And Santa will stalk the streets again

This is real. Israel crushing
Hezbollah is not.


Israel Vows to Rout Hezbollah


By STEVEN ERLANGER
Published: July 15, 2006

JERUSALEM, Saturday, July 15 — The face-off between Israel and the Lebanese group Hezbollah escalated sharply on Friday as Israeli jets hit its Beirut headquarters and southern strongholds and Israeli news reports said a Hezbollah drone aircraft packed with explosives struck an Israeli naval vessel, causing severe damage.

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Israeli officials said their strategy was to diminish or destroy the power of Hezbollah, which has created “a state within a state” in southern Lebanon, and to ensure that the Lebanese Army replaced Hezbollah on the border with Israel, as demanded by the United Nations. “We’ve decided to put an end to this saga and to change the rules of the game whereby a terrorist organization that is part of the Lebanese government can push the region to the abyss,” said Isaac Herzog, a member of the Israeli security cabinet.

But Hezbollah remained defiant. The Hezbollah leader, Hassan Nasrallah, was unhurt in the bombing of the apartment building that serves as his home and headquarters. He responded angrily in a televised statement, promising a wider war.

“You Zionists,” he said, “you wanted an open war and you will have it,” and he promised “to reach Haifa and even farther.” He continued: “You want your government to change the rules of the game? This game will change. Now you know whom you’re fighting with. You are fighting the sons of Muhammad and Ali.”

Hezbollah has drone kamikazes which work.

I think they've worked hard in the last six years for this moment. The Israelis try to overthrow Hezbollah, Hamas will just ratchet up the pressure. Then the Shia in Iraq will pressure the government.

In short, they have the whip hand, no matter how good the IDF is. Because, due to our idiocy, the Iranians have leverage over US forces in Iraq. Israel cannot fight all it's enemies at once, and despite William Kristol's call for Bush to stand with the Israelis as they go on their rampage, the US needs to mollify Arabs who can strike back at us.

I think the drone kamikaze should put the fear of God into Israel.

Wasn't this about getting some kidnapped soldiers back? Now it's about destroying Hezbollah? Mission creep is dangerous. I think the Israelis are trying to force a safe zone, regardless of reality. With the coordination between Hamas and Hezbollah and Sadr, that ain't happening.