CNN/Olmert: No apologies for Lebanon war

[Lerkfish]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/08/14/olmert.speech.ap/index.html

Olmert: No apologies for Lebanon war

Monday, August 14, 2006; Posted: 10:14 a.m. EDT (14:14 GMT)

JERUSALEM (AP) -- Ehud Olmert said Monday he took sole responsibility, as Israel's prime minister, for the offensive against Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon and said the war shifted the strategic balance in the region.

In a speech to parliament hours after a U.N. brokered cease-fire took effect, Olmert said the agreement eliminated the "state within a state" run by Hezbollah, and restored Lebanon's sovereignty in the south.

bolded area mine.

"shifting the strategic balance in the region" seems a different objective than the originally stated "self-defense" or retaliation for two captured IDF soldiers.

[LostinVA]

1. What they've destroyed is Lebanon infrastructure

A burgeoning democracy, and lots of civilians. Hezbollah is still there, probably swelled by lots of new recruits.

[LynnTheDem]

2. Invasion & occupation, bombing & killing = "restoring sovereignty"

Says george w. olmert.

[Missy M]

3. Do any leaders ever tell the truth.....

and I don't believe Lebanon invited Israel to "eliminate" anything in their country. The story keeps changing.

[Tempest]

4. It has shifted the strategic balance in the region

Towards Hezbollah, Syria and Iran.

They are stronger now while Israel was weakened.

[Igel]

5. You weren't listening closely.

The two hostages were part of the reason. But no more than that.

Taking Hezb apart was the explicitly stated reason. I heard more people saying the two soldiers were the real reason here than any place else--Israeli media, US MSM, or the overseas press. It's a straw man. Knocking it down is absurdly simple, but done frequently.

If it was only about 2 abductees (ignoring the other 8 soldiers killed and the katyusha bombardment that served as the distraction to assist in the abduction), then it was wildly disproportionate. If it was the last straw, the 'trigger', and Israel decided that rather than simply threaten with overflights or drop the occasional bomb it was time to deal with the longer-term problem Hezb posed--as evidenced by the occasional raid, the episodic katyusha bombardments, and the arms build up and entrenchment on the Lebanese side of the border, then the choice of targets makes sense. Disproportionate wrt the triggering attack, but not with the goal.

[The Stranger]

6. No, we all heard them at the time. Only now the reasons have changed.

It is the old "weapons of mass destruction" evolution of "pretenses" upon which to base a war.

And of course it was wildly disproportionate. Nothing they fabricate now can change that.

[stepnw1f]

11. Amen (nt)

[Lerkfish]

7. no, I think my hearing was pretty accurate.

and so is my recollection. The initial justification for Israel's bombing was the two soldiers and stated as such.

[breakaleg]

8. This is my favorite part....

They will continue to search for, and I assume kidnap Hezbollah.

"We will continue to pursue them everywhere and at all times," he said. "We have no intention of asking anyone's permission."


Since when does a country get to stay behind the country they invaded and capture the other side in a war and punish them? Is anyone going to bring the Israeli's to court (or a dungeon) for the civilians they killed in Lebanon?

[anotherdrew]

9. Israel is run by delusional madmen n/t

[stepnw1f]

10. What a Real Tough Guy...

Sociopaths truly make me sick.