Posted on 08/19/2006 4:49:03 PM PDT by kms61
n Iraq and Afghanistan, the “coalition” defeats continue slowly to unroll. In Lebanon, it appears Hezbollah may win not only at the moral and mental, strategic and operational levels, but, astonishingly, at the physical and tactical levels as well. That outcome remains uncertain, but the fact that it is possible portends a revolutionary reassessment of what Fourth Generation forces can accomplish. If it actually happens, the walls of the temple that is the state system will be shaken world-wide.
One pointer to a shift in the tactical balance is the comparative casualty counts. According to the Associated Press, as of this writing Lebanese dead total at least 642, of whom 558 are civilians, 29 Lebanese soldiers (who, at least officially, are not in the fight) and only 55 Hezbollah fighters. So Israel, with its American-style hi-tech “precision weaponry,” has killed ten times as many innocents as enemies. In contrast, of 97 Israeli dead, 61 are soldiers and only 36 civilians, despite the fact that Hezbollah’s rockets are anything but precise (think Congreves). Israel can hit anything it can target, but against a Fourth Generation enemy, it can target very little. The result not only points to a battlefield change of some significance, it also raises the question of who is the real “terrorist.” Terror bombing by aircraft is still terror.
Understandably, these events keep Americans focused on the places where the fighting is taking place. But more important developments may be occurring on the flanks, largely unnoticed. An analysis piece in the Sunday Cleveland Plain Dealer by Sally Buzbee of AP notes:
(Excerpt) Read more at d-n-i.net ...
Oh not it doesn't, buddy.
Nope, he's a loon. Lew Rockwell likes him; that's enough for me.
Sounds like Pat Buchanan.
From my point of view- that is not a compliment.
okay, that's why I was asking.
Anyone who accepts the Lebanese "civilian" casualty count at face value is a fool, or worse.
One way to judge him is who he cites as authority.
According to the Associated Press, as of this writing Lebanese dead total at least 642, of whom 558 are civilians, 29 Lebanese soldiers (who, at least officially, are not in the fight) and only 55 Hezbollah fighters. So Israel, with its American-style hi-tech “precision weaponry,” has killed ten times as many innocents as enemies. In contrast, of 97 Israeli dead, 61 are soldiers and only 36 civilians, despite the fact that Hezbollah’s rockets are anything but precise...
Those are Hezbollah's numbers. And, like the AP, Lind swallowed them whole. Because he wants them to be true.
Lind is somewhat beyond paleo and doesn't want Bush to succeed -- which means, in effect, he wants the U.S. to fail.
Remarkably similar to Noam Chomsky's position on Israel. As the political elites in this country decide Israel cannot continue to exist, so will the American position in the world disappear. 1.3 Billion people can be wrong, can they?
We are rapidly coming around to a world decision in favor of one Palestine, from the sea to the river. Even though Chomsky and Lind may be at the "extreme' of the left and the right, the reality in Israel's defeat in Lebanon is crushing.
No party is willing to disarm Hezballah and, in fact, the attempt of the Israeli army to interdict Syria's resupply and the reaction that his is in violation of the ceasefire is stunning.
His arguments are flawed because they are based on false premises. Judging by the first 3 sentences, which seem to be at total odds with reality.
--- If it actually happens, the walls of the temple that is the state system will be shaken world-wide.---
Actually it is the UN that threatens the state system world-wide, not Hezbollah.
The Hezbollah casualties can't be determined because no one knows whether the casualties were civilians or soldiers. Besides, who did the counting? Hezbollah?
Still, the Israeli military ain't your father's Israeli military. This should be a wakeup call for the Israelis.
The IDF has lost much of their 'mystique' because of their failure to follow up the airstrikes with a competent ground war to uproot Hezbollah. To put it bluntly, it gave the impression that the Israelis were afraid to suffer serious casualties of their own in order to win, which will only embolden their enemies in the future. They should have never committed to such extensive airstrikes to begin with if they weren't going to follow thru with the necessary cleanup operations, it makes them look like wussies.
I think it's more than caution now that the war is over and the soldiers are speaking out about the lack of equipment and training, especially the reserves. Looks like the military has been allowed to deteriorate over the years. Readiness and training need serious attention.
Might as well listen to Al-Reuters.
The point is, in the US, the Dead still vote, so they are counted multiple times.
In the Middle East, the Dead are shipped from photo-op to photo-op (to photo-shop), so they are counted multiple times.
Different setting, same M.O.
Cheers!
LOL! Good one.
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