5:48 AM on October 3, 2010 [1 favorite]
Besides, G-d told the Israelis they could have it, it isn't their fault He didn't tell anyone else, is it? When He tells me I can have my neighbors' TVs and such, He doesn't let them in on it, either, He just leaves it up to me to do the job.
I regret that I have only one favorite to give for Jimmy Havok's comment.
posted by orthogonality at 5:51 AM on October 3, 2010 [1 favorite]
I regret that I have only one favorite to give for Jimmy Havok's comment.
posted by orthogonality at 5:51 AM on October 3, 2010 [1 favorite]
My only regret is that Sharon isn't fit to stand trial for his war crimes in Lebanon.
He seemed like the last person that a) America held significant leverage over and b) who had any leverage with the Zionist right wing. It's been downhill ever since (and it wasn't much good to begin with).
posted by eeeeeez at 5:58 AM on October 3, 2010
He seemed like the last person that a) America held significant leverage over and b) who had any leverage with the Zionist right wing. It's been downhill ever since (and it wasn't much good to begin with).
posted by eeeeeez at 5:58 AM on October 3, 2010
The Arabs in the M.E. were killing Jews and Brits before the UN took over the Mandate from Great Britain and allowed for two states, at which point the Arab states in the region invaded Israel.
The Jews and Arabs in the region were also killing British soldiers, where's their memorial in this museum?
The argument that if Israel did not exist, no one would have been ever attacked is absurd because it rewrites a possible scenario that does not exist and hence can not be shown to be valid or not valid
This at least is true. Blaming Israel for all the problems of the region is indeed nonsense. Convenient for the French and British who are responsible for part of it and by the usually corrupt and incompetent leadership of these states after their independence.
posted by atrazine at 6:28 AM on October 3, 2010
The Jews and Arabs in the region were also killing British soldiers, where's their memorial in this museum?
The argument that if Israel did not exist, no one would have been ever attacked is absurd because it rewrites a possible scenario that does not exist and hence can not be shown to be valid or not valid
This at least is true. Blaming Israel for all the problems of the region is indeed nonsense. Convenient for the French and British who are responsible for part of it and by the usually corrupt and incompetent leadership of these states after their independence.
posted by atrazine at 6:28 AM on October 3, 2010
My only regret is that Sharon isn't fit to stand trial for his war crimes in Lebanon.
This is dumb. In an ideal world people responsible for bad things would be punished, we do not live in such a world. If Sharon was tried in Lebanon, then there would be another civil war there. The Phalangists (whose militia wing actually carried out the massacres) are part of the current parliamentary majority, are you going to try them? Maybe we should try Waleed Jumblatt too as long as we're living in rainbow unicorn dream land.
posted by atrazine at 6:34 AM on October 3, 2010 [1 favorite]
This is dumb. In an ideal world people responsible for bad things would be punished, we do not live in such a world. If Sharon was tried in Lebanon, then there would be another civil war there. The Phalangists (whose militia wing actually carried out the massacres) are part of the current parliamentary majority, are you going to try them? Maybe we should try Waleed Jumblatt too as long as we're living in rainbow unicorn dream land.
posted by atrazine at 6:34 AM on October 3, 2010 [1 favorite]
at which point the Arab states in the region invaded Israel
Oh, sorry, I forgot, G-d also told me I could leave out any parts of the story that I found inconvenient.
posted by Jimmy Havok at 11:10 AM on October 3, 2010 [1 favorite]
Oh, sorry, I forgot, G-d also told me I could leave out any parts of the story that I found inconvenient.
posted by Jimmy Havok at 11:10 AM on October 3, 2010 [1 favorite]
the havoc unleashed by the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka
Hindus. For the record. The small Muslim minority in Sri Lanka fought on both sides and were a sort of neutral third party, hence the mayor of Colombo often being muslim during the war. Real life is just so complicated.
posted by BinGregory at 8:23 PM on October 3, 2010
Hindus. For the record. The small Muslim minority in Sri Lanka fought on both sides and were a sort of neutral third party, hence the mayor of Colombo often being muslim during the war. Real life is just so complicated.
posted by BinGregory at 8:23 PM on October 3, 2010
I was under the impression that the existence of links between the Tamil Tigers and various islamic radical groups had been well established. That the Tigers themselves are not a muslim organization is evident given their stated ideology and historical slaughter of muslims, but an argument could be made that the same is true of, say, Al Qaeda.
posted by eeeeeez at 9:00 PM on October 3, 2010
posted by eeeeeez at 9:00 PM on October 3, 2010
I see, you just wanted to blame Muslims. Hey, why didn't you add Timothy McVeigh to the list, that would have been impressive.
posted by Jimmy Havok at 11:07 PM on October 3, 2010
posted by Jimmy Havok at 11:07 PM on October 3, 2010
Sooooo an argument could be made that Al Qaeda, say, is not a...
...that is to say, given their stated ideology, Al Qaeda is...
...by which you mean muslim organizations, given their links to the LTTE's slaughter of muslims...
...or rather, hindus with suicide belts are under the impression that they are islamic...
No, that's... that's good, thank you. No further questions.
posted by BinGregory at 11:21 PM on October 3, 2010
...that is to say, given their stated ideology, Al Qaeda is...
...by which you mean muslim organizations, given their links to the LTTE's slaughter of muslims...
...or rather, hindus with suicide belts are under the impression that they are islamic...
No, that's... that's good, thank you. No further questions.
posted by BinGregory at 11:21 PM on October 3, 2010
BinGregory: You're right. Your comments have prompted me to look again at the source of my beliefs regarding the Tamil's links to militant islam and I have to conclude that these are tenuous at best. I don't know how this got lodged so firmly in my mind and will try to excercise better judgement in the future.
Jimmy: No, I don't see how that follows. But given a mistake of this magnitude I feel ill-equipped to try and convince you otherwise.
posted by eeeeeez at 4:45 AM on October 4, 2010 [1 favorite]
Jimmy: No, I don't see how that follows. But given a mistake of this magnitude I feel ill-equipped to try and convince you otherwise.
posted by eeeeeez at 4:45 AM on October 4, 2010 [1 favorite]
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