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Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Cabinet set to approve ground push
2006-08-09
With the French reportedly weighing changes to the UN cease-fire resolution that would tilt it in Lebanon's favor and a "war of the generals" taking place in the Northern Command, the security cabinet is expected Wednesday morning to approve an expanded ground operation up to the Litani River, and perhaps beyond. Government sources said that the 12-person security cabinet, which Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Tuesday had so far okayed all plans the IDF had brought for approval, would not likely reject plans for a wider operation, especially amid growing public impatience with the pace of the war.

“Defense officials said that the IDF could be ready to push further into southern Lebanon within hours of the security cabinet decision...”
Diplomatic officials said that Israel had not come under any US pressure to shelve plans for an expanded operation as various drafts of a US-French cease-fire resolution were being considered in the UN. According to these officials, the US position that Israel has the right to defend itself was as firm today, with the country coming under a daily barrage of Katyusha fire, as it was during the first days of the war. This position would only change, they said, once the UN cease-fire resolution has been voted upon. This is not expected until Thursday at the earliest. Defense officials said that the IDF could be ready to push further into southern Lebanon within hours of the security cabinet decision.

Channel 1 reported Tuesday night that the government was considering sending Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni to the UN Security Council debate on the cease-fire resolution, but this could not be confirmed by the ministry. Jerusalem is concerned that detrimental changes may be made in the resolution, especially considering the timing of an IDF withdrawal. The draft resolution circulated on Saturday did not call for a withdrawal until an international force arrived.

“Israel has made it clear that it would not accept a call for an immediate withdrawal of IDF troops...”
The Arab League is expected to try to alter the resolution, and government officials said the specter of the security cabinet debating the widening of the operation was being used as a threat to the Lebanese that it would not be in their best interest to push for a proposal with which Israel would be unable to live. Israel has made it clear that it would not accept a call for an immediate withdrawal of IDF troops.

There are different opinions in Jerusalem, however, about the decision to deploy 15,000 Lebanese army troops in the south announced Sunday by Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora, and how this could come into play in the new wording of the cease-fire resolution. While some expressed concern that this was just a ploy to get the IDF to withdraw, while forestalling the deployment of a significant multinational force that would keep Hizbullah from redeploying in the south, others said it could presage a significant change in Lebanon's reality. Olmert, at a press conference after meeting President Moshe Katsav Tuesday, termed the decision an "interesting" one that needed careful consideration.

He said that since the beginning of the military operation, Israel has said its goals were the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1559, which calls for the deployment of the Lebanese army on the border, and the dismantling of Hizbullah. Olmert also said Israel must carefully weigh to what extent this deployment is practical. Attention should be paid to the fact that Hizbullah agreed to the deployment of the Lebanese army, he said, as it indicated recognition by Hizbullah that its position in the region has been severely weakened. "The faster we leave south Lebanon, the happier we will be," Olmert said. "Of course we will only do this if we can ensure that we have achieved our goals."
Posted by:Fred

#28  Watching too much sci-fi. I was thinking "Federation" but knew that couldn't be it. LOL. Thanks.

And let's all hope they can force their way and eliminate the Hezbos.
Posted by: ex-lib   2006-08-09 22:31  

#27  Force
Posted by: Inspector Clueso   2006-08-09 18:34  

#26  I think they offer remedial spelling at the elf academy, already signed up, right after the combat weapons shotgun course ... and thanks trailing wife hahahahah
Posted by: Legolas   2006-08-09 18:29  

#25  Y'all may not be able to spell, Legolas, but you make up for it by being shockingly handsome. ;-)
Posted by: trailing wife   2006-08-09 18:16  

#24  Brutal force
Posted by: Captain America   2006-08-09 17:58  

#23  Force
Posted by: Nimble Spemble   2006-08-09 17:47  

#22  Forgive the ignorance, but what does IDF stand for--Israeli Defence (blank)? thanks
Posted by: ex-lib   2006-08-09 17:41  

#21  ok ok so elves can't spell worth crap ...
Posted by: Legolas   2006-08-09 15:34  

#20  We need to inflame the arab world more--they don't seem to be getting the message.

Author, author! However, I vote for the homonym, enflame.
Posted by: Zenster   2006-08-09 15:26  

#19  from Fox article on subject

A minister who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to give details, said the offensive would not begin for two or three days so as not interfere with efforts to broker a cease-fire at the United Nations. However, senior military officials said it would start far quicker than that.
Posted by: Legolas   2006-08-09 14:55  

#18  24 Soldiers Wounded in Lebanon on Wednesday
21:21 Aug 09, '06 / 15 Av 5766


(IsraelNN.com) Military officials report 24 IDF soldiers are being treated in northern area hospitals for injuries sustained in southern Lebanon today, Wednesday.

Since the start of the war 29 days ago, 19 soldiers of the 101st Paratrooper Battalion have been injured; including two of WednesdayÂ’s wounded.


Just a waste of a lot of good troops for nothing if this is how they are going to prosecute this conflict.
Posted by: Legolas   2006-08-09 14:52  

#17  I cannot believe that crap ... my God ... just go in, overwhelm them and kick their ass. Wish we could loan them some B-52.
Posted by: Legolas   2006-08-09 14:50  

#16  delusional

11:45 a.m.: The Israeli military will hold off on a wider ground offensive for two or three days to allow the U.N. Security Council to continue its debate for a cease-fire resolution.
Posted by: Clerert Uneamp2772   2006-08-09 14:31  

#15  This war needs to resemble the Allied Forces take-down of Germany. No half-measures to the Litani River.

Flush the entire country of Lebanon.
Posted by: Captain America   2006-08-09 13:55  

#14  Troops are now moving across the border! Cabinet gave full majority vote. On the Litani River and demolish everything ahead! Prayers will help.
Posted by: Sherry   2006-08-09 09:50  

#13  We need to inflame the arab world more--they don't seem to be getting the message.
Posted by: JohnQC   2006-08-09 09:36  

#12  we on da same page ed!!!!
Posted by: Legolas   2006-08-09 08:51  

#11  Black joke making the rounds: "Wake up Ari! Ohmert is in a coma!"
Posted by: john   2006-08-09 08:49  

#10  The Arabs aren't enflamed. It full body hemmoroids.
Posted by: ed   2006-08-09 08:18  

#9  I agree Hizb'allah needs to be wiped out first. In the medium and long term, foreign troops are not the answer. They will not risk their lives to confront terrorists, therefore they will become expensive human shields and muslim troops will be terrorist allies. That leaves Lebanese troops to control Lebanese territory. If they can't do that, then the Israelis should annex them and deport the muslims to Syria.
Posted by: ed   2006-08-09 08:17  

#8  One more thing-screw the enflamed arab street, they are already enflamed, you know what'll shut them up since they respect only power? Seeing a few terrorist strongpoints removed form the face of the earth, not little precision hits, but crushed beyond all recognition. Then drop a few leaflets that say "you don't like it - great - you are next - go jump around in the street and bitch and make it easy for us to find you."
Posted by: Legolas   2006-08-09 08:10  

#7  I understand the concept fully .. its just not going to work; if there is a problem Israel has to attack the army of a sovereign state in order to get to hezbollah, the only thing that will settle this is a clear decisive ass kicking victory over hezbollah that says do not screw with us or we will destroy you with no mercy. Remember all those Iraqi troops who we let just walk off the battle field cuz they laid down their weapons, how many of them are in the insurgency, how many of our troops have died because of our mercy. No more minimalist BS, these assholes everywhere and those that support them, should receive the full fury of our might. The lebanese army - may as well send freakin brownie troop 57 from tehran(my apologies to all brownies everywhere)
Posted by: Legolas   2006-08-09 08:00  

#6  It's better if the Lebanese army is opposite the Israeli army. Then there is no doubt any cross border attack will be a state vs state war. Currently, by supporting or tolerating Hebz'allah, a lot of the Lebanese population thinks it can make war without suffering the consequences.
Posted by: ed   2006-08-09 07:43  

#5  don't just "push"... annihilate those sons of bitches (and their little dog too)
Posted by: Legolas   2006-08-09 07:40  

#4  So lebanon is gonna basically augment/reinforce hezbollah with 15,000 troops and that helps the peace/security process ... howwwwwwwwwwwwwwww???????? What a freakin joke ... what % of the lebaneses army is loyal to the hamboollahs ... 40-60%???
Posted by: Legolas   2006-08-09 07:39  

#3  would not likely reject plans for a wider operation, especially amid growing public impatience with the pace of the war.

And that's the key. No failure of nerve on the part of the Israeli public despite the hardships they suffer bodes ill for Hizb'allah/Syrian/Iranian plans. Osama bin Laden's son may find himself considerably busier and less successful than intended.
Posted by: trailing wife   2006-08-09 06:12  

#2  Nothing special will happen in this August 22nd.

Ahmadimonkey will still be ugly.
Posted by: leroidavid   2006-08-09 01:36  

#1  The IDF must make certain of the loyalties, or neutralities, of the Lebanese forces. Despite what has been happening in Lebanon, IRAN continues to push its dev of nuclear programs-techs. Lest we fergit, Moud's rants about August 22nd doesn't bode well for the world - could be anything from blowhard do-nuthingness to a WMD/Nuke-attack, solely or jointly wid Islamist Terror groups, on Jerusalem [or more likely Tel Aviv], or even sole-joint attack against Dubya-GOP = USA. AMERICA'S ENEMIES > USA CAN WAR FOR EMPIRE BUT NOT RULE SAME = USA CAN BE ATTACKED BUT NOT RETALIATE. COLD WAR > MARXISM-COMMUNISM viewed itself as BOTH A WAR = OFFENSIVE IDEO, as well as REACTIONARY-DEFENSIVE IDEO, AND SO DOES RADICAL ISLAM. SAVING THE WORLD FROM GOP-BLAMED AMER "IMPERIALISM" + AGGRESSION = same as SURVIVING SAME. The DemoLefties care/give a damn about whom gets the blame = credit for anything and everything.
Posted by: JosephMendiola   2006-08-09 00:57  

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