FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog

The Ryskind Sketchbook: Lapdog

The CBS 60 Minutes interview of Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad by Mike Wallace was embarassing for the 88 year old reporter.

Fawning and servile to the Mad-Hatter theocrat of Iran, Wallace elicited no insights into the Holocaust denying personality of Ahmadinejad.

Indeed, MIke Wallace is Mahmoud’s bitch…..

Technorati Tags: RyskindSketchbook, MikeWallace, Ahmadinejad

Displaced members of a Lebanese family hold posters of Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah and celebration banners with Arabic writing reading ‘God’s promise was fulfilled’ as they drive back to their house in the southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Monday, Aug. 14, 2006, with a Lebanese and a Hezbollah flag waving on their car antenna. Hours after a U.N.-brokered cease-fire took hold Monday, thousands of Shiite refugees returned to check on their homes in Beirut’s southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold that was pounded almost daily throughout the month-long Israeli onslaught. Dozens if not hundreds of buildings were destroyed.

AP: Bush says Israel defeated Hezbollah

President Bush, just hours after a cease-fire took hold Monday, said Hezbollah guerillas had suffered a sound defeat at the hands of Israel in their monthlong Mideast war.

“There’s going to be a new power in the south of Lebanon,” Bush said, referring to plans for the Lebanese government, backed by an international force, to reassert control in the area that has been dominated by Hezbollah fighters.

The president also said the war was part of a broader struggle between freedom and terror, and he blamed Iran and Syria for fomenting the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

“We can only imagine how much more dangerous this conflict would be if Iran had the nuclear weapon it seeks,” the president said.

Bush said Iran and Syria were the primary sponsors of Hezbollah guerrillas who captured two Israeli soldiers, igniting the battle with Israel. More than 900 people were killed in the fighting, and there was massive destruction in southern Lebanon.

Bush said the “responsibility for this suffering lies with Hezbollah.”

In a respect to the wider global war on terror President Bush MAY be correct.  However, alot depends upon the implementation of United Nations Resolution 1701 and the disarming of Hezbollah.

Powerline has Claiming Victory.

I don’t think there is any doubt who will be seen as the victor in the Arab world:

Celebratory gunfire echoed across Beirut’s heavily bombed Shi’ite southern suburbs after Nasrallah spoke on television about 12 hours after a U.N. truce halted 34 days of fighting.

The bottom line is, Hezbollah went the distance and was still standing–firing rockets–at the end. It emerges with its stature enhanced.

John Hinderaker makes his point but there is more to life than a few gunshots in the air and people fllashing a “V” for victory sign, while their homes and businesses lay in ruin.  Arab bloviations and boasting will continue but where was Nazrallah at the beginning of the cease-fire?  Yes, he was cowering in some hole - hiding from the Israeli Defense Forces.

Ok, let’s look at an altogether different perspective - that of Iran.

DEBKA file: Tehran Takes Gloomy View of the Lebanon War and Truce

While the damage caused Israel’s military reputation tops Western assessments of the Lebanon war, DEBKAfile’s Iranian sources report an entirely different perception taking hold in ruling circles in Tehran.

After UN Security Council resolution 1701 calling for a truce was carried Friday, Aug. 11, the heads of the regime received two separate evaluations of the situation in Lebanon – one from Iran’s foreign ministry and one from its supreme national security council. Both were bleak: their compilers were concerned that Iran had been manipulatively robbed of its primary deterrent asset ahead of a probable nuclear confrontation with the United States and Israel….

From the Iranian viewpoint, Israel succeeded in seriously degrading Hizballah’s capabilities. It was also able to throw the Lebanese Shiite militia to the wolves; the West is now in a position to force Nasrallah and his men to quit southern Lebanon and disarm. The West shut its eyes when he flouted the Resolution 1559 order for the disarmament of all Lebanese militias. But that game is over. The Americans will use Resolution 1701 as an effect weapon to squeeze Iran, denied of its second-front deterrence, on its nuclear program.
Tehran hopes to pre-empt the American move by torpedoing the Lebanon ceasefire and preventing the termination of hostilities at all costs.

So, the real answer who won this war is probably irrelevant, if the Resoultion 1701 is enforced by the United Nations and International peacekeeping force.  Israel will be more secure if Hezbollah is disarmed and prohibited any southern Lebanon presence as an armed force.

However, Israel did not win militarily and psychologically the victory goes to the terrorist Hezbollah.

On the other hand, Hezbollah has been militarily degraded and has cost its sponsor clients of Iran and Syria billions of dollars.  The Infrastructure necessary to restock Hezbollah easily has been destroyed.  In this respect, Israel has won.

Upon reflection, Flap’s opinion on Iran has changed.  Attention will be drawn to Iran’s role in fomenting terrorist activity and the rationale why they should NOT possess nuclear weapons.  Moreover, Hezbollah will not able to mount a “threat” to Israel should the United States and Israel deicde to militarily take out Iran’s nuclear facilities - or even clamp down on the Iranian economy with strict sanctions.

Who won this war will be debated for weeks.  Time will resolve the question.  Flap cannot help but think that events in Tehran will somehow affect the outcome of the debate.

Stay tuned……

A displaced Lebanese boy flashes a V-sign as he rides in a car with his family members as they drive back with their belongings to the southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Monday, Aug. 14, 2006. Hours after a
U.N.-brokered cease-fire took hold Monday, thousands of Lebanese refugees returned to check on their homes in Beirut’s southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold that was pounded almost daily throughout the
month-long Israeli onslaught. Dozens if not hundreds of buildings were destroyed.

Previous:

Michael Ramirez on Iran’s Proxy Hezbollah

Israel at War Watch: Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah - A “Strategic, Historic Victory” Against Israel

Israel at War Watch: The Cease-Fire - Disarming Hezbollah

Cox & Forkum: Disarmed?

Israel at War Watch: Lebanon Falters Over Cease-Fire

Israel at War Watch: Israeli Cabinet Approves United Nations Cease-Fire

Israel at War Watch: Israeli-Hezbollah Cease-Fire Begins Monday

Israel at War Watch: Israeli Troops Reach Latani River - Will Cease-Fire 7 AM Monday

Israel at War Watch: United Nations Security Council Unanimously Adopts Resolution to End Israel-Hezbollah War

Israel at War Watch: Israeli Prime Minister Olmert Has Accepted United Nations Cease-Fire Deal

Israel at War Watch: United Nations Security Council Resolution to End War?

Technorati Tags: Israel, Hezbollah

Technorati Tags: MichaelRamirez, Israel, Iran

Hezbollah supporters use a bulldozer to place a picture of Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah on a destroyed bridge, attacked by Israeli warplane attacks during the month-long operations, near the village of Gaziyeh, south of the port city of Sidon, Monday Aug. 14, 2006. Israel halted its offensive against Hezbollah guerrillas as a U.N.-imposed cease-fire went into effect Monday after a month of warfare that killed more than 900 people and devastated much of south Lebanon.

AP: Nasrallah Declares Victory for Hezbollah

Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah said Monday that his guerrillas had achieved a “strategic, historic victory” against Israel. Nasrallah, speaking on the day a cease-fire took effect ending 34 days of fighting between Hezbollah and Israel called Monday “a great day.”

“We are today before a strategic, historic victory, without exaggeration,” he said in a taped speech on Hezbollah’s al-Manar TV.

The Israeli-Hezbollah war was not a WIN for Israel nor for the United States who cozied up to the United Nations at the end of the day.

Prime Minister Olmert acknowledges some of the war’s shortcomings.  Olmert’s government will fall and soon.

Israeli opposition leader and, likely, the next Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took the stage of the Knesset Monday night and delivered a more compelling speech.

According to Netanyahu, “There were failures in identifying the threat, in managing the war, in dealing with the homefront…There is no doubt that we must learn our lesson and
correct our mistakes. We were asleep and we received a wake-up call.”

 

“In 2000, we withdrew from Lebanon without guarantees and without security agreements, and this action brought about Hizbullah’s speech about spider webs, which was adopted by Hamas. The resulting Intifada made us decide, out of pain and out of good will, to withdraw unilaterally once more,” Netanyahu declared. 

 

“These unilateral withdrawals deteriorate our deterrence, and lend credence to our enemies, a credence that improves their ability to bombard our cities and towns. This concept (of unilateral withdrawals) is now disappearing, and rightly so,” he added.

Flap agrees.

Now, is the time to turn toward the major Hezbollah protagonist in this war - Iran.

Stay tuned……..

Lebanese woman shows a picture of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah as she goes back to Beirut’s Shiite stronghold southern suburbs. A UN-brokered ceasefire aimed at silencing the guns in the month-old
Lebanon conflict has taken hold, sending thousands of displaced Lebanese streaming back home in the war-battered south.

Previous:

Israel at War Watch: Hezbollah Distributes “VICTORY” Leaflets

Israel at War Watch: The Cease-Fire - Disarming Hezbollah

Cox & Forkum: Disarmed?

Israel at War Watch: Lebanon Falters Over Cease-Fire

Israel at War Watch: Israeli Cabinet Approves United Nations Cease-Fire

Israel at War Watch: Israeli-Hezbollah Cease-Fire Begins Monday

Israel at War Watch: Israeli Troops Reach Latani River - Will Cease-Fire 7 AM Monday

Israel at War Watch: United Nations Security Council Unanimously Adopts Resolution to End Israel-Hezbollah War

Israel at War Watch: Israeli Prime Minister Olmert Has Accepted United Nations Cease-Fire Deal

Israel at War Watch: United Nations Security Council Resolution to End War?

Technorati Tags: Israel, Hezbollah

Palestinian children hold a poster of Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah during a demonstration marking what they called Hezbollah’s victory in the fighting against Israel, in the West Bank town of Ramallah Monday, Aug. 14, 2006

AP: Hezbollah distributes its own leaflets

Hezbollah distributed leaflets on Monday congratulating Lebanon on its “big victory” and thanking citizens for their patience during the 34-day war with Israel.

Supporters of the guerrilla group were seen passing out leaflets to cars heading south on the Zahrani highway, which connects the hard-hit southern cities of Nabatiyeh, Tyre and Sidon.

“Congratulations to you on the big victory, with the support of God, the mujahedeen (holy warriors) and your patience,” it read.

Palestinians children draw and write on a banner during a demonstration marking what they called Hezbollah’s victory in the fighting against Israel, in the West Bank town of Ramallah Monday, Aug. 14, 2006.

The consensus from the RIGHT is that Israel did NOT win.

The winners:

Syria and Iran

But, the cease-fire is tenuous and Israel may live to win another day…..

And the onus will be on the United Nations and international community to guarantee that Hezbollah will NOT rearm south of the Latani River in Lebanon.
Stay tuned…..

Previous:

Israel at War Watch: The Cease-Fire - Disarming Hezbollah

Cox & Forkum: Disarmed?

Israel at War Watch: Lebanon Falters Over Cease-Fire

Israel at War Watch: Israeli Cabinet Approves United Nations Cease-Fire

Israel at War Watch: Israeli-Hezbollah Cease-Fire Begins Monday

Israel at War Watch: Israeli Troops Reach Latani River - Will Cease-Fire 7 AM Monday

Israel at War Watch: United Nations Security Council Unanimously Adopts Resolution to End Israel-Hezbollah War

Israel at War Watch: Israeli Prime Minister Olmert Has Accepted United Nations Cease-Fire Deal

Israel at War Watch: United Nations Security Council Resolution to End War?

Day by Day by Chris Muir

The Ryskind Sketchbook: False Indicator