Posted on 08/05/2006 3:30:51 PM PDT by Right_Wing_Madman
TEL AVIV, Israel - The Israeli military began preparing to reoccupy southern Lebanon on Thursday, and Israeli officials conceded that their three-week bombing campaign has had no significant impact on Hezbollah's ability to fire short-range rockets into northern Israel. The dispatch of thousands of Israeli soldiers to retake as much as one-fifth of Lebanon - the operation must still be approved by the Israeli Cabinet - would mark a major expansion in Israel's Lebanon campaign and would reverse Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon six years ago after a troubled 18-year occupation. It also would complicate efforts in the United Nations to arrange a cease-fire and the creation of an international peacekeeping force to police southern Lebanon.
Senior military officials suggest that Israel may have little choice, however. On Thursday, one official admitted that the air war had failed to cripple Hezbollah's ability to fire the short-range Katyusha rockets, which form the bulk of the militant Islamic group's aerial arsenal. ''They are still in full capacity to attack our villages,'' said the official, who briefed a small group of reporters about the military campaign against Hezbollah on the condition of anonymity. ''In order to stop the firing, we need a major ground offensive against the short-range rockets.''
"Maybe killing hundreds of children isn't the best way to take out an enemy's military capabilities" - scarletwoman
"Problem: 'The target is a hard one to hit' Modern Solution: More Bombs Needed 'FUCK PROPORTIONALITY' seems to be our modern war cry" - chibi
"Occupation, occupation, occupation. When will Israel ever learn?" - JackNewton
"Israelis. Murderous bastards." - chimpymustgo
"Israel has already been acused of Human Rights Watch of committing war crimes. See my post below in which I show how Israel is 'deliberately' targeting civillians. Israel's existence has never been at risk." - funnymanpants
"Some time ago I read, right here on DU, that it would probably be best if Israel moves to somewhere in the US. After all, Israel does seem, to the world, to be a part of the US." - sushi
"The point is that you can NOT fight an ideology with military might ...That's why we lost in Vietnam and why we will be driven from Iraq. The ONLY way to get people who HATE you to change and seek peaceful solutions is to grant them political power." - ShortnFiery
"But don't you see? Their plan is working PERFECTLY. We erroneously assume that The Executive Branch wants peace and democracy. Nothing could be further from the truth!
There's a multitude of Defense BIG BUCKS to be made by blowing shit up and then building it back again. Think about PROFIT? The Large Corporations that support Bush-Co. are making a killing (in more ways than one!) and will continue as long as there is PERPETUAL WAR." - ShortnFiery
"I have lost all respect for Huffingtonpost ... there is NO balance" - EVDebs
"when will anyone figure out that War does not stop terrorism. It only breeds it." - LSK
"And the more damage the right-wing neo-cons running Israel do, the more dangerous Israel will become." - w4rma
"The more wars, the more land for Israel." - daydreamer
"All they needed to do was read DU. Many of us without formal training of any kind in military matters past watching a couple History channel docs. knew this." - shadowknows69
"And they don't care, they only want to punish Lebanon. That was the whole point. It never was about the rockets, it was always about killing and oppressing the Lebanese people as much as possible." - manic expression
"But did it make its leaders' approval ratings shoot up? That's the real reason for bombings, right?" - TOJ
"None of this makes sense to me...Israel's response from the get go has been illogical, or at the very least in proportionate!...This never would have been allowed under Clinton" - comtec
"but the stockholders in death machines are happy!" - QuestionAll
"When the DRAFT is implemented, will you gladly send your sons and daughters to Lebanon? I will NOT send my children to the middle east ONLY to FEED the bloated corporate WAR MACHINE." - bigtree
"Thank you for your informative posts. One reason DU is such a good place to go for news" - bunyip
The left has truly been hijacked by pure evil
There, fixed it.
They are on the wrong side.
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