I usually steer away from discussing politics.

I hate how all our leaders do is sit around and debate a problem endlessly, when that energy could be channeled into drawing up action plans to solve the situation.

And I am tired of reading about the political games in decision-making that Middle East leaders play to benefit their own interests with little regard for the loss of lives and suffering it brings to civilians.

This time, it involves the Israel-Lebanon crisis.

In this current dilemma, the issue is not so much Israel's sovereignty that is being threatened by its neighbors that is driving the strikes in Lebanon. Rather, it is Israel's need to prove it means business to Hezbollah militants in Lebanon who raided Israeli troops along the Gaza Strip border. The reason for the attacks was to demand for the return of Palestinian hostages currently held in Israel. In lieu of the attack, Israel claims justification to move its troops into Lebanon.

Let's take a quick look at the damage on both sides. The Economist reported in late July that Hezbollah's attack cost the lives of eight Israeli soldiers, two others were taken hostage and two Humvees were destroyed. At the time of this report, the Lebanese casualty count was up to 300, while 400,000 others have been displaced.

It appears to me that Ehud Olmert, the Israeli prime minister, having just been elected in March, allowed raids on Lebanon purely to prove that he can take a tough stance on militants like Hezbollah. But is his effort to establish credibility as a strong leader among his people really worth it? Now Hezbollah is countering the attack, meaning that now Israeli civilians are in danger.

I am highly suspicious as to how Hezbollah obtained such advanced weaponry to launch counter raids. Hezbollah is part of the many groups within the Lebanese government structure, but their decision to attack was never initiated nor endorsed by the rest of the Lebanese administration, least of all by the prime minister.

This is why I am inclined to believe speculations by political analysts that Hezbollah is being supplied financially by more affluent Middle East powers like Iran or Syria.

These powers may claim it is in the name of Islamic unity that they are helping their brothers, but here again, it is more likely to be the need to prove military capability. And again, they are risking the lives of thousands of civilians.

In a nutshell, this is the crisis as I view it. It involves grown men who are respected by their people as capable leaders. It involves a clash over hostages and a long-term dispute over territory. And my biggest concern is that it also happens to involve deadly weaponry that has the ability to kill or disrupt the lives of thousands, many whom I am sure simply want peace in their homeland.

What is this, some sort of playground for grown men?

Due to the reluctance to compromise in case it is mistaken for leniency and political interests, leaders involved in the crisis think it is worth sacrificing lives to get their way. I think that nobody really even cares anymore because civilian deaths have become such a norm in the Middle East.

To me, all the reasons that Israel and other Middle East powers claim to be fighting for are fabricated excuses - it is really all about proving who is boss in the region.

But soldiers and civilians in the Middle East are not toys that should be used in exchanges for political gains. Soldiers and civilians are brothers, mothers, sons and daughters who are loved dearly by their respective families.

Most of us cannot even bear to look at a single deceased family member lying peacefully in a coffin. Just imagine what the Lebanese and Israelis have to go through.

This is why all strikes need to end. They need to end now.