Posted on 07/31/2006 7:57:13 AM PDT by SmithL
JERUSALEM -- Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah declared victory on Saturday after Israel announced it was withdrawing its forces from the southern Lebanese town of Bint Jbail, where Israeli troops found unexpected difficulty in dislodging the guerrilla group from its strongholds.
Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev defended the decision to pull troops from Bint Jbeil, saying Israel had never intended to occupy the town, but Nasrallah's quick declaration of victory underscored the propaganda gains Hezbollah is reaping across the Muslim world as it battles Israel to a stalemate.
"The Israelis are ready to halt the aggression because they are afraid of the unknown," Nasrallah said in a speech in which he also expressed measured support for the Lebanese government's efforts to reach a peace agreement.
The comments came as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in Jerusalem for the second time in six days. Rice expressed modest optimism over a proposed political solution that includes deployment of a roughly 15,000-member international force to Lebanon.
On the 18th day of fighting, Hezbollah fired more than 90 rockets into northern Israel, wounding about a dozen people. Israel continued its bombing campaign, striking near the Syrian border in one instance and in another dropping bombs near a U.N. observation post. Two Indian peacekeepers were wounded in that strike, just days after another Israeli air strike killed four U.N. observers.
Rice held a one-on-one dinner with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, but U.S. officials declined to offer word on their talks.
During a flight from Malaysia, where she had been attending a meeting of Asian foreign ministers, Rice told reporters that "there are a lot of elements that are coming together" but declined to say when she thought an agreement would be reached to end the fighting.
(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...
or better yet a pig farm and slaughterhouse
I like the way you think.
This sounds like a perfect example of why "carpet bombing" can still be a usefull tactic. Move your troops away. When the celebration starts, remove the entire area from earthly existance.
I am not very confident with the current Israeli leadership, Olmert and Peretz, they are weak. They are not willing to invade and stay for a while in Hizballah strongholds until the international forces arrive to create a buffer zone. If they do not do this, then Hizballah will be perceived as victorious.
Bint Jbail has been conquered and cleared. it simply is not "occupied." at least that is my understanding.
They will declare victory in any case.
If it's not possible to attack Hizbollah in all their strongholds then it's not possible that anything more comes out of this war then a temporarily suppresion of missle fire That's certianly important for the people in Haifa - but lasts only until Iran leeks the next generation of Katyushas.
Why is Hizbollah allowed to have an office in Damaskus ?
This story will go on forever and neither jews nor christians nor muslims will benefit from it.
Lord help the people of haifa and beirut to get rid of those who preach hate.
Correct, that they will declare victory in any case. However only few people will believe them, their stupid followers, when they see that Israel occupied temporarily some of their important strongholds and not necessarily all of them until a new international force will arrive and create a buffer zone, then Israel can withdraw.
I disagree..Israel needs to level Bint Jbail and leave no single stone standing on another.
The Anti-Enlightenment forces have won, for the moment.
This isn't a showdown between the Jews and Moslems. This is a world showdown of the Anti-Enlightenment vs. the Enlightenment.
The left is backing the wrong century unless they truly want a world comprised of tyranny, darkness, and curtailed freedom.
I think Hizbellah will claim victory no matter what happens.
Isn't Saddam still claiming victory over the US from his cell? He claims to have won the Gulf War 1.
"He claims to have won the Gulf War 1."
Well, didn't he?
We were just miles outside Baghdad and had the opportunity to take him out, and we didn't.
This left Saddam in power and allowed him to 'massacre' the Shia's in the south, that rose up to fight, because they thought we had their backs.
Saddam still had his clandestine weapons program and eventually kicked out the U.N. inspectors.
So, Saddam DID win the Gulf 1 war.'
No matter how you look at it.
Nah
If still being in power is a victory.
But his goal was to unite the middle east under his control. Losing Kuwait and having most of his military destroyed made that impossible.
If you judge him by his own objectives, he was a miserable failure.
The UN should REALLY re-think WHERE to place their 'observation' posts!
When one slaps the Lion, and pulls back an intact arm - one can say they "won"...
That is precisely why the Israeli must level the cities that host Hizbollah and kill everyone still present after fair warning to leave...
Semper Fi
Please read my post # 9.
How do you fight a war against an enemy who uses human shields and is willing to sacrifice his life in Allah's name? You just have to go after these terrorists and kill them......wherever they are....
Its starting to look like the buffer force will come from Somalia and Pakistan.
The European nations who want the force, can't send any troops for some reason.
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