Israeli Response - Justified?

[Merv Benson]

Hezballah's provocation gave Israel a stregic opportunity to destroy Hezballah's/Iran's threat hanging over Israel's border. The bombing in Lebanon is not just random acts of violence but a plan to isolate Heaballah and prevent its resupply by air, sea or highway. It is also aimed at destroying as many of Hezballah's missiles as possible. Ground force units will also have the objective of removing the missile threat.

In the process Israel is destroying Iran's retaliatory threat, should Israel bomb Iran's nuke facilities. One of Iran's reasons for giving Hezballah all those missiles was to use them against Israel, should Israel attack Iran. By removeing that "deterrent" Israel will have more strategic flexibility to deal with Iran.

Destroying Iran's proxy also weakens the Hezballah myth of having defeated Israel. This myth has fed the Islamist movement from bin Laden to Amadinajab. This has led to miscalculations as significant as 9-11 and to the current conflict. Destroying this myth will give the middle east its best chance of peace. The best way to destroy the myth is to destroy Hezballah and Hamas.

[Stu-6]

I think that maybe what the Israeli are thinking but it is a risky strategy. If they can destroy Hezbollah it will definitely be a great victory for Israel but that will be tricky. If they fail to destroy Hezbollah, a likely outcome, they risk reinforcing the mythology of Hezbollah.