August 19, 2006

Is he on one of those new planets?

The other day we heard this from Bush:

"Hezbollah started the crisis, and Hezbollah suffered a defeat in this crisis."

The president spoke at the State Department after conferring with his national security team, first at the Pentagon and then at the State Department. He was flanked by Vice President Dick Cheney and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Well, then. With those advisers, he must be right.

What I wouldn't give for a non-delusional President.

Posted by Linkmeister at August 19, 2006 01:25 PM | TrackBack
Comments

Whether hezbollah was defeated depends entirely upon their realistic goals. If it is to advance their political power in Lebanon, then surely they were victorious.

Enough to gain a majority in Lebanon? Doubtful, since the Christians will certainly resist it.

On the other hand, if their goal is to continue to lob missles into Israeli cities, then the jury is out. The UN resolution has some teeth, and it's enforcement will be the key.

It will be interesting to see how the UN Security Council will react to Syria's and Iran's inevitable attempts to rearm Hezbollah.

If rearming attempts are exposed, what do you suggest be done?

Posted by: pixelshim at August 20, 2006 04:49 AM

I don't know. Considering that the US won't even talk to the two countries that supply arms to Hezbollah, and that its leverage at the UN is so poor these days, I don't see what this country can do. But I don't see what Israel can do either, short of going to war with Syria to close the borders and with Iran to cut off the funds. I don't think Israel's in a position to do that.

On the other hand, there were something like 7 people killed by missiles landing in northern Israel in the six years since they left Lebanon in 2000, so the former status quo wasn't anywhere as big a problem as the West Bank and Gaza were. Maybe Israel should sit tight for a few months.

Posted by: Linkmeister at August 20, 2006 08:43 AM

Besides, my point was that Bush seems to live in his own world. Either all his advisors believe this nonsense themselves or they're afraid to give him an unvarnished "you're wrong, sir."

Posted by: Linkmeister at August 20, 2006 03:21 PM