Friday, August 11, 2006

Was The War a Mistake?

It seems that there may be a ceasefire today. Maybe it won't last. Who knows?

I have no doubt that Hizbolla want us wiped off the map.
Obviously it is not a mistake to confront and try to destroy , or even weaken Hizbolla.
The question is whether this war, in this way, at this time, has been mis-managed.
See this and this, and draw your own conclusions.

Israel's achievements are:
- Driving Hizbolla back to the Litani and away from our border
- Deterent - They will think again before trying anything again in the near future
- Smashing a great deal of the Hizbolla infrastructure

BUT we didn't
- Get our soldiers back
- Destroy Hizbolla

And Hizbolla will claim victory:
- As it fought like a real army and "embarrassed" the Israeli army.
- Had Israel in bomb shelters for a month
- Claimed over 120 lives!

And how will a Peace Keeping Force, however well armed, keep Hizbolla at bay when they function in a totally secret and civilian guise?

And where are our kidnapped soldiers?

Maybe only the coming months will tell. But from my current perspective, in preferring the cease-fire, Olmert and Peretz were expressing their fear of "Lebanon Syndrome" - getting stuck deep in Lebanon with mounting losses and no real military advantage. But then again, should they not have thought of that from the start? How can we end this war, when Hizbollah have effectively kept Israel at bay for an entire month? (On the home front and the front line.) Either fight to win, or don't begin a war! Israel cannot afford anything but a resounding victory. Any perception that Hizbollah have won is simply an invitation for the next war.

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