I agree with Eiland. Hopefully Israel will be strong enough to resist American demands to capitulate. Frankly, I think an Obama administration would be weak enough for Israel to resist.

I also used to think in terms that he describes as "good guys" and "bad guys". MOST of Lebanon is complicit, including the people I used to think were potential peace partners, such as Siniora. I changed my mind about Lebanon and now think just as Einland after seeing the way Kuntar has been received by the president, PM and ministers of Lebanon. Also, to continue Einland's point, not only will the rocketfire continue if all of the area south of the Litani will be conquered, it will even continue of the entire Lebanon will be conquered. So instead of concentrating on stopping the rocket fire, Israel should do 10x damage to Lebanese infrastructure, sending it back to the 1800s in term of infrastructure. And then when a month later they throw a "victory parade", drop a few bombs on it too.

The real enemies are the ones who sponsor Hezbollah. If Israel would have made clear that any attack by Hezbollah would result in a war against Syria, then there would never have been any kidnappings nor attacks. Syria would have made sure of it.

Yes it was increidebly disgusting seeing Suliman shaking Kuntar's filthy murderous hands, but there was wide-spread pan arab condemntion, with christian papers denouncing it, and some lebense lawmakers condemning it. Yes Hezbollah is safeguarded, but under duress, Syria and Iran would bash the beautiful lebanon that once was. We need only remember the firece civil war and the fine imprint it left. Ofcourse this doesnt mean back Hezbollah, but hey how many people want war? Doesnt mean the israelis deserve to be prodded then blamed, i am with you. But it is you portray it, willful co-operation with Nassrallah, rather under duress.

couldn't agree with you more -but- do you really think that the photo-op clowns presently running the show will let this happen ?

Whether he is aware of this or not, General Eiland's view is the same as that of General William Tecumseh Sherman, during the American Civil War.I agree with tis view. Sherman decided that the only way to win the war, was to attack , not only the Confederate Army, but to attack THE SOUTH (read Lebanon) Here are Sherman's words::"This war differs from other wars, in this paricular. We are not fighting armies but a hostile people, and must make old and young, rich and poor, feel the hard hand of war." Here''a another quote of Gen'.Sherman's that apllies in this case: "Every attempt to make war easy and safe will result in humiliation and disaster." This is precisely what occured as a result of Olmert's and Peretz tentative war in 2006 against Hizbollah. It should have been a war against Lebanon.

Israel has been playing the game of concocting Arab 'good guys' vs. 'bad guys' for years. Fatah good, Hamas bad. Lebanon good, Hezbollah bad. And of course, all those who see the Arabian entity for what it truly is are 'bad guys' as well, the so-called enemies of peace.

Absolutely true! A point ALWAYS missed by our evil world leaders.

General Eiland is absolutely correct inhis assessment of the Hezbollah-Lebanese situation. Lebanon has refused to do anything to stop Hezbollah and is among the most hostile of the Arab States. Recently, these little insects even threatened to sieze disputed territory from Israel by force. When a government does nothing to stop criminal activity or actively gives support to the criminal terrorists, it becomes a legitimate target.

right on. but must include syria,

In a million years, Olmert could never savagely blast lebanon as the home of hezbollah. He is constitutionally unable to do it. He could steal money or double bill. He cannot soberly destroy most of lebanon.he and his kind have to be removed from the government. Barak likewise may be unable to do it. Sharon could do it. Fuad could do it. Olmert in a million years could not do it. Doouble bill, take money in envelopes, he could do that in an instant. It would be of interest to know whether his sons or wife took any money in envelopes from talansky or the travel agency or Zaken or Messer?

I thought the israeli govt.declared war on the people of Gush Katif just before the second Lebanon war

The lebanese population will not turn to Hizballah in case of destructions unfortunately for us. We already saw that in the last war and as he wrote it, they welcomed Kuntar and the other thugs as war heroes: Do you expect this will be different if we erase half Berut from the map? This might be useful since we might succeed to kill most of the hizballah operatives but at the same time the number of collateral damages might be unbearable at the international level and Israel will be blamed (for a change).

Hezbollah is part of the gov't. of Lebanon. So the next war should be against the Lebanese State. This is very unfortunate for the many Lebanese that do not support Hezbollah but I don't think we have any other choice if we want to win the next conflict.

What do you call destroying all the bridges and infrastructure including the christian religious tv tower if that's not hitting the GOOD guys then what is?

Both Nasrallah and Iran know that it was only the cries for help by Seniora that saved the Shiite population in Lebanon from massive infrastructure attacks by the Israel Air Force during the war. They also see what happened to Gaza after Hamas took over there, and they fear similar international sanctions if they officially take over Lebanon. In addition, Hizbullah does not now want a full-scale war in Lebanon, which would weaken it and would hamper the efforts by Syria and Iran to rebuild its rocket arsenals. If Hizbullah had used their weapons during the clashes, tomorrow there would be no army and no country.

I am a Lebanese and I do agree with the view of the author that the real enemy of Israel is the State of Lebanon and its criminal crony HIzbullah.

Weapons of Hezbollah growing fastly than "those" of Iran....in a relative silence of Israel. It seems that in the scale of bad and good guys Israel his trying to forget the immediate and proxy threat of the chiites mercenaries in their sanctuary of Libanistan despite the resolutions of UN and the presence of UN troops.

UN won over Serbia only after they kill 800 civilins in Belgrad (I am on Serbian side but this what did it). In all was it is the same. Remember that almost all Lebanese support Hizbullah. In US, all Christian Lebanese support Hizbullah. Siria should be left aside

It is amazing to see how small is the author's knowlede of the political situation in Lebanon. The state doenst support Hezbollah not it support nor it support the 2006. The State is weak and no choice as Hezollah could take control of the country and defeat the Lebanese army. Hezbollah took control onf West beyrouth begining of May in less than 36 hours because the state decide to shut their illegal telephone network and to remove the head of the airport security whi is an affiliate of Hezbollah. 60 people died. The State has to compose and negociate permanently because Hezbollah is the stronger and only armed party in Lebanon. Fighting the lebanese state would be a punishment for the majority of the Lebanese population that doesnt want any war with Israel. This would be a huge mistake. The author shoud look at Syria who is providing the weapons to Hezbollah everyday and that has permited it not to be dismared after the end of the civil war in 1991. Syria is much more an enemy than the lebanese state who is just afraid of the arms and power of Hizbullah and that s why it acted like a prostitute during the shamefull celebrating of the return of Samir Kuntar

OLMERT-LIVNI-BARAK-ISHAY MUST FALL NOW !!!

The Lebanese government is totally responsible for the actions of it's citizens, including militias (Hezbollah). But it isn't that simple. Does Israel want to fight the 100,000strong Lebanese army too, with it's tanks, etc? And what of the Lebanese Christians, who loath the Shias? Why provoke them? Let's reverse things..Hez decided to fight within Israel..would they not provoke a strong reaction if they bombed, for example Tel Aviv and it's civilians. It's whose ox. Bombing some Lebanese infrastructure..would aid Israel, vs apt buildings. But what about UNIFIL which guards Hez as does the LAF? Bunker busters, clusters and perhaps a few Daisy Cutters would devestate south of the Litani..combined with cruise missiles.

of ww2 the do gooders and the sweet hearts of this world were knocking on the doors of Churchill and Roosvelte trying to persuade them to stop the war and end the carnage because Germany was "finished". Their answer was unequivocal, no end until total capitulation is achieved no matter what the cost. They were right and this will prove to be the only solution in the present case of Lebanon and Hizballah. Total capitulation and total annihilation of the Hizballah leaders and usurpers of Lebanon. Mark my words, there will never be any other solution.

... each one in his own way. On one hand, the Lebanese (government and people) carry quite a bit of the responsibility in the Hizbullah issue. On the other hand, razing Lebanon is not a solution to the problem. Israel is between a rock and a hard place. I think the solution is strengthening the Lebanese government to the point where it can start to exert its influence over Hizbullah and control it. Part of the solution is also making peace with Syria to cut the Hizbullah arms supply. And making peace with Lebanon will remove Hizbullah's raison d'etre.

You are the only one who makes sense and who understands the situation for what it is. The majority of the talkbackers, especially the so-called Lebanese in the states, have no idea about Lebanon, its people, and its government

Real enemy is Iran and in some extent Siria. Attacking Iran is the only way to stop the feeding of rockets to hezbollah which Isarel has no way to address. Regards

The Israeli government is afraid to win a war and that is why Israel cannot and will not defeat Hezbo and Hamas!