The Spin & Lies Start

[Christina]

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Neighbors Smell Blood in Israeli Cease-Fire Acceptance 16:53 Aug 13, '06 / 19 Av 5766 by Ezra HaLevi courtesy of israelnationalnews.com Arabs and Muslims from Iran, Hizbullah and the PA are celebrating Israel’s acceptance of the UN ceasefire, dubbing it a "surrender" and calling on Arab states to attack the new "weak" Israel. “After one month of war against Lebanon's resistance, Israelis are the absolute losers and Hizbullah is the absolute winner of the war,” Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamida-Reza Asefi said Sunday. “The occupiers of Jerusalem failed, despite their military, economic, intelligence and diplomatic backings.” The Iranian official said the Islamic Republic of Iran is “very pleased” with the ceasefire, according to state-run Iranian news agency IRNA. He warned, though, that attacks on Israel would continue as long as “occupation lingers.” He declined to outline whether occupation included retaining sovereignty in regions such as the Galilee – which Hizbullah chief Hassan Nasrallah has termed “settlements” in his wartime addresses. "Let us not forget that as long as there is occupation there is resistance," he added. Hizbullah central council member Ahmed Barakat told Qatari newspaper al-Watan Sunday, "Today Arab and Muslim society is reasonably certain that the defeat of Israel is possible, and that countdown to the disappearance of the Zionist entity in the region has begun… If a mere organization succeeded in defeating Israel, why would Arab nations not succeed in doing so if they allied? Many Arabs and Muslims viewed Israel in a fictional way and the resistance has succeeded in changing this." Barakat boasted that none of Hizbullah’s leadership were injured, and that the group still possesses thousands of rockets and other “surprises” for use in the days following the implementation of the UN ceasefire. He added that the remaining missiles and weapons allow Hizbullah to strike Israel from afar and do not require the group to be near Israel’s border. Photos of Hizbullah-leader Hassan Nasrallah “hang everywhere in Ramallah,” according to Al-Jazeera, “covering the walls and shop fronts and plastered across T-shirts and demonstration banners.” The number-one song in Ramallah this summer, “blaring [repeatedly] out of shops and streets stalls,” is "The Eagle of Lebanon," referring to the Hizbullah chief. “Secularists, Christians and Muslims alike refer to the Hizbullah leader as Palestine's newest and truest hero,” the Al-Jazeera report states.

 

[Christina]

Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah said Monday his guerrillas had achieved a "strategic, historic victory" against Israel. Nasrallah, speaking on the day a cease-fire took effect - ending 34 days of brutal fighting between Hizbullah and Israel - called Monday "a great day." "We are today before a strategic, historic victory, without exaggeration," he said in a taped speech on Hizbullah's al-Manar TV. He declared that the massive destruction inflicted upon Israel was an expression of what he called its "failure and impotency."

 

[BernieEOD]

Hizbollah is stil intact and still a threat. Worse yet, Arabs were not screaming for a cease fire. Obviously, the IDF did not reach their enemies "Ouch factor".War is a funny thing. Short of absolute victory, victory or defeat is then measured in objectives. Hizbollah's objective was to simply avoid total defeat and anniahlation while being able to "Tweak" Isreal with their rockets. So, if you take that limited objective, they did score what could be interpeted as a "Victory". Also, their objective was to trick the IDF into killing civilians....Yet another objective met. The IDF's objective was to destroy Hizbollah as a viable tactical threat...Objective not met.The IDF's objective was to take out as many Hizbollah with minimal civilian casualties. Current body count is:Lebonese: Hizbollah fighters: 55 dead Lebanese Soldiers 29 dead Lebanese Civilians 588 deadIsreal IDF Soldiers 61 Dead Isreali civilians 36 deadThis is a political defeat for Isreal. To kill 7 civilians for every enemy (And this is assuming that the 29 Lebanese were fighting against the IDF) is unaceptable. Of course, the claim is that Hizbollah hides behind civilians."Too bad Lebanon! Just accet it!" Is not going to cut it. The IDF fell for what one might call a 4GW trick. So what to do? Being the "Militaristic sicko" many call me. I believ ethat I can shoot good enough to miss the civilian and hit the enemy. The IDF could have used Hellfire and maverick's instead of Paveways allowing for a more surgical strike. Bottom line: Isreal is still a nation: Hizbollah has not met its ultimate objective.Hizbollah is still a viable threat.Both sides can claim limited victories but for the most part....To be continued