it's been 12 days..

it's been 12 days and "condi" finally got on a plane and went to the middle east.. it took her 12 days to show up and say nothing substantial.. 12 days.. that's how long it took for the US to send a "senior official" over.. and with no plan at the end of the day.. yeah.. ok, give back the soldiers and it will all be over.. who are we kidding here.. as if this was ever about the soldiers.. that was the excuse.. and we are paying.. with the destruction of our bridges, tunnels, roads.. airport.. and most importantly.. the loss of life.. and for what? 2 soldiers?? does anyone out there really believe that.. israel has already lost 19 soldiers (at the latest count vs. the 370+ lebanese civilians).. did their lives not matter?? who are these 2 soldiers that a whole country can be sacrificed for them?? it's a joke.. cruel and sick.. but a joke nonetheless..

so 12 days.. that's how long it took to send someone to Lebanon.. a few weeks ago.. the pride and joy of democracy in the middle east.. but now.. well, not so much, right? so.. 12 days.. here's what 12 days mean to the average person:
1. 288 hours (96 of which might have been spent sleeping)
2. two weekends.. (6-8 drinks for the conservative party-er)
3. 10 days of work
4. you could have gotten a cold and gotten over it
5. mani / pedi
6. grocery shopping.. probably 3-4 times
7. a weekend get-away

this list is just to show you that 12 days is not a short amount of time.. and in that time, the world has just stood by and watched a sovereign country be torn to shreds.. i know it's easier to look away.. but it's not human nature.. how can anyone stand by and watch this happen.. i know that i am speaking right now because i am Lebanese.. and this is my country.. and this is obviously not the first time something horrible is happening and people are just standing by.. but as i said.. this is MY country we are talking about.. so i am involved.. and hopefully, if you are reading this.. maybe you will be too..

here's a snipit from another girl's blog.. the link is below and here are her words.. she does this much better than i do..

http://www.frombeirutwithlove.blogspot.com/

"I ask myself if I could evacuate would I? Or would my sense of pride never allow me to leave….pride? what pride?....it is a strange word to use….you are screwed if you stay and screwed if you go….if you stay…you might die…ok…simple…if you leave…I know this feeling…I have felt it and it is so much worse than living this madness…when something happens in Lebanon and you are overseas….that feeling of helplessness….the feeling of despair and being useless…the constant thinking of family and friends…and then…comes the feeling of guilt….because you are safe but Lebanon isn’t. So this time I find myself here…in Beirut, Lebanon …it is bittersweet…because it is an easier feeling…and I would rather be here than sitting in front of some computer somewhere in Kingston, Canada…I feel the people overseas who really care about Lebanon are now going through hell…. a worse kind of hell…."

you couldn't have said it better Rena..

nounou.. watching, listening, reading and worrying.. from mexico city