Israel's Attack on Lebanon and Hezbollah

[ACPlayer]

OK. THe responses range from nothing to killing hundreds at least and disrupting hundreds more.

If they drop a nuke tomorrow on s. lebanon would that still be proportionate.

edit: Lebanon was attacked, not just the Hezbollah

[Howard Beale]

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A strong, central government in Beirut would sooner or later attempt to establish its authority over every part of Lebanon.

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Yeah, why can't the Israelis, especially in Haifa, just be more patient and endure the missile attacks while the government of Lebanon gets it act together? Even if it ends up being "later", what's some regular Israeli casualties compared to not risking radicalizing more radicals?

Sit in your house and hunker down while your neighbor takes pot shots instead of shooting back, because you might piss off other neighbors and the cops will get around to dealing with them "sooner or later".

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Are you aware of the timeline of the Haifa attacks vis-a-vis the Israeli attacks all over Lebanon?

A propotionate response from Israel and there would have been no Haifa attacks.

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I'm wondering what you consider a proportionate response would have been?

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The provocation was the taking of two Israeli's by the Hezbollah. THere was no direct attack on Israel.

Well, generally the Lebanese government is not hostile to Israel, as I understand the dynamic. An initial attempt to work would them would be a start. Israel is now mounting pressure on Assad to get involved in discussions with the Hezbollah. There may have been ways to get that dynamic started without actually attacking the country (which by the way never attacked Israel).

So, we take a criminal act by militant group and go ape-s**t. Killing 100s, displacing thousands, destroying the economy of a country that just got rid of the Syrians, is modestly pro-western. Without trying anything else first.

The justifications on this forum for the Israeli response is nauseating.

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A multinational militia funded and armed by Syria and Iran under the tacit approval of Lebanon crossed an international border into Israel, killed eight soldiers and took two hostages and your belief is that Israel should have responded by asking nicely if they could have them back.
There was no direct attack on Israel? Eight soldiers were killed in the initial attack. Did you forget that or did you just never know? You should be nausated by the fact that Hezbollah dragged Lebanon into this situation.

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In addition to this, with which I agree, I'd like to point out that, in effect, there is no Lebanese government. Sure, there is what passes for a government, they have the forms of government but they do not govern, not when a militia that is supported by foreign powers and has 12,000 rockets and missiles is allowed to do what their foreign masters dictate.

[Sniper]

"IAF warplanes dropped bombs late Wednesday on a bunker in south Beirut where senior Hezbollah leaders were thought to be, the Israel Defense Forces said."

[morphball]

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In addition to this, with which I agree, I'd like to point out that, in effect, there is no Lebanese government. Sure, there is what passes for a government, they have the forms of government but they do not govern, not when a militia that is supported by foreign powers and has 12,000 rockets and missiles is allowed to do what their foreign masters dictate.


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Moreover, you cannot say that the "recognized" government of Lebanon actually governs Lebanon when Hezbollah does not allow the "government" access to certain areas under its control...the area south of Beirut for example

[Sniper]

"Thousands of Israeli troops are operating in south Lebanon where they are targetting Hezbollah positions. Among their activities, they are searching for tunnels dug by Hezbollah militants. According to the army, Hezbollah fighters have taken refuge inside these tunnels - often dug under homes in villages - along with their rockets, and that they occasionally emerge to fire one into Israel."

Additionally, the latest count on Hezbollah rockets fired into Israel is 1,600.

[C0pernicus]

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"Thousands of Israeli troops are operating in south Lebanon where they are targetting Hezbollah positions. Among their activities, they are searching for tunnels dug by Hezbollah militants. According to the army, Hezbollah fighters have taken refuge inside these tunnels - often dug under homes in villages - along with their rockets, and that they occasionally emerge to fire one into Israel."

Additionally, the latest count on Hezbollah rockets fired into Israel is 1,600.

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so if the supply lines are cut/interdicted they have about 2 months worth left?

[theblitz]

Add to that the fact that Israel has the tacit agreement of most Arab countries to the actions so far.
I'm not sure that will last if we move in to Lebanon with ground forces.

[C0pernicus]

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Add to that the fact that Israel has the tacit agreement of most Arab countries to the actions so far.
I'm not sure that will last if we move in to Lebanon with ground forces.

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Its been recognized from the beginning that an air only war would not be sufficient to displace Hezbollah. If Israel is committed to removing the missile threat they will press a ground war, and will have the same support they have now to execute it.

[BluffTHIS!]

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Add to that the fact that Israel has the tacit agreement of most Arab countries to the actions so far.
I'm not sure that will last if we move in to Lebanon with ground forces.

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If the Lebanese military can't deal with Hezbollah, then they sure can't deal with the IDF. For their own sakes they better be rattling a broken saber or it will get shoved up their backside. And any such intervention will make clear that they support Hezbollah's missile attacks on Israel.

[Sniper]

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"Thousands of Israeli troops are operating in south Lebanon where they are targetting Hezbollah positions. Among their activities, they are searching for tunnels dug by Hezbollah militants. According to the army, Hezbollah fighters have taken refuge inside these tunnels - often dug under homes in villages - along with their rockets, and that they occasionally emerge to fire one into Israel."

Additionally, the latest count on Hezbollah rockets fired into Israel is 1,600.

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so if the supply lines are cut/interdicted they have about 2 months worth left?

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Trying to put a timeline on this thing will be a losing excercise...