Three U.S. soldiers were killed and three wounded in a firefight in northeastern Afghanistan after militants attacked an American patrol with rocket-propelled grenades and small arms fire, a military spokesman said Saturday. U.S. troops used artillery to repel the attack in Nuristan province Friday, and helicopters rushed the wounded soldiers to medical care, said Col. Tom Collins. A civilian was also injured.
U.S. forces in recent weeks have been pushing to their northernmost points along the mountainous Afghan-Pakistan border, including Nuristan, opening military bases in one of the wildest region in the country. Their mission is to crush militants loyal to the Hezb-e-Islami militant group of renegade Afghan warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, the toppled Taliban regime and remnants of Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida network.
Posted by: ed ||
08/12/2006 15:11 ||
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#1
God bless them and their families.
Posted by: 49 Pan ||
08/12/2006 15:17 Comments ||
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KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (CP) - The Canadian soldier killed Friday in a fiery suicide attack has been identified as a medic, Cpl. Andrew James Eykelenboom, who served with 1st Field Ambulance based in Edmonton.
He was killed when a suicide bomber plowed an explosives-laden pickup truck into a NATO convoy near Spin Boldak, about 100 kilometres south of Kandahar.
Two soldiers with him in the Canadian Forces G-Wagon were not injured.
Eykelenboom was the seventh Canadian to be killed in southern Afghanistan within a nine-day period, and the 26th since Canada deployed soldiers to Afghanistan in early 2002.
Witnesses said there was a giant blast from the bomb, followed by a huge fire. It took several hours to extract Eykelenboom's body from the burned vehicle.
Posted by: john ||
08/12/2006 12:51 ||
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#1
This will tell you everything you need to know; If muslim killers can't use an ambulance for transporting armed, uninjured jihadis or binLadens away from the battlefield, they'll blow it up, along with anything else useful accomplished by or in the West.
KABUL - A NATO soldier was killed in a suicide car bomb blast and three Al-Qaeda terrorists militants died in a separate attack on Friday in the latest violence to hit Afghanistan, officials said.
A Taleban suicide terrorists bomber detonated an explosives-filled car near a NATO vehicle in the volatile town of Spin Boldak in Kandahar province near the Pakistani border, killing one of the alliances soldiers, the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said. The incident occurred on the road from Spin Boldak to Kandahar, when a white Toyota Corolla drove towards an ISAF convoy, and exploded near one of the vehicles, it added.
Local police chief Abdul Wassay Alokozai also said it appeared to be a suicide blast and added that NATO troops had sealed off the area. I can see a vehicle in flames, he said.
Self-proclaimed Taleban terrorist spokesman Yousuf Ahamdi told AFP by telephone from an unknown location that the attack was a suicide bombing carried out by a Taleban terrorist fighter. The suicide terrorist bomber was an Afghan and his name was Ilhas, he said.
The NATO-led force has now lost ten soldiers to hostile action since taking control of the dangerous south of the country on July 31 from a US-led coalition that overthrew the Taleban in 2001. The soldiers nationality would be released by the relevant country.
Separately three Al-Qaeda terrorists militants were killed in the countrys east in a joint raid by Afghan forces and the US-led coalition, the coalition said. Another three terrorists associates were arrested in the operation near the village of YaQubi in Khost province, which targeted an Al-Qaeda terrorist member considered a significant threat to Afghan and coalition forces, it said.
Credible intelligence linked the targeted terrorist to remote-controlled improvised explosive device and vehicle-borne improvised explosive device attacks in Khost province, the coalition said in a statement. The three terrorists opened fire using small arms and were killed when the Afghan and coalition forces returned fire, while the others were detained without incident, it added.
The statement did not specify whether the terrorist suspect who was the target of the mission was captured or killed. A spokesman for US troops in the capital Kabul said the military was attempting to ascertain the seniority of those captured. We are still trying to assess the level of the terrorists detainees, he said.
AK-47 assault rifles with armor-piercing ammunition and a cache of grenades was found in a building at the site of the raid and later destroyed, the coalition said. No Afghan or coalition forces were injured in the operation, it said.
Posted by: Steve White ||
08/12/2006 00:00 ||
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ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia Riot police fired rubber bullets and tear gas Friday at hundreds of eye-rolling stone-throwing Muslims angered by the demolition of a half-built mosque in Ethiopia's capital, witnesses said. Several people were bleeding in the streets, but the extent of their injuries was not clear.
More than 100 protesters were taken away in military trucks. Another 100 were under armed guard on the street. At least one car was overturned and several others had windows smashed during the clashes in the capital's Merkato district, the main Muslim area of Addis Ababa.
The disturbances broke out after some houses and the half-built mosque were demolished because they had been illegally built on city administration-owned land, Federal Police Cmdr. Hailu Demsash said. "Muslim leaders were unhappy about the new site that was offered for the mosque," he told The Associated Press. "Some people in the community began to make faces problems. The police took action to displace the large crowds."
It was the 143,298th holiest site in all Islam. Of course they had to riot.
Ethiopia's population of about 77 million is about 45 percent Christian and about the same percentage Muslim, with the rest following indigenous beliefs.
Posted by: Steve White ||
08/12/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
Wanting to build on stolen public land how islamic of them.
Most of this article is covered in other posts, so I will cut to the interesting part.
In one interview after another, neighbors Muslim and not said they, too, could not imagine how young men they knew could be guilty of the crimes they were arrested for. The people that belong to this mosque, it is not possible they would do these crimes, said Safdar Hussein, imam of the Jamia Masjid mosque in Birmingham. Tayib Rauf, who was one of the suspects, and his brother Rashid Rauf, who was arrested in Pakistan and said to be an Al Qaeda operative, reportedly attended prayers there. If the Rauf brothers are guilty, thats an embarrassment to the community, he said. Everyone would be against those people. So who are these paragons of virtue, that "it is not possible they would do these crimes, "
A suspected mastermind of the foiled terror plot to blow up flights between Britain and the US is in jail in Pakistan. Alleged al-Qaeda member Rashid Rauf, 26, is being held over accusations he organised a scheme to commit mass murder by blowing up passenger jets using liquid chemical bombs hidden in hand luggage. Pakistani officials revealed yesterday British-born radical Muslim Rauf was seized near the Afghanistan border on Wednesday. He was arrested outside an Internet cafe after security officials monitoring his movements noticed he was sending unusually high number of text messages to Britain, London's Daily Telegraph reported. Rauf's Pakistani captors named him as a "key person" in the bomb plan and said there were strong indications of an al-Qaeda connection. Accused "Mr Big" Rauf is understood to have lived in Pakistan since leaving Britain after the murder of his uncle Mohammed Saeed, 54, in 2002. The stabbing murder was never solved, and Rauf is wanted for questioning by police over the death. I think Safdar Hussein, imam of the Jamia Masjid mosque in Birmingham, might have some 'splaining to do. Taqiyya doesn't cut the mustard any more.
#2
Those who would do this are not muslims. A muslim could never do such a thing. Whosoever kills a human being is as though he had killed all humanity. And whoever saves a life is as though he had saved the lives of all humanity. Yadda, Yadda. Taquitos.
Posted by: ed ||
08/12/2006 12:25 Comments ||
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#5
"Those who would do this are not muslims. A muslim could never do such a thing. Whosoever kills a human being is as though he had killed all humanity. And whoever saves a life is as though he had saved the lives of all humanity."
Well, I think the problem lies in that they don't count all people as "Human Beings". e.g. Women, Jews, Adherents of other religions, adherents of their own religion that the happen not to agree with on a point of religious theory, someone who looked at your wife(s) or child improperly, someone who looked at your property improperly, and any one of a million other disqualifying attributes.
Posted by: Mark E. ||
08/12/2006 12:48 Comments ||
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#6
And whoever saves a life is as though he had saved the lives of all humanity
Funny, there was instances when this quote was used in public by french Moderate Muslim Leaders, and each time they actually misquoted the al k'o'ra'n verse from which it is extracted (and which sez that, except for the people who act against islam, basically, who are fair gaime for any kind of violent punishment as per usual k'oran' methodology).
So, either these guys, including the head of the mosque of Paris, are ignorant about the Hadiths(Tm), or they lied on purpose to the infidels, straight to galouzeau "de villepin"'s face.
#7
My gosh, who would have ever thought these fine young men would do something like this. It must have been that the Brits abused their sorry little ungrateful asses. I wish "the good muzzie community" would quit blowing smoke up our asses like we just fell off the god damn turnip truck.
Posted by: N guard ||
08/12/2006 13:18 Comments ||
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#9
And whoever saves a life is as though he had saved the lives of all humanity
The context is Mo addressing the Jews that if they resist "they will be killed or crucified, or have their hands and feet on alternate sides cut off, or will be expelled out of the land.". Not so peaceful when put in context.
5:32 For that cause We decreed for the Children of Israel that whosoever killeth a human being for other than manslaughter or corruption in the earth, it shall be as if he had killed all mankind, and whoso saveth the life of one, it shall be as if he had saved the life of all mankind. Our messengers came unto them of old with clear proofs (of Allah's Sovereignty), but afterwards lo! many of them became prodigals in the earth.
5:33 The only reward of those who make war upon Allah and His messenger and strive after corruption in the land will be that they will be killed or crucified, or have their hands and feet on alternate sides cut off, or will be expelled out of the land. Such will be their degradation in the world, and in the Hereafter theirs will be an awful doom;
5:34 Save those who repent before ye overpower them. For know that Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
Posted by: ed ||
08/12/2006 13:45 Comments ||
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#10
"Corruption in the earth" if I understood correctly at the time would be "acting against the law of allan", IE not accpeting old mo.
#13
they, too, could not imagine how young men they knew could be guilty of the crimes they were arrested for.
And a substantial portion of the Arab world still cannot "imagine" that bin Laden planned or Saudi perpetrators actually committed the 9-11 atrocity. In the usual routine of swallowing Islamic camels whole and strangling upon Zionist gnats, these same people are just as willing to believe that America's president would order up such an atrocity against his own country, or that out Jewish allies plotted this heinous crime.
We'll leave out any comment regarding the mandatory add-on of "and America deserved it, too."
I think, more than anything, this epitomizes just how unconcerned "Moderate Muslims" are with respect to the jihadist bile being spewed within their midst. Their credulous attitude reflects an unhealthy lack of questioning upon their part (see the swallowing/strangling equation above), an unwillingness to further scrutinize their leadership (back to the old; "one of us is an apostate" problem), even in the face of mounting evidence that their entire religion is being perverted beyond all recognition (i.e., a constant string of Islamist atrocities).
This is why I no longer have any respect for so-called "Moderate Muslims". They have largely become unquestioning participants, silent facilitators or willing proponents of those who seek the ascendancy of Islam. Put another way:
THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN 25% OF THE WORLD'S POPULATION WANTS TO BECOME 100% OF ITS RELIGION.
Examine closely the above equation and decide which side of it can be nulled without undue stress to our planet.
#14
I wish "the good muzzie community" would quit blowing smoke up our asses like we just fell off the god damn turnip truck.
Me, too. The problem is: It works! It's also good for internal consumption and seething generation among the fence-sitters and those with extremist tendencies. It's like it's being used as a tool to avoid the inconvenience of being detained or the perceived insult of being under suspicion. "If you don't leave me alone no matter what, I'm going to do my part to generate terrorists!". Duh. It should be "How can I help so we can all get back to normal more quickly?". Smart.
I remember when that Egypt Air flight went down. The only people at the controls were muslim. The whole crew was muslim. The cockpit voice recorder had the crew members fighting that one crazy alternate pilot after he shut down the engines. There was no mistaking the logical conclusion, but all the muslim translators wanted to censor and veil what was said behind some bull$hit "cultural interpretation" of the words that were used. There was an outcry around the world from muslims that it was impossible for a muslim to be suicidal because it was against muslim law. Duh. The seniment was/is nice, that they want to distance themselves from it. I do appreciate that a lot. But I would appreciate it even more if they could own up to the fact that there among all populations there are nutcases, including muslims (belive it or not!) despite what islamic law says. That's why some clever guy recognized a need for the word "insane" long ago. If everybody, especially muslims, could accept this, it would make everyone's job easier.
And two: A big part of this War on Terror is that moderate muslims have to take a little time to understand a few key points about western society. I don't see much being done about that. Or if it is, it's not being done right. Muslims are way too sensitive about just about everything done in order to protect our society. What do they expect? What would an Islamic society do to non-muslims if they were the terrorists? They are lucky they are living here and not the other way around. I think they need some confidence that they are just understandably under suspicion. Even muslims are suspicious about other muslims. The guy who figured this liquid bomb plot out and tipped authorities was muslim. Cool! I also have my suspicions that the vast majority of muslims would have turned the plotters in. The fact that these terror cells are so secretive attests to this. But I don't seem to be getting any implicit understanding or credit for that. There are going to be false arrests, and many are going to be "felony" style arrests because of the risks involved and what is at stake. This has to be accepted. Sometimes the guy doing the arresting is going to have his foot on the other guy's back. Sorry for the perceived insult due to cultural difference, but it has to be this way unless the terrorists decide to play nice. Muslims will have to understand this as much as they ask me to understand their culture.
And yet another thing: There is a segment of muslim society that doesn't want to see Islamic law changed. They have perverted the religion in a way that makes it lawful to take advantage of others, especially females, kids, and non-muslims. They like it that way and don't want to let go of it. Those muslims who I am talking about know what I mean, and they won't talk to it directly with anyone but those who share their views. There are others who in allowing things to change to be more the way it was intended would have to admit that the corner of islam that they grew up in is full of $hit. Taking care of this aspect is going to have to be part of the solution, too.
#16
ed, that's almost word for word what the CAIR spokesman said on Fox this morning. He also tried to run the ole' "These were poor, marginalized Muslims". The Fox interviewer smacked him down with the facts that most of these were middle-class and better.
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
08/12/2006 18:53 Comments ||
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#17
That's nice to know Deacon, we're hearing more stories of people in the MSM starting to call a spade a spade. Also check out the thread on the Robert Spencer interview for more good news.
Posted by: Tony (UK) ||
08/12/2006 19:01 Comments ||
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#18
Like what President Lincoln supposedly said: you can fool some of the people all the time...
What evidence do you have that Islam, the religion, is not 100% aligned with what Islamofascists are doing?
Personal experience. I am acquainted with a lot of muslims. I don't claim to know everything about the culture. I don't by any means. But I know enough to know which end goes up!
BRITISH police claim to have found a "martyrdom video" in which one of the 24 British Muslims arrested over an alleged plot to destroy up to a dozen passenger aircraft sets out his reasons for joining the planned suicide attack. British officials said the damning evidence had been found in the home of one of the suspects, who include a 23-year-old biochemistry student and a Heathrow security guard with an all-areas access pass. The guard was in his airport uniform when he was arrested and led away in handcuffs.
The suspects are mostly of Pakistani origin but two are white converts to Islam. Abdul Waheed, 21, changed his name from Don Stewart-Whyte six months ago after growing up as the son of a Conservative Party official. Neighbours said Waheed, whose father died when he was 14, had abandoned a life of drugs and alcohol when he became a Muslim, and was working as a salesman at an electrical store.
Another convert, 25-year-old Oliver Savant of east London, had changed his first name to Ibrahim. Each of the converts grew a beard, shaved his head, began wearing white robes and married an Arabic or south Asian Muslim woman. Waheed, of High Wycombe, west of London, and Savant were arrested on Wednesday night as hundreds of police swooped to head off what they allege would have been a deadlier attack than the 9/11 World Trade Centre disaster. Most of the suspects were described by neighbours as devout Muslims.
Another two of those arrested in High Wycombe were named as cricket-loving brothers Amjad and Assad Sawar. The brothers, in their 20s, are married and live in a semi-detached house with their wives and parents. "They used to play football with everybody down the park up until about three years ago," one neighbour said. "Since then they have been very quiet."
Other neighbours said the men had recently shunned their local mosque and had started to wear more traditional clothing and visit an Islamic bookshop. Witnesses in Birmingham said they saw up to 20 police chase two brothers, who ran away but were caught.
British officials said they acted after learning that the 24 men were planning to conduct a "trial run" as soon as this weekend and that, if it worked, they would have gone ahead within days and blown up a number of packed holiday-season flights to the US. Police have not yet found any explosives or chemicals but a US congressional source told reporters the plotters planned to mix a British sports drink with a peroxide-based compound to make a potent explosive that could be ignited with an MP3 player or mobile phone.
Pakistan announced that it had arrested two British men of Pakistani origin in Lahore and Karachi last week to help break the plot and said it had provided crucial information to help British investigators. The Pakistani Government, which is keen to improve its reputation for fighting terrorism, also said it had detained the head of the militant group Lashkar-e-Toiba. However, it was not clear if that was directly related to the British plot. US officials said money had been sent from Pakistan to the ringleaders, several of whom had visited Pakistan. Britain froze 19 of the suspects' bank accounts, which reportedly hold suspiciously large amounts of money.
The alleged plot led to a security clampdown on Thursday that forced the cancellation of 600 flights at London's Heathrow airport alone. The knock-on effect at other airports disrupted the travel of more than 400,000 people. Police say the plot involved taking liquid chemicals on board as hand luggage and using them to make explosives. Security officials responded with the tightest-ever crackdown on hand luggage, which will continue for some time.
American officials said the plot was the most serious terror threat to the US since September 11, 2001, with President George W.Bush saying it was a reminder that his country was "at war with Islamic fascists". US Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said the scheme had been "really quite close to the execution phase".
"The conception, the large number of people involved, the sophisticated design of the devices that were being considered and the sophisticated nature of the plan all suggest that this group that came together to conspire was very determined, and very skilled, and very capable," Mr Chertoff said.
Despite a long-running investigation, intelligence agents had learned only in the past fortnight that the targets would be flights to the US. Mr Chertoff said the plan had many of the characteristics of an al-Qa'ida operation - a so-called terrorist spectacular aimed at multiple targets. The plotters are believed to have studied the timetables of three US airlines - American, Continental and United - and to have planned to attack flights to New York, Washington DC, Boston, Chicago and Los Angeles.
The ABC television network in the US reported that five suspects were still at large. However, British police insisted they had detained all their known suspects. Home Secretary John Reid said he had imposed the country's top level of security warning as a precaution in case there was some unforeseen back-up plan to launch another terror raid.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/12/2006 00:30 ||
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#1
Can we not shoot these SOBs and just short circuit the martyrdo thingy? Can they not be convinced that martyrdom just ain't what it used to be? There is a shortage of virgins, mansions in the sky, and beds for the mansions.
#4
These guys believe that profiling does not happen. What are the probabilities that Oliver might have made it on a flight, but Ibrahim gets a second look? As long as Al Qaida trains their western converts to take an arabic fascade, they will have limited sucess.
Posted by: john ||
08/12/2006 10:38 Comments ||
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via The Corner at NRO
I welcome the resolution adopted yesterday by the United Nations Security Council, which is designed to bring an immediate end to the fighting sparked last month by an unprovoked terrorist attack on Israel by Hizballah, a terrorist group supported by Iran and Syria.
Preach it, Brother!
The United States and its allies have been working hard since the beginning of this conflict to create the conditions for an enduring ceasefire and prevent armed militias and foreign-sponsored terrorist groups like Hizballah from sparking another crisis.
Yesterday's resolution aims to end Hizballah's attacks on Israel and bring a halt to Israel's offensive military operations. It also calls for an embargo on the supply of arms to militias in Lebanon, for a robust international force to deploy to southern Lebanon in conjunction with Lebanon's legitimate armed forces, and for the disarming of Hizballah and all other militia groups operating in Lebanon. These steps are designed to stop Hizballah from acting as a state within a state, and put an end to Iran and Syria's efforts to hold the Lebanese people hostage to their own extremist agenda.
Can I get an AMEN??
This in turn will help to restore the sovereignty of Lebanon's democratic government and help ensure security for the people of Lebanon and Israel.
The loss of innocent life in both Lebanon and Israel has been a great tragedy. Hizballah and its Iranian and Syrian sponsors have brought an unwanted war to the people of Lebanon and Israel, and millions have suffered as a result. I now urge the international community to turn words into action and make every effort to bring lasting peace to the region.
"Put up or shut up, Kofi and assorted Arab councils. We are once again giving the UN one last chance to ACT on its resolutions."
And also giving us time to deploy more troops in Iraq, where Hezb'allah have been actively working with al Sadr's militias to try to bring down the government. We're pressuring them, but the heat needs to be turned up if we aren't going to lose what we fought and bled for over the last few years. Iran wins an important tactical victory if they are able to destroy Lebanon and Iraq's governments. AS ALWAYS, the goals of the civilized nations are more complex than the simple destructive goals of the barbarian raiders and the plotters who use them. That's the nature of this conflict and it won't go away quickly. We need to be in it for the long haul, with sufficiently broad aims so that win for real.
Posted by: Frank G ||
08/12/2006 10:00 ||
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#1
You know, I'm a voter. Aren't you supposed to lie to me and kiss my butt? Ghostbusters II
I say we take off and nuke the entire site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure. Aliens
#2
Ahhh but the devil's in the details isn't it? What will be the mechanism for disarming the Hezzies? And what of the kidnapped Israeli soldiers, the original casus belli? The UN is once again blowing smoke. For shame, Mr. President. It appears that after almost 5 years, the Bush Doctrine is just so many words...
#3
"These steps are designed to stop Hizballah from acting as a state within a state, and put an end to Iran and Syria's efforts to hold the Lebanese people hostage to their own extremist agenda."
I don't give a candy-coated crap what the resolution is "designed" to do: what matters is what it WILL do. Which, as far as I can tell, is absolutely nothing.
Get the goddamn lead out of your ass, Bush, and FIGHT this fucking war for a change instead of farting around with the UN and its feckless dithering.
Posted by: Dave D. ||
08/12/2006 11:21 Comments ||
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#4
The sleezeallahs won through this resolution. The "axis of ignorance" managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory in this Hezzballah reload agreement. What stupidity on the part of the West. There will be no peace and no ceasefire. If we can't help the Israelis fight the WOT, we should stop meddling in their affairs. This is appalling. We are stuck on stupid. Did I miss something in the last few days. Did we win the WOT while I was out? Or did we capitulate?
#5
I hear y'all, but I'm not so sure. I think Bush knows perfectly well the resolution isn't likely to do what needs doing.
BUT ... he has the UN on record now - no vetos, no abstentions. That is more leverage then he or Israel had a couple weeks ago.
AND ... he has put on the public record an interpretation of events he intends to measure their response against.
It's frustrating to do it this way. But we aren't invulnerable, alas, to EU regulatory gaming of our export industries, or to the disastrous results of a major global economic meltdown trigged by Chavez and Ahmadinajad blowing up the oil ports etc. He's got to, I think, try to bring along both the EUs and those like them here at home. And he has China and Russia at least officially on record. That means that when there is an 'accidental' bombing of the Chinese embassy again, or whatever, the public denunciations will only go so far ....
Dave D. wrote: farting around with the UN and its feckless dithering.
I think Bush really DOES believe in the UN, all evidence to the contrary. He said as much in the plod up to the start of the Iraq invasion, and if he has done one thing it is that he says what he means and means what he says.
#8
You really want a full litany on that NS? Should we maybe start with Jimmah's "beat us, we deserve" sanctimonious sacrifice of US interests to Ahmadinajad a couple decades ago?
#11
Olmert lost absolutely INVALUABLE time in the way he conducted his war against Hizb'Allah. He needed to use overwhelming, disproportionate force and let the IDF encircle and cut off Hizb'Allah from reinforcement and resupply. The UN is still playing with the facade of evenhandedness. The UN has been an ENABLER of terrorists in south Lebanon for almost a generation now.
One thing that we have been doing is losing the PR war. Terrorists, with the help of the MSM, have been winning it. If you are going to win this war, you have to dominate the battlefield, which includes all fronts.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
08/12/2006 12:14 Comments ||
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#12
The spineless twit babbles. Thanks for handing the Israelis asses over to the U.N.
They will be about as effective as the ICRC was in Germany during WW2.
#13
Thoth, don't you think the Israelis did that themselves under Olmert? Just askin.
We HAVE been doing a lot for them - not just diplomatically but logistically, huge amounts of jet fuel etc. Olmert pissed it away, or so it looks from this corner.
#14
Yeah, Olmert did piss it away. I should probably just shut up on the subject, becuase I am pissed off over it, and will probably say things I later regret. With that in mind, maybe it's just best for me to be mum on the subject.
#18
I think that President Bush is trying to salvage the dog's breakfast that Olmert made. There is a reason why Olmert had to call Bush and why the conversation only lasted 8 minutes. Because of Olmert's indecisiveness, the IDF has lost its aura of invincibility and Hamas has emerged as the only Arab entity to ever stand up to the IDF for more than a week or two. Bush cleared the way for the IDF to go in and smash Hezbollah. Olmert the Spineless frittered away the opportunity of a generation. The blood of the innocents that will die in the future is on his feckless hands. This is an object lesson of what can happen when Liberals make war, think John Kerry, think Al Gore.
#19
No don't need to go back to Jimmah, just look at the present circumstance.
This is without doubt, Israel's worst wartime performance. Any idea as to why? Did we keep the leash on too tight? Is Olmert/Halutz as bad as I think? Is Hezb'Allah that good? Is there sufficiently more that we don't know to change our minds?
#20
Because the Israelis did not think their existence was at stake like in 1973, 1967, 1948.
Posted by: ed ||
08/12/2006 14:23 Comments ||
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#21
Ed nails it, I think.
Did we keep the leash on too tight? Is Olmert/Halutz as bad as I think? Is Hezb'Allah that good? Is there sufficiently more that we don't know to change our minds?
From what I've read, we had to URGE Olmert to take the opportunity. Might could be he never wanted to respond militarily to the killings/kidnappings at all.
Re: Hezb', if Israel was indeed surprised by the depth of the bunkers and the very modern C3 equipment in them, then yeah, they are equipped better than was thought, better dug in and more heavily trained. If that's the case then Israel may well have not thought their existence was IMMEDIATELY threatened, and figured they could send a message to Iran without a full ground war and occupation.
May be too late, in which case only an international force has any chance of giving Israel a respite, assuming (and they are BIG assumptions) that a) Israel clears out southern Lebanon pretty well first and b) the force is actually gonna do its job.
Okay, I did say they were big assumptions .... but Israel really CAN'T reoccupy Lebanon and hold it. And if they tried, they would be playing right into Iran's trap.
As for us, I suspect we may have relied a lot on Mossad estimates for all that, because our Arabic and Persian speaking reliable data gatherers are stretched thin w/ Iraq and a lot of other issues.
#22
Ahhh but the devil's in the details isn't it? What will be the mechanism for disarming the Hezzies?
There is none, doc. This, as with all other cease-fires is a hudna and nothing else. Bush is breathing his own exhaust to think otherwise. As leroidavid so aptly stated the situation last Thursday:
How can Bush says that "this nation is at war with Islamic fascists who will use any means to destroy those of us who love freedom, to hurt our nation", and at the same time, put pressure on Israel to delay its offensive, and plan an awful deal at the UN rewarding the Islamic fascists of the Hezbollah ?
All this is incredible.
We are confronted with the hideous spectacle of our politicians willingly turning this conflict into a quagmire. To summon forth the well-beaten and thoroughly deceased equine quadruped, THIS IS NOT ANOTHER VIETNAM.
In Vietnam the Vietcong were supplied by China and Russia, both of whom we could not retaliate against in any effective fashion. Without differentiating between Israeli and American interests (see leroidavid's comment if you are unclear on this), this time around we have a golden opportunity to take the facilitators to task. Syria, and especially Iran, must be held to accounts for their role in furthing this regional bloodshed. Unlike China and Russia, these two rogue nations can be bombed back to the stone-age and deserve it in spades.
How Bush can claim to be fighting terrorism and simultaneously attempt to restrain Israel's attempts to do the same goes beyond comprehension. LEBANON VOTED IN A TERRORIST GOVERNMENT, JUST LIKE THE PALESTINIANS.
It is time to pay the piper for populations that are stupid enough to glorify or legitimize terrorist regimes. What other honest message can we send such unrepetant cultures? We have now reached a point where we must either bow to Islamists as having the unassailable right to wage asymmetrical war against the West or simply begin the wholesale slaughter of them and those who provide them haven. Israel knows and has always known the answer. Why is it so hard for us to finally purchase a clue?
#23
"Why is it so hard for us to finally purchase a clue?"
a) Wishful thinking;
b) 9/11 wasn't enough to get us out of our easy chairs;
c) The perfidy of the *SPIT* loyal opposition;
d) OBL was absolutely right about us: we are soft, corrupt, decadent and fickle;
e) The triumph of what I call "process people" over "results people";
f) Getting distracted by interim goals to the point of losing sight of the objective;
g) Terminal Timidity; and
h) All of the above.
Posted by: Dave D. ||
08/12/2006 16:31 Comments ||
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#24
LEBANON VOTED IN A TERRORIST GOVERNMENT, JUST LIKE THE PALESTINIANS.
Not quite true. One heavily Shia area voted in some Hezb'allah representatives. Most of the country didn't.
And that's what makes it hard to decide exactly when a country as a whole crosses the line into complicity.
For me it was when Siniora failed to denounce Hezb'allah and basically conceded that he had neither tried nor would try to restrain them. Still, until the attacks I suspect that many Lebanese took the easy way out when bullied by Hezb'allah, but didn't like it, aren't armed and had no reason to believe that a government still heavily under pressure from Syria would back them up if they resisted. That's not heroic, but it's not quite the same thing as supporting HB either.
We gotta do what we gotta do, but I do think there are more or less innocents getting harmed in Lebanon. I just don't know of any other way to get them out, given the utter failure of the UN after the Israeli withdrawl.
#25
Thank you for clarifying, lotp. It is omelet-making time. Whose eggs would you rather have being crushed? This is the only real question of consequence confronting us at the moment. Innocent or not, people who have terrorists in their midst must now be made to realize that is something that carries a price tag. We can no longer coddle those who refuse to act against terrorism. Unarmed or not, there are significantly greater measures uncooperative populations can take to resist those who put them in harm's way. I refer you to the Danish resistance against the Nazis. A small country like Denmark successfully hobbled the Nazi war machine. If the Danes could do it, so can the Druze or Lebanese Christians. If they want to sit back and watch without actively detrimenting the terrorists, they had better be ready to catch some shrapnel.
#26
"For me it was when Siniora failed to denounce Hezb'allah and basically conceded that he had neither tried nor would try to restrain them."
Siniora is weak, and he allowed himself to be blind-sided.
Reuters put out Lebanon as saying 'no' to the initial proposal. 'Lebanon' turned out to be Hesb'Allah and Syria's ally, Nahbi Berri.
Siniora has also been out-flanked and out-spoken by Syria and Iran. Oh, he complained about it, but it was half-hearted.
As for omlet-making, the smart eggs left before and during the civil war. What leadership there is, are either beholden to the Syrians, their own ethnic groups, or their clan. The rest of the populace are either tired of war or fatigued. Likely why the Cedar Revolution could not even depose the current adminstration.
(West Virginia) The Washington County Sheriffs Department in Ohio has arrested two men for their involvement in what police say could be aiding terrorists, and one man linked to them could have been doing the same in Taylor County.
Last week, the Grafton police pulled over 24-year-old Hashem Sayed for a routine traffic stop. But what they found in his car was far from routine. Patrolman Daniel Laymon recalls the scene, "There were multiple cell phones, roughly 150 to 200 cell phones from multiple retailers," he said. Buying that many pre-paid phones is not a crime, but the police say it is unusual.
It's just the fall-out from revealing the NSA program. The jihadi sleepers here were ordered to buy up a bunch of pre-paid cell phones which, with no records of ownership, are more difficult to trace. Betcha the NYT doesn't care.
Less than a week later, the authorities in Marietta, Ohio, arrested 20-year-old Osma Sabhi Abulhassan and 20-year-old Ali Houssaiky. Washington County Sheriffs deputies seized several pre-paid cell phones and thousands of dollars in cash. Because of the incidents, Grafton police believe the events are connected. "The department feels that there are a lot of similar circumstances and there are a lot of similarities between the activity there and the activity experienced here," said Patrolman Laymon.
The activity seems to be more than just a coincidence. All three men are from Dearborn, Michigan and all three gave similar reasons for buying the phones. Sayed said he was buying them to ship to California to sell for a profit. But Washington County's sheriff says that may not be the whole truth. "They are digital for detonating car bombs and they have a particular digital frequency and that's what they're using them for," said Sheriff Larry Mincks.
There's a sinister second use.
Mincks says the men also had instructions on how to obtain private flights and airplane passenger information. "It also had some information concerning airport security and check points."
He says the two men apprehended in Ohio are linked to another man who is being investigated for possible terrorism. Now, police across the state have a warning for residents. "Not that it's a crime," said Grafton Police Chief, Robert Beltner. "But we can check into it to make sure nothing illegal is going to take place with those phones."
#1
I'm starting to think it's just a matter of time before remotely-controlled car bombs start going off in the USA. The only thing lacking is the accumulation or generation of explosive materials. Multiple simultaneous explosions in crowds would be as demoralizing as 9/11.
Posted by: Frank G ||
08/12/2006 11:33 Comments ||
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#3
Are you kidding ? There is no lack of explosive materials. They have just not yet been ready to take this step. But due to their superior intellect, they will. They can't resist once seething reaches a critical level. I'm going to re-zero two of my scopes today at 400 yds. Got some new loads to try out also.
#4
I suddenly became physically ill thinking about the beneath the surface implications of this, i.e., the possibility of a major terrorist campaign similar to the infatada within the U.S.
Posted by: Captain America ||
08/12/2006 15:38 Comments ||
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#7
Sayed said he was buying them to ship to California Pakistan to sell for a profit.
Change one word and suddenly everything crystallizes.
Mincks says the men also had instructions on how to obtain private flights and airplane passenger information. "It also had some information concerning airport security and check points."
Yoohoo, BIG RED TRUCK! If this doesn't raise all sorts of neon-colored warning flags then law enforcement is brain-dead. These perps need lengthy and exhaustive interrogation. A free trip to Gitmo, some federally build sub-standard housing with federally supplied sub-standard room mates would seem in order as well.
#8
Coding tags, why do they hate us? Preview is my friend.
Sayed said he was buying them to ship to California Pakistan to sell for a profit.
Change one word and suddenly everything crystallizes.
Mincks says the men also had instructions on how to obtain private flights and airplane passenger information. "It also had some information concerning airport security and check points."
Yoohoo, BIG RED TRUCK! If this doesn't raise all sorts of neon-colored warning flags then law enforcement is brain-dead. These perps need lengthy and exhaustive interrogation. A free trip to Gitmo, some federally build sub-standard housing with federally supplied sub-standard room mates would seem in order as well.
#9
From a story I uncovered about the first two Dearborn yutes... "Houssaiky's mother is an employee of Jordanian Airlines at Metro Detroit Airport," said Subhi. "It was her car that the two were riding in and the papers were related to her work."
Still and all... why would SHE bring that kind of work home with her? I don't see a legitimate reason for that kind of paperwork to leave the airport.
FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. (AP) - Nearly 450 soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division returned home from Iraq on Friday and more flights into Fort Campbell are expected soon, base officials said. The new arrivals bring the total number who have returned since the first homeward-bound flights in early July to about 1,000. Up to four flights, each of about 200 soldiers, are expected next week at the sprawling Army base that straddles the Tennessee-Kentucky state line.
"We're getting to the point where the main body of the units are prepared to come in," said Fort Campbell spokeswoman Cathy Gramling. "Every time we welcome soldiers home, it's important and it's a great time to be at Fort Campbell." Most of the nearly 20,000 soldiers in the division should be back from Iraq by the end of November, Gramling said.
The 101st Airborne is finishing up its second yearlong deployment to Iraq. The first came at the start of the war in 2003, then troops returned for about a year before the second deployment in October.
Posted by: Steve White ||
08/12/2006 00:00 ||
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Italy is ready to send between 2,000 and 3,000 troops to Lebanon as part of the planned United Nations force to enforce a ceasefire, Defence Undersecretary Lorenzo Forcieri told Reuters on Saturday.
Forcieri said it was "realistic" that Italy would be given vice-command of the force, which would be led by France. Prime Minister Romano Prodi and Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema issued a joint statement earlier on Saturday to say Italy would take part in the force, which was approved by the UN Security Council on Friday. (Reuters)
Iran is pressing Shi'ite militias to step up attacks against the U.S.-led forces in Iraq in retaliation for the Israeli assault on Lebanon, the U.S. ambassador to Iraq told The New York Times in an interview.
Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad also told the Times in Baghdad on Friday that Iran may foment even more violence as it faces off with the United States and United Nations over its nuclear program in the coming weeks. The newspaper reported on the interview in Saturday editions.
The remarks echoed those Khalilzad made to reporters on Tuesday in Tikrit, where he raised concern that the war in Lebanon could threaten U.S. interests in Iraq.
"The region is very much interconnected. What happened in Lebanon affects things here," he told reporters in Tikrit during a ceremony with the 4th Iraqi Army Division.
"Iran ... has some forces here. There is the possibility that they might encourage those forces to create increased instability here," he said.
Khalilzad told the Times Iranian incitement had led to a surge in mortar and rocket attacks on the Green Zone, now the seat of the Iraqi government and the American Embassy.
Western security advisers said on Friday there had been a recent spate of mortar and rocket attacks on the Green Zone, the Times said, but it was unclear whether anyone was wounded or killed and a spokesman for the American military, Lt. Col. Barry Johnson, declined to provide details.
SPLINTER GROUPS
According to the ambassador, the Shi'ite guerillas behind the recent attacks are members of splinter groups of the Mehdi Army, a militia created by the radical Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr. Those groups are tied to Iran as well as Hizbollah, he told the Times.
Khalilzad said that while there was no proof Iran was behind any particular militia operations in Iraq, there was evidence Iran is pushing for more attacks, although he offered no specifics, the Times said.
"Iran is seeking to ... encourage more pressure on the coalition from the forces that they are allied with here, and the same is maybe true of Hizbollah," he was quoted as saying.
Khalilzad insisted, however, that the most powerful Shi'ite leaders in Iraq had not yet pushed for more violence against U.S. troops, despite Iran's desire for them to do so.
"Generally the Shia leadership here have behaved more as Iraqi patriots and have not reacted in the way that perhaps the Iranians and Hizbollah might want them to," Khalilzad said.
In the interview, Khalilzad said Iran could stoke more violence among Shi'ite militias as the end of the month approaches. A U.N. Security Council resolution gives Iran until August 31 to suspend its uranium enrichment activities or face the threat of economic and diplomatic sanctions.
"The concern that we have is that Iran and Hizbollah would use those contacts that they have with groups and ... use those to cause more difficulties or cause difficulties for the coalition," he told the newspaper.
U.S. forces raided a funeral gathering and detained 60 men suspected of links with an al-Qaida cell blamed for a spate of car bomb attacks in Baghdad, the U.S. command said Saturday. If only we would learn to cluster bomb al-Qaida funerals and cut out the need for jailers and undertakers.
The arrests in Baghdad were the first major roundup of suspected insurgents since U.S. reinforcements started streaming into the capital last week as part of a new crackdown on violence. A statement by the U.S. military said the arrests were made Friday in Arab Jabour, a southern neighborhood of Baghdad and a stronghold of Sunni insurgents.
The 60 detained men are believed to be associated with a senior Iraqi al-Qaida leader in a cell that "specializes in bomb making," the statement said. "The group has been reported to be planning and conducting training for future attacks," it said. "Multiple forms of credible intelligence led the assault force to the location, later determined to be a funeral gathering, where the suspects were detained."
Women and children were separated from the men and the arrests were made without incident, the statement said without giving any details.
In an interview with the New York Times published Saturday, the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Zalmay Khalilzad, said Iran was instigating Shiite militias to step up attacks on U.S. forces in retaliation for the Israeli assault on Hezbollah in Lebanon. The Shiite Hezbollah is backed by Iran. Iran's prodding has led to a surge in mortar and rocket attacks on the fortified Green Zone, the compound that houses the main components of the Iraqi government and the U.S. Embassy, Khalilzad was quoted as saying.
The Shiite guerrillas behind the attacks are members of splinter groups of the Mahdi Army, he said. The newspaper quoted unnamed officials of the Sadr Organization as saying that rogue elements of the Mahdi Army are not under their control and carry out attacks without guidance from al-Sadr. That excuse got buried with Arafat.
"Iran is seeking to put more pressure, encourage more pressure on the coalition from the forces that they are allied with here," Khalilzad was quoted as saying. U.S. Embassy officials were not immediately available to confirm Khalilzad's comments.
The extent of Iranian involvement here has long been the subject of debate within the U.S. military and civilian establishment. Privately, some senior U.S. officials are skeptical that the Iranian government is doing more than providing money to select Shiite groups. Others insist the Iranians are providing weapons and training to some Shiite factions. The increase in attacks on the Green Zone also followed a coalition crackdown on Mahdi Army elements in Basra, Mahmoudiya, Musayyib and Baghdad.
Posted by: ed ||
08/12/2006 07:31 ||
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#1
the military arm of the Mahdi army?
that's REALLY lame
Posted by: Frank G ||
08/12/2006 9:08 Comments ||
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#2
U.S. forces detain 60 at Iraq funeral
Avout Damn Time.
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
08/12/2006 9:20 Comments ||
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#3
I have just got to stop posting Pre-Coffee.
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
08/12/2006 9:22 Comments ||
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#4
"The extent of Iranian involvement here has long been the subject of debate within the U.S. military and civilian establishment. Privately, some senior U.S. officials are skeptical that the Iranian government is doing more than providing money to select Shiite groups. Others insist the Iranians are providing weapons and training to some Shiite factions."
Oh please. The freakin shaped charges have Tehran stamped all over them. No one with half a brain disputes what the Iranians are doing in Iran and have been since the war started. Iran has always been a bigger problem than Syria, IMO. If there is one focus on the shortcoming of Rmmy's limited troop strategy it is that there were not enough troops to secure the borders. Major screw up as far as I can see.
#6
Not so sure about a "surge" in indirect fire at the IZ, but in the past few months (well before Lebanon) there was a return to intermittent fire (frequently duds and usually hitting anything in particular). And recent love notes have in fact came from novel parts of town.
Too tired, otherwise would post an article about the current second phase of the B'dad security operation, only to point out that what we're now doing in B'dad should probably have been done long, long ago (and elsewhere, as needed). Surrounding troublesome areas and systematically clearing them. Is this rocket science?
I could be all wet, but if I'm not some analysts and historians with access to all the command reasoning and direction from above should be able to do some devastating stuff on how - at the tactical level - we've fought this one. Greatest military that ever walked the Earth, but looks like there has been some major malfunction in the most basic decisions here.
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Armed assailants ransacked and burned a provincial office of the Iraqi presidents Kurdish party on Friday, accusing its official newspaper of criticizing a Shia cleric, police said. About 50 gunmen loyal to Shia cleric Ayatollah Mohammed al-Yacoubi stormed the office of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, headed by President Jalal Talabani, beat up the guards and destroyed furniture before setting the building on fire, said police Lt. Othman Al Lami.
The attackers fled after seizing three AK-47 rifles from the guards, one of whom was injured, al-Lami said. There were no officials in the office during the early morning raid. Pamphlets distributed by the attackers claimed that the offending article included a July 29 statement by Al Yacoubi in which he spread ¢hatred against the Kurds. The flyer said the cleric was trying to "ignite a war between the Arab Shias and Kurds by claiming that Kurds are targeting other ethnic groups. Al-Yacoubi was immediately available for comment, and the claims in the flyer could not be immediately confirmed. Al Yacoubi is the spiritual leader of the Fadhila, or Virtue, party, which is part of Prime Minister Nouri Al Malikis Shia alliance.
Posted by: Steve White ||
08/12/2006 00:00 ||
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#2
And nothing bespeaks Virtue more than beating up guards and burning down a building.
That'll teach 'em to spread their lies about the Ayatollah trying to stir up trouble with the Kurds. Yes sir, these are some peaceful folks and will kill anyone who says different.
Posted by: Baba Tutu ||
08/12/2006 3:08 Comments ||
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#4
Armed assailants ransacked and burned a provincial office of the Iraqi presidents Kurdish party on Friday, accusing its official newspaper of criticizing a Shia cleric
An Arab assailant stabbed to death a European tourist in Jerusalem's Old City today, Israeli police said. Italian media quoted the Rome foreign ministry as saying the victim was a 25-year-old Italian, Angelo Frammartino, and that he had travelled to Israel last week to do volunteer work. "An Arab youth approached a group of three or four tourists from behind and stabbed one man before fleeing," a police spokesman said. "He died of his wounds." The spokesman declined to disclose the man's nationality, saying only that he was a European and that police believed he was likely the victim of a "terrorist attack".
#1
he was a European and that police believed he was likely the victim of a "terrorist attack".
Interesting. The police in Jerusalem know terrorism when they see it. OTOH in Seattle, when a gunman killed a woman and wounded five others in a Jewish community center, the police declared the shooting a "hate crime" carried out by a lone gunman.
We had 60+ comments on this yesterday, so we're continuing this story into today.
JERUSALEM Aug 11, 2006 (AP) Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has accepted an emerging Mideast cease-fire deal and informed the United States of his decision, Israeli officials said Friday. Olmert will recommend that his government approve the deal in its meeting on Sunday, the officials said on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to brief journalists on the internal discussions.
It was not immediately clear whether Israel's expanded ground offensive would be frozen. Defense officials said it appeared the campaign would be halted.
#3
Olmert Lamont after impressive stupidity and incometence will try save his reputation by making peace. This is the Peace Now people running a military.
#4
Guys, Im curious. Ive been following the blogg for sometime. Most on this site support Israel's campaign in Lebanon, but generally (very) critical of Olmert who is trying to portray himself as a strong and legitimate Sharon alternative. Why such strong sentiments? What did I miss?
#5
ST 9292, if you've been following this site and recent events, then it should be obvious why the strong sentiments - so just say what's really on your mind.
Posted by: Rex Mundi ||
08/12/2006 1:40 Comments ||
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#6
Why we pissed at Olmert because he started a war then stopped. When you start a war you get rid of your enemy. When the US went into Afgan Taliban lost power, Iraq Saddam found in a hidey hole. See the diffrence.
#7
Actually this hasn't been so bad. Hezbollah in the past has kidnapped Israelis. Israel's reaction has been to lob a few shells across the border and negotiate an exchange of prisoners.
This time Hezbollah got one heck of a bloody nose. Their Beirut infrastructure was demolished, they took some serious hits in Bekaa, and much of the prepared positions, bunkers, tunnels, and weapons caches were destroyed in the border villages. AND, when it all stops, Hezbollah finds the Lebanese army and a beefier UN force with a stronger mandate in place right in their heartland.
Anyone who trys to portray this as ANY kind of a Hezbollah victory is just playing politics because when you look at the real physical situation on the ground, Hezbollah has lost much.
#9
By the ceasefire deal, Hezbully has been legitimized. It has been adressed as if it were a country, not a terrorist org. The repercussions of this unfortunate stupidity will be felt for a long time. Crosspatch, scroll down to a post called Crystal Ball to see what's in store in the near future. Beyond that see the opinion of Walid Phares in Iran Poised To Be 'Mother of All World Threats'
#10
I agree the Israeli political leadership has been surprisingly irresolute... and the cost has been much higher than it should've been because of it.
Fact: it all pivots on Iran.
I would not be surprised to find that, after Olmert's poor performance became apparent, the US decided to share some strategic plans and told them to back off and take the deal. After all, the little sideplay going on in Lebanon with Hezbollah is only a symptom, not the real problem.
It is a waste of good people to fight a proxy with an endless supply chain and complicit international cover.
The real issue is the Iranian regime. And I believe it is forfeit.
#11
I disagree that Hezbollah has been legitimized. They are not a party to the agreement. In fact, they are only referenced where it is stated they must ceasefire and move above the Litani. The agreement allows Israel to continue operations as long as Hezbollah continues to fight. Even if Israel accepts the agreement, should Hezbollah continue fighting, Israel is not obligated to do a thing, they may continue the fight until Hezbollah is defeated or submits to the terms.
It is a clear defeat for Hezbollah.
"they still have the kidnapped soldiers, though."
It is my understanding that the issue of the kidnapped soldiers will be addressed in another resolution once combat operations have ceased.
#12
Vrospatch, you need to see this from the viewpopint of Middle-East. As far as Hezbollah is concerned--a stunning victory, for in their perverted culture, if you're alive at the end of the fight, you can claim victory.
But not only that. Being degraded only marginally. Hezbollah still remains a powerfull force within the Lebanon context. They will milk that factor as much as they can and get on with their "settling of scores" until they achieve supremacy.
Ahmadinutjob is laughing, meanwhile. He did not need to lift a finger and everything lines up to his advantage.
#14
I disagree that it is a "stunning victory" and isn't even being seen as such in the Middle East. In fact, they are looking at it with apparently quite a bit of sarcasm. Such as ... if Hezbollah is being so victorious, why call for a ceasefire? Why not, if Hezbollah is giving the IDF such a licking, simply continue fighting until the IDF is destroyed? In other words, even Arab commentators are making fun of Hezbollah.
Don't believe that just because the news media says anything short of an absolute destruction of Hezbollah is a victory that it means that is really so. There are quite a lot of people in the region that see it for what it is. Israel was being restrained in order to get a fundamental change in the situation on the ground. That is the overall goal. The idea is to weaken Hezbollah. Sure, if they are not absolutely broken, they will claim some kind of victory, but as the days and weeks go by and the toll of the hammering their infrastructure took becomes felt, they will be increasingly seen to be in a weaker position.
Christian, Druze, and Sunni factions have not taken this hammering, nor has the Lebanese army. So Hezbollah has been weakend physically in relation to these other elements. They have been set back. They have defended Lebanon not one bit. Israel was able to do exactly what they wanted to do whenever they wanted to do it. As I type this, the IDF is on a mad rush all the way to the Litani. They will probably be there within 24 hours or less ... they might even be there now. Reporters on the border say they have seen more helicopters cross the border just tonite than in the entire duration of the war combined. The IDF is putting troops deep inside Lebanon tonite.
Any "victory" for Hezbollah will ring hollow in reality.
#15
To put it another way, Hezbollah has defined "victory" the same way the Black Knight defined it in that Monty Python movie. After having both arms, both legs and finally his head chopped off, the Black Knight responds with "I'll bite you!". And such is the "victory" of Nasrallah.
#16
Crospatch, heard about some activity around Northern Border. One hopes it is not too little too late.
But as the degradation of the HA forward force goes, the estimate is about 300 (so far). That takes down the original ~ 6000 to about 5700. That may be a palm and a far cry from Black Knight dismemberment. They have enough resources left to pull off an internal coup d'etat with their 10,000 strong reserve. They don't need rocket launchers for that.
#17
Well, thinking... depending how well IDF covers the SL area in the next 24 hrs... HA may get cocky and as they say, shiite may hit the fan... the Black Knight scenario may be closer to the original.
One thing would be, though, a spectacular success, if IDF gets Nasrallah dead or alive. Next 30 days.
#18
"But as the degradation of the HA forward force goes, the estimate is about 300 (so far). "
I believe that estimate is VERY low. We might never know the true count. Hezbollah is never going to want the true extent of the casualties to be known. That 300 (and I have heard higher counts, the IDF themselves having handled over 400 dead Hezbollah fighters) is what they are willing to admit. They would be taking whatever bodies they can off the battlefield. Where they can, portraying them as civilian killed. In many cases, probably simply burying them where they can. I would pay more attention to reports of large numbers of missing Lebanese shiite men after this is over. Israel can't toss this much ordinance into there and have this many firefights for a month and only kill 10 people per day. They couldn't do that if they TRIED to miss.
#19
In other words, this notion that they can bomb and have troops engaged in direct combat that that amount of artillery fire for a month and kill 600 civilians and only 300 Hezbollah is silly on the face of it. Anyone putting any stock in that number is seriously gullable and that is being charitable.
#20
Crosspatch, you may well be right, but this is the Middle East. Anything less than a complete defeat for Hizbollocks will be portrayed by them as a victory.
In the Middle East perception is more important than substance. This may not be the first war Israel lost, but it may well be the first it didn't win and that in the Arab mind means they are closer to destroying Israel.
#22
If saddam was able to present his 1991 defeat as a victory for having survived american onslaught, then I can't see hizballah not receiving an huge boost from this whole mess (assuming there is not a dramatic change, like nasrallah being helizapped, true, or the idf cleaning the bekaa), regardless of the actual results on the battlefield. If iran wishes to get the leadership of the whole jihadist/anti-western movement over the sunnis, a perceived victory of the hizballah over the "zionists" is a big plus, despite whatever perception the arab regimes might have, it's the Masses(Tm) and the radicals who matter.
#23
Hizb'allah will claim victory anything short of hunting them all down and executing them. It's not like the Tyre Times will contradict Hizb and live. When fighting muslims, the west must show irrefutable gains. That means taking land and women captives. Anything less will not register in the muslim mind.
Posted by: ed ||
08/12/2006 7:16 Comments ||
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#24
Agreement is a prelude to a larger and nastier war in the near future.
#25
Hell, Saddam's still claiming victory and asserting he's still in charge. Arab/Muzzie words should be taken as lies from the second they leave their lips. Who cares what they claim?
Posted by: Frank G ||
08/12/2006 9:32 Comments ||
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#26
Israel's defeat happened back when Olmert was elected PM. The mis-events of the last month are just the other, and inevitable, shoe dropping. May the Israelis not repeat their mistake.
#27
I'm hoping the IDF will carry on the infantry drive to the Litani even after the cabinet has accepted the UN resolution, which does not call for an immediate end to hostilities anyway. It looks like the Israelis have worked out the right tactics for anti-tank weapons now: lots of boots on the ground with the infantry ahead of the armour.
#28
Lebanon is a real mismash of a country with three weak factions (Sunni, Christian, Druze) and one strong one (Hezbullies). If the Hezbullies are significantly degraded and the other factions, via the international force and training/build up of the Leb army, are strengthened, then perhaps, perhaps, the Hezbullies can be reigned in. At least it is possible that they will have to deal with internal conflicts rather than doing anything to Israel. The key is how much they are degraded, cause if they are the people are going to remember who started all this crap. While bitching about the Israelis is good for the TV camera, the reality is that the people saw Hezbully bury the rockets under the school and saw the AA gun up on the apartment roof. They know that Hezbully played them for suckers.
In the end though, I still think this is all prelude to far bigger stuff.
Posted by: Mark E. ||
08/12/2006 12:13 Comments ||
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#34
Wow! First war Israel has lost. Congrats to the Olmert administration.
Posted by: Dave T. ||
08/12/2006 14:37 Comments ||
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#35
Just Peachy! Now Hezbolla will be able to fire missles over the heads of German, French, Eygyptian, and Turkish troops and the only way Israel can respond (on the ground) is with an act of war against those nations... Just Peachy.
Posted by: Just Peachy ||
08/12/2006 14:44 Comments ||
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#36
IMHO those troops will never deploy, because the fighting won't stop to allow it. Hezbollah can't disarm or stop attacking the Jooooos while Israel's in Lebanon, and Israel will keep attacking Hezbollah while it's getting hit. I think that's why Israel's setting up as far north as possible before the time the deal is supposed to go into effect. My 2 cents FWIW
Posted by: Frank G ||
08/12/2006 15:05 Comments ||
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#37
Look for the French to suggest that their troops should first go onto a narrow strip at the border with Israel and keep the IDF as a shield between them and Hizb'Allah.
WTF?!?!
Money quote :
BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) -- Israel will halt its war in Lebanon at 7 a.m. Monday (midnight EDT Sunday night), a senior Israeli government official said Saturday.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment publicly on the sensitive matter. Israel's Cabinet was to endorse the U.N. cease-fire resolution later Sunday. Rest of article, by the same ZEINA KARAM Associated Press Writer, is the same spin as the one posted below.
#3
"The days have gone down in the West. Behind the hills, into shadow. How did it come to this?"
Seems appropriate. The fight continues but it's just window dressing, setting the stage for the next phase which most likely will a terrorist onslaught the likes which has not been seen. I see this as Iran conducting a "recon in force". They probed, and were met with spinelessness. Iran, and it's allies and proxies can be counted on to respond accordingly when faced with such weakness.
Posted by: Rex Mundi ||
08/12/2006 15:56 Comments ||
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#4
It's Rovian plot...to bait Iran in to making a clear cut mistake. Oh no! We are all so weak...please don't attack us. All designed to justify the mule-a crushing to come.
#6
Check out the comments by crosspatch at this post.
Posted by: Tony (UK) ||
08/12/2006 17:18 Comments ||
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#7
The fighting is not going to stop because the Hezbullies don't know how to do anything else. Without the military swagger they are done for, by Saudi financed Leb forces, not by the IDF.
Don't forget the strategic nature of this conflict to KSA and Egypt. They are not happy about all this Shiite force projection. I see them relishing the opportunity to take the Hezb's down, via proxy of course. Big dollars will flow to make that happen.
#10
I dont understand... Aren't we suppose to be supporting countries who are willing to fight against terrorists ? So why the need to call a ceasefire ? Does this mean that from now on when things arent going so well for the murdering , mutalating terrorists , other countries will step into try to prevent civilized nations from protecting their civilians from being MURDERERD by calling for a ceasefire.
Israel should be allowed to conduct military operations for as long as they require and deem nescessary. All terrorists should be hunted down and left to rot in a pool of their own blood. These uncivilized terror loving lunatics deserve no chance to rest, breathe, eat or sleep. War should be waged on these assholes 24/7. Only when the tides have turned and the bombs are falling over their side of the border do they only seem to care about innocent lives being lost - Even if they are the cause of them.
#12
FOX reported this AM that Nasrey has grudgingly accepted the proposed ceasefire by the USA-France - however, Syrian Hezbollah vs Iranian Hizbollah vs Islamic Jihad, etal. orgs the Great Satan = SNAFU/FUBAR remains in the spelling.
#13
WTF??? I guess this is another pause awaiting the big push on the 22nd. You know if the UN is involved it will be a Goat F%&k rodeo. I pray that Israel will ignore the UN and strike hard and deep.
Posted by: 49 Pan ||
08/12/2006 22:17 Comments ||
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#14
Is Olmert crazy like a fox? Nobody in their right mind would agree to a cease fire with the Hezzies. Maybe he's counting on them violating it and giving him the pretext to destroy them. One can only hope.
Nice spin at the end...
By ZEINA KARAM
Associated Press Writer
JERUSALEM (AP) -- Israeli army units reached the Litani River on Saturday, less than 24 hours after the government ordered an operation to march toward the river in a final push against entrenched Hezbollah guerrillas, Israel Radio reported.
The units were part of a massive force that flooded into Lebanon, trying to seize as much territory as possible before a U.N. cease-fire comes into effect. The objective was to control southern Lebanon up to the Litani River, about 18 miles from the Israeli border, before handing over the area to the Lebanese army and U.N. troops.
Meanwhile, both sides in the war indicated they would accept a U.N. cease-fire plan to stop heavy fighting still raging in southern Lebanon.
Airstrikes killed at least 19 people in Lebanon, including 15 in one village, and Hezbollah rockets wounded at least five people in Israel. Long columns of Israeli tanks, soldiers and armored personnel carriers streamed over the border.
More than 50 helicopters ferried Israeli commandos into southern Lebanon in what was called the biggest such operation in Israel's history. It was part of an all-put push to drive Hezbollah fighters behind the Litani River, about 18 miles from the border, before the truce.
But Hezbollah fought back hard. Israel said dozen of its soldiers were wounded in the expanded offensive, which has tripled the Israeli troop strength in southern Lebanon.
The Islamic militant group said its fighters killed seven Israeli soldiers and destroyed 21 tanks. Israel said its troops had killed 40 Hezbollah guerrillas over the previous 24 hours.
A senior Israeli official, meanwhile, said Israel expects a Mideast cease-fire to take effect either late Sunday or Monday, depending on an Israeli Cabinet decision Sunday morning and consultations with the U.N. and input from the Lebanese government. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the sensitive matter with reporters.
Israeli media reported that the truce would go into effect at 7 a.m. (1 a.m. EDT) Monday but gave no source for the information.
The official's comments contradicted an earlier statement by Israeli army chief, Lt. Gen. Dan Halutz, that Israel expected to fight for another week despite the cease-fire deal. He said Israeli forces - apparently about 30,000 soldiers now - would stay in Lebanon until an international force arrived.
Hezbollah's leader, Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, said his militia would abide by the cease-fire blueprint, but said the guerrillas would keep battling Israeli troops while they remained in Lebanon, calling that "our natural right."
His address was televised as Lebanon's Cabinet met to vote on the U.N. plan. Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora signaled the Cabinet would accept, saying it serves the interests of his country and "shows that the whole world stood by Lebanon."
The Israeli Cabinet was expected to approve the cease-fire Sunday, but Israel appeared ready to keep up its full-scale military campaign until the U.N. plan worked its way through the region's political leadership over the weekend.
The resolution approved Friday night by the U.N. Security Council would create a peacekeeping force by combining a beefed-up version of ineffective U.N. units already in the war zone and 15,000 soldiers from the Lebanese army. The force, which could number around 30,000, would stand between Israel and Hezbollah's militia.
France, New Zealand, Italy and Ireland said Saturday they were ready to provide troops and Turkey said it was inclined to do so.
President Bush issued a statement urging the world's leaders to implement the U.N. plan and help bring real peace to the Middle East.
"The loss of innocent life in both Lebanon and Israel has been a great tragedy," Bush said. "Hezbollah and its Iranian and Syrian sponsors have brought an unwanted war to the people of Lebanon and Israel, and millions have suffered as a result. I now urge the international community to turn words into action and make every effort to bring lasting peace to the region."
Israel has demanded an airtight buffer zone and wonders if U.N. and Lebanese forces are up for the task. A small U.N. military presence - now about 2,000 observers - has been in Hezbollah-controlled southern Lebanon since 1978 and has been overwhelmed by the Islamic militant group's rising power, aided by Iran and Syria.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice specifically cited Hezbollah's two sponsors in a statement Friday for all parties to "respect the sovereignty of the Lebanese government and the will of the international community."
But the resolution, approved 15-0 in the U.N. Security Council, did nothing to immediately halt the fighting that erupted exactly a month ago and has claimed nearly 900 lives - including at least 761 in Lebanon and 123 Israelis.
Israeli missiles slammed into the southern Lebanon village of Rachaf, about 10 miles from the Israeli border, killing at least 15 civilians, security officials said. Israeli ground forces also fanned out across southern Lebanon hunting for Hezbollah rocket batteries that have fired unending salvos across the border.
Three people also were killed in strikes on Kharayeb, and a Lebanese soldier was killed in an air raid near an army base in the Bekaa Valley, officials said.
In Sidon, a coastal city between Beirut and the Israeli border, Israeli bombs destroyed a power plant. Farther south, another power facility was hit near Tyre, knocking out electricity to the port, police said.
On Lebanon's northern frontier, Israeli airstrikes hit the highway leading to the Arida border crossing about a mile from the Mediterranean coast. It was the last official border post open for humanitarian convoys and civilians fleeing the country. The highway was impassable, but drivers tried to maneuver through ruts and ditches.
The only other exits from Lebanon are rugged pathways and back roads through deserts or mountains.
Israel seeks to block supply routes for Hezbollah and disrupt their mobility and has warned it would target any vehicles on the roads in southern Lebanon and along other main highways.
On Friday, an Israeli aircraft fired on a convoy of more than 600 civilian vehicles and others carrying 350 Lebanese police and soldiers who left the Israeli-occupied town on Marjayoun in southeast Lebanon. Police said three civilians and an army recruit were killed and 28 people were injured. The mayor of Marjayoun, Fuad Hamra, put the death toll at six.
Israel said the U.N. troops asked permission to lead the convoy, but it was denied. Previous groups were given permission and traveled unharmed, the Israeli military said.
Fighting continued in Hezbollah-held areas around Marjayoun, a strategic hub overlooking valleys used as Hezbollah rocket bases.
Israeli commando units and guerrillas engaged in close combat in a valley near El-Ghandourieh, about 10 miles southwest of Marjayoun, according to Lebanese security officials.
Other Israeli ground forces, backed by aircraft and drones, met stiff resistance as they tried to reach the Litani River.
Israel said its troops destroyed several rocket batteries and killed more than 40 Hezbollah fighters in the last 24 hours. The guerrilla group announced four deaths Friday and three Saturday.
After a morning free of Hezbollah rocket strikes in northern Israel, a barrage of 20 missiles at midafternoon injured two people in Amirim and three in Kiryat Shemona. Hezbollah had been averaging nearly 200 hits each day in the monthlong conflict.
The Litani is seen by Israel as a crucial boundary in its attempt to push back Hezbollah. Israel repeatedly has insisted that the proposed peacekeeping force cannot allow Hezbollah weapons south of the river.
But it will be nearly impossible to rid south Lebanon of the Islamic guerrillas, who are now in the Lebanese Cabinet and run clinics and other charities that are considered essential in rebuilding the region. Their ability to withstand the Israeli military assault has also made Hezbollah heroes across the Arab and Islamic worlds.
#6
But...they have been fighting for 30 days and it only took 24hrs to reach the Litani? I wonder what they were waiting for.
And seeing has how Hezbollah will continue to fight despite the ceasefire, and no work on how long it will take to get UNFIL forces into the battle zone....
Clearly the IDF knows it can conquor but cannot hold Southern Lebanon.
Posted by: john ||
08/12/2006 14:11 Comments ||
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#7
Israel now has something they have never had before: UN justification to continue wiping out Hezbollah. The agreement specifically allows Israel to contiue as long as they are being attacked. It calls for a UN force only once the fighting stops. Nasrallah has said he will continue fighting until Israel withdraws. The agreement says Israel doesn't have to withdraw until Hezbollah stops ... so ... Israel for the first time in history has a UN okay to continue the fight.
Stop listening to so much political rhetoric and look at the real physical situation on the ground. This is absolutely brilliant. Israel has cleared Hezbollah from all villages within about 5 miles from the border. Israel is now in the process of ejecting Hezbollah from the rest of the area South of the Litani and preparing the area for a UN force to have a shot and keeping Hezbollah from returning and rebuilding and they have de facto UN approval for continuing to do so until Hezbollah either submits or is defeated in the area.
But the absolute key and the one thing Israel has never had before is justification under a UN resolution to continue an operation until her goals are met. You guys are really giving Olmert short shrift.
When you're dealing with Israelis you gotta watch what they DO more than what they say.
Olmert to UN: "Yes, yes, we'll have a cease-fire Monday morning."
Olmert to his Generals: "Ari, Uri, Shlomo, I want a massive air mobile operation into southern Lebanon NOW! Triple the number of soldiers we have there overnight! We only have a week or so to finish off as many Hezbers as we can."
#10
It looks like Israel may have gotten behind the Hezs, with some of them at the Litani and a lot of Hezs at Marjayoun (wherever that is). Unfortunately as soon as Israel starts wiping them out, the UN will probably try to find some way to make them stop.
August 22 is in 10 days. Iran's strategic planning probably involved Hezbollah being positioned pretty much as they were before all of this started thinking Israel would lob a few shells across the border and maybe launch an airstrike. When August 22 rolls around, there are now going to be no Hezbollah in Southern Lebanon. No Iranian proxy army to use as a threat for whatever Iran is going to announce on the 22nd.
Israel is overall in a much more secure position and Iran in a weakened position relative to what was the status quo before all of this.
#12
Thanks for the comments crosspatch, they help to put some perspective on what's going on.
I keep thinking of disinformation, and the obligatory Sun Tzu quote;
18. All warfare is based on deception.
19. Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable;
when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we
are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away;
when far away, we must make him believe we are near.
20. Hold out baits to entice the enemy. Feign disorder,
and crush him.
21. If he is secure at all points, be prepared for him.
If he is in superior strength, evade him.
22. If your opponent is of choleric temper, seek to
irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant.
23. If he is taking his ease, give him no rest.
If his forces are united, separate them.
24. Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where
you are not expected.
25. These military devices, leading to victory,
must not be divulged beforehand.
Posted by: Tony (UK) ||
08/12/2006 17:16 Comments ||
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#13
Ok if this goes as crosspatch says , I will be the first to eat the crow.
1. When an Arab gives you permission to do something (like attack Hesb'Allah), look very closely at the 'something'. Likely it is to his benefit, and your detriment.
2. Israel is not fighting just Hesb'Allah and its sponsors Iran and Syria. They are fighting the United Nations, the Arab world, the world media, the European Left, and Iran and Syria's sponsors.
3. The U.S. and others on Israel's side, but the U.S. and others also have their own interests. It is an election year and there are also other domestic pressures. They too face nearly the same opposition as those in #2, plus their own domestic enemies.
4. If the cease-fire is what it is purpoted to be, then it is a diplomatic jujitsu move. Most of those in #2 will have been co-opted. At the very least, it places the UN in a precarious position if the cease-fire fails. It gives those supporters in #3 a fig-leaf, especially against their own enemies.
5. If it does not work, well, the tanks and troops are in place. Munitions are only a plane-flight away.
#18
Hmph. I don't think Olmert had anything to do with the resolution being as pretty for israel as Crosspatch says. They'll have to spin it harder than they have demonstrated talent for in the propaganda arena (MSM/LIBS/Tranzis will cite the Resolution ad Lib and not read it literally).
As far as I am concerned, I think the resolution is Bolton's doing.
#19
Backing up Ptah on this...Olmert was tossed a bone. I don't think he got clsoe to what he actually wanted. IDF just demonstrated their capabilities. Too bad Olmert didn't have such faith in his own forces. I don't think he has the slightest idea of what the IDF is capable of.
Posted by: Rex Mundi ||
08/12/2006 21:26 Comments ||
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IDF operations in Lebanon continued to expand on Saturday. Israeli government officials said IDF operations would not stop until the IDF's goals were reached, despite the passage of UN Security Council resolution 1701. Let's hope they will expand it so much that South Lebanon will become a huge Hezbollah graveyard...
Early Saturday, the IDF was ordered to take over all areas in south Lebanon from which rockets have been fired at Israel. It's about time !
Defense Minister Amir Peretz, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Dan Halutz and senior IDF officers visited the Northern Command headquarters in Safed overnight Friday in order to oversee the beginning of the IDF incursion meant to carry out the government's order.
According to the IDF, troops were advancing north and west in south Lebanon toward the Litani River, some 30 kilometers from Israel. Taking the territory would take several days, the army said, following which the IDF would operate in the area to remove the terror infrastructure and to destroy rocket launchers.
According to Northern Command Chief of Staff Brig.-Gen. Alon Friedman, the last part of the operation could take several weeks. In an interview with Israel Radio on Saturday, Friedman said the IDF could expand its operations past the Litani if it was ordered to do so by the government, and emphasized that the IDF would continue to operate in south Lebanon until the cabinet gave different instructions.
A senior IDF source said on Saturday morning that the army believed the operation to clear launchers from south Lebanon would last several days. Senior government officials reportedly have said that the IDF could succeed in taking all the territories from which rockets had been fired despite the short timeline given to continued military operations by the passage of UN Security Council Resolution 1701.
On Friday, as many as 40,000 troops were still massed on Israel's northern border. It was not immediately clear how many of them would join the fighting in Lebanon.
Israeli officials expressed satisfaction with the resolution, and the government was scheduled to vote on the cease-fire at its weekly cabinet meeting Sunday morning.
As of early Saturday morning, the IDF was still engaging Hizbullah in south Lebanon. Troops advanced northward from the security zone they have been occupying there, headed for the Litani River. IDF forces have killed at least 20 Hizbullah fighters in Saturday fighting, the IDF said. There were media reports of IDF casualties in fierce gun battles raging in south Lebanon, but no confirmation was immediately available from official sources.
The IDF began a widened operation in south Lebanon after Wednesday's cabinet decision that authorized the army to carry out a massive ground offensive "to deal with the Hizbullah positions in south Lebanon, from which barrages of missiles continue to be launched against the Israeli civilian population," Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said. "Our action does not exclude a diplomatic option," Regev said before the Security Council vote. "But... it is incumbent upon the government to defend its citizens."
According to military sources, close to 70 percent of the Katyusha rockets raining down on Israel are fired from just south of, and north of the Litani river. It is in these parts of Lebanon that the Hizbullah's Nasser Unit is waiting with thousands of fighters and functioning command and control centers.
IDF sources said that even with a cease-fire in place, Israel should try to improve its position militarily - to push to the Litani to drive back Hizbullah and push its rocket launching capabilities from away from the northern border.
#3
Don't just blame the politicians. Halutz was a putz for saying that everything could be achieved with air power. There is still time for a good outcome provided that Israel continues with the push to the Litani. The UN resolution gives them the wiggle room to carry on for a while longer.
I'd just about rather be tarred with Benedict Arnold than that SOB.
Aftermath
What become of Maj. General Horatio Gates himself? After the militia broke and fled, Gates soon followed. Some reported that he did attempt to rally the retreating militia, but to no avail. What can be said is that Gates was in Charlotte, North Carolina, sixty miles away by the evening of August 16 only hours after the battle. He was in Hillsborough, North Carolina, 180 miles away, by August 19.
You called it. "bunch of bull" is exactly what this war on Hezbollah has been. Raise your hand, if you agree that this "final push" is just a face saving gimmick by Olmert.
#10
And so it is written, "and a little cow shall lead them".
Posted by: ed ||
08/12/2006 14:06 Comments ||
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#11
Raise your hand, if you agree that this "final push" is just a face saving gimmick by Olmert.
The comment elsewhere to the effect that the UN resolution and Bush's statement are an attempt to extricte Israel from the total mess Olmert has made ... rings true to me.
Israel has nearly tripled the number of forces in Lebanon as part of its expanded ground war in Lebanon, and expects to fight for another week, despite a UN cease-fire deal, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Dan Halutz said Saturday. Maybe has Olmert decided to win the war... That would be a good news...
The army chief said Israeli troops would stay in Lebanon until an international force arrives.
Israeli warplanes launched wide-ranging airstrikes and sent commandos into the Hezbollah heartland Saturday while the U.N. raced to begin enforcing its new cease-fire blueprint and stop the fighting. Airstrikes killed at least 15 people in one Lebanese village. Israel also blasted a highway near Lebanon's last open border crossing to Syria as it kept up its full-scale campaign against Hezbollah militants. Long columns of Israeli tanks, troops and armored personnel carriers streamed over the border.
The U.N. plan approved on Friday night would create a peacekeeping force by combining a beefed-up version of the ineffective U.N. units already in the war zone and 15,000 troops from the Lebanese army. The contingent, which could number around 30,000 soldiers, would stand between Israel and the Hezbollah militia.
Israel's Cabinet meets Sunday to approve the U.N. plan. Lebanese officials signaled that their formal backing could come Saturday. Israel's army chief, Lt. Gen. Dan Halutz, said Israel has nearly tripled the number of forces in Lebanon and expects to fight for another week despite the cease-fire deal. He said Israeli forces apparently about 30,0000 now would stay in Lebanon until an international force arrives.
Israel has demanded an airtight buffer zone and wonders if U.N. and Lebanese forces are up for the task. A small U.N. military presence now about 2,000 soldiers have been in Hezbollah-controlled southern Lebanon since 1978 and have been overwhelmed by the Islamic group's rising power, aided by
Iran and Syria.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice specifically cited Hezbollah's two sponsors in a statement Friday for all parties to "respect the sovereignty of the Lebanese government and the will of the international community." But the resolution, approved 15-0 in the U.N. Security Council, did nothing to immediately halt the fighting that erupted exactly a month ago and has claimed more than 800 lives. Details of fighting at link.
Posted by: ed ||
08/12/2006 07:26 ||
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Link ||
[4 views]
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#2
Condi seems to have contracted a bad case of wishful thinking. (I saw her interview by Sean Hannity last night.)
Posted by: demoralized in DC ||
08/12/2006 8:22 Comments ||
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#3
Condi's job is to make the US look like it is willing to adopt a solution that doesn't target all Muslims unfairly. Or, more specifically, that doesn't destroy the progress towards a responsible indigenous Lebanese government -- which progress Hezb'allah wants to destroy as much as they want to destroy Israel.
It's going to work every bit as well as the last Mideast peace deal, I just know it.
UNITED NATIONS (AP) - The U.N. Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution Friday that calls for an end to the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, and authorizes the deployment of 15,000 U.N. peacekeepers to help Lebanese troops take control of south Lebanon as Israel withdraws.
Read on, and you'll see how dumb this is ...
The draft, which had been proposed by the United States and France, offers the best chance yet for peace after more than four weeks of significant bloodshed.
There's the first lie ...
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert endorsed the resolution late Friday, after a day of dramatic day brinksmanship including a threat to expand the ground war in Lebanon. But Israeli officials said Israel would not halt fighting until Israel's Cabinet has approved the cease-fire deal in its weekly meeting Sunday.
At which time Olmert just might be deposed as PM.
Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora also assured Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice that his country backed the resolution, a U.S. official said.
As if he matters.
Despite Lebanese objections, Israel will be allowed to continue defensive operations, and a dispute over the Chebaa Farms area along the Syria-Lebanon-Israel border will be left for later. Israel won't get its wish for an entirely new multinational force separate from the U.N. peacekeepers that have been stationed in south Lebanon since 1978.
The short story: nothing changes, except the Hezbies will be seen in the Arab world as having stood their ground.
There is also no call for the release of Lebanese prisoners held by Israel or a demand for the immediate withdrawal of Israeli troops. Although the draft resolution emphasizes the need for the "unconditional release" of the two Israeli soldiers whose July 12 capture by Hezbollah sparked the conflict, that call is not included in the list of steps required for a lasting cease-fire.
So the Israelis don't get what they went after at the start: no clear containment of the Hezbies, and no soldiers returned.
At the heart of the resolution are two elements: It seeks an immediate halt to the fighting that began July 12 when Hezbollah militants kidnapped two Israeli troops along the Blue Line, the U.N.-demarcated border separating Israel; and it spells out a series of steps that would lead to a permanent cease-fire and long-term solution.
Oh boy, a roadkillmap! And we all know how good Arab terrorists are at following roadmaps for peace.
That would be done by creating a new buffer zone in south Lebanon "free of any armed personnel, assets and weapons other than those of the government of Lebanon and UNIFIL." The force now has 2,000 troops; the resolution would expand it to a maximum of 15,000. Under the resolution, UNIFIL would be significantly beefed up to help coordinate when 15,000 Lebanese troops deploy to the region. As Lebanese forces take control of the south, Israeli troops would withdraw.
The Leb troops are thoroughly infiltrated by the Hezbies so it isn't clear who will control what.
And I suspect UNIFIL will continued to be composed of Brazilians, Bangeladeshis and the Mighty Uruguyans.
A senior U.S. official in Washington, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the U.S. and France envision a 10-day timeframe between the moment a halt to the hostilities is declared and the moment UNIFIL troops go into action in the south.
They can't be serious. There is no way you can give the Hezbies ten days to improve their situation and then expect UNIFIL to move them out of the way. The Hezbies will have every incentive to take pot shots at the Israelis and at UNIFIL in that time.
The draft asks Annan to come up with proposals within 30 days on resolving various border disputes including the one over Chebaa Farms. Lebanon had wanted a direct demand in the draft that Chebaa Farms be put under U.N. control.
Which means the UN now has retreated on Chebaa, having formerly noted, correctly, that it was part of Syria all these years. Nice going, Dr. Rice.
"Everyone back in the Peace Processor!"
Posted by: Steve White ||
08/12/2006 00:00 ||
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[6 views]
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#1
Good enough for government work. Now go destroy Hezbollah.
#6
Israel accepted this pretty quickly. I'll bet the Lebanese take this as a sign that they could negotiate more out of the deal, at the expense of a bunch of Hezzies and a few actual innocent civilians.
#7
So much for not settling for the same old cease fires. So much for reshaping Lebanon and the mideast. So Ali and Amad, show up at the same time tomorrow. Bring you RPGs, you know the really camel ass-kicking one that takes out infidel tanks. Bring the grenades and AK-47. Bring some of the small, easily conceivable rockets too. Nassrah is picking up a load of new shit from our friends in Syria. The jihad is going just as planned. We snookered the West again. They are so easy to manipulate and deceive. Eventually, we will wear them down. We have the American left and the democrats working for us. They don't know shit from Shinola. Oh, and did yoo read the NWTs the other day, we have them in on our side too. They are very sympathetic to our cause. We will win one for the Gipper Allen.
Posted by: Frank G ||
08/12/2006 9:37 Comments ||
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#10
I figure Condi and Bolton are doing a pretty good job of appearing in public after what has to have been not a whole lot of sleep for the last couple weeks straight, and they still have to function in a high pressure public venue.
Thank the gods for overnight drycleaning. ;-)
Trafficant, on the other hand .... well there's no excuse for that one. ;-)
Posted by: Frank G ||
08/12/2006 11:35 Comments ||
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#13
the other white meat?
Actually, it's kind of a gray-brown - and very greasy. I prefer raccoon. Possum is only one step up from armadillo, which I wouldn't eat unless I was starving.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
08/12/2006 15:15 Comments ||
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#14
Simpsons episode the kids are stranded, starving on a desert isle and Ralph sez:
"I'm so hungry, I could eat at Arby's"
Posted by: Frank G ||
08/12/2006 15:27 Comments ||
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#15
This just breaks my heart. The free world is at stake here and Condi, who I respect, is giving it all away. We should be helping Israel, not imposing a peace deal. You don't have peace with terrorist orginazizations, you just have a pause so they can rebuild and strike again. Sorry guys it is time to get real here and strike these guys with weapons measured in megatons. Our lives and our kids futures are at stake here. It is time to make it real for the world and make everyone know we are done with this crap.
Posted by: 49 Pan ||
08/12/2006 22:26 Comments ||
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Maybe even more so.
Another note: This is Fred's primary set of links to the news you see here every day. Feel free to nose around the links and find us some news. If you ever wanted to Be Fred, this is your big chance!
A big thanks to everyone.
Posted by: Steve White ||
08/12/2006 00:03 ||
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#3
The Rantburg Scimitar-Defender Times-Picayune-Courier-Howler and Intelligencer will mostly be an evening edition, unless I'm inebriated, in which case it may not appear at all.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/12/2006 20:11 Comments ||
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I'm going to be on vacation from the 'Burg for the next couple weeks. That doesn't mean I'm not going to be here, just that I won't be here very much.
I'm turning the teevee off. I've got a stack of Westerns and detective novels that I haven't read in a few years, and I'm going to drown worms fishing tomorrow.
Dr. Steve will be wielding the Delete Button of Power in my (mostly) absence.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/12/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
Enjoy, Fred. But was that worms, or muzzie terrorists? Couldn't quite read it . . .
#6
yes thanks. Have a very fun time. My favorite type of fishing, is in a boat with good friends, beer and bourbon, hanging the line over the side "trolling" for fish.
Posted by: Jan ||
08/12/2006 0:19 Comments ||
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#7
Just remember, Doc Steve is a Trained Professional. He can actually *inflict* sepsis at T-1 speeds...
#23
I see fishing with high-explosives in the making... don't you think you already came close to the edge with your rpg-based moose hunting, Mr. Pruitt? Tsk, tsk.
#37
I go fishing a lot, I just don't go catching very much.
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
08/12/2006 12:34 Comments ||
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#38
DW and I are taking some time off Monday - me to fish, her to sit in the shade and embroider. I'll be thinking of you, Fred, and if I catch more than two (trout), you're invited to the fish fry!
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
08/12/2006 14:11 Comments ||
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#39
Careful, Fred. Them fish is gettin' ornery these days. Don't get grabbed by a black bass...
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
A Taleban suicide 
Separately three Al-Qaeda 
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia Riot police fired rubber bullets and tear gas Friday at hundreds of 
(West Virginia) The Washington County Sheriffs Department in Ohio has arrested two men for their involvement in what police say could be aiding terrorists, and one man linked to them could have been doing the same in Taylor County.
FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. (AP) - Nearly 450 soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division returned home from Iraq on Friday and more flights into Fort Campbell are expected soon, base officials said. The new arrivals bring the total number who have returned since the first homeward-bound flights in early July to about 1,000. Up to four flights, each of about 200 soldiers, are expected next week at the sprawling Army base that straddles the Tennessee-Kentucky state line.
IDF operations in Lebanon continued to expand on Saturday. Israeli government officials said IDF operations would not stop until the IDF's goals were reached, despite the passage of UN Security Council resolution 1701. 
Israeli warplanes launched wide-ranging airstrikes and sent commandos into the Hezbollah heartland Saturday while the U.N. raced to begin enforcing its new cease-fire blueprint and stop the fighting. Airstrikes killed at least 15 people in one Lebanese village. Israel also blasted a highway near Lebanon's last open border crossing to Syria as it kept up its full-scale campaign against Hezbollah militants. Long columns of Israeli tanks, troops and armored personnel carriers streamed over the border.
At the heart of the resolution are two elements: It seeks an immediate halt to the fighting that began July 12 when Hezbollah militants kidnapped two Israeli troops along the Blue Line, the U.N.-demarcated border separating Israel; and it spells out a series of steps that would lead to a permanent cease-fire and long-term solution.
While Fred's 
I'm going to be on vacation from the 'Burg for the next couple weeks. That doesn't mean I'm not going to be here, just that I won't be here very much.
