The Iraq "fiasco" has taught the Arabs they do not have to cease-fire...

[kentuck]

As we see now with the Lebanese saying they will not agree to a cease-fire until Israel withdraws all its troops from Lebanon, we saw it first in Iraq. The over-whelming American military force intimidated and scared the Iraqis at first. But, after a while, they saw that they could fight a different kind of urban war and wreak havoc on their country and the American military, with their roadside bombs and carbombs. They have gained great confidence fighting the Americans in Iraq. They have become much more dangerous terrorists than they ever were before. They are patient and confident.

Similar to America's invasion into Iraq, Israel has invaded Lebanon. No matter how good the intentions or justified or not, they have attacked a weak country that will not react the way they have in the past. Each day that goes by, the Hezbollah and their Arab support grows stronger. They know in the short run that Israel can bomb them to smithereens and they probably will. But after a while, there is nothing left to bomb. Then what happens. Suppose we call for a cease-fire and nobody agrees but the US and Israel. Where does that lead us?

[Kagemusha]

1. The Israelis have 18 years of direct experience with that situation.

Maybe they'll get 18 more this time.

[Jim Sagle]

2. They certainly will. That's because the hez scum have sworn to

kill them all.

What's Israel SUPPOSED to do about the hez? They invaded once before and were forced out.

What's the hez excuse for pumping rockets into Israel after Israel left?

Answer: they don't need an excuse; they've sworn to destroy Israel.

[Kagemusha]

3. I've said it before but, I don't even mind Israel fighting Hezbollah.

It's treating millions of other Lebanese as if they're Hezbollah, too, which is punitive, vengeful and counterproductive - and a dilution of effort. As a result those millions of other Lebanese are aspiring to be as good at giving Israel a bloody nose as Hezbollah, which is completely backwards from what should've been the result.

[FlavaKreemSnak]

4. The younger generation vs the older generation of Arabs

I was reading an article in a Middle Eastern paper the other day, and the author was saying that in the past, the Arabs would just bow down and say, well they are so much more powerful, etc. what else can we do but obey them, but that the younger generation does not feel that way, they will fight even if they know they will get killed and do any damage to America and Israel they can before getting killed, but they just have a less obedient point of view than the older generation did, and that this will be a problem for Israel and America, because they are not used to that!

[Nikki Stone 1]

5. You made me think of the 1950s in this country

The adults of that period rolled over and played dead as Joe McCarthy and his red baiting went unchecked. Fear was par for the course. Then, their kids fairly exploded in the 1960s, probably frustrated with their parents.

Seems like today's Arab youth are having a similar reaction and a very powerful reason for having it.

[FlavaKreemSnak]

8. And the civil rights movement too

I have read about when it started, that some of the older African-Americans would get mad at their kids for marching, and tell them they were just going to have problems, but the kids told them segregation is a problem! And that they could not live that way, like their parents did, they had watched them work hard and be so submissive suffer so much and they could still not go to restaurants or get jobs except for limited ones and their kids could still not go to school where they wanted, etc. So they didn't feel like they had so much to lose, and it was a surprise for the white segregationists, to see these young African-Americans who had such a different attitude from their parents, they were demanding their rights and would not be subservient.

[Nikki Stone 1]

9. Yes, that's a great point

Often it takes the kids to push the envelope

[malaise]

6. Terrorists?

They have become much more dangerous terrorists than they ever were before. They are patient and confident.

While I agree with your overall premise, to suggest that people who resist invaders are terrorists is merely using Bushspeak. Put simply invaders will be resisted as long as there is an ounce of national pride.

The Lebanese do not intend to let Israel steal the Litani river.

[kentuck]

10. You are correct.

I should have noted with "" around it. That's why I don't think the ceasefire will be so easy to attain this time around.

[DemonFighterLives]

7. Sure, everyone can just throw out the rulebook now

No Holds Barred, balls to the wall and all that good sh*t.