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| Peters: Tragedy of Errors |
| 2006-07-16 |
| Sometimes I like Ralph and sometimes not. Today I don't. July 16, 2006 -- THE violence that scorched the Middle East this time didn't result from a sly Iranian plot. It was the product of emotion, miscalculation, impulsiveness and folly. On all sides. Here's a sound rule in analyzing problems anywhere between Cairo and Karachi: Never ascribe to a calculated strategy what can be blamed on passionate incompetence. Another iron rule that applies to this and every Israeli attempt to strike back at Islamist terrorists is that, just when the Israeli Defense Forces really start to hurt the enemy, the world community - including the United States - intervenes to save the terrorists from destruction. Europeans have more sympathy with Iran's nuclear program than they do with Israel's attempts at self-defense. But, then, the only thing continental Europeans regret about the Holocaust is that they didn't get to finish the job. Even as Europe suffers its own attacks by Islamist terrorists, Europeans defend the selfsame terrorists against Israeli retribution. Meanwhile, the flare-up that began last week resulted from bad judgment on the part of every organization and state involved - as well as producing some spectacularly bad analysis by our herd-like media. |
| Posted by:Brett |
| #11 I think Ralph has a defensible point. The Lebanese government is weak more than it is malicious. If it falls, a more pro-Syria government will likely replace it. Bombing the airport and creating a jam-up of potential hostages (foreign nationals) trying to get out does not seem to me to be a great idea in terms of tactics vs. Hezbollah or PR. Syria and Iran are the real enemies here. OTOH, the Lebanese government seems to lack the will to do anything about Hezbollah and Israel has been clear that, if it did, Israel would stand down. In the end it could be that Israeli positions are relieved by Lebanese Army units if and when Hezbollah heads for the hills. |
| Posted by: JAB 2006-07-16 22:50 |
| #10 Israel hopes to pressure the Lebanese government into taking action against Hezbollah. But Lebanon's leaders can't do that. If they ordered their work-in-progress military to attack and disarm Hezbollah, some Lebanese Armed Forces units would mutiny, others would disintegrate - and any outfits that attempted to take on Hezbollah would be badly and swiftly defeated. And the action would reignite the country's dormant civil war. And that's bad for Israel because? p.s. Syria has constraints (destruction of their military --> extermination of Alawites by the Sunny majority). Hisballa, was a non-state player with WMD (10000 area denial rockets are a WDM) |
| Posted by: gromgoru 2006-07-16 20:47 |
| #9 The Iranian government was as surprised as anyone. bullshit foundation for the rest of his statements. |
| Posted by: Frank G 2006-07-16 19:02 |
| #8 I guess this guy considers chemo a tragedy of errors in the fight against cancer because the chemo does so much damage to the body's healthy cells along with the cancerous ones. |
| Posted by: Perfesser 2006-07-16 18:51 |
| #7 Okay you two, get room already! |
| Posted by: Clavimble Spomoger8840 2006-07-16 18:46 |
| #6 Rummy was the youngest of the Whiz Kids. |
| Posted by: lotp 2006-07-16 18:44 |
| #5 There's a RDS that rivals BDS in some military people. These folks should really study McNamara more. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2006-07-16 18:42 |
| #4 Peters is also an old Army guy who dislikes Rummy and any tactics that parallel his. |
| Posted by: lotp 2006-07-16 18:36 |
| #3 He certainly seems to be way ahead of himself here, presuming that this will be a repeat of past mistakes. Almost knee-jerk in its blatant simplicity. He charactrizes some of the players very well (hell, who cant?), but the Olmert Admin? The Bush Admin? I wonder if he has chafed and objected to the "It's Vitenam all over again! Quagmire!" BS... yet that's what he's doing. Now is not then. We are not them. The Bush Administration is not very much like any previous administration I can recall. I suspect it's pretty close to Truman's, but it's hard to be sure of the day-to-day flavor of something that ended before I was born. I call bullshit. I'm happy to allow this to occur in the here and now. For the moment, anyway, Olmert is exceeding my expectations and Bush is meeting them. Ralph has heartburn or gas. Or both. I think this often happens when someone is contracted to deliver a column and a certain day, has some sort of reputation to protect, and hasn't made up his /her mind WTF he /she wants to say. Summarizes Dowdy every week. :) |
| Posted by: Ulating Cresh8693 2006-07-16 18:29 |
| #2 The question in my mind is whether Israel's genocidal enemies will be saved by the bell this time. I'm beginning to be hopeful that they will get a lot of rope. Let's hope they use it better than the Paleos did. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2006-07-16 18:18 |
| #1 Doesn't really matter how it was started, game is on and shit hitting the fan. |
| Posted by: djohn66 2006-07-16 18:11 |