TimesOnLine: If this was a defeat, the Israelis must be praying for a lot more of them

Tim Hames in the Times (London) punctures Nasrallah's claims of victory for Hizbollah. He calls their victory, "one of a presentational character," and considers it bizarre that "Israeli politicians on both the hard Left and the hard Right appear to agree with the terrorists. All are profoundly mistaken."

It's as though we're all grading Israel on a curve, where an A+ is reserved for the Six Day War.

Instead, Hames urges us to look at what has changed strategically. The Lebanese government, which previouly declined to fulfill its obligations to control the southern region of its country is now engaged along with an international force and the backing of the Security Council.

If Ehud Olmert, the Prime Minister, had been told six weeks ago that Hezbollah would cease to be the principal militia in southern Lebanon by the beginning of September he wouldn’t have believed it possible.

Another measure of success, says Hames, is that Iran's role in backing Hezbollah and terror is now fully fleshed out.

He also acknowledges, as should we all, that the loss of life among Lebanese civilians with no connection to Hezbollah is, "a tragedy of the highest order."


(Tags: Israel, Lebanon, Hezbolla)

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