8/9 Middle East Live Thread

The Middle East Live Thread ^ | 8/9/06 | BurbankKarl

[unfortunately a bluestater]

"What is it, Knitting or anyone, that stops Israel from bombing once they have warned the population several times to leave the area?"

_____________________________________________

See link in posting 1740---quite an article. But, I agree with you, Israelis should not sacrifice their lives for the sake of the lives of Lebanese civilians who, after all, have been warned. Isn't just the act of dropping leaflets already going the extra mile?

[SoCalPol]

Don't know if you saw my earlier post on Olmert,

Olmert, graduate of the Bill Clinton school of foreign policy

[conservativepoet]

...then the offensive never did start, Olmert hadn't made that decision yet, didn't change his mind after all, is still covering all his options, and it's just easier to go with the story now breaking than try to educate reporters on such a complicated series of events.

Agreed.

[jeffers]

ArmstedFragg wrote:
What can Hezbollah not afford to lose?

Nothing. That's their whole advantage.





I disagree.

[DCPatriot]

#1760...Sounds good to me.

[sofaman]

isn't that the truth..

[conservativepoet]

Report: IDF soldiers take up positions on a strategic hill overlooking Litani River


Israeli troops, backed by tanks and armored vehicles, entered the key south Lebanese town of Marjayoun early Thursday hours after the Israeli cabinet approved a plan to expand a ground offensive in Lebanon, residents said.


After taking Marjayoun, Israeli soldiers moved to the nearby village of Blatt where they took up positions on a strategic hill overlooking the Litani River valley, witnesses said. (AP)

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/1,7340,L-3289043,00.html

[La Enchiladita]

Forewarned is forewarned ...

On second thought, most likely a large percentage of civilians are illiterate and the Hezbos would counter with their own propaganda, to keep the people there as human shields.

There is also the matter of possibly where the kidnapped Israeli soldiers could be ...

[cookcounty]

The problem they are facing is that everybody knows that no country is going to put serious troops in South Lebanon (troops willing to figh Hezbo if necessary), and Israel doesn't want to occupy it like sitting ducks for very long

[jeltz25]

So what would you say they can't afford to lose?

[DCPatriot]

WIth all the death and destruction happening, I don't think they are thinking about those two kidnapped soldiers much anymore.

[jeffers]

Though the wine isn't a bad idea, getting sick may not be indicated, yet.

I see consensus forming here that the offensive never really was "on" yet, that Sheppie and Co, jumped the gun from seeing something else entirely, and that it's easier to say the offensive is on hold than to explain something that I'm not comfortable discussing in detail even here, much less in the global press.

[Diogenesis]

Hizb'allah has long been America's enemy.

[SoCalPol]

Olmert has been give time and leadway and he is just eating it up. As I have said before, there will be no next time.

[InterceptPoint]

End of my rant

No. Don't stop now you are on a roll.

But I have to admit I can't answer your question. The whole UN thing seems like such a silly waste of energy to me as well. You simply cannot draft a peace settlement between one side who holds the destruction of Israel as a long term goal and the withdrawal of the Israelis from Lebanon in the short term and the other side that demands the withdrawal from Southern Lebanon of the Hezbollah terrorists that are firing rockets at your population. There is, however, a classic solution to the problem:

YOU LET THEM FIGHT UNTIL ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER WINS

That's the kind of "diplomacy" and "engagement" that actually works. The rest of it is just fanciful thinking by a bunch of airheads. The only good news that I have seen coming out of all of this diplomatic chit chat is that Condi has stopped predicting a ceasefire resolution will be agreed to in 2-3 days. I guess after doing this for 2-3 weeks it kind of loses it's punch, particularly when we all know that it would be ignored by the combatants in any case.

OK. End of my rant.

[nuclady]

Thanks! I have no problem with Shep jumping the shark. He looks at one snapshot (his) and draws erroneous conclusions. I understand your point. I wish I had more confidence in your assessment of Olmert & Co.

[DCPatriot]

That's what the host on WMAL was saying tonight...after the Levin show.

Whatever happened to a loser surrendering?

Let them fight until one side says No Mas!

[conservativepoet]

Enjoyed your rant ;>)

[Chuck54]

ArmstedFragg wrote:

What can Hezbollah not afford to lose?

Nothing. That's their whole advantage.

I disagree.

Many on this thread will disagree but I think the Hezzies will continue to be emboldened until someone uses some non-politically correct weapons on them.

[La Enchiladita]

I guess... I don't know. But their families are travelling the world trying to get help finding them. Here is Ehud Goldwasser's brother Yair, in Canada.