Monday, July 17, 2006

No, No, No, No, No, No, ...

I need to stop banging my head on a wall long enough to write a post. This news story from the AP is, short of Israelis calling off their Lebanon offensive, the worst possible thing that could happen. Why on earth would Israel possibly consider letting Hezbollah survive? So they can get back to planning more attacks, receiving more and longer range rockets from Iran and Syria, and waiting for the most opportune time to hit Israel again (like after the Labor Party of Perez and Barak is in charge)? Oh of course, the Lebanese Army will have to deploy to the border according to the deal. I hope Olmert is planning on giving them free lawn chairs and lemonade so they can at least be comfortable while they watch Hezbollah launch rockets into Israel because that’s all they will be able to do.

If Israel calls off her offensive without destroying Hezbollah, there will be no stopping them in Lebanon. They would have taken on the mighty Israeli Defense Forces and won; a feat no one else in the world can lay claim to. What are the odds a typical Lebanese soldier will be willing to take on Hezbollah after that? What will happen to Hezbollah’s popularity in Lebanon after they defeat Israel (which is what not destroying Hezbollah will be)? How much higher will it go above that after Hezbollah rushes money and workers around to rebuild the destruction Israel is causing? We have seen how much more trouble Hamas is now that it’s the government of Gaza and not just a faction. How can Olmert expect that Hezbollah, after it rides its popularity and show of strength to dominance in Lebanon, will not become every bit as bigger a problem as Hamas has? This time the Israelis can deal with only Hezbollah, next time they will have to deal with all of Lebanon.

This is also very bad as regards the democracies’ ability to deal with foreign threats. Hezbollah isn’t even a possible future threat; they are a threat here and now to Israel. If Israel, the toughest of all the democracies, quits this quickly after a raid into her own territory kills 8 soldiers with 2 kidnapped, after one of her missile corvettes is hit by a missile, after hundreds of rockets rain down on her civilians, then this portends very bad things for the free world. The Jews are the canary in the mine shaft, and the canary is not is not predicting very good things for us right now. From history I know why free societies are like this, but still, why do we have to keep waiting for problems to require millions or tens of millions of deaths before we will deal with them? Aren't we smarter than that? I really hope this is just a deception campaign so the ground invasion gains some level of surprise, but just in case it isn't I'm going back to banging my head on a wall.

5 comments:

  1. The Lebanese had the decency to not attake civilians but individuals who participate in war. Killing PEOPLE like you and me is WRONG and it does not take care of the situation. i agree that Isreal should fight for their soldiers but their strategy is lacking in moral and integrity.

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  2. Yes indeed Hezbollah attacked an Israeli army patrol inside Israel, which is a casus belli for Israel against the country whose territory hosted the attackers (in this case Lebanon). Hezbollah does not have the "decency" to only attack military targets, they've rocketed Israeli villages before. Unfortunately for the Lebanese people their civilian assets are also used by Hezbollah which means they must be destroyed to prevent their usage by Hezbollah during the operation to destroy them. I wish that this was a matter that Lebanon could deal with itself, but the Lebanese government either won't or can't deal with Hezbollah so Israel must do it for them. As for morality, it can be argued either way since Israel could be preventing another bloody 15 year civil war in Lebanon by destroying Hezbollah now. Also, unlike Hezbollah Israel doesn't purposely target civilians, but in war mistakes are made.

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  3. What is it that defines an "Innocent bystander"?
    Is it just the absence of a gun? They way i see it a ballot is just as deadly. I guess i'm just tired of legitamite governments wallowing in guilt and self-loathing. Freedom comes at a price. And if civilians don't want to die in the cross-fire they need to stand up to their governments. Maybe i'm overreacting but I feel like a lot of good people have spilled alot of blood to protect alot of unappreciative people!

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  4. Love the comments...good thoughts on the events.

    --Lance

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  5. That reminds of what they keep saying about the Palestianians, they could deal with Hamas, but only by a civil war so they don't. Then everyone complains because Israel responds to Hamas terror attacks. If the Palestinians don't want a war with Israel then fight a war between themselves and destroy Hamas so they won't attack Israel and bring them in. With Hamas gone they can build a functioning society that isn't always at ar with someone. Also, thanks Lance.

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