Analysis: For Israel, the conflict in Lebanon is a must-win situation

[barb162]

Last update - 10:27 27/07/2006


Analysis: For Israel, the conflict in Lebanon is a must-win situation

By Ze'ev Schiff

While we analyze the individual battles and the stages of this campaign, we must not forget the most important aspect of this war: Hezbollah and what this terrorist organization symbolizes must be destroyed at any price. This is the only option that Israel has. We cannot afford a situation of strategic parity between Israel and Hezbollah. If Hezbollah does not experience defeat in this war, this will spell the end of Israeli deterrence against its enemies.

We did not choose this war, but we have reached a strategic crossroad. Following two weeks of fighting, Israel has still not achieved its main goals on the battlefield. The talks about a political solution are still in their early stages. At the same time, Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah has issued a declaration from his lair that he intends to move on to the stage that includes launching long-range rockets at Israeli towns south of Haifa.

Hezbollah seeks to step up the war of attrition against civilian targets so that Israel will accept a vague cease-fire that will serve as a stepping stone for future attacks on Israel. Such a cease-fire should not be accepted.

Iran is known to be demanding that Syria increase its support for Hezbollah in order to enable it to better resist the pressure from the Israel Defense Forces. Just as the United States would like Israel to defeat Hezbollah, Iran does not want the organization destroyed and is doing everything in its power to prevent this. This shows that the military struggle has still not reached its peak, nor have the diplomatic efforts.
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http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/743169.html

[BillZBubb]

1. Propaganda with a "P"

Israel has already lost, they just don't know it yet. They started this war with an unachievable stated goal. They will never reach anything like that, so they lose. And yes, Israel DID CHOOSE THIS WAR. They didn't have to escalate to the point they have. They did it on purpose.

Israel has made a huge strategic blunder. Hezbollah will come back stronger than before with wider support in the region.

[barb162]

4. Hez chose to start this war

Israel decided to defend itself.

[BillZBubb]

7. Israel started the war. Israel attacked an innocent nation.

Hezbollah provided the pretext.

[furman]

16. Islamic terrorists started the war. Israel escalated it.

Israel is fighting for its survival.

Israel do not bomb things for fun. They are not a nation of aggressive warmongers.
Israel would like peace more than anything else, but it is impossible given the current situation with Hezbollah and countries sponsoring these murderous terrorist organizations.

The government of Lebanon is far from innocent. They have been harboring the Hezbollah militia for years.
Even though Hezbollah has a minority representation in their government, I don't believe their militia is sanctioned by the central government.

It is a tragedy what damage Israel has done to civilian families and infrastructure.
The IDF has probably made several mistakes that have cost lives.
However, it is a war for the survival of Israel.
War is ugly, and never goes according to plan.

Perhaps if Hezbollah located their weapons stores and bunkers outside of urban areas, there would be less collateral damage.

I don't see many other countries helping to eradicate real Islamic terrorism like Hezbollah and Hamas.
UN Resolution 1559 called for Hezbollah to be disarmed. Obviously that has not happened.
So Israel is going at it alone.

Shalom.

[mogster]

15. What happened to the soldier hostage release?

That was the pretext for the renewed hostilities.

[bemildred]

2. Olmert and Halutz need a bigger war.

Nasrallah is doing everything he can to egg them on. So is that moron in Iran. But Israel does not need a bigger war.

[barb162]

5. agreed, but don't you mean they don't need a bigger war

[bemildred]

9. I think peace would be nice.

I know there is this problem with Hizbullah, but you'll have better luck with diplomacy, negotiations, and some more friends on your side. Trying to disarm Hizbullah is going to cost you more than it's worth, and nobody else is in a position to attempt it (besides the IDF).

It's really too late though, nobody can back down now, it's going to get pretty ugly, I think, and nobody knows where it goes.

[barb162]

13. I agree with almost everything you are mentioning

Hez won't likely lay down its arms. They will just keep attacking and what can one do when hez is attacking with a 100+ rockets a day? Yes, the cost will be enormous

[movonne]

3. It is all about the oil pipeline...thats what it is all about...

[barb162]

6. It's about being attacked and self defense

[BillZBubb]

8. No, it's all about smashing an innocent country.

Israel could have dealt with Hezbollah in a number of ways that didn't require laying waste to Lebanon. There was no "self defense" in bombing Beirut.

[barb162]

10. Incorrect; it's about going after hez

Is hez not in Beirut?

[BillZBubb]

11. Bullshit: How many Hezbollah were at the Beirut airport?

How many Hezbollah were on the Beirut bridges? How many Hezbollah at the UN compound? How many Hezbollah in the apartment complexes bombed? How many Hezbollah at the factories and warehouses hit?

You Israeli apologists can't see the truth right in front of your faces. Pathetic. You should be ashamed.

[barb162]

12. One of the first things an army usually does in war is to try

to cut communications, transport, supply, etc. of the enemy. The enemy, for example, doesn't have to stand on a bridge in full dress uniform; the enemy just has to use the bridge. If you read one of my other threads, you would see that the UN observer mentioned to his commanders that hez were "running around" the post.

SO what's your opinion of the Hez rockets hitting just any ol place in Israel.

And to paraphrase yours:You hez apologists can't see the truth in front of your faces. Pathetic. You should be ashamed.

[BillZBubb]

18. LIAR!

I have never 'apologized' for Hezbollah. I know what they are. You are a liar.

You make every excuse in the world for Israel's brutality and criminality. "Oh it's just war.." What a crock of immoral baloney. You should be ashamed. I am proud of my consistency and correctness. You are pathetic.

[madeline_con]

14. This is a continuation of 50 years of conflict.

It did not start 2 weeks ago.

Hezbollah is fighting Israel, and those who are against her are happy they're doing it. They don't care that it's backed by this one and that one.

Hezbollah has tremendous support in the region. Israel knows this. This is not the six day war...

[pelsar]

17. not every one supports hezballa...

like the saudis, jordanians, egyptians, many lebanese, etc...in fact most of the region does not support them......

lots in euope do..but they dont live under hizballalas facist militia style governement either in s.lebanon or in beruit...so what do they care.