Hearts & Minds: Israel
Two bits of news that hurts Israel in the "Hearts and Minds" front: a report that U.N. officials tried to warn Israel about the shelling that lead to the deaths of observers, and al-Qaida decides to weigh in on the issue (maybe they were waiting til after Condi came back?).
This kinda magnifies Israel's conundrum: they are trynig to stop an enemy that wants to see them destroyed, but every accidental death/injury makes it hard for the non-Mulsim population to completely accept what's going on.
Make no mistake about it: as long as Israel occupies land coveted by just about every major religion, they will be hated and attacked. In that regard, they have a right to defend themselves. However, the further they push into Lebanon, or any other country for that matter, the more they risk losing the international support that's kept their more hostile enemies at bay.
Sooner or later, Israel's military forces will have to leave southern Lebanon. It won't take long before Hezbollah rebuilds (assuming they aren't eradicated) or another hostile group rises to challenege Israel. Of course, the longer Israel fights, the more likely other innocent people will be put in harm's way. It's sad, but PR-wise, it's currently a no-win for them.
This kinda magnifies Israel's conundrum: they are trynig to stop an enemy that wants to see them destroyed, but every accidental death/injury makes it hard for the non-Mulsim population to completely accept what's going on.
Make no mistake about it: as long as Israel occupies land coveted by just about every major religion, they will be hated and attacked. In that regard, they have a right to defend themselves. However, the further they push into Lebanon, or any other country for that matter, the more they risk losing the international support that's kept their more hostile enemies at bay.
Sooner or later, Israel's military forces will have to leave southern Lebanon. It won't take long before Hezbollah rebuilds (assuming they aren't eradicated) or another hostile group rises to challenege Israel. Of course, the longer Israel fights, the more likely other innocent people will be put in harm's way. It's sad, but PR-wise, it's currently a no-win for them.
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