Israel is winning
Winning Lebanese opinion is not an objective. It would be nice if Lebanon liked Israel, but it isn’t something that Israel needs to survive. In fact, it would probably be so expensive that it would not be worth having. Israel has written Lebanon off as an ally. They have had 15 years as a “democracy” and six years of cease-fire to do something. In that time they have done nothing. There can be no more waiting.
Update: Ayup.
August 2nd, 2006 at 6:36 pm
If Lebanon were interested in sovereignty and peace, they would join their military with Israel’s to drive Hezbollah out of Lebanon. They would reclaim their nation and established civilized relations with a nation that has treated them far more sympathetically and morally than all the so-called friendly muslim nations and organizations.
That they don’t do this, suggests that peace and sovereignty are not the Lebanese definitions of success or dignity. That they have willingly permitted their nation to be a base of military operations against a nation at peace marks all the death and destruction in Lebanon for their own account.