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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Israel Battles Militants in Conflict's Deadliest Day |
| 2006-07-27 |
| Israel's two-front conflict saw its heaviest day of fighting on Wednesday, claiming 9 Israeli soldiers, dozens of Hezbollah fighters and at least 23 Palestinians in Gaza. The death toll on Wednesday was Israel’s highest since fighting began on July 12 after Hezbollah captured two Israeli soldiers during a raid into Israel. The most intense ground combat came around the hilltop town of Bint Jbail, a Hezbollah stronghold just a few miles from the Israeli border. Two days ago, Israeli military officials on the border confidently announced that first the village of Maroun al-Ras and then the larger town of Bint Jbail had been subdued. But renewed fighting erupted in the region around daybreak on Wednesday and by the afternoon military officers were being more circumspect about their progress. In Maroun al-Ras, one Israeli soldier was killed and three more were wounded on Wednesday, the Israeli military said. Hezbollah fighters fired an antitank rocket that hit the soldiers in a building, it said. When asked what the Israeli military had achieved after two weeks of fighting, General Gantz replied: “I would suggest asking what Hezbollah has achieved. They came as defenders of Lebanon but basically have destroyed the country.” General Gantz, a lean, graying man who is famous for having been the last Israeli to leave southern Lebanon in the pullout six years ago after an 18-year Israeli presence there, insisted that the fight, though long, would ultimately go Israel’s way. Yet he showed glimmers of frustration with the political pressures that are shaping the battle plan. When asked if he thought Israel’s response to the initial Hezbollah raid was disproportionate, as many critics have charged, he minced no words. “I don’t think it was disproportionate,” he said. “It should have been much stronger and that’s what we’re going to do.” “We have a long way to go and a lot to achieve,” he said, although he would not talk about how many villages needed to be cleared of Hezbollah fighters or what geographic area Israel need to occupy in order to create a credible buffer zone. Israeli Army officers are saying it is probably unrealistic to expect that the military can wipe out Hezbollah’s well-hidden and widespread arsenal, which was believed to have contained more than 10,000 missiles when the fighting began. General Gantz conceded that it would be difficult to stop the rockets that have menaced northern Israel with purely military means, noting that the launchers are mobile and easily hidden and can be fired remotely or with timers. Another officer, who asked not to be identified because he was not authorized to speak to the press, noted that even if Israel managed to destroy 50 or 60 percent of those rockets, there would still be enough left to keep up the current pace of roughly 100 rockets a day for weeks. “All Hezbollah has to do to win is not lose,” another officer said. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #9 *yawn* kNOw Islam, kNOw terror. |
| Posted by: BH 2006-07-27 22:53 |
| #8 See the sole of my shoe, Mr. Levant. Oh, and I wiped my left hand upon your handkerchief when I yawned -- you fail to amuse with your talk of burqas. What say you, Rantburger ladies and gentlemen: is Mr. Levant an ibn Alawite? possibly even el Assad? What must his papa do to gain him internet access from within Ba'athist Syria's totalitarian controls, that allowed him to learn English? |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2006-07-27 17:41 |
| #7 Sooner or later we're going to get tired of trying to civilize you filthy savages, Levant. And when we do, a simple calculus will emerge: No more ummah = no more Islamic bullshit. Have a nice day, Shithead. |
| Posted by: Dave D. 2006-07-27 17:24 |
| #6 Become Muslim now-this may be your last chance. You could be right, we'll be hanging a "Going out of business" sign on your front door real soon now. |
| Posted by: Steve 2006-07-27 17:16 |
| #5 SPECIAL POST (Perhaps my final one) Heading to the front, no doubt. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2006-07-27 16:48 |
| #4 Off in the distance.... yes, goats bleeting. Mating calls for a "Special Poster." |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2006-07-27 16:47 |
| #3 We have an army of 4Doos under the Denver airport so your ass is toast Levant. |
| Posted by: 6 2006-07-27 16:41 |
| #2 yoo kan keep mikal jaxson. he kan make a good baby sitter for ya |
| Posted by: muck4doo 2006-07-27 15:18 |
| #1 SPECIAL POST (Perhaps my final one) The Etiquettes of Yawning. As you guys will be yawning a lot upon repeatedly hearing "sissy pant" and "puppy shame" casualties, I will give you some religious guidelines on yawning. Try to stop the yawn. If you can't, place the back of the palm to cover it. You must not yawn openly as this is a state of weakness and the mouth becomes one of the entry points of Satan and subsequent possession (though mild). Ofcourse, yawning loudly also looks disgusting. I would also like to update the casualty figures from last night-not 13 dead but 19 dead and over twenty sent to the vegetable ward. Remember, this was the "Israels" Golani special unit, the cream of their army-all slaughtered and sent to hell. Hardy Har Har! Watch on as Hezbollah now empties the rest of the "Israeli" cities-Netenya and then Tel-Aviv. Hardy Har Har! Watch the shock victims. Watch the terror. Watch the fear. "Israel" must return to it's true owners-the Palestinians. You can still change sides. Become Muslim now-this may be your last chance. I also would like to reply to "trailing wife" who said that my Mom didn't teach me any manners. I know why you are so upset at me. You are scared that we Muslims upon victory will put a burqa (Afghani head dress) on your head. I would like to assure you that we won't do any such thing. According to the Sharia, a burqa is not to be worn by elderly women, girls under puberty and unattractive women. From various posts at the Rantburg, I have learnt that you sport nose and facial hair and a light beard. So don't worry. With your great political/historical knowledge and unique looks, we can use you for dispersing mixed gatherings. I wish the Taliban knew you. We could have improved their image to the West-no need for whips. I am very interested in watching your Halloween ball with your strange writers. (Sorry, Trailing Wife. I can't be on your dance card as you requested on an earlier post-even though you'll look normal that day). We will also be holding the "Elephant Man" ball upon Ariel Sharon's death. Watch our joy at the party. We hope to invite OUR Michael Jackson from Bahrain. Yeahhhhh! Should be happening in about a week's time. I wish we can all see both parties by tele-conferencing. Final note-Remember, in the end WE WILL WIN. DON"T TELL ME I DIDN"T WARN YOU. 1 Rajab 1427 Muslim era 27 July 2006 Christian era The Levant |
| Posted by: the Levant. 2006-07-27 15:14 |