Is the Middle East going to war?

Sorry to resurect this old chesnut..

The ceasfire seems to be holding..for now. The Israeli army is dispondant, the Israeli government under pressure from its people to deliver the goods, and Hezbollah claiming a victory. Well, Israel have failed to disable them, and no doubt they are regrouping and re-arming as we speak. However, this goes to show two things; terrorists can not be defeated in the battlefield, and terrorists dont give a rats arse about their innocent fellow countrymen dying all around them.

Will the peacekeeps bring this under control or find themselves locked in guerilla warfare with Hezbollah? The Lebanese army are to be deployed in the south, but is it inevitable they will end up fighting Hezbollah directly? Perhaps this is the idea. Israel will then be able to free up resources to fry the bigger fish in Iran and/or Syria. Just a thought..

i think everything will remain under reasonable control unless Syria mobilizes troops...if that happens all hell is gonna break loose

SOMEBODY HAS TO STOP THE UNJUST OR WHATEVER KILLING IN THE MIDDLE EAST!!!!!

There's a good analysis of the situation on the BBC today:

Bob Greece wrote: Blacksword wrote: The US and the UK support them.    I don't think the UK supports them. It's just that Tony Blair is so keen to do anything to please Bush.   Yo Blair!

Yeah, you're right, Bob. Margarat Beckett wasn't happy about Prestwick airport being used to ship bombs to Israel. Blair is once again in Bushs lap, although they are meeting today I believe, and Blair intends to try and pursuade Bush to call for a ceasefire.

The only chance of a diplomatic solution is if the entire world isolates the US and Israel, and of course if Hezbollah stops firing rockets into Northern Israel too. It's a two way street, but the double standards of Israel, and the west generally are shameful.
    

Blacksword wrote: The US and the UK support them.

Edited by Bob Greece - July 28 2006 at 04:27

^ Yes, it's a dreadful situation.



I cant believe the Israeli arrogance - I know there is good and bad on both sides - but to claim the whole world supports them is incredible. The US and the UK support them. Thats all. The rest of the world is opposed to this action.

Bob Greece wrote: Blacksword wrote: The Israelis want a NATO peacekeeping force on the Lebanese border. This will conveniently position up to 20,000 foreign troops in the area, and is a shrewd way of pulling other nations into this. Hezbollah will capitlaise on this too, by targetting them. This would lead to more being sent to the region, stretching western military forces to breaking point (if we're not nearly there already). Meanwhile the invisible terrorists will be targetting the US and EU.   I never thought of that. But I thought that there are already UN troups in the area. Weren't the UN in Lebanon in the past?

Yes, the UN are still there. Two UN peacekeepers were killed by the Israelis this morning (or last night) The Israelis claim it was an accident, but apparently it 'appeared' to be deliberate.

Israel does not like the UN, and doesn't want them there.
    

A draft would be a nightmare and a very bad move. I'm inclined to think there would be so much opposition in the US even Bush wouldn't go that far..

That said, if the conflict escalates..... ?

The Israelis want a NATO peacekeeping force on the Lebanese border. This will conveniently position up to 20,000 foreign troops in the area, and is a shrewd way of pulling other nations into this. Hezbollah will capitlaise on this too, by targetting them. This would lead to more being sent to the region, stretching western military forces to breaking point (if we're not nearly there already). Meanwhile the invisible terrorists will be targetting the US and EU.

Bob Greece wrote: Blacksword wrote: I guess the US regard this as part of the 'war on terror'        According to the BBC news today, Condoleeza went to Israel to express support not to ask for a ceasefire.   Blacksword wrote: However, it seems that Israels current campaign has been ineffective in crushing the terrorists, and has succeeded only in killing civillians. Sadly it will get to a point where so many are radicalised and enraged by the Zionist onslaught, that the terror cycle will be set to worsen for Israel and the west. Not improve.    This was obvious to me. Israel won't get rid of Hizbollah this way. The bombing of Lebanon is just a big recruiting drive for them. What little chance there was for peace in the Middle East has just got a lot lot further away.

    

..and of course the worse the terror threat gets for them - and us - the more we will fight back. It's a familiar cycle. The perfect recipe for escalation.