you either don't know the facts or you don't value Arab lives or property. Because I know you are one of SI's best political posters, I'm 100% sure it's the former.
Well, thanks. I think. I suspect many on SI would accuse me of valuing Arab lives above their own... and, thinking about it, I'd value the life of a slug more highly than said members, so they're probably right.
How is Hezbollah going to recover the hostages that Israel is holding without doing a prisoner swap?
A prisoner swap is fine. Do that good thing.
But attacking soldiers, who are doing no harm to you or yours, across an international border, from a far more powerful army, is definitely an act of stupidity.
It may also be either an act of terrorism, or an act of war: and I think actually Israel's deliberately viewing it as the latter, and hence acting out childish vengeance on all Lebanon. But Hezbollah surely knew that this would happen.
Yep, they will doubtless want to swap prisoners. But grabbing their own hostages in such a blatant way against a powerful and provenly ruthless enemy is stupid, and doing so across international borders unprovoked is either terrorism or war.
My own hope is that Israel realises it'll get international acceptance and protection only if it goes back to internationally accepted borders. And no one is going to attack the borders of '66, Egypt and Jordan and Syria have learnt that lesson even without nukes against them. Plus of course the West would crush anyone trying it.
But IMO the only way Israel will accept this is if the USA cuts off the colossal military subsidies, and agrees to massive sanctions and suspensions as for any other ME bully occupying other countries...
The alternative will be that Israel keeps pushing its luck until either the regional opponents have nothing much to lose, they push their own home-grown terrorists until they truly have nothing to lose, or rising sea levels make the whole issue moot. My money's on the last. |
