7.14.2006

Israel Vows to Press On, Bush Refuses to Tell Israel to Stop, While John Bolton Blames Attacks on Iran and Syria

OK, I get the rest... but what planet is John Bolton on that - with Israel bombing the crap out of Beirut and Hezbollah lobbing missiles back at Israel - he wants to lay ALL blame at the feet of Iran and Syria. Oh wait... it's part of the justification for who we attack next. Gotcha.

From The Times:

The Israeli government decided today to press ahead with its military operations in Lebanon, concentrating on targets associated with the Hezbollah militia, including the bombing this evening of the headquarters of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, Israeli officials said.

They said that the Israeli strategy is to diminish or destroy the power of Hezbollah, which has created “a state within a state” in southern Lebanon, and to ensure that the Lebanese army replaces Hezbollah on the border with Israel, as demanded by the United Nations.
In response to a new barrage of rockets today, said Isaac Herzog, a member of the Israeli security cabinet, “We’ve decided to put an end to this saga and to change the rules of the game whereby a terrorist organization that is part of the Lebanese government can push the region to the abyss.”

Brig. Gen. Ido Nehushtan, a member of the general staff, said: “We want to put Hezbollah out of business. We want to force the Lebanese government to take responsibility and deploy along the border and dismantle Hezbollah, which if it is allowed, will prevent any stabilization and peace process in the Middle East.”