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"Israel must go at least 10 miles deep in South Lebanon and temporary occupies these Hizballah strongholds until and international force will arrive to make a buffer zone all the way to the Litani river. If they do not do this, then Hizballah will be viewed as victorious, and they will be emboldened one million time and the situation will be much worse than before the war started."

Israel's blockade of Lebanon by land, air, and sea is quite effective (that's why Hezbollah wanted the 3 day "humanitarian" ceasefire that never happened).

In the meantime, Israel has killed Islamic Jihad bigwigs in the West Bank, Hamas bigwigs in Gaza, and appears to be raiding and shelling Hezbollah in Lebanon at will.

This is quite clever. Hezbollah is being blocked in, killed in place, and taunted/provoked to mount their own offensive...with all of the above alternatives equaling death and humiliation for them.

It is also a *cautious* strategy. Israel clearly believes that Hezbollah has some sort of lethal surprise weapon. By proceeding as outlined above, however, Israel risks very few troops to such a surprise weapon...while devastating Hezbollah (and Islamic Jihad/Hamas) as time passes.

This strategy also serves to test the Islamic Street...can "Radical Islam" continue to supply the old levels of suicide volunteers to Iraq/Afghanistan as well as ramp up against Israel?

Should "Radical Islam" fail this test, they will lose face across the globe for generations.

Southack

I am not optimistic as you are my fellow freeper. I am listening to many Arab media and gaging the feeling of Arabs and Lebanese, they really believe that Hizballah already won this war because Israel did not even occupy Bint Jbeil and Maroon Al Ras, they withdrew from both towns. ISRAEL MUST OCCUPY Hizballah strongholds for short period of time, until an international force arrive, else Israel will be viewed as defeated.

I'm sorry, that was yesterday's strategy - and it would have worked if Olmert and his government and the US administration had stood by Bolton's statement: "You can't negotiate a ceasefire with a terror group". (I think he really phrased it as a question.)

From what we heard about the latest meeting between Olmert and Rice it seems almost inevitable that there will be a stop to the Israeli actions within a few days.

Just as Jveritas wrote, Hezbollah will be, and is already, seen as the winner with all what that will entail for the Middle East and the world in general.

At the moment the only thing that is between us and a huge loss in WOT is the Hezbollah themselves. However, I think they are smarter operators than the Palis. They will fire as many rockets as they possibly can the few coming days, and then when the Lebanese government "asks" them they will stop. And then they will have won a huge victory - Lebanon will be theirs for the taking.

I have written a post on my thoughts regarding the wider consequences of this turn of events (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1674150/posts?page=399#399). What I didn't mention was the consequences for Israel.

What we are about to witness is the "Ghettoization" of Israel. With a multinational force on the Lebanese border Israel will no longer be allowed to defend itself against an existential threat. The same will happen in the West Bank and Gaza.

Israel will be forced back to the "suicide borders" of 1967 - and won't even have the possibility to strike back against incursions, for fear of ending up in a military conflict with countries that should have been her allies. Sooner or later there will be a backlash against the Olmert government in Israel, but his policies may then have left whatever new government is formed with a losing hand.

'...can "Radical Islam" continue to supply the old levels of suicide volunteers to Iraq/Afghanistan as well as ramp up against Israel? Should "Radical Islam" fail this test, they will lose face across the globe for generations.'

To the first, the question; in quantity, probably yes, in quality (if that word applies) probably not. In the MSM and world opinion the second part will be ignored.
To your second, the conclusion; not at all, because they will as always create their very own 'real' history entirely apart from reality and the same MSM and world opinion will pick it up happily.

The only way to 'win' is to smash them flat, roll over the carcass, and explain (trying, or course, not to hurt their feelings - too much) to Lebanon that it will contain hezbolah or it will see this happen again and again as needed.

PS: If there is a role here for NATO or some not-the-UN force, it is on the Lebanon - Syria border and not the Lebanon-Israel border.

See Southack's analysis at 34 on this thread.

Zec 12:6 In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem.

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