Dear Mr. Evans.

As a Muslim who lived in Haifa, I think it is absolutely terrific that you are making an effort to see what is really going on in this crazy region of the world. All we get in most media outlets are either stock of military operations or pictures of bombs going off from a long way away. it is nice to see somebody in journalism is actually there and witnessing these terrorist attacks first hand.

It has become very en vogue as of recently to blame more developed and civilized countries for all the problems in the world. We're adopting a type of blame the victim mentality that is really upsetting. Instead of feeling sympathy for the Israeli civilians who are dealing with these constant attacks by a terrorist nation within a nation, the media seems instead to want to ignore it because of the relatively low loss of life. One country values the lives of their people enough that they provide bomb shelters and air raid warnings, go after kidnapped citizens, and attempt to create a safe buffer zone while the other seems to only care about inflicting as much carnage as possible. The Israeli's are using targeted weapons to attack legitimate military and terrorist targets while Hezbollah launchs unguided missiles at civilian cities in an attempt to cause as much murder as possible. And yet most people believe that Israel is the villian. It is simply baffling to me. The use of such rockets shows a distinct and murderous disregard for human life. They aren't targeting military infrastructure, i.e. power plants and airports, nor are they targeting military forces, instead they are just launching them at random against civilian populations.

If Lebanon truly cared about the lives of their people, instead of parading there casualties around on network television, they would prevent them. Prime Minister Olmert has made it quite clear that this entire conflict would stop if they release the kidnapped Israelis, stop the terrorist rocket attacks, and deploy forces to keep the Hezbollah from starting another conflict. Right now Lebanon is only interested in being "right." Hezbollah launches its attacks from amongst civilian populations in order to use the Israeli's morality against them.

It has been said about the Palestinian people but it is true also for the Lebonese it would appear: "The violen ce will only stop when they love their children more then they hate us." Please stop using innocent civilians as a shield and weapon, Hezbollah. Islam is the religion of peace, and you are making all of us Muslims look bad.

This was never 'just another story running on tonight's news'. Every one of those people walking dazed through an alley, exiting a burning building, lucky enough to survive, is family or
friend to people around the world. Reporters can rush in and out for the story, but those left behind with damaged homes, damaged lives, are left to live it all over again the next day. This is their life, and I'm sure most of them wouldn't rather be anywhere else.

Hey Anderson. I'm amazed that you can blog at all, let alone try to eat plus watch for mortor and mines. I'll bet you get some mean indigestion!! Please be extra careful you and your crew. You almost sound like you've bitten off more than you can chew. Knowing you though, it'll be come hell or high water(or guns, or mines, or whatever they have to dish out at you.
Please you and your crew be extra safe

and may God and CNN bless you all
Bev

To the crew of 360:

As indicated your coverage of the Middle East crisis is undoubtably nerve-racking and dangerous. Your coverage from deep in the region is, however, very much needed as it allows the world to first hand view what is happening in the region and not just hearing about it. It makes it real. Stay Safe

For many of us these air strikes are simply political problems. It's too easy to forget that the homes, workplaces, and lives of people, people like us, are being destroyed. What we hear on today's news is forgotten by tomorrow.

I pray that we are not on the brink of WWIII.

Thank you for keeping us informed. Stay safe.

I spent a year in DaNang Vietnam (68 & 69) and know these 122 mm rockets all to well. Your observations are correct. You don't know where they are going to hit since they can be just leaned against a mound of mud or said and launched with flashlight batteries. Yes, we had the sirens too and we would run for the bunkers (not the best idea) or usually, just lay flat on the gound. Your chances are better laying on the ground since they can hit very close to you if you are on the ground and you will survive. You mentioned the "thump" sound. They are not close. When they make more of a "crack" or "Whack" sound, it is time to start digging with your fingernails. I was in DaNang less than 12 hours when I experienced my first rocket attack. I know how you feel. I eventually got used to it but then, my best friend was hit by a rocket. That changes things.

Anyway, stay put during an attack and lay flat. You will survive a hit 20 feet away (may bust your eardrums). Standing up and running, the shrapnel may kill you 100 feet or more away.

August

Thanks to the entire 360 Crew for all their dedication and efforts to bring the stories back home into our living rooms. One can only imagine how all those people must feel that are impacted by this current Middle East Crisis. Let's just hope, for everyone's sakes, that there will be a cease fire soon and this madness will have an end. I hope all parties involved will show judgement enough to end this crisis.
And you guys at CNN stay safe and don't take any risks. Everybody wants to see you all come home safe and in one piece!

Anderson, when are you going to go to Lebannon and report from there? You have alot of fans in the USA that deserve to see both sides. In my opinion, it is unfair that any type of Arab or Iranian resistance is called terrorist and Israelli resistance is justified, even praised by our government in the U.S. What did Pres. Bush mean when he said that any nation is justified in defending itself from terrorists? Who are the terrorists? Aren't they everywhere? Aren't they the people that feel so justified in their beliefs and their land that they will do anything for it?? Hasn't Israel fallen into that category, along with other POWERFUL nations?

That's nice.

And is it any less terrorizing to Lebanese civilians who have no siren sounding, who can see the Israeli warplanes coming, with streaks of fire across the sky and a lot of sound, knowing you or a loved one will probably die from a no-less indiscriminate attack by Israel? And that there will be no "throng of world press", save Arab media, which the West will shrug off as biased.

This is their lives.

Neither Israel nor Hezbollah have the moral high ground on this conflict. Both have committed atrocities in the name of their own causes. They both antagonize one another (e.g., Israel regularly invades Lebanese airspace or bombs Hezbollah positions. In turn, Hezbollah reacts by firing rockets at Israeli planes, most of which miss their target and land in Israel, to which more military actions (by Israel) occur as a response). The Lebanese and Israeli people are both suffering. However, Israel, the more powerful of the two nations is systematically destroying Lebanon.

Sounds like a peice of text from a reporter during the bombing of The King David Hotel, that of course was 50 years ago and it seems "the more things change the more they stay the same". J.P.Naughton

Dear Mr. Evans:

Congrats on your first blog! The life of a journalist/producer is very different. While others are running away from the bombs, you, Anderson and the 360 team are running towards them!

Not two minutes ago I was complaining about the 100 degree heat in NJ and now I'm sitting here reading your account and thanking the good Lord that I'm not in your place. Too often, we take our life here in the States for granted.

I wish peace for the all of the people in the Middle East. My prayers are with them today.

Thank you for your update. Please stay safe over there.

Annette

I love '360' because of stories like you just shared. Living in the United States and never having lived through any major tragedies, it is often hard for me to imagine how anyone can live through war year after year and still continue on with their lives. Thank you for sharing this with all of us and I hope you and everyone at CNN stays safe.

This is their lives, and the true shame is that only after 6 days the media seems to have lost focus of what the really is the crisis. **it happens right, people curse some more than others, but do I really need to hear about it each time I'm looking for fresh news trying to find out about these poor people and the terror that they must go through constantly. This very same lack of attention span was the subject of a totally different conversation at our Physics Library at SUNY Buffalo, however it had little to do with Lebanon, and we were speaking on out nation's lack of interest in the sciences. Truly the headline of this very website that I just accessed to post this comment is more than just a brief distraction; I believe it to be a microcosm of so much that has gone wrong with this world today. Here's to the people of the world who are so quickly forgotten, here's to peace in the east.

It is true that you dont realize what is going on - on that side of the world when you are reading about it on this website or watching it from the comfort of your living room. It is very upsetting to me that innocent people are getting caught up in a sensless war. I feel for that couple- I feel for anyone who is just trying to live their lives until it is interrupted by war.
Thank you for reporting on this and risking your own life to get the truth out there. Be safe.

More than half a century ago, Europe decided it would be an okay thing to do to steal Palestine from the Palestinians and give it to the Jews.

And people are surprised that the Palestinians got mad? And that the rest of the Arabic-speaking world joined them in getting mad?

Back then, the Western view of the heirs of the civilisation that saved Europe from barbarism a thousand years ago was one of condescending contempt. That still seems to be a popular view. But that view has led to what some commentators are calling the advent of World War III.

On a personal level, I have enormous empathy for the individuals caught up in these events. They--Israelis, Lebanese, and Palestinians alike--are all victims. But they're not victims of each other, they're victims of past, present, and probably future Western meddling,