Poland criticises Russian military chief's missile warning
Posted on Monday, December 17, 2007 at 8:34am
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has criticised the chief of Russian army staff for his warning that a possible US anti-missile fire from Poland could provoke a Russian counterattack. Full Story
Nigerian oilfield militants urge unity
Posted on Monday, December 17, 2007 at 8:35am
Nigeria's main militant group on Monday urged all armed factions in the restive southern oil heartland to join together and cripple Africa's biggest petroleum industry. Full Story
Red Cross says volunteer abducted, slain in Sri Lanka
Posted on Monday, December 17, 2007 at 8:43am
A Sri Lanka Red Cross volunteer has been abducted and murdered in the island's army-held northern Jaffna peninsula, the relief agency said on Monday, the latest in a spree of aid worker killings amid renewed civil war. Full Story
Thailand's PPP set to win sizable votes in upcoming elections
Posted on Monday, December 17, 2007 at 8:49am
Thailand's People Power Party (PPP) looks poised to capture a sizable chunk of the votes in the kingdom's first general elections since the military coup in September 2006. The PPP is Thailand's newest political party, and its campaign rallies are attracting large crowds of working class Thais. Full Story
Malaysia drops attempted murder charges against 31 ethnic Indians
Posted on Monday, December 17, 2007 at 9:11am
Malaysian prosecutors dropped attempted murder charges against 31 ethnic Indians on Monday, a move likely to soothe the minority Indians who are chafing over complaints of racial discrimination in this Muslim-majority country. Prosecutors said all charges are being abandoned against five of the ethnic Indians. Prosecutors also dropped an attempted murder charge, punishable by 20 years in prison, against the remaining 26. Full Story
Putin says he'll be prime minister
Posted on Monday, December 17, 2007 at 10:08am
President Vladimir Putin told a congress of Russia's dominant party Monday that he would agree to become prime minister if Dmitry Medvedev is elected as his successor and said he would not seek to make the premiership more powerful. Full Story
Military Matters: Recreating Iraq
Posted on Monday, December 17, 2007 at 10:10am
Recent U.S. tactical successes in Iraq, especially the reduction in violence in Anbar province and in Baghdad, have led some people to assume that we are now "winning the war." However, for any tactical successes to add up to a win, they must be operationalized. Full Story
India and Vietnam announce measures to boost defence cooperation
Posted on Monday, December 17, 2007 at 10:20am
The Defence Minister AK Antony, who is on a three day visit to Vietnam, announced at the meeting with his counterpart General Phung Quang Thanh in Hanoi today that India will transfer 5000 naval spares belonging to Petya class of ship to Vietnam to make many of the ageing ships operational. Full Story
With an assist from Moscow, Islam flourishes
Posted on Monday, December 17, 2007 at 10:23am
Barred by the Soviets for decades from carrying out Islam's most sacred rite, such pilgrims were among the tens of thousands of Russian Muslims traveling to Saudi Arabia to join the masses in Mecca for the annual pilgrimage, or hajj, to one of Islam's holiest sites. Full Story
US orders review of mission in Afghanistan: report
Posted on Monday, December 17, 2007 at 10:25am
President George W. Bush's administration has launched an elaborate review of the US mission in Afghanistan amid fears Taliban and Al-Qaeda forces are gaining ground, the New York Times reported. Full Story
Protesters, police clash in Pakistan capital
Posted on Monday, December 17, 2007 at 10:35am
Pakistani police used batons and fired tear gas in a clash with protesters who hurled rocks and bricks at them in the capital Islamabad on Monday, AFP journalists on the scene said. Full Story
Lebanon presidential vote postponed to Dec. 22
Posted on Monday, December 17, 2007 at 11:30am
A Lebanese presidential election scheduled for Monday was postponed until Dec. 22, the parliament speaker said, delaying the vote for the ninth time. The U.S.-backed governing coalition and opposition supported by Syria have agreed on army chief General Michel Suleiman as the next president but have yet to conclude a broader political deal that will allow the election in parliament to go ahead.
"Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri decided to postpone the election which was supposed to be held today to elect a Lebanese president to 12 pm (1000 GMT) on Saturday", said a statement read on the speaker's behalf. Berri, a leading opposition figure, had earlier held talks with rival leaders at the chamber. Full Story
On the Sidelines in Basra: British Tackle a New Role
Posted on Monday, December 17, 2007 at 11:31am
The British soldiers spent more than an hour drilling the Iraqi army recruits in how to use key equipment needed to defend Basra from deadly mobs: body-size shields and menacing red batons.
"This is how you protect the city!" barked Sgt. George Parker, a gruff 34-year-old from Edinburgh, Scotland, as the Iraqis surveyed the shiny hardware the British were lending them for the training session last month. "We're not there anymore, so you need to learn how to use your weapons to defend yourselves." But there was one problem. Iraqi facilities had none of the riot gear the British assumed they did, according to the recruits' commanding officer, Lt. Kareem Hussein Tuwene.
"Don't they know we have nothing?" he said, speaking through a British military interpreter. "If they would leave the camp, they would see we have just a helmet and rifle. That's it." Full Story
Israel 'rules out' attacks by Syria, Hizbullah
Posted on Monday, December 17, 2007 at 11:32am
Israel's Aman military intelligence does not think Syria or Lebanon's Hizbullah will carry out a large-scale offensive against Israel in 2008, an Israeli daily said on Sunday. Aman said Israel had regained its so-called force of dissuasion during last year's 34-day war with Hizbullah, launched by the Jewish state after a deadly cross-border raid in July in which two Israeli troops were captured.
It also believes Israel demonstrated its ability to strike in the north, an allusion to a raid in Syria on September 6 in which Israeli warplanes bombed what media reports have said were possible nuclear targets deep within Syrian territory.
In Gaza, Hamas forces "have organized like a veritable army into battalions and regiments" with the aim of inflicting the maximum casualties on Israel should it launch a wide-scale offensive in the territory, the report said. The Aman report was cited by the mass-selling Yediot Ahronot daily. - AFP
Egyptian police arrest 7 after Christian shops burned
Posted on Monday, December 17, 2007 at 11:35am
Police arrested at least seven Egyptian Muslims after a riot in the southern city of Isna on Sunday that left at least 13 Christian-owned shops smashed up or burned and a church front damaged, security sources said. They said a car and a motorcycle owned by Christians were also burned and it appeared the rioters had attempted to burn the church.
Tensions have been high in the city for several days with a number of incidents threatening to escalate into sectarian clashes. Police have upgraded their presence. The tensions appear to have started when an angry crowd of Muslims surrounded and smashed up a Christian-owned store on Wednesday, where they suspected a Muslim girl was having sex with two Christian boys. Police beefed up security in the city after that incident. Full Story
Oil prices to stay high into 2008: energy consultantsPosted on Monday, December 17, 2007 at 11:35amOil prices will remain at high levels into next year owing to tight supplies and despite fears that a weak US economy may dent crude demand, leading energy consultants said here Monday. Full Story
Saudis tighten security for Hajj
Posted on Monday, December 17, 2007 at 11:39am
Saudi Arabia has tightened security measures in the kingdom before the annual Hajj pilgrimage, which begins on Monday. More than 1.6 million Muslim pilgrims have already arrived in Mecca, the holiest city in Islam, and Saudi officials say they have installed more than 1,000 surveillance cameras around the city to monitor crowds. Full Story
Barak pledges NIS 320m for protecting rocket-weary south
Posted on Monday, December 17, 2007 at 11:41am
Defense Minister Ehud Barak promised Monday to work toward allocating NIS 320 million for the reinforcement of buildings in communities surrounding the Gaza Strip. The communities in question face almost daily barrages of Qassam rockets fired by Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip. Full Story
Explosion reported at News Corp. NY building
Posted on Monday, December 17, 2007 at 12:07pm
An explosion was reported at the News Corp building in midtown Manhattan on Monday, a New York Fire Department spokesman said. Full Story
Sri Lanka president may ban Tamil Tigers
Posted on Monday, December 17, 2007 at 12:19pm
Sri Lanka may outlaw the Tamil Tigers if the rebels continue to mount large-scale attacks, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said on Monday, a move that would put the prospect of renewed peace talks further out of reach. Full Story
Bomb threatens 'at risk' Iraq dam
Posted on Monday, December 17, 2007 at 1:03pm
A truck laden with explosives has blown up near a controversial dam in Iraq, killing one person and damaging the main access bridge, Iraqi police said. Full Story
Bush supports Russia sending enriched uranium to Iran
Posted on Monday, December 17, 2007 at 1:04pm
U.S. President George W. Bush said on Monday he supports Russia sending enriched uranium to Iran for civilian power use because it meant that Tehran did not need to pursue their own enrichment capabilities. Full Story
Small blast near Thai party's campaign office: officials
Posted on Monday, December 17, 2007 at 1:15pm
A smoke bomb exploded late Monday outside the offices of the People Power Party in Bangkok, but caused no injuries and only minor damage, party officials said. Full Story
UK admits losing data of 3 million people
Posted on Monday, December 17, 2007 at 2:02pm
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's government suffered new embarrassment over missing data on Monday when it revealed one of its contractors had lost the details of 3 million learner drivers.
The revelation came weeks after the government admitted it had lost computer discs containing the names and bank account details of 25 million people, exposing nearly half the population to possible fraud and identity theft. Full Story
Police chief breaks into own HQ to test security
Posted on Monday, December 17, 2007 at 2:04pm
One of the country's most senior police officers broke into his own headquarters to test its security for himself, his force said on Monday. Richard Brunstrom, head of North Wales Police, scaled scaffolding outside the building in Colwyn Bay to gain entry.
"The North Wales Police headquarters is currently being refurbished and as a result there is scaffolding attached to the building," a police spokeswoman said. "We can confirm the chief constable tested the security himself." Full Story
Euro zone inflation at 6-year high
Posted on Monday, December 17, 2007 at 2:11pm
Inflation in the 13 nations that use the euro surged to 3.1 percent in November versus a year earlier, its highest level in more than six years, the European Union's statistics agency Eurostat said Friday.
Food prices have not risen so quickly since 2001 to 2002 as bad weather and rising world demand for dairy products push up the cost of milk and cheese. Eurostat said dairy, transport fuel and heating oil were the main factors pushing prices up from a year ago, revising higher their initial estimate that inflation would hit 3 percent during the month. Full Story
Castro: Won't cling to power forever
Posted on Monday, December 17, 2007 at 10:05pm
Ailing leader Fidel Castro said in a letter read on state television Monday that he does not intend to cling to power forever or stand in the way of a younger generation, but invoked the example of a renowned Brazilian architect who is still working at 100.
"My elemental duty is not to cling to positions, or even less to obstruct the path of younger people, but to share experiences and ideas whose modest worth comes from the exceptional era in which I lived," Castro wrote in the final paragraph of a lengthy letter discussing the Bali summit on global warming. Full Story
Former Uruguayan dictator detained
Posted on Monday, December 17, 2007 at 10:06pm
Uruguay's last military dictator, Gregorio Alvarez, was charged Monday with the forced disappearance of political prisoners, cheering human rights activists who have long campaigned for his prosecution. Alvarez, now 82 and retired, was the army general who led Uruguay from 1982 until shortly before the country restored democracy in 1985. Full Story
Gadhafi in Madrid for 1st official visit
Posted on Tuesday, December 18, 2007 at 12:34am
Spain welcomed Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi for an official visit Monday, joining France in rolling out the red carpet for the former pariah who is now seeking reconciliation with the West.
Gadhafi, long a vocal champion of armed struggle and once ostracized by the world community as a sponsor of terrorism, has been trying to build normal relations with European countries after renouncing terrorism and nuclear weapons. Full Story
Tiger rebels claim smashing Sri Lanka army outpost
Posted on Tuesday, December 18, 2007 at 12:54am
Tamil Tiger rebels overran a military outpost in northern Sri Lanka on Tuesday, killing at least five government soldiers, the rebels said. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) mounted the offensive at Weerapuram in the district of Vavuniya just outside their de facto mini-state, the LTTE's Rasiah Ilanthiriyan said in a statement. Full Story
8 militants killed in Gaza airstrikes
Posted on Tuesday, December 18, 2007 at 1:11am
Israeli aircraft launched an assault on the radical Islamic Jihad organization from the skies over Gaza, killing eight of the organization's men in three fiery strikes overnight. In an e-mail sent to reporters, Islamic Jihad said it would retaliate for its losses with suicide attacks inside Israel, threatening "a wave of martyrdom operations." Full Story
Police arrested for plot suspect escape
Posted on Tuesday, December 18, 2007 at 1:34am
Two police officers have been arrested for allowing the escape of a British suspect in an alleged plot to blow up trans-Atlantic jetliners, officials said Tuesday. Britain has been seeking Rashid Rauf's extradition, both to question him as a "key person" in the airplane plot and as a suspect in the 2002 killing of his uncle. He has denied involvement in both cases. Full Story
Sharif blocked from Pakistan election
Posted on Tuesday, December 18, 2007 at 2:37am
Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif lost his appeal against the rejection of his nomination for next month's parliamentary elections, an official said Tuesday, eliminating a key opposition leader from the crucial vote. The Election Commission rejected Sharif's appeal Monday, commission spokesman Kanwar Dilshad said. Dilshad declined to give details, confirming only a report in the Urdu-language Jang daily Tuesday that Sharif was out of the elections. Full Story
Turkish troops enter northern Iraq: Kurdish official
Posted on Tuesday, December 18, 2007 at 3:45amTurkish troops entered northern Iraq early on Tuesday to flush out separatist Kurdish rebels, Jabbar Yawar, spokesman for the Kurdish peshmerga security force, told AFP. "The area they entered is a deserted area and there is no Iraqi force or peshmerga deployed there. We do not know how many Turkish troops" had crossed the border into Iraq, he said. Full Story
Police in Italy, Germany hold four in anti-mob raids
Posted on Tuesday, December 18, 2007 at 3:46am
Police in Italy and Germany on Tuesday arrested four members of an Italian crime family linked to the execution-style killings of six Italians in Germany last August. A police statement said two of the arrests were made in Germany and the other two in Calabria, the poor southern Italian region that is home to the 'Ndrangheta crime group, the area's version of the Sicilian Mafia. Full Story
Courtesy Terrorism Research Center, Inc.
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Why Hezbollah LOST the War in Lebanon!
And the Current 'Present' Situation in Southern Lebanon
By Gabriel al-Amin
Beirut, Lebanon
http://www.lebanonwire.com/0709MLN/07092429MN.asp
On July 12, 2006 Hezbollah kidnapped two Israeli soldiers that led to Israel's war with them and, by extension, Lebanon itself. Hezbollah has been on Israel's fence since the latter's withdrawal from Lebanon in 2000. Israel always requested from the international community and from the Lebanese government to deploy its Lebanese Army there instead of Hezbollah militants. Hezbollah, quite naturally, refused! Hezbollah vowed to NEVER allow any other force other than itself to occupy southern Lebanon. Even during the conflict, Hezbollah said it would never agree to allow either the Lebanese army nor international monitors to patrol southern Lebanon.
Then finally, when two IDF (Israeli Defense Force) soldiers were kidnapped, Israel found the perfect excuse it was looking for to go into Lebanon and push Hezbollah well away from the Lebanese-Israel border. Israel pursued a limited invasion and killed over 500-600 Hezbollah members during the one month war. Additionally, Israel took over every single village in southern Lebanon. During the conflict even though Hezbollah received such a blow and all its members were freaked out and on the run. Yet when the hostilities ended, Hezbollah claimed victory! But did it really win?
Firstly, Israel agreed to a cessation of hostilities NOT because it surrendered and defeated militarily, but because of international pressure from the European Union and the United States. During this conflict Israel endured more international pressure, than it ever did in the past 10 years. Israel was put forth conditions and international agreements, such as the deployment of 15,000 Lebanese soldiers and 15,000 United Nations peace keepers into southern Lebanon, and arms embargo on Hezbollah. "This" proposal which was presented to Israel which EVEN Hezbollah agreed to accept, was something Israel was yearning for for many decades and was a once in a life time opportunity, it was a REAL "golden opportunity," even the far right in Israel said "this is an excellent proposal, so give it a shot." This cessation of hostilities, known as "The August Ceasefire", was initiated by the United Nations and International Community, and was put forward before both parties, Israel and Hezbollah, Hezbollah JUMPED right on the wagon to accept, because they saw it as the only way out of the mess they got themselves into. While at the same time, Israel was more stubborn on accept this ceasefire-agreement, since they were on a winning streak. Ever since then Hezbollah has not been seen or heard from in Southern Lebanon! At long last the frail Lebanese Government has finally had a degree of sovereignty over all of its state and is finally monitoring and guarding its own borders.
Not too long ago, nearly all television and print media images coming out of southern Lebanon were that of armed Hezbollah fighters with their guns, outposts, and banners. Not anymore! Hezbollah is now hiding under rocks in Southern Lebanon, its military might having received a substantial blow. In addition, Hezbollah is no longer enjoying the freedom and luxury of easily transferring Syrian/Iranian weaponry across the Lebanese-Syrian border or via the Beirut seaport. Much of this due to the combined efforts of a stronger Lebanese army and U.N. forces keeping a lid on such transferals.
But even though the International Troops and the Lebanese Army keep Hezbollah in check, isn't there still Hezbollah presence in Southern Lebanon, EVEN THOUGH they are hiding "under rocks?" The same could be said for Al Qaeda presence in the United States, who are also hiding under rocks.
Hezbollah may portray themselves as fearsome "militants" but they are in fact cowards cowering behind Lebanese civilians. Yet, through mostly pin-point targeting, the IDF dealt a heavy blow to Hezbollah. Five to six hundred Hezbollah terrorists were killed and nearly all of their bases, headquarters and tactical infrastructure destroyed.
Some might say, "But didn’t Hezbollah manage to shoot over one hundred rockets into Israel every single day? AND why, during the war, didn't the Israel army/air-force ever manage to stop the Katyusha fire?" Well the answer to that would be "What's so impressive about groups of one or two rag heads pointing and setting off an unguided Katyusha southward into Israel?" In addition to the fact that Hezbollah only needed 1% of their military might in order to shoot Katyushas from their scattered fields and caves, into Israel every day. Plus, the only way to have completely stopped the Katyusha fire would have been to occupy every square inch of South Lebanon, including 20 miles north of the Litani, and to stay there for a few months.
Israel 'BADLY' miscalculated Hezbollah, those past 6 years since it withdrew from Lebanon. Why? Because in 2004, it was estimated that if Israel was to engage in war with Hezbollah, their Katyusha arsenal would result in 100 deaths per day on the Israeli side, but instead only 2 people per day were killed by those rockets. But during the war, Israel came to the realization that 99.9% of all those rocket attacks, mostly result in a lot of noise and broken windows. Prior to the war it was also estimated that if Israel launched a ground invasion, it would result in the deaths of over 70 Israeli soldiers per day, which would have left over 2000 dead on the IDF side at the end of the 34 day conflict. But only 120 soldiers were killed in total, which makes it 3-4 soldiers per day. Also, prior to the war AND during the war, both the ‘poor’ Israeli intelligence and Hezbollah itself even claimed, that the “Mighty Hezbollah Rocket Arsenal” would hit Tel-Aviv, but ‘no rocket ever made it to Tel-Aviv!’ Instead, Hezbollah, tried to send little remote controlled ‘toy’ planes there.
The reason 120 soldiers were killed in the first place, is because what would someone expect if an army deployed 30,000 soldiers squashed together in a small, tight, open space (South Lebanon)! It was amazing that after the war, those soldier didn't all suffer from cluster phobia. But even though Israel deployed so many soldiers in the open, Hezbollah didn't manage to deliver that harsh blow as was estimated before the ground invasion. But after all, Hezbollah didn't fight as courageous as the Egyptians during the Suez Canal invasion, nor as the Syrians during the war in the Golan heights.
It shouldn’t shock the world that Hezbollah bombed a couple Israeli Merkava Tanks, because even the Palestinians have done it in the past too. Blowing up a Merkava Tank is NOT an ‘uncommon’ operation. But at the same time Israel was still advancing and still taking over every village in South Lebanon, bombing every headquarter and outpost, all Hezbollah members were on the run. Even though Israel lost a couple of tanks and didn’t destroy Hezbollah, it still doesn’t mean they (Israel) were defeated militarily. The definition of military defeat, mean: to crush the other side, force it to flee and or be on the run, or force it into surrender. Israel was not defeated militarily!
The same can be said about the Israeli naval ship that was bombed by Hezbollah of the coast of Lebanon, during the first week of the conflict, which caused a tiny bit of damage to the ship and which resulted in the deaths of 4 Israeli naval soldiers. Once again this wasn’t a military defeat, but it was an internal flaw, which meant that; Israel needed a better anti missile naval detector radar, a better anti missile interceptor, and better armor for its ship. But did Hezbollah succeed in sinking the ship and destroying it completely, did they destroy all the Israeli naval ships of the Lebanon Coast, did Israel scurry away with all its ships with its tail in between its legs, or did Israel ask for a cease-fire? NO! Instead, Israel simultaneously the same day, brought the damaged ship back into Israel for repair and sent another ship to the Lebanon Coast to replace it.
During and after the war, Hezbollah regretted starting the war in the first place, by kidnapped the two Israeli soldiers. But Israel on the other hand, didn’t regret going to war with Hezbollah, not even 1%. In fact Israel was ready to go for round two, but Hezbollah, will not dare even consider thinking about it.
During the fighting, many people (both inside and outside Lebanon) finally saw Hezbollah as they really are... a terrorist group. It's strategy had little or no military value. The rockets they launched were intended to cause terror among Israel's citizenry. They were not aimed at Israel military targets.
Israel never managed to destroy Hezbollah. As much as the IDF might have wanted to, the wiping out of Hezbollah was not Israel's goal. Nor could it ever be its goal. It is against the laws of physics to destroy a guerilla/terrorist group (America is learning it the hard way with Al Qaeda) since their operatives and members are always blending in and out of the civilian populations from which they so cowardly operate. In fact NEVER in history has a guerilla group ever been destroyed.
Additionally, rescuing the kidnapped IDF soldiers without a strong intelligence as to exactly where they were hidden, would have been a nearly impossible mission.. assuming they had not already been secreted out of Lebanon into Syria or Iran!
We constantly hear phrases such "Hezbollah emerged stronger," "Hezbollah is now stronger than ever," or "Hezbollah is now seen stronger than before!" There is some truth to that. Since before the Israeli withdrawal of 2000, Hezbollah was seen as more of a small arms, home made explosive, cut and run group, but during this conflict they were able to show off their Iranian made weapons. But they were no match for the Israeli army, whom they bowed down to at the end, by feeling too threatened to attack and provoke ever again.
When the United Nations wanted to impose a 48-hour ceasefire, it was Hezbollah which rushed to accept while Israel had to be pressured. Obviously this was because Israel had the military momentum in her favor. And when the month-long conflict ended, Hezbollah leader, Nasrallah, remained in an underground bunker, no longer enjoying frequent visits to central Beirut, giving daily "Hate Israel" speeches, driving down to his home town of southern Lebanon or enjoying first class flights to Damascus and Tehran. Nasrallah even admitted that had he known that even one percent of this war would have gone as it had, he would have NEVER kidnapped the soldiers and thus started the war!
"We did not think, even 1 percent, that the capture would lead to a war at this time and of this magnitude. You ask me, if I had known on July 11 ... that the operation would lead to such a war, would I do it? I say no, absolutely not.” - Hezbollah Leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, August 27, 2006
In February 2007, there was a skirmish between Israeli troops and the Lebanese army on the Israel/Lebanon border, even though this skirmish that resulted in a shoot out and was unfortunate, the ray of light from all this, was that Israel was confronted and attacked by the Lebanese army and not by Hezbollah. This was one of the first signs that showed that the Lebanese army was doing its job. This was mostly due to the fact that Hezbollah lost its kingdom in Southern Lebanon, and is NOW in constant check by UNIFL, Lebanese Army, and International Troops. At least the Lebanese army was able to stand its ground and take control, unlike BEFORE the August 11 ceasefire! At least Israel finally got its wish, after 40 years, to FINALLY have the Lebanese army in control of the border. Since August 11, 2006 when the Lebanese army began its deployment in Southern Lebanon, not a single Katuysha, let alone a singe bullet was fired toward the Israeli side of the fence by Hezbollah. Unlike after the Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon in May 2000, when Hezbollah would look for any excuse to shoot Katyushas into Israel at least once every three months, but not anymore. No longer will the Israeli citizens of Northern Israel will ever live in fear once again!
People in the Lebanese Government now hate Hezbollah, for bringing destruction to Lebanon. All of Hezbollah's southern Beirut strong posts were destroyed by Israel. Even after the cease fire, Israel stayed in Lebanon for two more months in order to destroy all remaining Hezbollah outposts and bunkers while Hezbollah stood by and did nothing. During the conflict some of the Israel/Lebanon border fence was destroyed and torn down, and Israel was in no rush to fix it, since what's the point? Hezbollah will not want to mess with the IDF again! Even until today some of that fence has not been fixed yet, since the only threat of infiltration, now, is from drug dealers smuggling Hashish across that border.
But what about the Winograd Commission, "which is an independent Israeli government-appointed commission of inquiry, chaired by retired Israeli chief judge Eliyahu Winograd, which is set out to investigate and draw lessons from the failures experienced by Israel during the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict. Which resulted in a war panel, and even the resignation of high figures such as the Israeli chief of staff Dan Halutz." The reason THIS is currently taking place in Israel, is it goes to show that Israel is a democratic country! If a "Lebanese-Winograd Commission" would be done to Hezbollah; for launching an illogical irresponsible attack on Israel, by kidnapping the two soldiers which led to the war and the destruction of Lebanon. And if a Lebanese Winograd Commission would be done to the Lebanese government; for not controlling its southern border by allowing thuggish armed militias (Hezbollah) to roam free there, allowing illegal weapon shipments via the Lebanese seaport, air port, and Syrian Lebanese border to those armed "non-governmental" militias, and allowing Syria and Iran to meddle in its politics, then Lebanon would crumble to dust! But after all, Lebanon is not a Democracy.
Worst case scenario, the Winograd Commission and some of the failures of this war, prove, that Israel might have been defeated from within, but not militarily.
Furthermore there hasn't been one complaint filed against Hezbollah on behalf of UNIFL and the International Troops since last year's August cease-fire, the only complaint filed, was against the Israeli army for their over flights over Lebanese territory. Speaking about Israeli over flights, even the Israeli army itself, hasn't complained even once, about hostile enemy fire against its planes by Hezbollah. Since Israel withdrew from Lebanon in May 2000, up until the war last summer, they continued their daily over flight and breaches over Lebanese territory, only to find themselves being confronted by Hezbollah anti-aircraft artillery. But after the August cease-fire Israel 'STILL' continued its breaches over Lebanese airspace, but this time, Hezbollah hasn't even shot one pellet at them! Maybe because they are deterred and maybe because UNIFL and the Lebanese army are now in control.
After the war, Hezbollah saw that it could no longer push around and bully Israel, and are therefore now trying to bully the "weak" Lebanese government by; their mass demonstration, camping out in front of the Lebanese Parliament, and political assassinations.
Israel did loose the war last summer, but not in Lebanon, but instead in Gaza. After Gilad Shalit was kidnapped, Israel began a massive military campaign in Gaza, destroying infrastructure, entering towns and cities, going after terrorists, and also trying to stop the Qassam rocket fire. But instead, all it achieved was nothing, and the results of it were, that now, the Palestinians saw even more of a weakness in Israel. After the Israeli military campaign in Lebanon, deterrence was at least achieved, BUT unlike in Gaza, after the massive military campaign took place there (Gaza), the Israeli deterrence was lost for good, and now, the Palestinians are, even, more UNDETERRED from Israel that ever! And therefore have increase their rocket fire into Israel. In addition to the fact that as soon as Israel stopped its military campaign, Hamas and other groups said, "They are now even more determined than ever to kidnap another Israeli Soldier." In April of 2007, they acted on their promise, under the cover of intense rocket fire on the Israel town of Sderot, Hamas terrorists again attempted to infiltrate Israel in order to abduct another soldier, but failed. A month later the militant group Islamic Jihad successfully infiltrated Israel, to also try to kidnap an Israeli soldier, but also failed. At least they weren't afraid to try!
After the war some Arab Governments, including the Palestinians, claimed Hezbollah achieved a divine victory! But hey, lets not forget, that some of those Arab governments and Palestinians which claimed Hezbollah won that "divine victory," are some of those "same" Arab governments who "STILL" until today claim that Syria, Egypt, and the rest of the Arab World won the 1967 War and the 1973 War! That is why after this war Israel lost its deterrence against the Palestinians, Iran, and Syria. BUT gained heavily, its deterrence, against Hezbollah.
Conclusion:
People from around the world, before the August cease-fire, would have never believed nor imagined that the Lebanese army would EVER be in control of its southern border. Nor, people would have never believed Lebanon would EVER be able to establish control over "illegal" arms shipments across its Lebanese/Syrian border, sea ports, and airports, and, well, it finally is!
Hezbollah will most likely never dare kidnap IDF soldiers because they saw the might and strength of the Israeli army, and they now feel threatened. Sure, some Hezbollah sympathizers may throw rocks, wave Hezbollah flags or scream "Allah Akbar" at the Lebanese-Israeli border fence but Hezbollah rank and file are laying low. Very low! And Hezbollah is no longer the imminent threat at that very same border.
Since the 'moment' the two soldiers were kidnapped and even during the war, Israel knew, they would not succeed in getting them back, in addition to the fact that destroying a guerilla group is against the laws of physics! Once people will get those two facts into their heads, then THEY will realize that, the outcomes that were achieved as a result of this conflict, were the best possible "REALISTIC" outcomes that Israel could have achieved.
Obviously this past year, the Northern Israeli border has been the quietest it has ever been over the past 40 years.
By, Gabriel al-Amin
Beirut, Lebanon
Articles and Refernces:
UNIFL: Not 'ONE' complaint filed against Hezbollah since last years cease-fire
(Jerusalem Post 6/14/2007)
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1181813036239&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
Again, Israeli gloom is misplaced (First Post - 4/17/2007)
http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/index.php?menuID=1&subID=688&WT.srch=1
Lebanese army, UNIFIL are keeping Hezbollah in check (Haaretz - 2/21/2007)
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/828765.html
Hezbollah's 'Victory'? (Washington Post 9/1/2006)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/31/AR2006083101444_pf.html
The Lebanese Winnograd Commission (Thomas Friedman, New York Times 5/10/2007)
http://www.theolympian.com/109/story/104847.html
The Egyptian, 1973 October Victory (Egyptian State Information Service)
http://www.sis.gov.eg/VR/october/english/7.htm
Lebanon’s Army Chief “the Lebanese Army is properly controlling its borders with Syria” (Moqwama.net [Hizbollah’s Official Website])
http://www.moqawama.org/english/_nos.php?filename=20070330111424153
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