[lit-ideas] Where will a cease-fire lead?

["Stan Spiegel" <writeforu2@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Here's the NY Times editorial for today. Like everyone else, they recommend a 
cease-fire, which normally makes sense to help bring about a diplomatic 
resolution for the two sides. But what does Hezbollah want? It wants the 
destruction of Israel, the extinguishment of Israel, Israel annihilated from 
the face of the earth (as whathisname, the head of Iran has plainly said). Do 
you think "that promising long term solution, which enjoys International 
support" makes sense? Only if you don't recognize what Hezbollah and Iran are 
really after. The NYTimes continues...

"That promising long-term solution, [ a cease-fire]which enjoys wide 
international support, will take time. No country has yet offered troops, nor 
has Hezbollah resigned itself to the idea that it will have to disarm, or at 
least remove its forces and weapons from the vicinity of the Israeli border. 
And once Lebanon's airport and seaports are again fully operational and the 
road to Damascus cleared, there will have to be some way of making sure that 
Syria and Iran do not resupply Hezbollah with long-range rockets capable of 
hitting Israel.

But all alternative approaches pose even greater problems. Renewed Israeli 
airstrikes and intensified ground operations can offer no lasting solution 
unless Israel is prepared to undertake another lengthy occupation to prevent 
resupply and regrouping. The most optimistic Israeli commanders concede it 
would take at least 10 to 14 more days to locate and destroy Hezbollah's 
rockets and command post. The mounting civilian casualty toll that would 
accompany an Israeli offensive of that length would multiply the huge 
propaganda gains that Hezbollah, Syria and Iran have already reaped and 
multiply the damage to Israel and the United States. 

With the Security Council now preparing to act, Washington needs to call on 
Israel to accept an extended cease-fire while diplomacy proceeds."



Where will diplomacy lead?

Stan Spiegel

Portland, ME


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[lit-ideas] Where will a cease-fire lead?