Posted on 09/06/2006 5:22:31 AM PDT by Dark Skies
There is the possibility that some of the Likud renegades in Kadima, rueing the day on which they decided to throw in their lot with that ill-starred political creation, will return to the ranks of the Likud. And that some of the Labor rejects, now eating humble pie, will be mercifully accepted into the ranks of Labor. And that a politically reshuffled Knesset will bring down the Olmert government and vote confidence in a new prime minister and his government. Or else, perish the thought, new elections. This political uncertainty is painful to contemplate at a time when Israel faces a most serious crisis, which is the direct result of the Olmert government's handing Hezbollah a victory in Lebanon. Voices, silent for many years, are being heard in the Arab world that Hezbollah has now again demonstrated that it is possible to defeat Israel by the use of force. It is a relatively short distance between this conviction and aggressive action against Israel. Some advocates of the Olmert government already argue that just because of the approaching danger, the Olmert government should remain in power so that it will manage the coming crisis without wasting any time. That would be a grave error. Israel can certainly not afford another mistake like the mismanaged Lebanon war.
(Excerpt) Read more at haaretz.com ...
So when is the Olmert government going to fall?
Don't think the Hezzies realize what they did.
The Israeli press is worse than our liberal media when it comes to doom and gloom as well as a defeatist attitude. Hizballah did not win the war against Israel, and the mere thing that they were not totally annihilated does not mean that they won and Israel lost. In fact the Israel war against Hizballah and the IDF very damaging blow to Hizballah was able to change the situation in South Lebanon to favor Israel much more than Hizballah.
If Natanyahu believes that Israel did not win against Hizballah, is he going to re-start the war to finish the job?! Or is he going to wait for Hizballah to attack again and then he will act? The Israelis should not give Hizballah another propaganda victory by bringing down the Olmert government when in reality Hizballah was defeated in the last war.
I don't think a shift toward a more hawkish government is a victory for the Hezzies. Furthermore, I don't think Israel should make decisions that are in any way based on Hezzie perception.
You're right in that the Israeli's and their press are very "self-analytical" (I believe this is a strength)...but note that the author of this piece is Moshe Arens, not just some ordinary journalistic Cassandra.
If this happens, i.e. Olmert government falls Hizballah will definitely claim another propaganda victory since they will say “because Israel was defeated that is why Olmert government fell”.
Defeated? I'm not sure. Failed? For sure.
Unlike Hezbollah Israel has to fight a war with world opinion hanging over it's head.When it comes to the world media and many governments Hezbollah,Hamas or any other terrorist group will get a pass while Israel won't.Whenever Israel takes military action,whoever is in charge at the time is most likely going to come out of the action looking bad.Unfortunately it's just the way things are !!!
You badly misunderstood what I said. I have been saying for a while now that Israel won the war against Hizballah despite all the rhetoric of fake victories by Hizballah which are herald by a stupid media and swallowed by knee jerk reactionaries in Israel and the West. The statement you quoted is what Hizballah will be saying if Olmert government falls. It will be very stupid for the Israelis to bring down the Olmert government at this time and handle Hizballah another propaganda victory.
Israel faces three pockets of evil on its borders: Syria/Lebanon, the West Bank, and Gaza. IMO, what Israel should have done is to recognize the Hezbollah action as an act of war on the part of Syria and treat it that way.
As far as Iran goes, by taking out these pockets, they are denying Iran a proximate base of operations with port facilities. Iran would then have to act through Gaza (blockade), the West Bank (no way), or directly from over Iraq, which ain't happening with us there. The only thing Iran would have left is long range missiles. By denying them nukes and with adequate missile defense, such a war on Iran's part would be fruitless.
It's time that Israel recognized the implications of the existential threat it faces. Israel will never have security without defeating its enemies. It's time for them to prepare for all-out war, particularly mentally, for as the attitudes in the nation run now, they're going to get run over.
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2006israelwar or WOT
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Did I not predict this?
Olmart is toast. Expect Bibi back by the end of the year.
They(Israel) didn't accomplish their aims. Sure, they hurt the terrorist, they hurt Lebannon, but they quit before the job was done, just as we quit before the job was done in Vietnam, even though we won that war we are percieved as having lost and Israel is percieved as having lost because they left hezbollah living and their soldiers still captive.
Olmert and his crew should be ousted and soon. Not a soldier in the Israeli army will want to fight for this guy knowing they will be left hanging when the chips are down.
Are you volunteering? You are another knee jerk reactionary who fell into Hizballah propaganda of fake victory. Shame!
When the Intifadah 2 ocurred and Barak lost to PM Sharon, the Palestinians did not rejoice that they had won.
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