Frightening: was it really "just" a militia?

[Takeda Shingen]

Originally Posted by Yahoshua

Yes...this is a disastrous defeat for Israel.

What should've happened was a SWARM of infantry and armor to attack Hizbullah. To hammer them into the ground until they have nothing left to fight with. Damn the opinion of the U.N. and France and all the rest. Their opinions are about as strong as their will to retain their own society: Worthless.

Olmert is lefty, and he either needs to be taken out of office, or buried in a discreet place. Israel will be back in Lebanon. It may be a few months, a couple years or 10 years from now, but she will be going back. And it may be much more painful the next time.

Rant over.

Correct. For Israel to claim victory, it had to destroy Hizbullah. It did not, and could not given the excecution of the offensive. What has happened is that the IDF has lost some of it's luster in the eyes of the Islamists. They will return, enboldened and in greater numbers.

[Yahoshua]

"Dig your foxholes.......it'll be our graves." -unknown

[XabbaRus]

Lack of time to prepare as far as aI ma aware from varous sources Israel had planned this attack for about a year now and were waiting for a trigger to go in.

Thing is Hizzbullah have won the PR battle, who has moved in to start rebuilding houses, schools and hospitals? The Lebanes govt? The UN? no Hizbullah, so people are now singing their praises so hizbullah get stronger along with their Iranian and Syrian backers.

I think France has been dispicable in only promising 200 troops. The UK can't afford to provide any and wouldn't be welcome anyway. The euro forces do have the ability to get into Lebanon quickly, it's not like it's that far away. I also think it is daft that Malaysia and Indonesia have even been considered since they don't recognise Israel as a state. This is an opportunity for Germany, France and other euro govts whose troops aren't stuck in other places to take some leadership and sort out the situation.

What a FUBAR.

[Skybird]

I cannot be angry at any nation not embarking on this UN mission. Also, I think a majority of Europeans is against this madness, too, and at least in democracies governments shouldn't work against the will of their people - although that has become a bad habit. Several polls in Germany showed that between 60 and 80 percent of Germans are against any form of participation at all, even when it is about navy units only. Only less than 10% believe that that mission eventually could produce something good. I cannot imagine that it is much different in other Westeuropean countries. I cannot criticise the French: they once were there, and got burned badly and had major casualties, all for nothing. They probably remember quite well what kind of madhous the ME and especially Lebanon is. Since madman Annan already has ruled that these troops should only act as moving targets that are forbidden to use military force, all this is irresponsible madness. The best scenario is that the war will continue overhead of the the UN soldiers. The worst scenario is that Hezbollah will eat them up.

[scandium]

France is getting nailed to the wall over this in the international media, and even in their own domestic media. Some American papers are especially vitriolic in their criticism, this fanning the flames over French 'obstructionism' during the attempt to get a 2nd resolution on Iraq, and on this I am with the critics.

France brokered this peace, offered to lead it, said it would take 15,000 men, and now they offer up 200. Pathetic.

[Skybird]

they shouldn't have made promises, and shouldn't have supported the brokering of that resolution. In so far I agree. It is a result of their traditional anti-anglosaxon and anti-Israel, pro-Lebanese attitude.