WHY ISRAEL HIT BACK SO HARD

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 7/14/6 | Matthew Kalman

[SmithL]

'THIS IS A WAR': Kidnappings and the perceived hand of Iran demand response, leaders say -

Jerusalem -- For Israel, Wednesday's raid was a kidnapping too far.

The cross-border raid by Hezbollah gunmen on an Israeli army patrol in northern Israel and the abduction of two soldiers whom the captors declared to be bargaining chips for the release of Palestinian and Lebanese prisoners held by Israel prompted a response that threatens the stability of the region.

"The notion that this is a limited operation is wrong -- this is a fundamentally new situation," Gen. Gershon Yitzhak, head of the Israeli Army Home Front Command, said in an interview. "This is not an operation. This is a war for the sake of our home, what it will look like in the future and how we will be able to live in the region. This operation will continue to expand, and it is only just beginning.

"We must remove this threat once and for all," the general added.

In the six years since the Israeli army withdrew from southern Lebanon, ending 18 years of occupation, the government in Jerusalem has responded to similar kidnappings and kidnap attempts with minor displays of force and the occasional limited bombing of targets in Lebanon and Syria.

[SmithL]

[D-fendr]

Why? Simple rocket science.

Terrorist have tens of thousands of Iran-supplied rockets that they're firing.

[GrandEagle]

We reached the point where we had to tell the Hezbollah, in a language that the Hezbollah can understand, that there is a limit to everything," Shimon Peres, Israel's deputy prime minister told reporters in Tel Aviv.

Looks like Hezbollah poked the bear one time too many.
God Bless Israel! May their operation be a success.

GE

[romanesq]

I back Israel's right to self-defense. At the same time, the civilian toll is horrible.

[Teacher317]

ISRAEL HIT BACK SO HARD

What is so hilarious is that the Islamists are sincerely confused that the reaction wasn't the same-old same-old. Here's another prayer that the gloves are off, and will stay off, until the Islamists stop their murderous ways.

[GrandEagle]

At the same time, the civilian toll is horrible.
Very true, however, you must remember that the cowards they are fighting deliberately hide behind women, children, and civilians.

Their loss is very regrettable but the blame sits squarely upon their enemy.

Cordially,
GE

[MinorityRepublican]

The Israelis aren't hitting back hard. At least not at this moment.

[demlosers]

Gen. Gershon Yitzhak ... "We must remove this threat once and for all," the general added.

It's doubtful this will remove the threat, but it sure will make them think twice by hammering them real good. The old benefit/cost ratio.

[Izzy Dunne]

"We must remove this threat once and for all," the general added.

Would that it were so.

[expatpat]

I think that Israel had planned for an operation like this for some time, and Hamas and Hezbollah gave them just the 'causus belli' that they needed.

[Aquinasfan]

At the same time, the civilian toll is horrible.

Very true, however, you must remember that the cowards they are fighting deliberately hide behind women, children, and civilians.

No easy answers here.

[Rummyfan]

The Israelis aren't hitting back hard. At least not at this moment.

Yes, they should be hitting back even harder!

[petercooper]

bttt

[winner3000]

(...the Lebanese government on the other hand, probably with the support from the world community, will ... make sure that the use of weapons will be the monopoly of the state," said Ehud Barak)

Yeah, and attacking the Lebanese Army's outpost and laying siege to ALL of the Lebanese thus destroying the credibility of anybody remotely friendly to Israel will really help this matter./sarcasm off. While the Lebanese would love for Israel to destroy Hezbollah, they would take it slightly personal when at the same time Israel destroys the Lebanese economy with impunity. It's like having someone beat up someone who is bullied and telling him: Hey, I'll beat you up until you control that bully who is three times your size!

[jonascord]

Please show us the difference between a "civilian" and Hezbollah. This a a war of tribes, cults, religious beliefs, social caste, not of governments. The Lebanese government has as much control over Muslems as the FBI has over the Crips, the Bloods, and MS-13.l

[Personal Responsibility]

You are 100% right and you are reinforced by the Geneva conventions. When an enemy army situates itself in civilian population any resulting civilian loss of life is on the enemy army's head, not the attacker. These rules are in place to stop situations just like the one we have today.

Give me some time and I can find a link, work beckons.

[roses of sharon]

The Islamic cults have been targeting civilians in restaurants, markets, buses, trains, airplanes, schools and nightclubs for decades, and they do with impunity.

To speak of civilian tolls when a nation fights back is telling.

[chesley]

Amen & amen!!

[Logical me]

Israel must increase the attack. Just hitting empty buildings and bridges is a good start but will not do it. Shelling the locations that the terrorist are firing missiles will not completely disarm. A combined ground and air attack will probably be the only way to disarm. My only fear is the US may not back Israel, but just give lip support. The hell with Russia, China, Iran and the UN. Hope that our military in Iraq is ready to hit Iran with a wake up call if they continue supporting the terrorist in Lebanon.

The only good terrorist is a dead terrorist. Creating Gitmo resorts is pure nuts. Sad but true. Some mental illness cannot be cured.

[chesley]

You would hope that they had plans for all contigencies.