Hezbollah says its war with Israel was a mistake

The Washington Times ^ | August 28, 2006 | Joshua Mitnick

[neverdem]

TEL AVIV -- Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah said yesterday that he would not have ordered the July 12 seizure of two Israeli soldiers had he known it would provoke a war that leveled Shi'ite villages and neighborhoods throughout Lebanon.

    "We did not think, even 1 percent, that the capture would lead to a war at this time and of this magnitude. You ask me, if I had known on July 11 ... that the operation would lead to such a war, would I do it? I say no, absolutely not," he told Lebanon's New TV station.

    The sheik also said that officials from the United Nations and Italy were attempting to negotiate an exchange of the Israeli soldiers for Arabs held in Israeli jails. Israel denied involvement in any prisoner-exchange talks.

    In addition, Sheik Nasrallah said Hezbollah would not oppose the deployment of thousands of U.N. peacekeeping troops in southern Lebanon.

    His comments confirm weeks of speculation in Israel that Hezbollah was surprised by Israel's military response to the July 12 capture.

    Since the Aug. 14 cease-fire, Sheik Nasrallah has declared a victory in the war, and he has become a hero throughout the Arab and Muslim world.

    But yesterday's admission of a serious miscalculation reflects a need to shore up domestic support for Hezbollah and deflect criticism for starting the war, Israeli analysts said.

    "It means that [Sheik Nasrallah] needs to settle the score in the Lebanese domestic arena," said Oded Granot, the Middle East affairs commentator on Israel's public-run Channel 1 news station. "[He] needs to provide welfare for the residents of the south, and he needs to rehabilitate his standing."

[Paleo Conservative]

They mean they really didn't win it?

[osideplanner]

"We did not think................."

[Always Right]

We were just kidnapping some soldiers for possible beheading if our demands were not met. What is the big deal?

[txrangerette]

So, where are the two soldiers??

[mvpel]

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

More comments on that thought :

BBC: Nasrallah sorry for scale of war ~ ....WTF...He didn't know the Israels packed such a Punch?

[Smedley]

What everyone seems to be missing is WHY would Nasrallah make such an admission. I don't understand the dynamics of the area well enough to speculate, but remember that Hezballah was the group that spent half the war faking Israeli war crimes.

[Lucky9teen]

I wonder how much $$ Iran is paying them to say this?

[LIConFem]

Sheik Nasrallah to Israelis: Geez, you guys have no sense of humor!

[bwteim]

"We did not think, even 1 percent, that the capture would lead to a war at this time and of this magnitude."

What a moron. Touch a stove element that's on, and you get hurt. Only takes once to learn that.

[A message]

I would not have robbed that bank if I knew I was going to captured and put in jail.

The man these Hezbos and Palestinians look up to is AN IDIOT and A LIAR.

[Carling]

A smokescreen. Appear to be rational while at the same time restocking with weapons.

Hezbollah learned that they will have to hit Israel stronger next time. They also learned that the rest of the world will condemn Israel for any response.

A year or so of stockpiling arms should will give the Hezbos a better chance to do some real damage next time. They knew exactly what they were doing.

[Conservative Goddess]

I think the translation is: "They kicked our sorry backsides, but I'll declare victory nonetheless." Israel showed great restraint and respect for innocent human life....something Hezbollah will never understand. Perhaps Israel should have been a bit more ruthless....beheaded the snake once and for all.

[xzins]

The Sheik admits a mistake, Israel controls all air space, the Bakaa Valley air defenses are destroyed, other nations have to ask Israel for permission to fly into Lebanon, Israel blows up shipments from Syria to Lebanon, Hundreds of Hezbollah fighters are dead, military implacements are demolished, cities are rubble, and Little Green footballs has cut off some ReuterBalls.

And someone thinks that Hezbollah won this!

Hysterical!

ROTFLOL!

[reagan_fanatic]

In addition, Sheik Nasrallah said Hezbollah would not oppose the deployment of thousands of U.N. peacekeeping troops in southern Lebanon.

No surprise there, since UN troops couldn't inspire fear and respect in a Brownie troop, much less hizbollah.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

I hope al-Sadr in Baghdad is watching!

[CougarGA7]

This guy is full of crap.

He had just seen the results in Gaza when they took ONE soldier. Now he says he didn't know that Israel was going to attack them for taking two?

He is either a liar, or and idiot....I say both.

[TomGuy]

Nasrallah turns into John Kerry.

Film at 11.

[mylife]

reap your reward shiek nosehair