War in the middle east, why oh why?

Once I made a "Copy" and "Paste" with all the U.N. resolutions Israel is defying up to date. If I would list the U.N. resolutions disregarded by Israel on paper, I may need more than one page.
Of course, you can label them blunders and go ahead. But then don't cry if it happens for the U.N. to do something in your favor, and the others don't care.

P.S: I made "blunders" bold in your quote, even though there it was not bold.
P.P.S: The United States pays a disproportionate share of U.N. expenses. As long this happens, the politicians from Washington DC are perfectly justified to expect for U.N. to be their instrument. What Europe, Japan, Russia and China must do is to pay much more from U.N.'s expenses. As long this is not happening, they cannot blame too much America for trying to control the organization.

This post has been edited by Florin on August 16, 2006 12:52 pm

That's wrong, the lebanese see and know the influence of Syria and Iran, but they'd rather be the pawns of Syria&Iran than the pawns of US&Israel.

Let's not forget the war between Israel and Hezbollah was supposed to defeat Iran's armed militia and proxy in Lebanon. It didnt, and as you put it, Hezbollah remains a force.

The Israelis know they have no chance in defeating the muslim resistance and they try to bring international forces/pressure on them. We'll see if it works and if Hezbollah is somehow disarmed. I really doubt it.
Olmert & crew blew it so bad that there was an article in the israeli media asking if it wasnt time for the israelis to pack their bags and go away from the region.

Also this whole affair showed Ahmadinejad had a reason for smiling so much and making such bold statements.
Having said that, I am convinced Israel can bomb Syria and Iran to smithereens, but I dont know if they are so eager to do it now.

take care

A good analysis on the subject:

http://counterterrorismblog.org/2006/08/af..._winners_an.php

This link shows the serious divisions separating the Arab politicians in Lebanon:
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/CE8...BBA1336F513.htm

Sure doesn't look like it.


A Hezbollah fighter, who refused to be identified, watches in the outskirts of the southern village of Aitaroun, close to the town of Bint Jbeil, Wednesday Aug. 16, 2006. Top diplomats on Wednesday planned the dispatch of a 15,000-strong international force to south Lebanon, but the Lebanese government was divided over whether Hezbollah should lay down its arms or even withdraw them from the border with Israel. (AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari)

Hi Imperialist,

Hisbollah was very definitely defeated, but Israel had publicly set itself such a high standard for victory - the annihilation of Hisbollah's military threat to Israel - that when it fell short Hisbollah was able to present the past five weeks as an Israeli defeat to the uncritical Arab street. It wasn't. It was an Israeli failure largely on the political plane.

The problem is basically that Israel shot itself in the foot at the very start by publicly setting goals it was unlikely to be allowed to achieve due to international pressure.

Cheers,

Sid.

The only way to defeat Hizbollah would have been by decapitating its leadership (short term solution), weaken its political position in Lebanon (they are still member of gov., more people rallied around them) or weaken its military position (which Israel didnt). Israel was not defeated by Hezbollah, it lost politically, but neither did it defeat Hezbollah. I think it was a draw but in the context of Iran-Syria alliance and iranian nuclear ambitions, and their support for Hezbollah and Hamas and muslim resistance movements, this draw is a major defeat. Israel lost by not winning.

Hi Imp,

Of course Hisbollah was defeated militarily and it was only saved a heavier military defeat by Israeli stand-off tactics in the first 90% of the fighting, limited intelligence and international pressure. The problem was that Israel had publicly set itself the goal of annihilating Hisbollah's military capacity. This was definitely not achieved.

Israel's "defeat" is one of perception. It did not happen on the ground.

However, perceptions are very important. They are liable to encourage the Arab "Street" into unrealistic expectations. Already, according to today's Daily Telegraph, Asad in Syria is coming under popular pressure to try to confront Israel in the field. This is a dangerous illusion.

Cheers,

Sid.

It says:
"I'm not used to this."

Aren't these expectations just a product of the one-sided quality of Israeli victories in the past? I'm thinking of '67 most obviously, but also versus the Syrians in the Bekaa Valley, the later stages of the '73 War, and lower intensity operations like the Entebbe raid, assasination of PLO and Hamas leaders and so on.

Compared to those, Israeli military operations now have to be (1) totally one-sided, with the opponent dead or his military capabilities destroyed (2) very modest in Israeli casualties, and (3) very quick. Anything else is a "defeat", even if it is a victory by any reasonable standard.

I agree Hezbollah paid a heavy price, and caused many innocent parties to pay a heavy price too. But just by not being destroyed they "won". This seems to be one of those cases where perception creates reality.

This link is interesting enough to worth your time:
http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/15307645.htm

Aren't these expectations just a product of the one-sided quality of Israeli victories in the past? I'm thinking of '67 most obviously, but also versus the Syrians in the Bekaa Valley, the later stages of the '73 War, and lower intensity operations like the Entebbe raid, assasination of PLO and Hamas leaders and so on.

Compared to those, Israeli military operations now have to be (1) totally one-sided, with the opponent dead or his military capabilities destroyed (2) very modest in Israeli casualties, and (3) very quick. Anything else is a "defeat", even if it is a victory by any reasonable standard.

I agree Hezbollah paid a heavy price, and caused many innocent parties to pay a heavy price too. But just by not being destroyed they "won". This seems to be one of those cases where perception creates reality.

I agree. Hiz may have lost the battle, but "won" the war. But this is post modern warfare.....neat distinctions are nonexistent, definitions meaningless.

It's unclear how much of HB's infrastucture (an elaborate bunker system) remains intact; if it's at all like the rest of Southern Lebanon, probably not much.

But one thing is certain; their ability to rain rockets on Israel remained undiminished right up to the truce. If there is one, this is the victory.

The irony (an element never in short supply in the Mid East) is that the whole ability of HB to pull this off was enabled when Sharon, said by some to have little taste for further Lebanon adventures, took his eye off the ball. While he was busy building walls and dealing with intifada by relocating "settlers", HB was recruiting, digging and trucking in what must have been an incredible number of Katyushas.

shalom.

Hi Guys,

A new problem for Israel.

After all the French grandstanding, they are only sending a few hundred troops to the UN force in Southern Lebanon. As a result, the majority of those new troops so far promised to the UN are from Islamic countries that do not have dilpomatic relations with Israel. I can't see them being particularly even handed or particularly strict on Hisbollah.

Cheers,

Sid.

I just talked with an Israely citizen.
Asking about the cnflict (he and his family lives at the border town of Naharia) he said his son house was hit by debries from a rocket that distroyed the neighbor house...
HE also told me that the Hb are firing rochets from windows.The houses are habited other by people who has no other choice,or simpatizants.
Also the vehicals that has the rochet launcers ,have a driver,a crew of two and two small children.
The Israeli crewless spy planes are getting the info about the firing position,sending it to the hq and the place is bombed....
Then a scandal aboutcivilians being butchered.

You meen that HB parked their Katiusha launchers in houses ?