The Wrong Way to Help Israel
BY Herschel Smith
18 years, 5 months ago
From the New York Times (“The Right Way to Help Israel”):
There is a difference between justified and smart. Israel’s airstrikes against Hezbollah targets are legitimate so long as Hezbollah wages war against Israel and operates outside the control of the Lebanese government. But the air campaign is now doing Israel more harm than good.
A better answer to the Hezbollah problem would be an immediate cease-fire, paving the way for an international force to patrol Lebanon’s southern border. That is what Britain’s prime minister, Tony Blair, was pushing for in Washington yesterday, and there were signs that President Bush may be finally coming around.
For more than two weeks, Mr. Bush has been playing for time, declining to join calls for an immediate cease-fire so that Israel can continue its military actions. Israel and the administration are right to argue that a cease-fire alone cannot provide a lasting solution. But if Washington is now prepared to exercise diplomatic leadership on behalf of Israel’s security, rather than simply run interference for Israel’s military operations, a cease-fire now could become the first step to a more lasting solution.
Of course, it is manifestly preposterous to believe that any country’s armies will patrol the border and actually war with Hezbollah to keep the peace. Remember that Hezbollah killed more than 200 Marines while sleeping in their barracks at night. If Marines went back in today, they would kill all Hezbollah.
But this is the point. No country will allow their soldiers to be terrorized, picked off one-by-one, and blown up by ghosts and fighers who put on civilian clothing. Any leader with any sense would either war with Hezbollah and destroy them, or refuse to go to southern Lebanon.
Mark my words. This is exactly what will happen. If any country actually does send troops there (God help the pathetic French — I have heard that they have shown a wee bit of interest), they will be there for a few troops to get blown in half and then they will leave.
However, it looks as if Israel is running out of time with the world politicians.
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