Posted on 08/17/2006 5:33:14 AM PDT by Dark Skies
ISRAEL'S rep for toughness in tatters. Hezbollah trium phant. Iran cockier than ever. Syria untouched. Lebanon's government crippled. An orgy of anti-Semitism in the global media. Anti-Americanism exploding among Iraqi Shi'as inspired by Hezbollah.
Thanks, Prime Minister Olmert. Great job, guy.
The debacle in Lebanon wasn't even a war. It was only round one of a war. And Israel's back in its corner, dazed and punch-drunk.
Israel got in a gut jab, but Hezbollah landed three ferocious haymakers:
* Despite the physical damage the Israeli Defense Forces inflicted, Hezbollah's terror-troops were still standing (and firing rockets) when the bell rang.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
Not if their current leaders have been marked for assassination. And the Israelis have done just that.
Nevermind the fact that Israel could have turned Syria, Iran, and Lebanon into parking lots if they didn't have to worry about world opinion, which is usually telling them they are being too rough, even sometimes here at FR.
At any rate, an Army that suffers a 30 % casualty rate in the field of battle is either going to retreat, ask for a cease fire or stand and fight to the last. At least those amongst the living 70 % that are still mostly functional. If the Israelis had 15,000 in Southern Lebanon and lost 126, that is a casualty rate less then 1 %.
Who cares what Hezbollha says now. Israel has stated that they will assassinate Nasrallah as soon as he surfaces. Also an air shipment of missiles has been forced to land in Turkey by the US. Israel claims it has the right within the ceasefire to bomb convoys from Syria. Infrastructure in Lebanon is so devastated that just getting humanitarian relief aid is difficult. Hezbollha bunkers and facilities are destroyed. Hezbollha leaders are either dead or in hiding. The vaunted Hezbollha rocket attack killed 1 Israeli per 88 rockets fired.
Hezbollah itself says it will not disarm. The Lebonese say that they won't disarm Hezbollah. Neither will any of the other UN forces. Syria and Iran will replenish whatever weapons they need. And no sign (much less return) of the missing soldiers.
Who cares what Hezbollha says now. The Israelis and everyone who knows the International track record of the UN and France, knows that the UN Ceasefire will fail. Why are you surprised ? Israel obviously wanted a time out to either retool, rethink, strategize for the next phase or possibly to elect new leadership. They lost 126 soldiers from a force that can field half a million. Eventually they will be back.
Sorry, but you are trying to put lipstick on a pig.
Perhaps you are letting politics and MSM 'experts' obscure your perception of this conflict. Yes, Olmert should have been more forceful, but what recent western leftist was ? LBJ ? He declined to seek a second term. Clinton ? He declined to take Osama Bin Laden in custody. Olmert is definitly not a Patton, but he also is not a Carter. I do agree however that the Israelis need someone with a hard @$$ and a strong backbone. They are in for the fight of their lives.
The goal of taking out all of Hezbollah was never realistic and not the most significant miss.
The biggest Israeli defeat was Hezbollah incessantly shelling Israeli cities at will for a month while a third of Israel was driven underground, and Olmert scrambling for a bad deal to end it. That is an indelible image that will embolden all of Israel's enemies.
You admit, in agreement with William Bennett, that Hizb'allah is de facto the government of Lebanon, and yet you say "Israel won?"
Won what?
Hizballah never dreamed that he will not be the only armed force controlling the area South of the Litani river, but now they have at a minimum to share it with 30000 others troops"
How many of the 30000 will Hezbolla need to kill before the others say screw it and go home?
I did not admit that Hizballah is the defacto government in Lebanon. I said if the Lebanese government and other political factions do not stand up to them and take advantage of their weakness then Lebanon will see a civil war. Yesterday many Lebanese politicians voiced up their great opposition to Hizballah war and told them not to try anything stupid inside Lebanon.
All good points, thanks for adding some perspective here.
And you believe that?!
When, when, when, I ask you, has Lebanon shown ANY ability or will to rid their country of Hizb'allah?
Believing that Lebanon would do the job is a liberal wet dream.
Since I am originally from Lebanon, I think I know the situation there more than you do and more than 99.9999% of the so called Middle Eastern analysts and experts that you see on TV, hear on radio, or read about them in newspapers. The other Lebanese factions are now standing up to Hizballah and not allowing his “fake victory” rhetoric to be used to control Lebanon.
I'm glad to hear it and I would love to be wrong.
BINGO!!!
Imagine America after 9/11 with a Al Gore or a John F'n Kerry at the White House!!!!
All our women would be wearing black burkas, millions of jews & christians forced to convert to is-slam and we'd all be forced to bow & pray to Mecca 5 times per day with the ACLU and liberal judges declaring it a Constitional Requirement for Citizenship & Residency in America!!
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