« Reality | Main | A Powerful Litmus Test »
July 30, 2006
A Glimmer Of Optimism...
...came this morning from the Bush administration (via West Coast Conservative at Free Republic):
Despite the events in Qana, the US is decided in its rejection of an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hizbullah. Minutes after speaking on the telephone with US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice (who currently in Israel), US Under Secretary for Political Affairs, Nicholas Burns, declared that the United States is not interested in repeating former mistakes."We need a sustainable ceasefire. We need to ensure that Hizbullah will not remain in a position that allows it to threaten Israeli security and we need to return sovereignty to the Lebanese government. We cannot allow Hizbullah to sit on the border and launch thousands of rockets at millions of Israelis," said Burns in an interview on ABC's show 'This Week'.
Burns emphasized that, in the event of an immediate ceasefire, "Hizbullah will keep firing on Israelis and Israel will stay in Lebanon." He added that efforts to create a multinational force will continue, stating that several nations expressed willingness to participate in such a force, but refraining from naming them explicitly. Earlier, ynet reported that these states were France, Spain, Italy, Poland, Turkey, and India, who had been approached by the US.
Emphases mine. The other day I saw thread titles by two prominent conservative bloggers--one asked, "Is Hezbollah Winning?" and the other asked "Is Hezbollah Caving?" While my own frustration level has run so high recently that I almost want the US to withdraw from the UN, demothball the USS New Jersey and send her over to pump 14" shells into the Bekaa valley, I realize that I must take heart in the fact the United States in particular, and the world (and even Arab) community in general, has reacted differently this time.
But when I awoke this morning to hear of the horrible loss of life in Qana, I figured the jig was up. I felt sure that the world would look past the criminal responsibility of Hizbollah in firing 150 rockets from the midst of unarmed civilians, and the Israelis would once again be condemned for attempting to defend themselves. Hizbollah is using the citizens of Lebanon as human shields.
So it was very gratifying to read Nicholas Burns' comments. There have been several cease fires in Lebanon in the last thirty years or so, and they have all ended in utter failure. I think it's good that the administration seems to be keeping an eye on recent history.
Trackback Pings
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.thebernoullieffect.com/cgi-bin/mt/mt-tb.cgi/707
