billmon's latest-- excellent-- "The Portmanteau Resolution...."

[mike_c]

Posted for scarletwoman, who cited it in this thread but asked me to post to GD: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2438740 Mods, move if appropriate, but this should be timely enough to meet at least the spirit of the GD requirements.

This is an excellent essay discussing the brand spanking new U.N. resolution crafted by the U.S. and French ambassadors, an unholy alliance if ever there was one :-).

Article link: http://billmon.org/archives/002638.html

An excerpt:

(snip)

An immediate ceasefire in place, without preconditions, is what the French and the rest of the world have been begging for since the war started, while Bush and his British butler have been holding out for a "comprehensive" or "lasting" ceasefire with many preconditions, including the disarming of Hezbollah and extension of Lebanese government authority and Lebanese army control to southern Lebanon.

The first part of the resolution contains none of these supposedly indispensable conditions. It appears to call quite clearly for an immediate cessation of hostilities on both sides -- although with slightly different phrasing applied to each. It's not clear to me whether this word play is simply a fig leaf to try to obscure the fact that the resolution essentially treats Hizbullah as a legitimate combatant, or whether it's some sort of loophole designed to allow the IDF to continue its "offensive operations" while the Israelis and the Cheney administration pretend that they've been halted.

(snip)

The unnamed spinner is, of course, correct: the resolution does not call for an "immediate cessation of violence," it calls for a "full cessation of hostilities based upon . . . the immediate cessation of . . . attacks offensive operations." I'll leave it to the UN resolution freaks to determine whether there is any material difference between the two. I suspect there is not, except in terms of Israel's wounded pride.

But words can only go so far to salve those wounds. Obviously, a ceasefire that leaves Hizbollah unbeaten and defiant after nearly a month of fighting would constitute an unprecedented defeat for the Jewish state -- particularly in light of the Olmert government's original Hizbullah delendo est rhetoric. And so the second part of the resolution -- the slimy part of "slithy" -- constitutes a bid to recoup at the United Nations what could not be won on the battlefield. It calls on Israel and "Lebanon" (Hizbullah is now neatly expunged from the picture) to support a "permanent" ceasefire and a "long-term solution"....

much more@link

[Kagemusha]

1. How about this for the Israeli response then.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/746632.html

Justice Minister Haim Ramon said Sunday, however, that despite the agreement on the draft UN resolution Israel will continue to attack Hezbollah militants.

Ramon said on Army Radio that the draft resolution was good for Israel, but the country still had military goals to meet.

"Even if it is passed, it is doubtful that Hezbollah will honor the resolution and halt its fire," Ramon said.

"Therefore we have to continue fighting, continue hitting anyone we can hit in Hezbollah, and I assume that as long as that goes on, Israel's standing, diplomatically and militarily, will improve."

[mike_c]

2. wow, rapid fire response!

:toast:

[Kagemusha]

7. I'm sure Billmon would say something along the lines of,

"So Haim Ramon's saying that this draft resolution is great for Israel, in that it allows Israel to keep fighting as long as it likes without needing to stop for anyone, knowing that Hezbollah isn't likely to stop shooting back until Israel stops shooting at it. I'm not sure this is as great for Israel as Ramon thinks, but this certainly confirms that the resolution was drafted with the continuation, not halt, of the conflict in mind."

At least that's how I'm seeing it. I just didn't feel like saying anything until I saw your post; I'd read the Ha'aretz thing maybe a half hour before. Anyway, hope it um, advances the conversation somewhat.

Billmon's been excellent. I say that as something of an analyst myself.

[Oversea Visitor]

3. Isreal has never given respect to UN resolution.

They have BIG BROTHER US there to take care of things.

[mike_c]

4. very true....

To our shame.

[Oversea Visitor]

5. Sadly you got more than that to worry about

I asked someone here

Does a bigger meaner guy has the right to march into you house beat the shit out of you and claim you house as his?
Would you if you can live to a million years stop fighting for what was rightful yours.
Would you ever stop fighting.

But the scary thing is the reality such mindset create.
US is going through such a reality.
MIGHT MAKE RIGHT.

[Baselinereality]

6. You Have Just Described at Least 600 Years of Civilization.

People have forever been storming native beaches telling them that your land is my land.

Israel's approach to Lebanon is not quite the same thing.

[Oversea Visitor]

9. Oh yes

and the pain it cause.
There are also period of peace of friendship of growth of trade.

The fact that it has happened before does not make such behaviour right.
We suppose to learn from History.
Hmmmm WAIT..... geee I see some people learn the bad part :rofl:

Oh well.

[Baselinereality]

10. I'm Not Sure What the Bad Part Is.

[Oversea Visitor]

11. The might is right part

:rofl:

Isreal has been fighting the people who wants their land back for long long time.
There is an easy road to peace just give back land they conquer.

Balfour issue is over and done with
Isreal is a reality all knows that
But they got to give back the land they occupied by conquest.

There is not going to be peace even if this goes on a million years.

It is as simple as that.
There is no more reason to fight or gain support.
Right now that is like a sore thumb in the muslim world.
What is so difficult.
However if might make right then go right on doing it.

Would think there will be peace if Germany Japan and Italy now occupied country after World War 2.
When you fighting the people> You got to win heart and mind.
You cannot use the army unless you chose to kill all the people.

[malaise]

12. UN Resolution 242

remains the key to peace in the ME.

Still billmon's article is pretty good except that there's nothing Machiavellian about wanting Israel off your soil. A full cessation of hostilities with ports and air links blocked by Israel makes little sense although I do support an immediate ceaes fire. The Israelis must go home.
add.

[mike_c]

8. someone be sure to kick this for the morning crowd on the east coast....

I'm off to bed. G'night DU. :hi: