Israel's Biggest Problem

Probably the most important information that Israel's enemies took from the Israeli military attack on Hezbollah in Lebanon is that despite Israel's incredibly large and extremely well equipped military machine, formerly considered unbeatable except by the U.S. itself, is that Israel can indeed lose a fight.

Hezbollah, despite everything we've heard about how Iran and Syria pour hundreds of thousands and millions each year into it (and this is still just a fraction of how the U.S. funds Israel in dollars and equipment), stood up remarkably well against Israel while most of those dead on Israel's side were their own soldiers.

That Israel is beat-able is probably the worst outcome Israel could have from their 34-day long foray. And their insistence on continuing the fight now after a ceasefire is in place (insisting they will kill Nasrallah (imagine Hezbollah saying it would kill Olmert?) promises to make Israel lose even harder.

While you aren't hearing and reading about it through U.S. news groups, Middle East news outlets such as al-Jazeera and Israel's Ha'aretz cover increasingly louder calls for Israel's head of the military, Peretz, as well as Prime Minister Olmert to resign. However, the Washington Post gives a hint of this when it writes about how Olmert is dismissive of the protests in Israel.