Just next to the tomb on the Lebanese side is a billboard erected by Hezbollah that directly faces Israel. On the billboard is text written in Hebrew. On the billboard, also, are horrific images of violence and war.

An Israeli soldier with skin missing on one side of his face is depicted holding a rocket launcher in his bloody hands. Dead bodies are shown gunned down in the streets above another photograph of the severed head of an Israeli held up by his hair.

I felt embarrassed for Lebanon that this is what the border looks like from the other side. Anyone who has been here recently, and to Beirut in particular, knows that severed heads aren’t what this place is about anymore. Hezbollah, not the Lebanese government, is responsible for that billboard and the border violence that goes along with it.

Michael Totten files a very interesting report from Lebanon for Tech Central Station.

More Lebanese want peace with Israel than you might think. I’ve met a considerable number of Christians — who make up around 40 percent of the population — who want a treaty right now. That’s not surprising, though. The Maronite Catholics were Israeli allies during the civil war.

But it’s not just the Christians. Nor is my border guide the only Shia Muslim I’ve met who has had enough of the conflict that never ends. I know another Shia, a computer programmer, who said he has no problem with Israel whatsoever. I’ve met a handful of Sunni Muslims and Druze who say the same thing. They are circumspect, though, when they say this to me. Open support of Israel is still a red line in this country.

It’s a red line in part because a lot of Lebanese want it that way. But there is more to it than that. If Lebanon were to unilaterally open peace talks without Syria, many fear Syria’s punishment would be swift and severe.
Link.

More links for today:
Sunny at Pickled Politics takes the pro-war and the anti-war left to task and knocks some heads together.

For the sake of our democracy and for the future of the Iraqis, we have to keep asking our governments to be more honest with their citizens. That is the only way to defeat the disease that is al-Qaeda.

Adloyada points out that Yvonne Ridley is a nutter (via Clive Davis).
Clive Davis addresses the torture question.
There’s a new tool in the British shopkeepers’ fight against teenage pests: mosquitos and zit lamps.
Russkii mult’film (via Alarming News).
PS I’ve recently upgraded my spam fighting tools. If you had problems before they may have been fixed now. Any problems, let me know. Thanks.

Thanksgiving is fast becoming my favorite day of the year. It’s the one day when almost everything in New York stops—apart from the trains. Grand Central Terminal was full yesterday with people carrying pumpkin pies in every conceivable pie carrying container known to man.

We spent the day in Connecticut with erstwhile Squibnocket editor Arne de Keijzer who, it turns out, is as deft with a turkey, parsnips and sprouts as he is with a turn of phrase. A wonderful, long day of eating, drinking, talking and playing games ensued.

Because Thanksgiving transcends religion it’s one of the most inclusive and relaxed holidays I have ever experienced. It lacks the pressure of Christmas and the formalities of Passover. It’s just a day to spend with friends and family. Now, back to the gym.

(Pictured above, Noah helps EiNY to defeat Alan in a post-Thanksgiving dinner game of chess.)