A Lull in the Carnage a Trois of Israel, Hezbollah, and Lebanon

Rather than handle several pieces of information separately, let me lump them all together.

First, Israel has started to withdraw some of its forces from Lebanon while the government of Lebanon is ready to begin deploying its own army troops along the Southern Lebanon border while the U.N. is trying to expedite the formation of an international peacekeeping force to help. Meanwhile, Lebanon has said it won't disarm Hezbollah while the UNIFIL head asks again for the Lebanese army to disarm Hezbollah forces along the Southern Lebanese border.

Now Israel wanted the complete disarmament of everyone in Lebanon, including all civilians. However, that would not only be hard to do (and if it were to occur in America, there would be more than hell to pay), I think it would be unwise (and remember, I am NOT pro gun).

Shimon Peres, Israel's Vice Premier (and of all the Israeli politicians over the last 30 years or so, my favorite along with the assassinated Rabin), says Israel won the war because Hezbollah was weakened. However, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert defined winning as complete extermination of Hezbollah (or Hizbollah to some) which Israel certainly did NOT accomplish. In fact, until there is strong proof otherwise, I do not believe Hezbollah was significantly weakened and, in terms of Middle East coverage and among Lebanese civilians, I think Hezbollah came out on top.

Olmert promises to continue his campaign against Hezbollah while Nasrallah (head of Hezbollah) declares a "blessed victory."

Elsewhere, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) struck in Gaza, killing two Palestinians and wounding many others.