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New You severely underestimate Hezbollah's goals.
The question is whether the goals of the military action are justified.

The goals of the present conflict are for Hezbollah to shoot as many rockets as possible into populated city centers to kill as many civilians as possible; and for Israel to uproot the terrorist infrastructure, missile launching pads and the terrorists themselves by using intelligence gathering and precise bombing.


Hezbollah's goals aren't to kill as many civilians as possible. In thinking so, you're painting yourself into a corner.

Hezbollah has several goals in the present conflict:

1) Force Israel to negotiate the [link|http://www.voanews.com/english/2006-07-17-voa15.cfm|release of prisoners]. Their public posture is that Israel has refused to negotiate the release of Lebanese prisoners, so they "have no choice".

2) Steal some of the press attention back from Hamaas.

3) Open a 2nd front on Israel.

4) Take pressure off Iran about its nuclear activities, and force the US to directly negotiate with Iran.

5) Demonstrate that the US must deal with Syria for there to be any stability around Israel.

6) Goad Israel into over-reacting to strengthen Hezbollah's position with the Lebanese Shia population, and thus in Lebanon, while simultaneously causing international opinion to again turn against Israel. If Israel attacks severely, it shows that Hezbollah needs arms to defend Lebanon. If they don't, it shows that Nasrallah is a great leader who can stand up to Israel. Either way, Nasrallah wins.

If you only see Hezbollah as a group of bloodthirsty terrorists who want to murder Israelis, then you'll never choose to act in ways that further Israel's long-term interests. Separate the goals from the tactics. You've got to understand their goals even while you condemn their tactics and even while you argue against them achieving their goals.

Few disagree that Israel has the right to kill those people who are attacking it, and everyone understands that Hezbollah is operating from civilian areas. Few are arguing that if Hezbollah sends 10 missiles into Haifa, then Israel should only send 10 missiles back. That's not what people mean when they talk about proportional response.

The problem is that Israel seems to feel that dropping leaflets and saying "we're sorry, but it's their fault" when Lebanese (or [link|http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/story.html?id=6d361bec-134b-4993-99ca-5addb300c450|Canadians] are killed or, when [link|http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20060720.MIDEASTLLEBAN20/TPStory/TPInternational/Africa/| a UN compound is shelled] is sufficient. It's not. Many of us recognize that Israel is in a bad situation, but only Israel chooses the targets that it attacks. Saying that Israel is only attacking Hezbollah or "strategic" targets just excuses every mistake on the IDF's part. Bombing highway bridges and airports isn't going to stop rockets from hitting Haifa. It punishes civilians - the people that must ultimately be on your side for there to be peace - while doing nothing to affect the capabilities of the small bands who are firing the rockets.

Flattening southern Lebanon isn't going to get rid of Hezbollah nor get Israel back its soldiers. Israel needs to adjust its tactics and recognize that the IDF and IAF aren't the be-all and end-all of its future security. It can no-longer expect peace simply by defeating an enemy.

It's not 1967.

What happened to the IDF of [link|http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/july/4/newsid_2786000/2786967.stm|Entebbe]?

Cheers,
Scott.
New You are right about Hezbollah goals
Many in Israel are still scarred from the last time Israel sent ground trips into Lebanon (1982), just like the US for many years was scarred by Vietnam. This means that Israel is very reluctant to commit ground troops. Therefore, the reliance on air power.

The problem with what you are suggesting is that the international community has consistently dissapointed Israel. In 1967 U Thant pulled out the UN troops in the Sinai paving the way to the 6 day war, a few years ago, UN troops in Lebanon stood by and watched as Hezbollah kidnapped 3 Israeli soldiers. Relying on anyone else to guarantee Israel's security is a very dangerous and losing proposition.
     Isreal forces move into Lebanon - (JayMehaffey) - (84)
         this action was predicted a week ago - (boxley)
         Re: Isreal forces move into Lebanon - (systems) - (81)
             And how does this make al-Jazeera less biased? - (admin) - (20)
                 Umm, Lives in Egypt, is a Sunni, has shown incredible - (broomberg)
                 Does this really matter? - (systems) - (5)
                     CNN is not the most popular news channel in the US. - (Another Scott) - (1)
                         Fox bias is much worse! -NT - (ChrisR)
                     No, you are biased. - (admin)
                     I enjoy your posts although I may disagree with you - (boxley) - (1)
                         Sure there can - (jake123)
                 FWIW, I'd be more inclined to think that CNN is biased... - (ben_tilly) - (12)
                     That's not what I asked. -NT - (admin) - (8)
                         Then adjust what I said - (ben_tilly) - (7)
                             Not to be cynical... - (hnick) - (6)
                                 ICLRPD. (new thread) - (Another Scott)
                                 I agree with that - (ben_tilly) - (4)
                                     Even NPR? -NT - (broomberg) - (3)
                                         Pick up Armed Madhouse - (ben_tilly) - (2)
                                             Find a Pacifica radio station. -NT - (Another Scott) - (1)
                                                 Point -NT - (ben_tilly)
                     CNN says Israel is fighting a 2 front war - (andread) - (2)
                         you mean they are shooting rockets at themselves? - (boxley)
                         Really? - (Arkadiy)
             I know some Israelis who... - (andread)
             Hezbollah was hitting Israel with rockets starting Wed - (Arkadiy) - (55)
                 Problems with that - (drewk) - (2)
                     Real chem/bio weapons are really bad - (Arkadiy) - (1)
                         They are as deadly as nukes - (ben_tilly)
                 How would Israel know when they won? - (Another Scott) - (3)
                     Re: How would Israel know when they won? - (Arkadiy) - (2)
                         War on Hesbollah - (ChrisR) - (1)
                             Now that I had a few days to - (Arkadiy)
                 If there can be no winner? - (ChrisR) - (45)
                     Israel's aim is the following - (bluke) - (2)
                         Messages via force are rather hard to control - (ChrisR)
                         Won't work - (broomberg)
                     This is exactly why standard approach is misguided - (bluke) - (41)
                         I agree with the assessment of the problem. - (ChrisR) - (38)
                             What would you suggest? - (bluke) - (29)
                                 Disagree. - (Another Scott) - (28)
                                     You have to understand the reasons here - (bluke) - (27)
                                         They're hardly comparable situations. - (Another Scott) - (26)
                                             In addition, - (bepatient) - (2)
                                                 Re: In addition, - (bluke)
                                                 No thats not the fact - (bepatient)
                                             That is easy for you to say - (bluke) - (22)
                                                 Where are people actually dying from this? - (jake123) - (21)
                                                     so no deaths in Israel, whatju smokin? -NT - (boxley) - (10)
                                                         Look at the numbers - (jake123) - (9)
                                                             Parallels - (drewk)
                                                             not saying they are doing the right thing but ignoring the - (boxley)
                                                             The answer is very simple - (bluke) - (6)
                                                                 Re: The answer is very simple - (jake123) - (5)
                                                                     Are you prepared to commit suicide? - (bluke) - (4)
                                                                         No, when did I say that? - (jake123) - (3)
                                                                             When they did not exist? - (bluke) - (2)
                                                                                 A whole bunch of people in Lebanon that didn't care before - (jake123) - (1)
                                                                                     Jake...relax. - (Simon_Jester)
                                                     Are you blind deaf and dumb? - (bluke) - (9)
                                                         How many civilians has Israel killed in the last fifty years - (jake123) - (8)
                                                             how many civilians has Canada killed in the last 50 years - (boxley) - (3)
                                                                 Nice red herring box - (jake123) - (2)
                                                                     April 28th 2006 is HISTORY? WTF - (boxley) - (1)
                                                                         Not resolving here - (jake123)
                                                             What does that have to do with anything? - (bluke) - (2)
                                                                 You severely underestimate Hezbollah's goals. - (Another Scott) - (1)
                                                                     You are right about Hezbollah goals - (bluke)
                                                             Proportion and number of civilian deaths - (bluke)
                             Israel must be allowed to defend itself.... - (Simon_Jester) - (7)
                                 What are you trying to say? - (bluke) - (6)
                                     Please do not define - (Simon_Jester) - (2)
                                         You can say that about half the countries in the world - (bluke) - (1)
                                             Great, we're in agreement. -NT - (Simon_Jester)
                                     Here's a theory for you - (ben_tilly) - (2)
                                         you been reading harryharrison again? Pyrrus comes to mind -NT - (boxley) - (1)
                                             Nope, Greg Palast's Armed Madhouse. Recommended. - (ben_tilly)
                         Step 1 would be to stop undermining them - (JayMehaffey) - (1)
                             Not really - (bluke)
                 Re: Hezbollah was hitting Israel with rockets starting Wed - (systems) - (1)
                     Hard to say where the detailed truth lies. - (hnick)
             Note that CNN is currently showing... - (admin) - (2)
                 not with a favorable caption, I wot. -NT - (bepatient) - (1)
                     Favorable to whom? - (admin)
         Victory process, not peace process, needed in Middle East - (bluke)

No pea soup happening, I hope.
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