Flap's Blog – FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog

A Palestinian boy holds a Lebanese flag, next to Hezbollah, left, and Popular Resistance Committees flags, as in the foreground is seen a poster depicting Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, left, and late Popular Resistance Committees leader Jamal Abu Samhadana during a demonstration of the Popular Resistance Committees in Gaza city to support Palestinian prisoners jailed in Israel, Monday, July 24, 2006. Hezbollah leaders had demanded that Israel release Palestinian and Hezbollah prisoners to win freedom for two Israeli soldiers captured by Hezbollah earlier this month. Some 9,000 Palestinians are estimated to be held in Israeli jails.

MEMRI TV: Hizbullah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah: I Told Lebanese Political Leaders We Would Abduct Israeli Soldiers

Second, during the [Lebanese national] dialogue… Some people are now saying that I did or didn’t say certain things… There are recordings. Yes, I did tell them that we are keeping the border calm, because this was our policy. But there are two issues in which we cannot tolerate this calm. I raised four issues. Two issues can bear delays, procrastination, postponement, and reminders. No problem. The first is the continued occupation of the Shab’a Farms. Never mind, we can take our time on this. this is a small and limited piece of land. We will not start a war over the Shab’a Farms. I’m referring to the kind of war we have now. The second issue was the aerial and naval violations [of sovereignty], and even violations by ground forces. We can tolerate this. True, violations of our sovereignty are deplorable. But are we supposed to destroy the world because of it? No. Two issues cannot tolerate any delay. One is the issue of the prisoners, because of the human suffering. The second issue is any attack against civilians. I told them on more than one occasion that we are taking the issue of the prisoners seriously, and that abducting Israeli soldiers is the only way to resolve it. Of course, I said this in a low-key tone. I did not declare in the dialogue: “In July I will abduct Israeli soldiers.” This is impossible.

Interviewer: Did you inform them that you were about to abduct Israeli soldiers?

Hassan Nasrallah: I told them that we must resolve the issue of the prisoners, and that the only way to resolve it is by abducting Israeli soldiers.

Interviewer: Did you say this clearly?

Hassan Nasrallah: Yes, and nobody said to me: “No, you are not allowed to abduct Israeli soldiers.” Even if they had told me not to… I’m not defending myself here. I said that we would abduct Israeli soldiers in meetings with some of the main political leaders in the country. I don’t want to mention names now, but when the time comes to settle accounts, I will. They asked: “If this happens, will the issue of the prisoners be over and done with?” I said that it was logical that it would. And I’m telling you, our estimation was not mistaken. I’m not exaggerating. Anywhere in the world – show me a country, show me an army, show me a war, in which two soldiers, or even civilian hostages, were abducted, and a war was waged against a country – and all for two soldiers. This has never happened throughout history, and even Israel has never done such a thing.

The entire transcript is here.

The video is here.

So, did Nasrallah cluelessly miscalculate or underestimate Israel over a prisoner exchange?

Appears so….to the puppeteers disadvantage in Damascus and Tehran.

Stay tuned…..

Captain Ed agrees with Flap on the clueless miscalculation.

Others in the blogosphere:

• Michelle Malkin
• Dean’s World
• Ace of Spades HQ
• protein wisdom
• A Blog For All
• The Ministry of Minor Perfidy
• Tel-Chai Nation

Hot Air has the actual visual, and Michael van der Galien has more thoughts at TMV.
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Israel at War Watch: War on Israel to Widen?

Israel at War Watch: Condoleezza Rice Meets with Lebanon Prime Minister in Beirut

Israel at War Watch: Israel and United States Support NATO-led “Buffer” Force in Lebanon

Donnie Muqtasid, left and Larry Shenault, take a nap at Angels Gate Park in San Pedro, Calif., Sunday July 23, 2006. Sweltering heat was being blamed Sunday for at least two deaths in Northern California, including a resident at a nursing home who died after the facility’s air conditioning system failed. Triple-digit temperatures covered much of the Southwest, and in California, the power grid manager warned the state might declare an emergency for the second-straight day due to soaring electricity use.

Should you notice a lack of posts……

U.S Sen. Mary Landrieu D-La., and U.S. Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., talk at the annual convention of the National Black Chamber of Commerce in New Orleans on Friday, July 21, 2006.

Thank God for that…..

Rudy beats Hillary in New York 52 – 43%.

And Giuliani will beat Hillary in California. Two blue states that have not been in play for the GOP since Reagan.

And he just raised 1.5 million…

Stay tuned….

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Rudy Giuliani Watch: Giuliani Leads in Gallup Poll

Rudy Giuliani Watch: Wildcard in 2008?

Rudy Giuliani Watch: On the GOP Fundraising Road

President 2008 Watch: Rudy Giuliani IS Running

Rudy Giuliani Watch: America’s Mayor Leading in Gallup 2008 Presidential Poll

Rudy Giuliani Watch: Fox News Poll Rudy Beats Hillary

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, right, and U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. John Bolton, center, and Assistant Secretary Kristen Silverberg meet with, seated across from them from left, , Alvaro de Soto, Vijay Nambiar, and Terje Roed-Larson, the three-member U.N. team that just returned from Israel and Lebanon at the Waldorf Astoria Friday July 21, 2006 in New York.

John Hinderaker of Powerline has it RIGHT: Bolton is too effective.

Let the Senate Democrats filibuster – if they dare.

Hossein Safiadeen, Hezbollah representative in Iran, attends a conference that included the Tehran-based representative of the Palestinian group Hamas and the ambassadors from Lebanon, Syria and the Palestinian Authority in Tehran, Iran , Monday, July 24, 2006. The Hezbollah representative in Iran struck a defiant tone Monday, warning that his militant group plans to widen its attacks on Israel until ‘no place’ is safe for Israelis.

AP: Hezbollah envoy: War on Israel to widen

Hezbollah’s representative in Iran struck a defiant tone Monday, warning that his Islamic militant group plans to widen its attacks on Israel until “no place” is safe for Israelis.

Hossein Safiadeen also reinforced earlier threats by Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah to widen the scope of attacks, which have included unprecedented missile strikes deep into northern Israel.

“We are going to make Israel not safe for Israelis. There will be no place they are safe,” Safiadeen told a conference that included the Tehran-based representative of the Palestinian group Hamas and the ambassadors from Lebanon, Syria and the Palestinian Authority.

“You will see a new Middle East in the way of Hezbollah and Islam, not in the way of Rice and Israel.”

“We will expand attacks,” he said. “The people who came to Israel, (they) moved there to live, not to die. If we continue to attack, they will leave.

“This war will be remembered as the beginning of the end for Israel,” Safiadeen said.

This story is in contrast to the report that Hezbollah is running out of Katyusha rockets and is having difficulty recruiting more martyrs to fight the IDF. With most of the supply lines cut between Lebanon and Syria it id doubtful that more Iranian rockets will make their way into Israel.

The question is: Does Hezbollah possess any biological or chemical WMD that in desperation will use against Israeli cities and civilian populations?

Israelis are estimating about ten days to mop up this operation. Diplomatically they probably have at least two to three weeks but if civilian casualties in Lebanon decrease they may have as much time as it takes.

An Israeli soldier jumps from a tank during operations to bring back soldiers wounded during fighting in southern Lebanon, at the Israel-Lebanon border Monday July 24, 2006. Heavy fighting erupted Monday morning as Israeli ground forces pushed into Lebanon, heading toward the southern Lebanes town of Bint Jbail, a Hezbollah stronghold, the military said, as rockets continued to fall on northern Israel.

And expect more bloviations from Damascus and Tehran – signifying NOTHING.

Stay tuned……

Captain Ed has IDF: Hezbollah Running Out Of Missiles

Now, it appears that Syria cannot effectively rearm their proxy in southern Lebanon. Israel has even attacked convoys coming out of Syria attempting to do just that, destroying the munitions and sending a message to Syria of air supremacy, a lesson Syria has learned over and over again against the Israelis. Starved of missiles and rockets, the Hezbollah terrorists will lose their one weapon of deterrence against Israel and start to collapse.

According to the IDF, that process has already begun. Jihadis in the north have not come to the aid of their brethren, and Sheikh Nasrallah will run out of bodies to throw at Israeli tanks very quickly. Israel may only need a couple more weeks before crippling Hezbollah not only as a military threat but also as a political movement in Lebanon. Nasrallah needs a rescue, but no one will send their cavalry over the hills to effect one — not even their brothers in terrorism.

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Israel at War Watch: Condoleezza Rice Meets with Lebanon Prime Minister in Beirut

Israel at War Watch: Israel and United States Support NATO-led “Buffer” Force in Lebanon

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice , left, shakes hands with Lebanon’s Prime Minister Fuad Saniora, right, at the government house, in Beirut, Lebanon, Monday, July 24, 2006. Rice made a surprise visit to Lebanon to launch diplomatic efforts aimed at ending 13 days of fighting as Israeli ground forces pushed deeper into the country in heavy fighting with Hezbollah guerrillas.

AP: Rice Meets With Lebanon PM in Beirut

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met with Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora in Beirut on Monday in a show of support for that country’s weakened democracy, which is struggling to contain the fighting between the Hezbollah militia and Israel.

Rice’s unannounced stop in Lebanon was met warmly by Saniora, who greeted her with a kiss on both cheeks. Rice told him, “Thank you for your courage and steadfastness.”

Saniora told Rice he was glad to have her in Lebanon, adding that his government is looking to “put an end to the war that is being inflicted on Lebanon.” The two shook hands across a conference table on which there were two flags, one Lebanese and one American. Half a dozen other diplomats sat around the table.

Saniora and other Lebanese officials are expected to push Rice to call for an immediate cease-fire, something the Bush administration has resisted.

All for show…..

The real negotiations will be conducted with Damascus and Tehran.

The speed at which Condi goes about her business will indicate how successful military operations are in southern Lebanon.

Stay tuned for the usual international diplomatic bloviations.

Captain Ed: Rice: Lebanon Must Assert Sovereignty
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Israel at War Watch: Israel and United States Support NATO-led “Buffer” Force in Lebanon