"JERUSALEM - Israel bombed and shelled southern Lebanon and sent ground troops over the border for the first time in six years Wednesday after Hezbollah guerrillas captured two Israeli soldiers. The fighting killed eight Israeli soldiers and three Lebanese.
Hezbollah’s brazen cross-border raid opened a second front for the Israeli army. The army is now fighting Islamic militants in both Lebanon and the Gaza Strip, where it is looking for another soldier who was captured more than two weeks ago by Hamas-linked militants.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert called the Hezbollah raid an “act of war” by Lebanon and threatened “very, very, very painful” retaliation. The Cabinet, meeting in the wake of the military’s highest daily death toll in four years, decided to continue the army operation and call on the international community to disarm Hezbollah, according to participants."
Notice that we don't have a lot to say about this. From Austin Bay:
"Note the releative ly quiet US and –so far– European condemnation of Israel’s actions against Hamas.
Now Israel is moving against Hezbollah, after Hezbollah launched attacks on northern Israel and captured two Israeli soldiers.
Two quick theories:
Iranian insanity on nukes has tried European patience. Hezbollah is a financial creature of Tehran.
A fair question: have the Egyptians, Fatah, Saudis, and Lebanese governments given Israel an implicit go-ahead? The strategem: Reduce these violent factions (Hamas and Hezbollah) and then every one will re-set the chess table.
Perhaps. But others like myself are seeing more of a long and drawn out war already begun, than of a limited action.
No nation can "afford" to tolerate islamic extremists, Israel cannot afford it at all, and since this claim by Al Aksa, they are not taking any chances.
This has been coming for a long, long time, and may G_d speed Israel to victory.
UPDATE: Israel puts the heat where it belongs on Lebanon, to pressure them to reign in Hezbollah. Oh and by the way Bah!, and double Bah!. What is going on the Middle East now has nothing to do with our foreign policy, but because both Hamas and Hezbollah are murderous thugs and it's time to end the experiment and take them off the map politically and actually.
UPDATE II: Unconfirmed reports that Hezbollah is attempting to transfer the captured Israeli soldiers to Iran. If confirmed, the balloon just went up!
UPDATE III: The UN response: "In a statement issued by his spokesman, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan condemned Hezbollah's attacks across the Blue Line, saying the violent act was a blatant breach of UN Security Council resolutions.
He called on all concerned parties to exercise maximum restraint to avoid any further escalation, stressing that "all should respect fully their obligations under international humanitarian law." Great Kofi! You and your UN are about as helpful as screen doors on a submarine.
By the way, I'm sending Cpt Ed a "chill pill". Lebanon is a roach pit, not a "nascent liberal democracy ". UNSCR 425 be damned.
UPDATE IV: Michael Leeden - A war that must be fought
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