Olmert cannot remain in the prime minister's office ("Bibi, Bibi...")

Haaretz.com ^ | 8/8/2006 | Ari Shavit

[conservativehistorian]

Olmert makes John Kerry look stalwart and resolute.

[SE Mom]

http://corner.nationalreview.com/

However... [John Podhoretz]

...Olmert is still toast. My nephew, who is a veteran of the Israeli army but has not been called up because he's here in the States for a few months, writes:

"I can't believe he's doing this. I cannot believe we are once again running from Lebanon with our tails between our legs. Olmert's picture will now appear in the dictionary next to the word 'coward.'"

This will be a very common opinion across the political spectrum.

[Dark Skies]

Forgive me for pinging you, but you and I were discussing this very issue the other day.

[Dark Skies]

Krauthammer on Fox right now discussing the Lebanon matter and the UN resolution.

[American in Singapore]

This is NOT over.

I pray that you are right.

I can't believe that Bolton would be an accomplice in a cop-out and a surrender of one of our greatest strategic allies and friends. Bush? Yes. Condi? Perhaps. Bolton? No.

[processing please hold]

Have the palis started dancing and firing their weapons into the air in support of hezbollah's win?

[wmfights]

"But not fight. H*ll, yes we will."
_____________________________

The rhetoric sounds great, but why aren't they doing it?

All they've accomplished is to destroy infrastructure. They have not destroyed the terrorists or their ability to hide among the population.

[processing please hold]

Before you think Bolton is Christ returned any further, he agreed with L.O.S.T. as did Bush and Condi.

[Alberta's Child]

I think a lot of folks here in the U.S. have a tendency to think of Hezbollah as a bunch of rag-head terrorists running around southern Lebanon shouting "Allah Akbar" as they fire rockets across the border into northern Israel.

A friend of mine in law enforcement once told me that Hezbollah is far from a typical "terrorist organization" like the IRA or Hamas. They are much more similar to a cross between a highly-competent light infantry unit and an organized crime family -- with extensive training in military weapons and state-of-the-art explosives.

Israel could probably "defeat" Hezbollah from a military standpoint eventually, but the cost would probably be more than they are willing to absorb -- especially since the U.S. has a vested interest in appearing as neutral as possible in this conflict.

[mcvey]

I'm not saying that the leadership is what it was in the days of Dayan and others. It is not and the leader who can lead (Bibi) has this tendency to stick his foot down his throat--and the one who could lead is lying in a coma.

Ergo . . . leadership is everything. It is our own fault for refusing, as I indicated in my first post, to look reality in the face.

But fight? Like Hood's boys after Nashville, all we need is someone to lead us.

McVey

[appeal2]

Unfortunately wars are like rollercoasters, up down up down. This one is a major downer, but hopefully Israel will have time to dump this wimp and get a real war PM--Bibi, who has been right on the money since the beginning of the "Peace Process." Eventually the swamp is going to have to be drained and if this "ceasefire" lasts long enough to get Bibi in then it is well worth the wait.

[TWhiteBear]

I share your concerns.
Though I doubt that the 'Deal' will ever take effect or last longer than a day.
Some of the blame may fall on the IAF person who has become CoS. Way too much reliance on airpower and other lessons apparently not learned post-Vietnam(the supply lines from Syria(the Nasrullah Trail?) were cut, again, today, and this time, really for the last time.
The appearance of Israeli strength, competence, speed, daring has melted with the vacillations of Olmert, irrespective of any implementation of the 'Deal'. The sand sharks can scent blood in the water and they will be coming soon.

[wmfights]

"But fight? Like Hood's boys after Nashville, all we need is someone to lead us."
______________________________________

I have no doubt that your right, but whom do you fight? They won't stand in the open. They are a part of the civilian population and the civilians support them. The end result is the IDF blows up infrastructure destroys some terrorists who stay and fight, but the majority run away. The IDF leaves the terrorists come back and look like they've won.

Now we're going to send in 15,000 blue helmets so the next time how does the IDF respond?

[LoneRangerMassachusetts]

All I can say is using "smart bombs" to conduct a stupid war is well, stupid. Using very cheap, stupid MOAB's is the way to conduct a smart war. You putz's in Washington hear me? MOAB's! Don't repeat Olmert's idiocy.

[blam]

Hezbollah has defeated Israel and Olmert has made it possible.

[blam]

"Now we're going to send in 15,000 blue helmets so the next time how does the IDF respond?"

Buy some heavy bomber aircraft...maybe some used US B-52's.

[wmfights]

" Don't repeat Olmert's idiocy."
_________________________________

The problem is we all want war to be "clean". No civilian casualties, no atrocities, no consequences to the loser.

If the loser suffered consequences we probably would not be in this mess.

[wmfights]

"Buy some heavy bomber aircraft...maybe some used US B-52's."
____________________________

Then Israel loses what little support they have. Israel by herself won't survive. If America is forced to pull out Israel will fall to the barbarians.

[blam]

Public Support Eroding For Olmert: Poll

""Olmert must go," read a front page headline in Israel's left-leaning Haaretz newspaper."

[rogue yam]

I don't understand your point. You're saying that because Hezbollah is capable, therefore Israel should not fight them?