Posted on 08/14/2006 5:52:35 AM PDT by libstripper
TEL AVIV, Israel — With a cease-fire appearing to unravel even before it begins, Israel is facing a protracted war under a divided government.
At the insistence of the government's political opposition and other parties, plans are already under way to launch a formal inquiry in the Knesset into what went wrong in what many here are calling the worst defeat in Israel's history.
The inquiry also will explore a further indignity: how the Jewish state has come for the first time to agree to negotiate the relinquishment of land, the Shebaa Farms, in direct response to a deliberate act of military aggression.
(Excerpt) Read more at nysun.com ...
Let this be a lesson for the American liberals.
There is only one way to fight a war, and that is to win with the least amount of damage to self.
Limited wars do not work.
If the supplies for the war are coming from another country , that country is fair game.
(Go Israel, Go! Slap 'Em Down Hezbullies.)
explore a further indignity: how the Jewish state has come for the first time to agree to negotiate the relinquishment of land...
How about:....this is what you can expect with liberal appeasers in charge. The IDF's response to the hezzbos was a relative disgrace. Moshe Dyan is turning over in his grave...and Netenyahau, I bet, is so pissed that he can't see straight.
We can all hope that Israel gets its act together......Pres Bush and Condi get out of the way and tells the U.N. to take a flying f%&*K at a rolling donught......and, of course, we know that the hezzbos will do what we know they cannot keep from doing....shooting at Israel.
Which Liberal Administration, that is fighting wars in Afghanistan and Iraq for several years, ran to the UN after one month and raised its hand forcing a cease fire on a Democracy fighting the most powerful band of terrorists on Earth?
I think I know...
American politics are great.
One guy proposes a "Global Test".
One guy ridicules a "Global Test".
Whoever you vote for, you still get "Global Test" foreign policy.
And the guy who ridiculed the idea gets the big white house and fancy plane.
I am starting to get the same feeling.
We need Colin back so that Bush can ignore him and listen to Rummy more.
Bush overestimated Condi Rice ... she may have a impressive academic record but she's way in over her head in this situation. Madeline Albright, before her, was much the same way ... this is a mans job, especially in this part of the world. Someone of Henry Kissinger's status is needed.
I don't think we forced it on them. They want it more than we do. Of course, all sides probably are content to make it seem they had it forced on them.
The lesson that ought to be learned though has nothing to do with that. It is that politicians should not be making military decisions. The liberals are the worst offenders in that category.
Olmert made the mistake of overruling his generals when they proposed to invade Lebanon on the ground in the early days of the war. Ultimately, he relented, but by then the damage had been done.
While I'm also inclined to say that Israel was too timid in pursuing victory, I haven't seen anything indication that Israel is negotiating for the Shebaa Farms.
I've seen demands by others that they do so, but I haven't seen anything from Israel that they are willing to do so.
This article has it's own share of negative spin, and is presuming a lot.
Hezbollah's "victory", if there is one, is symbolic. They are claiming success, even though they gained nothing. They claim success just because they were not utterly crushed.
Articles like this one risk affirming Hezbollah's PR victory. However, not making harsh comments about Israel's failing to pursue victory in this conflict risks making even worse mistakes in the future.
I don't think Israel has lost this yet. I am not encouraged by this cease-fire agreement which ends the large scale fighting, but really accomplishes nothing. The second resolution is where Israel will win or lose.
The first resolution leaves me with the impression that Israel is not in a strong position for getting what they want out of the second resolution, nor does add to my confidence that a strong resolution against Hezbollah would be enforced.
However, a political victory is what Israel was aiming towards, and it's the second resolution that might be able to give them the foundation for that victory, so it's still premature to admit defeat.
In terms of the military conflict, Hezbollah lost this battle. However, even though the fighting has paused, the situation that created the battle still remains.
I also would have to say that there is a good chance that the war is not yet over. If Israel gets what it wants in the second resolution, Hezbollah will renew the fight, they have no other option.
If the UN caves to Hezbollah, and Israel gives in as well, then Israel will have lost.
Rather than just placing blame, I think we would all be better served by encouraging Israel's leadership not to accept a weak resolution, and to not give ANYTHING to Hezbollah.
Hezbollah is going to claim victory regardless, even if they are disarmed in Lebanon, they will claim victory saying that Israel was unable to destroy them.
However, if the lose their ability to operate freely in Lebanon, they will have suffered a serious and obvious loss.
Israel still has hopes of gaining that victory.
If that doesn't happen, their only other option is to go into Syria, and possibly Iraq which they are trying hard to avoid.
While I believe they have to do that, I sure wouldn't want to be the person who has to make that choice.
I wholeheartedly agree. Olmert handicapped the IDF with his indecisive leadership. The ever-changing limits he placed on the IDF tied its hands, dampened its morale, and robbed it of a certain victory. Now the enemies of Israel are emboldened by his weakness.
And the top military brass needs to be retired.
If all of the above is true of Olmert, then punishing the IDF general staff for the failures of its civilian political leadership is misguided. The IDF had a detailed OpPlan for this contingency, and had recently war-gamed that plan. But the timid Olmert refused to allow the IDF to implement the best military option. Now we know why Olmert fired MajGen Udi Adam -- the general lashed out at Prime Minister Chamberlain for tying his hands and hamstringing his forces.
Instaed of driving a stake in the hearts of that cesspool of a UN, Bush helped lend it credibilty
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