Officials: U.S., France reach Mideast resolution (US Appeasement?)

Yahoo/AP ^ | 8/5/2006 | AP

[tobyhill]

UNITED NATIONS - The United States and France reached agreement Saturday on a U.N. Security Council resolution aimed at ending the fighting between Israel and Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas, U.S. Ambassador John Bolton said.

Bolton refused to comment on the text, but an official with knowledge of the document said the draft calls for a “full cessation of violence” between Israel and Hezbollah, but would allow Israel the right to launch strikes if Hezbollah attacks it.

[tobyhill]

It won't end until the illegally kidnapped Israeli Soldiers are released.

[GeronL]

The United States and France reached agreement Saturday on a U.N. Security Council resolution aimed at ending the fighting between Israel and Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas, U.S. Ambassador John Bolton said

Its nice to know that 2 countries not involved have come to terms.

[the invisib1e hand]

I guess I'd be asking, if I were Israel, "who do you think you are?"

[mrsmel]

It's the same as how other countries are always willing to give away Israeli land.

[the invisib1e hand]

It's the same as how other countries are always willing to give away Israeli land.

Oh, yeah. I'd forgotten about that.

[gotribe]

When the enemy wants to kill all your people, and you want to achieve peace, then you have been defeated and your enemy is victorious.

[inkling]

I trust Bolton on this; he's earned my trust. And if Israel can attack as soon as the Hezbo's strike, this "cease fire" will last less than 10 minutes.

The Israelis won't agree to this text if it ties their hands too much. I also think they will demand return of their soldiers before any agreement is signed.

[goldstategop]

They're not the ones involved in the fighting and don't presume to speak for the parties who are. Its all a exercise in diplomatic make-believe.

(Go Israel, Go! Slap 'Em Down Hezbullies.)

[Thunder90]

Bolton may not have a choice but to come to agreement with the French. Condi is still his boss.

[NorCalRepub]

..have you guys even heard the terms yet....sounds more fair to Israel then could have been expected otherwise, plus won't even start till tues...plus any firing by Hezzie and Jews can respond and drop cease fire....plus they don't have to leave the land yet....plus hostages back....no prisoner exchange.....plus plus plus.....I don't think Bolton would lie down....do you......plus I think the Bush Admin is getting worried about Lebanon

[inkling]

Bolton may not have a choice but to come to agreement with the French. Condi is still his boss.

But Dubya is Condi's boss. Let's not all assume that the glass if half-empty. We haven't even seen the text.

[tobyhill]

Israel will let the resolution pass and then once, within 2 minutes, the Hezbos will fire another rocket, voiding the resolution, then Israel will resume strikes. We'll call it the world's shortest sanctioned ceasefire.

[GeronL]

Taxdollars in Wonderland

[Mike Darancette]

We'll defend N.Israel to the last Frenchman -- That's a good thing.

[Atlantic Friend]

Well, no surprise there. Both countries have an interest in ending the hostilities and maintaining stability in the Near-East.

[tobyhill]

The terms aren't bad for Israel but it's not reality because the Hezbos will violate the terms making the US look like village idiots for even involving ourselves while stopping something that is working.

[JasonC]

Since Hezbollah will attack Israel, as sure as the sun will rise tomorrow, this is meaningless and dead on arrival.

[NorCalRepub]

I disagree totally....we won't look like idiots at all. It will look like we tried for peace...and Hezzie fu**ed it up so now we can wash our hands of the matter since we did all we could....I think it is a good move....since you know Hezzie will mess up....and then be the bad guys again

[tobyhill]

It's irrelevant because we all know thee Hezbos will violate it and they won't hand over the kidnapped soldiers until Iran and Syria lose their base in Lebanon.

[defenderSD]

I think you've hit the key point in this agreement: the Iranian mullocracy and Hezbollah are furious about a number of issues right now, so any cease fire will probably last less than eight hours. Hez is angry about being defeated by Israel while inflicting relatively little damage with their rocket barrages, while Iran is furious that the UN security council is basically united about sanctioning Iran's uranium enrichment program. So within about 8 hours Hez will fire more rockets and the Israeli soldiers and airmen will end up getting a rest and then going out again in less than 24 hours.