It seems there is no reasonable way to regard the "status quo ante" as "tenable," if an entire country -- Lebanon -- can be seized as hostage by a filthy, murderous gang of mutts with extraordinarily depraved and evil ideas. And from the "invested country," then to go on to conduct attacks on its sovereign neighbors. NIMBY!!!
My heart goes out to the Lebanese people; but they are (figuratively sppeaking) host to a metastasizing cancer that threatens the very life of the human race, writ large. Hostages, and host: Pray for the innocents among them, and I imagine that to be the majority of the people of this multi-ethnic society. I read or heard today that some 40 percent of the population is Shia Islam; but there are Sunnis there, and Christians, and Copts, et. al.
Hisb'Allah is, of course, Shia Islam; and thus is in bed with Iran of course. What is more difficult to understand is why Baby Assad of Syria, who is a Sunni in a Sunni nation, would jump on-board the Teheran Train.
The Shia constitute a minority of the population in Lebanon, yet hold a couple dozen seats in the Lebanese parliament, and two cabinet ministries. And even though the United Nations has demanded that the Lebanese government disarm and disband Hisbollah, the official government is toothless to do so. Which is why Hisbollah gets away with conducting a foreign policy independent of Lebanon's.
Indeed, marron, what is critically needed here is a redrawn reality "on the ground" that rejects such manifest evil, one that respects basic human dignity....
And appeasement -- in any shape or form, large or small -- does not take us to that goal. To the enemy, any act of appeasement at all is interpreted as a confession of weakness.
Forget "diplomacy." It obviously doesn't work. You cannot "reason" with these depraved, bloody-minded people. All you can do is stop them from killing. Which usually means you have to kill them first. Welcome to WWIII.
May God bless Israel and stand beside her in her desperate hour; and may He succor the hapless victims of innocent Lebanon; and bless the people of the United States of America, especially our CIC, George Bush.
Thank you, dear marron, for your brilliant analysis.
Maranatha Jesus..