[BGB] OK who do you think won the Israeli/Hezbollah skirmish?

[tballou at comcast.net]

This has been a big issue in the news, curious what you guys think.


Sadly, I think Hezbollah can claim victory, the Cease-fire and Peace keeping forces will not weaken their position, if anything they will strenghten it.

It seems the Lebanese Army have made a public statement that they will not actively disarm the Hezbollah.  The French seem to be pushing the UN to allow them to do such, but I doubt that they really want to try it.

Now Hezbollah is taking the PR initiatiave to rebuild and provide relief to the people in southern Lebanon (at the expense of Iran).  The Lebanese government, can do little, so they fill the vacuum, and gain more status as a "State within a State".  Seemingly people of Lebanon and the Arab world are "forgetting" Hezbollah started this whole mess.

What will get interesting, is if they start to try to rebuild the bunkers and hardened  positions the Israelis took out.  What will the Peace keepers do?  If they don't try to stop them, then soon I suspect Hezbollah will begin re-arming.

I doubt the any of the Peace keeping force will be willing to start an open confrontation with Hezbollah.

Losers are clearly the people of Lebanon.

A draw at best for Israeli.

Of course I could be wrong.

--Tom

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"To announce that there must be no criticism of the president,
 or that we are to stand by the president, right or wrong, is
 not only unpatriotic, and servile, but is morally treasonable
 to the American public."

--Theodore Roosevelt

"Never drive a car when you're dead."

--Tom Waits "Telephone Call From Istanbul"

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