Conservative Cat: Kidnapping and Murder as a Cheap Public Relations Gimmick
I don’t support Israeli actions in Lebanon. It’s not that I don’t believe that Israel shouldn’t defend itself. They have the right to self-defense and the leaders of the nation have a sworn duty to do so. What I find interesting is that the last invasion of Lebanon by Israel essentially created Hizbollah. They have wide support among sunnis in southern Lebanon becasue they provide hospitals, schools and mosques to the people. They are preceived locally as the only force to stand up against Israel. The democratically elected governemnt of Lebanon is weak. Israeli actions weaken it further.
I don’t think there’s any real possibility that Israeli military action will eliminate Hizbollah, short of a genocidial campaign against sunnis in the region. Their actions will strengthen support for Hizbollah on the arab street and increase Nasrallah’s stature as the one willing to stand up against Israel. I heard someone say the other day that Israel has no place to retreat to, that they can’t afford to lose a war. They may find the limitations of military action as an instrument of govenment, similar to what’s been happening in Afghanistan and Iraq. In the process Israel displays the weakness they seem desparate to avoid. In short, this is not going to help Israel.
