Monday, July 17, 2006

What will Israel do?

Will Israel attack Iran and Syria? The greater than expected strength of Hezbollah attacks on Israeli cities like Haifa suggest that Israel (and perhaps the US) might seek to settle things more permanently. The Palestinians have voted for the terrorist Hamas while the most efficient branch of Middle East terrorism, Hezbollah, has broad support from Shia Lebanese, backed by Iran and Syria. Undemocratic states like Syria and Iran are attempting to subvert democracy throughout the Middle East by supporting, with military funding, those forces it sees as advancing its brand of Islamic fundamentalism.

Apart from Israel, Iran has the best equipped military forces in the region. Their strength can only grow and they are committed to wiping out Israel. Left unchecked Iran will develop nuclear weapons and may even provide them to terrorist groups in the region. These issues must be self-evident to all parties.

These same issues pose difficult immediate calculations for Israel and perhaps the United States. The moral arguments are all on Israel's side but these are largely irrelevant - the main consideration at present is whether decisive action at this stage would work or not.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Harry,
you are being absurd.
no country in the area can wipe out Israel however Israel has the capacity to wipe out any country there and still would in spades even if Iran gained nuclear weapons.
It would take some time for Iran to acquire sufficient nuclear weapons to wipe out Israel.

Israel gives every indication of declaring war on Syria and thus Iran as well.
It has been Israel which has been upping the ante thus far.

The logic escapes me unless they expect the US to directly intervene again as they did in 1973.

hc said...

Homer, I asked the question of what Israel's response will be now. Your second two sentences are contradictory. Iran is already supplying quality missiles to Hezbollah - the quality I think shocks the Israelis. How will Israel react to this?

Anonymous said...

Harry,

even in their most evil dreams no-one in hezbellah believes they can wipe out Israel.

Only Israel is in a postion to wipeout any country in the area.

Israel would need US help because they would be fighting on too many fronts. Military 101.

Anonymous said...

I think it likely that Israel will do whatver it can to eliminate as many Hezbollah as possible, and I for one, hope they succeed. Lebanon doesn't want Hezbollah bringing attacks down on it anymore than Afghanistan wanted the Taliban doing so.

Eliminating most of Hezbollah will leave Iran with no one in Lebanon to supply with weapons with which to attack Israel. The world must stand with Lebanon against Hezbollah. And it must stand with the victim in this case, Israel.

hc said...

Civitas, Agree and so far it looks as if Israel doing well.