Considering this is a handout photo, the composition of it is quite impressive. The beginning of the photo starts at the lower right while the end trails through the upper left. The fact that we can’t see the end of either trail creates a sense of endless military might. I’m sure this is deliberate.
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Israel, like the USA, should never dance around war. If they are going to war then they should go in to win, period. Impressive picture, by the way.
For me, it paints a picture of a situation I cannot imagine. Often desensitized to the reality of war...
If all the parties fighting these irrational wars, would only change the tanks for farming tractors, the world would be a better place to live in.
Look at the land these people have been fighting over for hundreds of years. Really worth it, huh?
Thank You for your sacrifice. May God keep you all safe. Kick some butt. God Speed.
such a sad, sad photo from the environs where God, incarnate as Jesus, walked the earth and reached out to ALL peoples. not just to the Jewish, but to all persons past, present, and future. a throat-tightening dichotomy.
Is it me, or does the top of the tank look like the Millenium Falcon?
from an artists view point that could be a very beautiful painting ......I love the depth the dust and the burnt umber colours
Thanks for publishing this photo. Perhaps Syria should think twice about an attack on the Golan Heights.
I suppose technically, the photo was laid out to show the endless military might…all I see is the glorification of future death, destruction and despair.
I guess the picture itself is ok, but tanks really bum me out.
Jews even get blamed for a good picture.
Sure, I always like to see the new toys the Apartheid State of Israel is given to by the United States of North America and uses to kill the Palistinians people on their own land. Land, England told to take from the Indiginous people, Palistinians.
Its a tank, thats all. No politics, no statement. Just a frinkin tank in a photo
It hurts so much to see these machines of destruction and death. It hurts even more when I see the blind support in billions of dollars and killing machines that we send the country of Israel. Please explain to me why it's ok for my house that my grandparents owned to be taken by force by the Israelis. I don't think that God is smiling down at them saying..."there you go, kill every Palestinian in your way and take their land, I don't love them as much as I love you". As a Christian and a peace maker, I refuse to believe it. Say what you will! Peace will only happen when the Israelis stop treating all non-Jews (which is racist) as non-humans!!
the beginning of the end?
-and the reason for us to waste trillions of dollars, euro's, pounds, lives......................"Religion, - the curse of humanity" If the people of this world can't agree on who's God is the real god then we don't need a God!
My support and blessings goes out to all those brave resistance forces going against israel with the help of the U.S. these bullying forces and there policies around the world.They proved a point that this Merkava Mark 4 even this modern most advanced tank can be destroyed keep up the good work guys and god bless the resistance against world domination from these racist thugs.
It always gives me goosebumps to read the words of support for our troops! We pray for your safe return! The words to express our thanks just don't seem to be enough to measure the sacrifices that every single one of you have made! God Bless all of you!
Mikko said: "Sure, I always like to see the new toys the Apartheid State of Israel is given to by the United States of North America and uses to kill the Palistinians people on their own land. Land, England told to take from the Indiginous people, Palistinians." I believe Mikko needs a history lesson before he makes such accusations. Read up on the 6-day war (1967) and the Yom Kipper war (1973) before you throw out such uninformed rhetoric! The Isreali's were attacked unprovoked by its Arab neighbors in both wars which resulted in the Arab nations (including the Palestinians, who by the way and are not in of themselves some special "indiginous race" as you would like to paint them, they are no such thing, they are Arabs who live in Palestine!) the Arabs losing both wars and some of their land in the process. The lesson here is; don't attack your neighbor unprovoked because you may lose some of your country, and if you do it anyway, don't cry foul and make the innocent country you attacked out as the "big bad opressors" that won't give your land back! Mikko and HezbollahRHeros, you're the brainwashed Islamo fascists with an obvious agenda, you're both probably paying members of the local "truthers" club that thinks 9-11 was a government conspiracy! The US is protecting itself from religious fanatics trying to rule the world and I don't see any evidence of the US ever taking over any country's in the Middle East, but I see evidence of a brutal and fanatical militant religion everday! Besides, if our goal was "world domination" it would be a done deal by now with the superior military we have, so your rhetoric doesn't hold water, let alone the truth!
Looks like a 4000+ year old war that that keeps evolving and getting stronger as time goes on. At least we know how warfare would look like on the planet Mars in 4000 years.
Perhaps one needs to look further back to understand Mikko's point. The Jewish people had been a people without a homeland for a depressing length of time prior to the creation of Isreal. However, the creation of Isreal displaced a huge number of families from their homes. Keep in mind that there are Palestinians alive who personally remember an event that we would describe today the ethnic cleansing of a nation. Both sides have a legitimate argument. Please don't over simplify and please, take history lesson!
This is a really great photo, kinda like out of a movie. That was my first thought. I suppose I've seen too many movies set in red, dry, landscapes with star wars-looking machines, such as this tank. I don't think there's anything wrong with publishing such photos in editorials. Most photos have some bias. might as well have it presented in an editorial where opinions are honestly presented.
Thank you Frank for reminding us all about the history of the State of Israel. We must also remember that God gave the Israelites this land as spoken of in the bible forever. Many times their land was stolen. The bible says it was because they were disobedient, but God always promised to bring them back to their homeland. He also said that he would bless those who bless Israel and curse those who curse Israel. I want to be on the side of Israel to receive God's blessing. Woe to those who curse Israel. I am a Christian and am thankful that Christ died for us all, but I need to remember that Isreal was God's first chosen people. The gentiles were grafted into the family tree after Christ died, but we are in the same family as Israel, and family sticks together.
Just think how many man-hours it takes to build those huge, complex machines. If those hours were spent talking and trying to bring peace, they would be hours better spent.
They need to be ready for War. They are surrounded by people full of hate and want nothing more than to see them dead. God Speed to Israel and America, the defenders of truth and liberty.
Wow, do you people really think that if Israelis chose to talk with fascists, who don't understand words, only actions, that the world would be peaceful? Does no one understand that these people don't want to talk, they want to kill? You hippies can talk about peace all you want, but until you convince these guys that killing is bad, it will never stop. Let's think about it for a second. How long have you been alive? How long has this feud been alive? You think that because you come up with these "great sayings" that peace will swoop down, convince the world and we'll all live happily ever after? People are different. People will continue to be different. If you want a world where peace reigns supreme, you might as well kill yourself or let a terrorist behead you, because it will never happen until the terrorists get what they want or are wiped out of existence. There is no reasoning with them.
Those who beat there swords into plowshares are ruled by those who didn't.
War is a condition of humanity. Always has been and always will be. Social Entropy lives on.
Good Job Frank! It would be nice if people would pay attention to history. Although I do not like war I am force, like everyone else, to live in reality. Bullies, regardless if they be individuals or nations, do not want to have dialog that is why they are bullies. Islam did not start untill the 600's AD so the Jews were there before the Muslims. I have good friends who are Palistinian and they are not represented by Hezbula or radical Muslim extremest who are victimizing true Palistinians and jews alike. It similar to Iraq most of the radical Muslim killing people in Iraq are not even true Iraqies. And by they way the Isralies make their own armored vehicles they do not get them from us. One more thing (Mikko and others)if you had been paying attention, or studying history for the last thirty years you would find that it has been Isreal who has continually been willing to negotiate and willing to give back land that they captures after being attacked. And they have been willing to share the land with the Palistinians. Only to be attacked by terriorest on a daily bases. Please study some history people. Passion is great but a little knowledge doesn't hurt.
By the way, the Merkava Main Battle Tank (MBT)is Israel's first indigenously designed and built main battle tank. It was not given to them by the United States of North America (whoever that is).
The only way to address the Middle East is through the eyes of a human being, not an Israeli, or a Jew, or an Arab or Christian. Through humanitarian eyes what Israel has and continues to do to the Palestinians is deplorable, against every faith in existence and against every national and international law. It is a crime against humanity. But they are blowing themselves up you say. Ask yourselves why. If anyone damned you to a life of poor, disgraced, inhumane existence, imprisoned your fathers indefinitely on no charges, shot your baby sisters in their heads on their way to school, demolished your homes left you with no life, no future then some of you would also begin strapping explosives around you and do the same.
You cannot simultaneously prevent and prepare for war. Albert Einstein, (attributed) US (German-born) physicist (1879 - 1955)
I'm soooo sick of the whole "chosen people" argument that keeps getting thrown around. It's all in the interpretation. Chosen for what? Torment, holocaust, hated by many other races? That's what they've chosen themselves to be. It would be great if they would have given them, say, Madagascar, after WW2. We wouldn't have so much trouble.
To the so called realitycheck. You have your facts backwards, it is the Jewish people,usually women and children who are slaughtered by the palestinians. Please be honest.
Easy call. Print the photo and give proper credentials. It is a terrific photo no matter the origin.
Good point by Jim in Dallas, we did not give them those tanks, they built them. Also the weapons that have been provided in the past were sold to them, not given either. You could say we support them by doing this but your taxes are not providing weapons, American companies are given permission by the government to sell to Israel. As for all the political comentary on the picture I say, can we look at this and judge?Its just a picture of some tanks. Being ex-military and keeping an interest in such things I enjoy seeing the newest inovations, I don't judge a country for the weapons they own.
Oh please, the make love not war ideaology has long since died. What should we do then? Sit here and wait for the rockets to fall on our homes? That way, we can say, well we tried to bring peace...
People people dont you see that religion itself is the culprit of all death and destruction ... My believe in Santa Claus is better then your believe in Sant Claus and this is why God says you must die attitude must change. Dont all of you dumb religious suckers see this? Religion is just dumb, specialy when one thinks most of that crap was writen 1500 to 5000 years ago when man kind still revered thunder .... Bey for now and be safe
Thanks Rick, good point. Maybe if some folks lived in a country surrounded and outnumbered by millions sworn to their utter distruction there would be a little less of this pompous "Oh, I am so against war!" blathering. Maybe, but I doubt it. The guys in the tanks want to live as much as the next person. The difference is their freedom is not a free ride.
Again wake up people, the Iranian president has made statments to the effect that the holucaust never happen and the state of isreal should be wiped off the face of the earth. Not very peaceful. Palestine has not been palestinian for a 1000 years, they would just trash it anyway. The arabs created the palastinian problem by not excepting them into arab states. How you can you blame the isrealis for building a strong democracy in the mist of that mess.
Damn! I didn't know these tanks could go this fast in reverse.
RealityCheck, do u know what the Mandate of Palestine was? Do you know why it was formed? Do you know the events leading from the Ottoman Empire to the formation of Israel? Do you know what the Ottoman Empire was? All you know is that currently the Palestinians are poor, angry, and get killed a lot. You think the Israelis put them in that position. You know nothing of how it got that way or why it stays that way. Shut up and read a history book. "[S]hot your baby sisters on the way to school." Yea, Israel does that all the time. Its written into their Constitution. Idiot. This is like saying of a job that didn't pay you well, "they enslaved me, and brutalized me for years."
A very well composed picture: the might of the modern tank conquering the unforgiving desert with ease. Those who have actually seen the Mirkava tanks in the picture (they are as big as a small house with 1,500 horsepower engines) would be fascinated by the sheer bruteness of the Israeli occupation machine showing off its prowess on probably occupied lands (Judean desert lies mostly east of Jerusalem and west of Jordan river, which are areas that are recognized as part of the West Bank)
I agree, “The beginning of the photo starts at the lower right while the end trails through the upper left. The fact that we can’t see the end of either trail creates a sense of endless military might” which we all know they have. However what captures my attention more so is the fact that this particular tank armor is angled which seams to suggest it could take a direct hit to the turret and it’s very stealthy and looks very low to the ground compared to other Countries tanks. This tank looks as thou it was made for moving in fast for very quick kills, like a predator. I do not think any Country in the region has the Military skill or equipment the Israeli Military Forces have and we must remember the Israeli people are surrounded by those that wish them dead and gone so I would be beating my tractor into a few of these. I have as yet seen or heard of a Israeli signing up to blowing themselves up in a Civilian café or store; at least when you see this coming you know your in for it maybe they should put a backpack on it to help camouflage it better.
I am thankful that we are still allies with Israel!
New textbooks for Palestinian high school students show maps of the region without any reference to Israel, and insist that Israel must be destroyed. So, any thought of "peace" is kinda out the window. I have even seen Iranian cartoons of children becoming suicide bombers and blowing themslves up and killing Israeli soldiers. It seems almost any muslism controlled country is messed up. Anyway you put it.
Pretty sad that the land of Jesus, who stood for non-violence and turning the other cheek, has succumbed to this... what a crazy pic, war is hell.
You're right, Maggie, it DOES look like the Millenium Falcon. My first thought was that it looks like a crab.
jared - it isn't 'muslism controlled countries' alone. It's the extremist in ANY religion, ANY country. Take a look in your backyard, you'll see the same sick behaviors. (If you don't believe it - check out Jesus camps in MN)
muslims & jews will soon turn their beautiful desert into a nuclear wasteland. with no winners.
OK everbody sing with me: "We fight for freedom whereever there's trouble [even if we cause it] GI JOE is there. GI JOE !!!"
I JUST LOVE PAYING FOR OTHER PEOPLES S*&7.......... i just love paying taxes!
Go to the word of God and read Ezekiel chpt. 38+39,It explanes in detail of what is going to happen in the future in Israel.It reads like today's headlines.
What do you mean it looks like the Millenium Falcon? It IS the Millenium Falcon? There are 1,000 of them and they're for the new millenium! Sheesh, c'mon people! :P Seriously though.. The picture is striking in it's duality..striking colors, fluidity of the hills, sullied by the ordered column of tanks..peaceful land sullied with the threat of war and death. Although I support Israel, it's tremendously sad that the fighting still continues and war rears its face against Israel. On the eve of a possible unannounced attack (are they ever announced anyway?) isn't it wisest to sharpen the soldiers' skills just before? Better safe than sorry..right?
If only the peace freaks would get it right....But, since they can't, let them don the armor of war and fight for their right to be hipocrites. And, as for you Iranian in America...I'm sure the "Jesus camps" in MN are training to fly planes into Mecca. Americans, in general, are peace-loving people. Unlike their extremist muslim counterparts, non-muslim extremists in the USA aren't plotting the destruction of soverign nations. Wise up, my friend...God Willing...
their already rusty, they used asian steel instead of bethelem or usa steel.sad, very sad...were do they learn to so easily the destructivness of wars. then again, rather than negotiate with a brick wall, they'd all rather bust through it and knock it down, what else is left other than the end of things as some of us know...
Ah, Meredith's question belies the problem journalists have with anything put out by a government. Apparently, most journalists believe only they have the truth and governments only put out propaganda...and as we all know, journalists are themselves propaganda machines for their own political viewpoints. But, to answer the question directly, yes, print it, just acknowledge the source. We, the people, can make up our own minds as to the credibility of the information presented.
Thought it was some sand crabs gettin' it on at first!
I was so relieved to see Frank's post. thanks Frank
dan - you should travel a bit. Americans, in general, are the most closed-minded people in the world. Unless of course we scream peace through excessive violence, racism, sexism, lies, cheating and disrespect - well then, you have a point. And by the way, I'm no friend of yours - thankfully.
Mikko wrote "Sure, I always like to see the new toys the Apartheid State of Israel is given to by the United States of North America and uses to kill the Palistinians people on their own land." #1 - The israelis developed, built and paid for the Merkava tank in the photograph all by themselves, not a dime of US money went into it. Know what you;re talking about before you spout off, you might look a little less ridiculous. And #2 - It's NOT the "Palestinians" land, it's the Land of Israel. Get used to it.
RB wrote "Please explain to me why it's ok for my house that my grandparents owned to be taken by force by the Israelis." I'll be happy to, RB. It's like this: Your grandparents' generation, instead of accepting the existence of Jews in the Holy Land in their own State and living peacefully, launched no less than FOUR WARS in five decades and tried to destroy Israel and make all Israelis slaves under Islamic Law of Sharia. Your grandparents' generation LOST ALL those wars, and amazingly enough there is a penalty and a price to be paid for continually making war on your neighbors. When you start wars and lose them and lose territory because of the wars you started, you DON'T "just get that territory handed back to you" so that you can re-arm, regroup and try the whole thing all over again. You've LOST that territory and it is gone for good. Therefore, you need to perform the Ancient and Time-Tested Military Maneuver known as GETTING OVER IT. Learn from your grandparents' generation's mistakes. Abandon once and for all their dream of "pushing the Jews into the mediterranean Sea and deporting any survivors". That Jewish State is staying put. Stop glorifying death and jihad. Stop firing deadly missiles at Sderot. Demonstrate that you really can be a partner who can be trusted and worked with for Peace. Peace will only happen when the non-Jews, especially the Muslims, stop treating all Jews as though they are "dhimmis" who have no legal rights or freedoms, no right to peacefully take and hold political power, and fit only for being abused and persecuted by Muslims. Hamas refers to Jews as "the sons of Pigs and Monkeys".... Don't talk to me about alleged Israeli "racism", fix your own community's racist views before you dare to criticize others.
Hey, I'm looking for a good digital camera...can anyone suggest a good brand?
Hey look, it's "Call of Duty" in 3-D
Lunch - I hear Canon is good. :)
this picture is very nice. i mean i like the way you can follow the dustline. but it is interesting that they hand out a picture like this.
WillyWonka - First of all, I am a PEace Loving CHRISTIAN Palestinian, not a Moslem!!! My family has lived in Palestine since the time of the Crusades...Can you tell me now why my land should be given to the Jews? If I do not believe in religion at all, why should I give up my home that grandparents bought...because God said so? Sound very authoritarian to me. IS this how you raise your children...because you said so? All the bla bla bla you have written up there makes no sense. I am accepting of the State of Israel, have never wanted to hurt or push anyone into the sea!! But Israel can not take exisitng homes and turn out the occupants and put people who are from a different religion, because God said so and they are more worthy...What kind of God would do that? Not a God I would ever believe in or love. That is absolute rubbish! The Allies won WWII, did we get to keep Germany? Awaiting your reply...Don't assume things about me, you don't know me...!!
I agree with Clos USA should just make a glass desert out of the middle east.
The Cold War didn't end because of a great battle, thousands of dead and a winner. It ended because two side matured and realized that for all the differences, cooperation was better than war. War is the ONLY answer to protect ourselves a world inhabitants against MILITANT Islam, Oppression, Al Quaeda, Saddam, Iran, Bin Laden, and all others who just don't get it. Look at how much better it all would be if both the Palestinians and the Israeli's gave up a little to their neighbor and tried a little tolerance (As Israel has repeatedly tried) I am ex-US military, but I am no fan of Israel and No fan of war. To make the point go up to one of the oblivious Peace activists and punch them. If they still won't fight- repeat until they do- then ask why- point made. Until everyone humbly shares their existence on this marble with the rest, Militaries will be needed to defend the innocent people from those who just can't belong with the rest of the world. Oppressive nations, and cultures will always clash with those like the US who take a little higher calling in life to TRY to get everyone to "PLAY NICE" BRING IT ON! Freedom and hope for peace will always win, even if it has to be through WAR.
That tank looks like they expect to always have total air superority. Any air-to-ground missile or gun fire would have a great flat thin target. Heck a high ridge would expose it. But it will do great on a level battle ground.
I laugh at the idiots who think the Israelis use any US weapons by choice. We have to force them to take what few they use. Yes the Israeli's steal ideas from the US but they use those ideas in their own design. That lets them be independent of changing US political whims. For that last 25 years the US has NOT really sent aid to Israel -- instead we have been paying for their less classified military patents on armor, guns, desert engines, etc. Technologically Israel is superior to the US in many areas in what they know militarily. They just don't have the money to implement on near the scale we do.
Who owns the land? Again I laugh. Read some history. The Palestinians got it from the Israelis when Rome kicked the Jews out for rebelling. So Palestinian really makes their claims through Rome and the Catholic church as representative. Funny right? But before that the Israelis stole it from the Phoencians and associates...who are by some accounts ancestors of Palestinians. I think accounts say angels of God warned the Israelis to kill them man, woman and child but the Israeli soldiers found the women too beautiful. Round and round she goes. In any case DNA studies prove the two populations have lots of ancestors in common now, as not everyone left between changes in landlords. So it would be funny if everyone agreed the Palestinians were rightful owners but then things fell back on DNA for who is a proper Palestinain -- cause I am sure there would be lots of Jews who qualified and many, many Palestinians who didn't (too jewish, too Syrain, too etc). All just matter of religious geneological bookkeeping, who registered and what black sheep weren't acknowledged. Sort of like slaves and slave owners in the US mixing blood only 1000 times worse. Any property issue over 20 years old is too old for 20 year soldiers to worry about. Let your fathers spill their own blood. Make your own peace and war over simple property issues. Civil rights for upright citizens is another matter. There Palestinians radicals operate like street gangs - either you support the radicals materially or you have big problems.
Note that this isn't really a Palestinian offensive Israel is preparing to repel. Not really Islamic either. Mostly just aggressive imperial Syria using those as excuses. Still what really burns Palestinians is that they invited the Israelis back home - albeit with heavy pressure from the UN (read US and Britian). On the other hand the Israeli's didn't really hide their plans after they arrived. No one else sought a compromise. Jews were expected to live under pretty much the same restrictions as Palestinians are today. The Jews rebelled against living in their "own lands" under such terms. So in one way modern Palestinians don't have too much to complain about in that their grandfathers invented the terms of cohabitation. Anyone against Israel nuking the Syrians so they have a chance at peace with the Palestinians?
Israel needs more tanks, more aircraft, and more fleets. In the six day war they were greatly outnumbered by Egypt and Syria, but hardware from America helped Israel prevail. Though it was not the American tools that fought, it was the greatest warrior nation of all time who stood victorious through the chaos of modern era warfare. Combustions of fire, and air of smoke, and streaking flames hurling to the sand, positions being overran by swarming hordes with left only the hope your nation rise with you and not flee to their tents, a rushing of reserves. Not ever again shall Israel be lost from the nations of earth and of the heavens for have they not proved valiant against the evils we too fight.
The use of scale in this photograph is astounding. While endless military might is conveyed through the 'never-ending' convoy of tanks, the obstacles that lay in front of them and the earth shaking scale of this war are shown by the use of the same subjects in the foreground and the distant background. While the distant tanks appear to be ant-sized in proportion, we all know they are the same size. Rarely can one capture the sheer scale of something as massive as war. This image captures it very well. The nearly complete lack of sky projects a perilous future for these soldiers and gives focus towards their cause. This is a great photo, regardless-- possibly even due to the reminder it gives us... that we live in incredibly frightening times and that the war machine never stops turning.
#1 - The israelis developed, built and paid for the Merkava tank in the photograph all by themselves, not a dime of US money went into it. Know what you;re talking about before you spout off, you might look a little less ridiculous. And #2 - It's NOT the "Palestinians" land, it's the Land of Israel. Get used to it. 1) Israel continues to recieve the most aid from us out of any other nation. We give them loans with no interest. Offset the price of their developing new weaponry. Give them our latest weapon that we keep away from long time allies like the French and England. In its over 50yrs of existence we have given them over 100 billion in no strings attached aid. More than we have given to the Caribbean, Africa, and South America combined. I find nothing wong in being a genrous nation but please don't insult our graciousness by saying that Israel stands on its own two feet. 2) Yes it is the Isreali's land..ever since 1948. By your argument the Native Americans and Mexicans should come and forcefully take over America because they were the original dwellers.
