It’s hard to count the myriad ways in which Richard Cohen just doesn’t get it. Disproportionality is indeed the correct way for Israel to create deterrence. But that isn’t the criticism. The criticism is that Israel just started a fight they cannot win. Now they are saying they will occupy a zone of Lebanon until some international group shows up to take over. Good luck. I have my doubts that any international force will be showing up any time soon. You should have thought of that before you overreacted. Now you have Lebanon: Take Two. Yglesias nails it.
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BooMan
Martin Longman a contributing editor at the Washington Monthly. He is also the founder of Booman Tribune and Progress Pond. He has a degree in philosophy from Western Michigan University.
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TEL AVIV (Haaretz) July 19 — Sagi agrees that Operation Accountability did not lead to any strategic change in the sector, but he argues that the operation did succeed in institutionalizing ties with Hezbollah for years. “Today the decision-makers think they know everything,” he says. “They live in the illusion that Israel can continue attacking as much as it wants, and that nothing will happen in the world. We are approaching the point of fully utilizing military might.”
Sagi is furious about Chief of Staff Dan Halutz‘s remarks on the need to “extract a price” from Hezbollah. He suggests that whoever wants to extract a price be aware that such a policy will also extract a price from Israel. Halutz’s call to “force” the government of Lebanon to “impose its sovereignty all the way to the border” also seems to him a little delusional, so long as such a move does not have political and moral support from the international community and from Arab countries, first and foremost among them Egypt and Saudi Arabia, as well as willingness on the part of Syria not to disturb the process.
Yossi Beilin Criticizes U.S. for Not Negotiating with Syria
(IsraelNN.com) MK Yossi Beilin , head of the radical left-wing Meretz-Yahad party, criticized the U.S. for its unwillingness to negotiate with Syria.
● Haaretz — Now is the time to investigate ◊ by Reuven Pedatzur
≈ Cross-posted from my diary —
Saudi King Abdullah: “… no other option but WAR.” ≈
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."▼ ▼ ▼ MY DIARY
Wayn Madsen Report
Israel using chemical delivery weapons in Lebanon. Fuse and chemical canister can be clearly seen in photo of Israel Defense Force personnel in Lebanon. Drawing of chemical weapon is from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
Odds on that they will declare a “security zone” (always on someone else’s land), not allow anyone to return (sound familiar?) and then lay claim to all the water that the people who used to live there used to use. If there’s some good farm land to be had they’ll expand some settlements over the border (no sense in letting “abandoned” land go to waste, eh?), and in another 20 years they’ll need to expand the “security zone” to protect those settlers from the folks they have evicted and won’t allow back. It’s all about “entitlement”, and greed.
The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior . . .
Israel doesnt just want S. Lebanon’s water it needs it.
I think that, for many who want to support Israel, the tipping point will be, the rocket hole through the middle of the red cross on the ambulance. Folks who can’t handle all the ins and outs of near eastern politics, can understand deliberate targeting of ambulances.
Or the deliberate targeting of UNIFIL Peacekeepers today, killing four. See the comments in this thread. They even targeted the rescue team trying to clear out the rubble. Fucking incredible.
Victims are from Austria, Canada, China and Finland. Murdered while trying to help others. Bless their souls.
Stephen Harper has been vigorously supporting Isreal on the same wave-length as George Bush. The Israeli-friendly newspapers (Globe and Mail and Izzy Asper’s conglomerate) are strongly for; but the French press in Quebec is strongly against, and I would guess a large part of the old English Trudeau constituency is strongly against. On the first or second day of bombing seven Canadian citizens from Montreal (we know the pharmacist) were killed by Israeli bombs. This latest death is not going to make it much easier for the Conservative government.
I’ve noticed that Conservatives everywhere (Holland, Denmark, Spain, Italy, and presently Germany) support Bush. France is the outlier, but that is because the Gaullists were always somewhat anti-American.
Back to point. Expect a sea-change in Canada.
From your lips to Gods ear.
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traveling with Rice, told reporters that a cease-fire cannot be reached overnight.
WASHINGTON D.C. (ABC/AP) July 26 — Another senior administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity about international forces that might be imposed in south Lebanon, said such troops would not “shoot their way in,” suggesting the fighting would have to be quelled first.
Welch called the Rome meeting a collection of “responsible voices that want to come together to help Lebanon.”
Welch noted that “the U.S. led the way” in an international humanitarian assistance campaign by offering $30 million in aid to Lebanon, which will come mostly in goods such as blankets and sheets.
Saudi Arabia pledged $1.5 billion in aid earlier.
“I would expect that there will be other such pledges forthcoming,” Welch said. “It is important that these voices be there and be gathered for this purpose because if you look at what the outcome of this crisis will be, it is going to be a stronger Lebanon where its freedoms are preserved and strengthened.”
[Bold face and links are mine – Oui]
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."▼ ▼ ▼ MY DIARY
I can not for the life of me understand….today, wed 26, 2006, while watching c-span, I hear both rep and dem reps from our house in congress uphold and defend israel. they still do not understand the reality, or is it us that is with our eyes closed. the more i hear from many, i am severely disturbed by this kind of rhetoric from our reps. they do not have any clarity for they are wearing blinders, just like the rest of our government. i hear rice give her ideas on how we can just sit by and let this mess continue. what is really goin on?! is there simply something we can do? i really feel so helpless. to think we still 2 and a half years left of this administration and if the dems win, will things really change? not from i am hearing off cspan this morning. this is really sickening.
What in hell does the Bush Regime want out of the Middle east?
Ted Bohne
I accuse you !
Tsilli Goldenberg,
Israeli citizen, Axis of Logic
Did you know?
Gabriele Zamparini