we have trouble with illegal aliens. nation that has been turmoil for more than thirty years. Even before the Civil War, they had major issues. So it is clear they have a load of security issues. Before we blindly label Lebanon as a nation of only Muslim extremists, people should know their paliament is evenly divided between Muslims and Christians.

“You’ll get no argument from me that Israel’s punitive campaign against their Hizballah tormentors is long overdue and should continue until the terrorists are severely crippled in their ability to harm Israeli citizens.”

Did I not make myself clear? Where the fu*k do you see appeasement in those words MR. Rat?

THe Israeli raid into Lebanon has consequences. Evil consequences. Please have the intelligence to recognize that fact.

THese consequences are not only detrimental to Lebanon but also Israel and the United States. Any reasonable person can see this. I was saying absolutely nothing in this article that Israeli commentators haven’t been saying for three days.

There are large interests at play here and it does no good to oversimplify issues like Hizballah’s political status - a status that complicates enormously any idea that you can treat them like you would a simple terrorist group. THey have political power. ANd in a democracy, that means you just can’t arrest them or kill them - unless you want to start another civil war. No thanks…they did that bit for 25 years.

The sad fact of life is that if you’re not going to do anything to protect yourself, you’re going to get taken advantage of. this applies to israel and the terrorists and it applies to the lebanese people who have done next to nothing to take control of their own country.

perhaps if Israel is able to, without the likes of Condi Rice calling for Israel to pull back because she is enamored with the positive press that she gets for being at one with the ‘international community’, really kick some hezbollah butt, then that would create another vaccuum in which the peaceful people of Lebanon could fill…

putting my argument another way, there’s no way israel should be expected to bend over and ask for another so because some people think they need to help prop up the ineffectual, corrupt and terrorist-sympathizing lebanese government.

“Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery?”

Yes, the voice of Patrick Henry.

You mentioned the key to the whole situation in a single, by-the-way sentence:

“Nor is the political will there to force them to disarm.”

If the Lebanese don’t have the political will to keep their territory from being used as a base for attacks on Israel, then their suffering is in the final analysis their own fault.

It’s a cold, cruel world.