Rice tries walking Mideast tightrope-US Secretary of State pays a surprise visit to Beirut.

Israel has made a rather foolish decision to kick the can down the road by not going in heavy to the Bekaa Valley. This isn't Condi's fault, this is Olmert's. The Hez can be resupplied by the Iranians. The IDF should have taken the casuaties now instead of the larger casualty count they will take later because of Olmert's hesitation. The Hez are good, but not better than the IDF, and they could have been isolated and bypassed while the armor went north to the Bekaa.

Be Seeing You,

Chris

Rice said any cease-fire agreement would have to be signed by Lebanon, not Hizbullah.
"The last time that I looked, Hizbullah had even run for office as a part of the government of Lebanon," she said, referring to Hizbullah's presence in the Parliament.

"If there is a cessation of hostilities, the government of Lebanon is going to have to be the party," she said. "Let's treat the government of Lebanon as the sovereign government that it is."

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She's right. Lebanon can't have it both ways.

Why is Condi talking to these idiots if they cannot even control their own border and prevent Hezbollah terrorists from invading Israel, killing people and kidnapping solders?

This is not a short-term strategy. Dr. Rice has clearly signalled that Lebanon -- not Hizb'Allah -- has legitimate authority over Lebanese territory. She is setting the stage for after the Israelis have reestablished order in southern Lebanon and significantly wounded Hizb'Allah. Only then will Lebanon be able to govern itself.

Sometimes, just sometimes, we (The U.S.) should just sit back and let things unfold. This IMO would be one of those situations.

We truly are Team America - World Police.

Actually I think the US is handling this well for once.

We are supporting Israel in their right to defend themselves.

We are refusing to negotiate with Hezbollah and supporting Israel in their refusal to negotiate with them.

We are just ignoring the ridiculous and deceitful calls for a "proportional response" by Israel.

We are sticking to our stance that unless there is a solution that has a real prospect of keeping this from happening again, there is no purpose to calls for a cease fire.

Rice, Bolton, and Bush are pushing a consistent message, though the press appears to do it's best to make it sound otherwise.

Rice's visits around the area keep the bureaucrats at the UN off balance. The little games they play to push their peace at any cost agenda are getting brushed aside by Rice stepping in and showing support for Israel and consistently pounding home the message that any solution must prevent Hezbollah from being able to regroup and do this again.

Right now the Arab nations there are silent, or are cautiously condemning Hezbollah's acts. Iran, which is Persian, not Arab, is getting more and more isolated. I suspect that the Arab nations don't like seeing Arabs dieing in a fight largely funded and directed by Persians.

Meanwhile Israel keeps working to do what they must, but it's a hard task without using an overwhelming, occupying force, and I suspect that Israel does not want to do that.

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