41 Comments

1. Stephen_M:

From the time the first Israeli bomb fell on Beirut I’ve been hoping someone would do exactly this.

Greatly appreciated Roger.

Jul 26, 2006 - 2:46 am 2. David Thomson:

If nothing else, we are probably observing an example of the Stockholm Syndrome in play. Our Western journalists know that Israel will not target them for death. The Islamic nihilists would not hesitate to make sure an ìaccidentî occurred.

Jul 26, 2006 - 3:37 am 3. TedM:

CNN just carried an interview with a UN observer on the border. The US anchor posed the question, “Was Hizbollah using the UN outpost as
a shield?” The observer said that he could not
answer that question.
What on earth are these people observing? Why are
they still there in the midst of a battlfield?
Why couldn’this man state a simple yes or no answer to whether Hizbollah was using the
UN as a shield? That is the question which has to be asked over and over until we know the answer.

Jul 26, 2006 - 5:24 am 4. Ron:

Hizballah is getting its ticket punched pretty good, its payback time right now and I wouldn’t be surprised that this was the same UN outpost that was complicit in the kiddnapping and death of Israli soldiers. If UN soldiers took money to help in a kidnapping and murder they were probably being paid to be forward observers for Hizballah. The United Nations have proven themselves not to be a neutral entity in that area.

Jul 26, 2006 - 5:43 am 5. jedrury:

King Kofi?

A king without an army and without moral authority. His only power comes from the media and his insistence that countries act.

Last night, Anderson Cooper was railing on about Condi was vulnerable being outnumbered in Rome in these “peace talks.” Love that phrase. As if any participants have the metal to enforce anything but where their fancy Mercedes park.

Surely, Condi is outmanned, not ungunned; this whole Rome bit is so much froth. The Israelis are going to do what they want, the US will concur, Britain and/o France and/or Spain, etc. may complain but in the end Hezbollah will partially destroyed because the Israelis, the only realists on the world stage, want it.

Jul 26, 2006 - 5:46 am 6. Charlie (Colorado):

Nah, Condi’s just outnumbered.

She’s a better man than any of those myxomycotes.

Jul 26, 2006 - 7:28 am 7. In Vino Veritas:

Was the point made that, even if these civilians are Hizbollah supporters, they do not deserve to die for their allegiances. Isn’t this the rationale bin Laden has used to justify the murder of American civilians, since we elected Bush?

Curious whether children can also now be summarily executed for being “Hizbollah Supporters?” Why not, they’ll probably grow up to be terrorists anyway, right?

Jul 26, 2006 - 8:39 am 8. TedM:

from NRO

I Have a Useful Analysis of Kofi Annan’s Remarks [John Podhoretz]

He’s an anti-Semite who sucks up to Arab dictators and presides over an organization choking on its own immoral filth.
Posted at 10:27 AM

Jul 26, 2006 - 8:41 am 9. JK Ribera:

In a guerrilla army there is no difference between soldiers and civilians. These statistics are rubbish and propaganda.

Jul 26, 2006 - 9:04 am 10. Fausta:

Charlie,
Re: myxomycotes,
What have the lower fungi done to you?

Jul 26, 2006 - 9:26 am 11. jedrury:

This whole UN involvement is like a Hollywood production with bit players trying to get some face time for a part in the latest movie. Makeup, costumes, scripts, performances, action.

Javier Cercas writes in his wonderful “Soldiers of Salamis,” that civilizations survive on a squad of seven men fighting in the trenches for different reasons and unclear motives.

There are now a squad of seven young Jews fighting in the dusk of a hellish southern Lebanon hillside who will have more impact on the outcome than pompous words of Kofi Annan.

Jul 26, 2006 - 9:28 am 12. Kevin Peters:

IVV:
An answer to your absurd analogy. No, children of Hezbollah supporters should not be “summarily executed” because they will grow up to be Hezbollah soldiers. I find it curious that you use the rational that Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran, use to justify suicide bombers in Israel and try to dump it on to the IDF.
Those groups intentionally target civillians using your exact logic. Israel is not intentionally targetting civillians. If they were the death total would be in the tens of thousands. If that was their goal they have the weapons to do it.

Every civillian death is tragic. “But look, civillians are dying, Israel must stop!” Why are so many civillians dying and why are so many at risk? Reason no. 1- Hezbollah started this war by lobbing rockets into Israel over the last 6 years and finally two weeks ago starting a coordinated attacks of rockets, border crossing and kidnapping. Reason no. 2. They launch their rockets, store their rockets, and hide their leadership in the middle of civillian areas, thus holding the civillians hostage as Human shields. Some civillians are willing participants, some are not. But their is no way for Israel to tell the difference.Their leaders call for war and then use innocents as human shields saying “Yes, we will continue to fire at you and if you want to get to us you will have to kill grandma and her grandkids first because we will hide behind them and use their homes, hospitals, and mosques to launch our weapons from.

Hezbollah is a private Army that dragged the whole of Lebanon into war without the consent of the population as a whole. Their stated goals are an Islamo fascist Lebanon and the destruction of the state of Israel. This is an undeniable fact, it is both the written goals and the spoken goals of their leadership.Hezbollah backed the Syrian occupation even after they assasinated the leader of Lebanon. Israel is not perfect, but virtually every country in the world stated that Israel has the right to defend itself and theat Hezbollah started this war. How do you stop someone from launching rockets into your country without taking out the rocket launchers and the rockets? And if those items are being used in the midst of civillian areas how can it be done without the tragic loss of civillian life?

If Hezbollah would announce that they are stopping their offensive and released the two soldiers this war could stop tommorrow. But so far they have refused, in fact they have called for an escalation. The UNIFIL forces have been in Lebanon since 1982 and it has been the stated wish of the world community that Hezbollah be disarmed and incorporated into the Lebanese Army under the control of the entire Lebanese government, not just a minority that could decide the question of whether to go to war with Israel whenever it’s financers in Syria and Tehran told them too.

No civillian deserves to die. But as long as Hezbollah acts without the consent of the entire country of Lebanon they will be at risk. And if a large number of civilian deaths makes any war immoral then we were wrong to fight Hitler because during the execution of that war hundreds of thousands of civillians died. Should the world community have said ” You can’t continue to march to Berlin and remove Hitler from power, look at all the civillians you have killed, you must stop now until you can guarantee that no innocent civillians die”?

Jul 26, 2006 - 9:55 am 13. Sissy Willis:

I propose a UN Resolution that Kofi Annan withdraw from the international stage at once.

Jul 26, 2006 - 10:00 am 14. Bruce Wechsler:

Very well stated Kevin. I am eager to hear a response (be it rebuttal or partial capitulation on the point) from I V V.

I am reminded of the original “Dead Zone” movie with Christopher Walken.

In the climax of the film, the U.S. Presidential candidate (who Walken’s clairvoyant character could foresee would be a future nuclear Hitler) lifts a baby from a crowd of supporters to shield himself from an assassin’s bullets.

A photo of this shameful act, on the cover of newspapers, destroys his political ambitions immediately.

Why isn’t this the case when we the world sees Muslim Extremists do it? For a culture so supposedly hung up on dignity and humiliation-avoidance, this behavior is the epitome of cowardice.

Jul 26, 2006 - 10:24 am 15. In Vino Veritas:

Kevin, Israel is destroying Lebanon. There is no way to delicately spin that: a democratic country that, among Arab countries, has been the most friendly to Israel, is being systematically destroyed.

Israel has every right to engage and destroy Hizbollah, who are, conveniently, concentrated in southern Lebanon. However, for Israel to bomb Beirut, bomb neighborhoods that, according to Michael Totten, are vehemently anti-Hizbollah, to eliminate entire families, is beyond the pale.

Brzezinski has remarked that the bombing of Lebanon amounts to the IDF “killing hostages;” Israel, by killing Lebanese civilains, is essentially relying on intimidation of the Lebanese population, in the same way a terrorist group would kill hostages to intimidate.

You yourself say that “Hezbollah is a private Army that dragged the whole of Lebanon into war without the consent of the population as a whole.” Why, then, is Israel punishing the whole of Lebanon?

Jul 26, 2006 - 10:40 am 16. In Vino Veritas:

The full quote from Brzezinski:

Brzezinski stated: “I hate to say this but I will say it. I think what the Israelis are doing today for example in Lebanon is in effect, in effect — maybe not in intent — the killing of hostages. The killing of hostages.”

“Because when you kill 300 people, 400 people, who have nothing to do with the provocations Hezbollah staged, but you do it in effect deliberately by being indifferent to the scale of collateral damage, you’re killing hostages in the hope of intimidating those that you want to intimidate. And more likely than not you will not intimidate them. You’ll simply outrage them and make them into permanent enemies with the number of such enemies increasing.”

http://www.thewashingtonnote.com/archives/001559.php

Jul 26, 2006 - 10:43 am 17. Ron:

Maybe the next time this happens Lebanon will remember what happened the last time they let terrorists set up their rockets and training grounds and sent killers over the Israli border. The Arabs are taught in grade school to hate and kill the Jews, there will be peace when pigs can fly as long as this kind of teaching continues. As long as the Arabs want to kill the Jews, let them be aware of what will happen. Next time and there will be a next time, it will probably be a lot worse. One of these days the Arabs will do something that will cause the Jews to go crazy for about one minute and a couple of countries will disappear [they like to kill Jewish children, that would do it] Got to stop training your kiddies to blow up people for Allah so that you can get your 72 goodies. We need our Teachers Unions over there teaching diversity, love your neighbor and what the result of HATE talk will bring rather than how to pack little Hassan’s lunch box with Semex and ball bearings.

Jul 26, 2006 - 11:03 am 18. markus:

Kevin — your claim that the destruction and killing people, buildings, infrastructure is only collareral damage as a result of Hezbollah hiding amongst civilians is contradicted by the words of this retired Israeli general. The goal seems to be to inflict enough misery on non-Hezbollah Lebanese, in order to get them to turn against Hizbollah. In other words, restart the Lebanese civil war:

“According to retired Israeli army Col. Gal Luft, the goal of the campaign is to “create a rift between the Lebanese population and Hezbollah supporters.” The message to Lebanon’s elite, he said, is this: “If you want your air conditioning to work and if you want to be able to fly to Paris for shopping, you must pull your head out of the sand and take action toward shutting down Hezbollah-land.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/24/AR2006072400807.html

And THAT is why Lebanese hospitals have no electicity these days.

Jul 26, 2006 - 11:04 am 19. Steven Mitchell:

“Israel has every right to engage and destroy Hizbollah, who are, conveniently, concentrated in southern Lebanon…”

I’ll finish that thought for you: And who are, not so conveniently, being resupplied by their Syrian and Iranian masters through Beirut, with no opposition from the Lebanon government. *That* is why Beirut is catching it. I’m sure the Israeli’s would love for the Lebananese to truly isolate Hizbollah in convenient southern Lebanon, where Israel could pound them into sand. It’s not happening, despite your propaganda to the contrary.

Lebanon is either sovereign over the issue of Hizbollah or it isn’t. If it can’t stop the firing of rockets into Israel’s borders, then it will have to let Israel deal with the situation on Israel’s terms. Nonsense about hospitals without power is just carrying water for terrorists–no matter how you dress it up otherwise.

Hint: The Lebanese government is free to ask for aid in ridding itself of terrorists, from anyone it chooses. It need not do the whole job itself. Can’t do that, because of internal problems? Then they aren’t sovereign, and can take their lumps.

Jul 26, 2006 - 11:13 am 20. Terrye:

Hey, the lefties are not on the right side. Haven’t you guys heard? The Democrats are frothing at the mouth because alMaliki said that the Israeli bombing of Lebanon should stop. They said that showed a lack of solidarity with terrorist fighting people everywhere. Seems you guys got the wrong talking points. Hard to keep it all straight when the only thing you care about is knee jerk politcs and since Bush is on Israel’s side all good antiwar types have to be on Hezbellah’s.

Too bad Kofi did not make sure Resolution 1559 was carried out, if it had been Hezbellah would be disarmed and none of this would have happened. But that would have meant fighting and it is much easier to sit back and judge isn’t it?

And Israel is not destroying Lebanon. That is hysterical and over the top rhetoric and I am tired of hearing it.

Jul 26, 2006 - 11:29 am 21. Terrye:

BTW quoting Brzenski is sheer comedy. Really, it was people like him who looked the other way for years and hoped these people would go away. They refused to deal with the problem in its infancy and instead passed it on like a festering cancer to the next crew of diplomats. And now we are here, with Hezbellah hiding behind women and children and people like IVV assuming that Israel has to just take this stuff forever because fighting back and eliminating the threat means that the women and children Hezbellah put in harms way might die.

In other words you are encouraging Hezbellah to continue hiding behind women and children. You are rewarding them for getting innocent people killed. Hypocrites.

Jul 26, 2006 - 11:37 am 22. ExRat:

Kofi Annan is indeed dreadful, but if I recall correctly, the US supported his appointment as UN Secretary General because we thought he was head and shoulders better than the other contender(s) for the job. It is a sad commentary on the UN as an organization that Kofi Annan is the fairest and most competent candidate that its members can agree upon.

Jul 26, 2006 - 11:40 am 23. Kevin Peters:

Markus:
If Hezbollah hadn’t decided, on their own, to start this war with Israel, none of this misery would have happened. Does this mean that Israel was should have ignored the rocket attacks and done nothing? This is a fact. Hezbollah started this conflict. Hezbollah, if it wished, could end it by stopping the rocket attacks and giving up the two soldiers.

Jul 26, 2006 - 12:17 pm 24. Josh:

I’m very confused with all this talk about Hezbollah holding Lebanon hostage.

Yes, there’s a good percentage of Lebanese that would like to simply play nice and get on with their business. But there’s also a large, and possibly majority, percentage of Lebanese who tacitly, if not actively, support Hezbollah. Hezbollah didn’t exactly stockpile weapons and advisors via Iran in Syria through Lebanese borders, sea, and air ports under the darkness of night when nobody was looking… And somebody, a whole lot of somebodies in fact, elected these guys to 20% of the seats in parliament not to mention cabinet positions in the actual government.

I understand that the actual attack came from Hezbollah’s own militia and not the armed forces of Lebanon who are supposed to have a monopoly on force, but at what point does tacit, active, and electoral support add up to make Hezbollah’s actions more than just a hijacking?

Jul 26, 2006 - 1:13 pm 25. jedrury:

Brzezinski, Holbrooke, Albright Sandy Berger. All the leading lights of multilateralism in a long ago age in a world far far away.

Recall those dreamy hopeful Clintonian days of Camp David, Wye Island and Dayton [why Dayton?]. The big guy hugging that greasy Arafat. The search for peace in those days was so… enthusiastic. All a dream now.

George Bush and his vulcans brought to us a new age post 9/11. While Condi may feign a certain consultation in Rome, black boots, toothy smiles; it’s all facade because the Texan and his eminence grise’, the mad shooter of Wyoming, are back here in the big house on Pennsylvania Avenue, and they are connected to Olmert and all the realists of Israel.

Meanwhile, Brzezinski, Holbrooke, Albright are calling Jim Lehrer to get a shot on Newshour
while Sandy Berger is hoisting up his underwear, looking for that last page of dark Clinton secrets, wondering if the DC Bar is going to pull his ticket.

Ahh, the changes in the world are so satisfying sometimes.

Jul 26, 2006 - 1:41 pm 26. Terrye:

Josh:

Hezbellah is like the KKK, they insinuated themselves into Lebanese society by providing services for many of the people who live there. The international community knew this and decided they would let Hezbellah continue to survive because as long as they were taking care of the people, people like Kofi Anan did not have to. Hezbellah has a reputation for being honest, which is more than can be said for most of the political class. It is pretty damn sad when terrorists get better reviews for honesty than the UN or the governments of the region do.

That is why the people put up with them, because they feel they need them. In fact in some parts of southern Lebanon Hezbellah controls the utilities. Israel has said that they know they can not destroy them, they just want to disarm them. I think even they understand that the organization is so entrenched in the communities of southern Lebanon that removing it entirely might be impossible.

Jul 26, 2006 - 1:46 pm 27. Bruce Wechsler:

Per CNN.com: “Annan said that future dialogue should involve Tehran and Damascus.”

Do you think the Sickinterror General will think of involving Israel in those, or will they remain uninvited? If not, it is strong evidence (as if any more was needed) that Kofi does not think Israel has an obligation to bear bombings without response and that Iran and Syria have a right to arm terrorists.

Israel should stand firm on its rejecting any multinational force form the UN.

I don’t know how he sleeps at night.

Jul 26, 2006 - 2:08 pm 28. Bruce Wechsler:

SOrry. 2nd paragrpah: Meant to say “Kofi does not think Israel has an obligation” [instead of "Kofi thinks Israel has an obligation"]

Jul 26, 2006 - 2:10 pm 29. ras:

Why hasn’t Kofi withdrawn the UNIFIL personnel, since they are clearly in danger and are accomplishing nothing, at least nothing that Kofi is willing to admit to?

Sounds like’s deliberately keeping them there as human shields.

Jul 26, 2006 - 2:37 pm 30. Charlie (Colorado):

Fausta, I’ll have you know that the myxomycotes are some of my favorites. I had an M. crustacea as a pet when I was a kid.

It was a little hard to figure out when it wanted to go for a walk, though.

Jul 26, 2006 - 4:21 pm 31. Charlie (Colorado):

Israel has every right to engage and destroy Hizbollah, who are, conveniently, concentrated in southern Lebanon. However, for Israel to bomb Beirut, bomb neighborhoods that, according to Michael Totten, are vehemently anti-Hizbollah, to eliminate entire families, is beyond the pale.

IVV, Hizb’allah is Lebanon, or at least a dominate force in its government. If Israel’s aim was to mash random Lebanese, they could do a much better job of it, much faster.

Some Germans we’re supporters of the government in WWII, either.

Jul 26, 2006 - 4:29 pm 32. Charlie (Colorado):

Goddamit.

“Some Germans weren’t supporters….”

Jul 26, 2006 - 4:29 pm 33. Charlie (Colorado):

And THAT is why Lebanese hospitals have no electicity these days.

Actually, hospitals usually have generators. If Lebanese hospitals don’t have elecxtricity, it’s because someone screwed up.

It is however why Hizb’allah HQ in Beirut doesn’t have electricity.

Jul 26, 2006 - 4:32 pm 34. dougf:

Civilian Deaths.

The era when there is a differentiation between ‘civilian’ and ‘military’ is perhaps rapidly drawing to a close. Groups like Al-Queda and Hezbollah are its pallbearers. Sooner or later they will drag everyone down to their level. They won’t stop coming and yet they must be stopped.

The ‘rules’ were the product of a particular Nation State environment. The product of ‘enlightened self-interest , dressed up as ‘morality’. The new TERROR is making these ‘rules’ a quaint relic of a golden past.

If you literally can’t tell the armed enemy from his surroundings, cannot engage in a mano-a-mano war of attrition with that enemy(and we all know that we can’t), but you also can’t allow that enemy to emerge victorious, your options are remarkably few. If you can’t win ‘hearts and minds’, then what is your sole remaining technique, especially when you are relying on technology’ to win the day? Technology can’t draw ‘fine’ ethical distinctions.

Unless this new scourge is brought to heel by a concerted world effort( insert snide comment here), there will come a time when the ‘old methods’ of dealing with these issues become ‘new ‘ again.

And you can legitimately say that these methods are not ‘right’; what you can’t say is that they are not effective.

Jul 26, 2006 - 4:40 pm 35. Kevin Peters:

Markus:

Hezbollah controls the southern section of Beirut. Some of the assorted journalists have been given tours by Hezbollah reps in Beirut, and they noted that Hezbollah security details were present. The bulk of Hezbollah is in southern Beirut but they also are prersent in the city and there leaders are there also. They are also part of the Lebanese parliment. Once again, none of this would have happened if Hezbollah hadn’t started this war. They started it. If they were so concerned about the innocent civilians they would stop shelling Israel and they would give up the two soldiers. The war would stop, the innocent deaths would stop. Hezbollah wants this war, they don’t give a rats a** about their fellow countryme, they don’t want an independent Lebanon unless they have minority control. Thats why they protested for Syrian control after the assasination. It is an awful situation but Israel can’t be expected to accept shelling of it’s country by Hezbollah and just sit and take it. Hezbollah started this war, and even though they have no chance of defeating Israel they want to continue it. This is the same group of people who bombed the Jewish senior center in South America. Death and destruction is what they want to achieve there goals. Israel had to choose between their citizens or Lebanese citizens. They have done what most countries do, they protect their own. They had to attack Hezbollah and Hezbollah has put the innocents in harms way.

Jul 26, 2006 - 5:01 pm 36. tioedong:

the news story I’m waiting to break is the “chemical weapons”. At least two stories were noted on Pajama media, but although the charges remain the same, the descriptions are wrong for mustard or nerve gas but I guess they realized it because now they’r claiming phosphorus…the story has changed several times, and now there are photos…
Well, sorry but the photos look like people are exposed to severe heat…for example, if you are upstairs when the heat from a fire downstairs goes up, and you die but no flames.
There are even descriptions of “shrunken bodies” in the doc’s description… sounds like Vonnegut’s description of people dead in bunkers in Slaughterhouse five.
Someone at PM needs to find a forensic doc to write on this.

Jul 26, 2006 - 11:41 pm 37. markus:

Kevin — You bring up uncontested points that every fairminded observer completely agrees with: Hezbollah started this war, Hezbollah could end it if they wanted to (by surrendering!), Israel has a right to defend itself against rocket attacks and kidnapping.

You bring them up in order to avoid responding to the charge that Israel, in addition to attacking Hezbollah targets, is also attacking non-Hezbollah targets, and parts of the national infrastructure needed by all Lebanese. (like Beirut’s Christian TV station!) And they are doing this in order to try to turn the Lebanese people, and the extremely weak Lebanese army, against the Hezbollah militia, which just happens to be the best Arab army in the whole region. And that this is at best a stupid, stupid, stupid tactical move.

Jul 27, 2006 - 7:45 am 38. ray_g:

While I’ll agree that the civilians in these countries don’t “deserve” to die, quite honestly I have become indifferent to their fate. For too long the alleged moderates in the Middle East have, either through direct support or simple acquiescence, allowed these rogue elements to become established and grow in their midst. That has consequences. I am also weary of the arguments that they support people like Hezbollah or Hamas because these groups provide security or services. Hey, I can get some pretty neat things from the devil, for the right price.

Long established traditions of warfare hold that if you attempt to use civilians as shields, you are morally responsible for their deaths, not your opponent. Hezbollah and their supporters are 100% responsible for what is happening.

“…attacking..parts of the national infrastructure needed by all Lebanese….try to turn the Lebanese people, and the extremely weak Lebanese army, against the Hezbollah militia…stupid tactical move.”

I think it is a smart an necessary strategic move. The message is that if you are going to allow this cancer to grow in your country, then it is going to hurt when someone cuts it out. And the message should be heeded by the entire Middle East, not just Lebanon.

To paraphrase General Sherman about damage caused by his march to the sea – war is brutality, and there is no way around that – so if you want the destruction to stop then stop the war. And yes, I mean that HB should surrender, unconditionally.

Jul 27, 2006 - 9:01 am 39. Kevin Peters:

Markus:
OK, tactics. If Lebanon is to weak to disarm Hezbollah, if the U.N. can’t or won’t disarm Hezbollah, and if the rest of the world won’t disarm Hezbollah, who should? Or should Israel just accept the fact that Hezbollah is going to be the defacto rulers of Lebanon, as far as war goes, and just accept the fact that they will get shelled at Hezbollah’s wim.

Hezbollah wants to be able to continue their low grade war on Israel. Shell Israel every month or so, occassionally cross the border for a suicide bombing or a soldier snatch, ignore the wishes of the U.N. to join the entire state of Lebanon and not act as an agent of Syria and Iran. Yes, there would be no war as long as Israel accepts the fact that outside countries host private militias that state their goal is the destruction of Israel and carry on a constant hit and run battle that has no end in sight.

Israel can’t seperate the fact that either through weakness or indifference Lebanon has allowed Hezbollah to take over their foreign policy and their capacity to wage war or peace. Hezbollah is waging war from Lebanon and in the midst of Lebanon. And not just in the south. Hezbollah operates out of Beirut, contrary to the press meme that Hezbollah is only waging war from the south. They control and operate out of parts of Beirut, there is the Hezbolllah controlled sections of Beirut.

The Taliban was host to Al Queda and allowed Al Queda to operate all over the land. No one bought their excuse that they didn’t share responsibility for the 9-11 attacks.They didn’t perform that foul act but they allowed it to happen and gave sanctuary to the perpatrators. But if Israel sets up a situation where they say we will only atttack Hezbollah as long as they are seperate from any non Hezbollah Lebanese guess what Hezbollah will do and has done. They will set their rocket launchers right next to U.N. outposts nad Hospitals, Mosques, and civillian neighborhoods, thus making them impervious to attack. They will be able to launch their rockets, Israel will just have to sit back and take it.

Hezbollah has been using this form of low grade war for 6 years and planned to keep it up indefinetly. Were they planning to invade Israel soon? No. Were they planning to continue shelling and the occasional border crossing when the mood hit them ? Yes. No country allows continues shelling of it’s land forever. And Israel has been warning about the missle buildup by Hezbollah in Lebanon and the rocket attacks for years. And nothing was being done about it. And Lebanon, sadly, was going to reap the whirlwind. You can’t allow a rogue army to operate in your country and not expect blowback. Ask the Taliban.

Jul 27, 2006 - 9:17 am 40. ray_g:

Thought experiment: If radical groups in Tijuana were firing rockets into San Diego, also kidnapping Border Patrol agents, and the Mexican government was unwilling or unable to do anything about it, what should the U.S. government do? What do you think it would do?

Jul 27, 2006 - 9:46 am 41. Gary Rosen:

Yes, let’s just let “markus”, the greatest military strategist since Clausewitz, decide what the best course of action is for the IDF. Besides, he’s such a friend of Jews and Israel, you know.

Jul 27, 2006 - 11:46 pm

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