“The 2006 Lebanon war was the first battle in Israel's history that it comprehensively lost.”

It was hardly a war, and Israel did not lose against the terrorists. Israel ceased retaliating because of the squeals from the usual anti-Semitic cave dwellers of the left. There is no doubt that Israel could wipe Lebanon out if it was left to defend itself as it is entitled to. Some would liken these Neanderthals of the left to Nazis, a word they are fond of tossing about themselves.

The ‘thinker’ posed adopted by the author for his photograph doesn’t make him the intellectual he thinks he is

Mr Loewenstein is a sad indictment of today's education system. Where are the skills of critical thinking? Where the intellectual fair-mindedness?

This article is the internal posturing of the far left, like unto the pale blue buttocks of a young gibbon aggressively displayed in a sexual competition with adults that don't give a hoot.

This ridiculous article does not even pay lip service to the kidnapping and murder of Israelis; the war crimes of Hezbollah, forcing civilians to hide their rocket launchers in private homes; that the deaths of those civilians are the fault of Hezbollah, the true war criminals, not the ones trying to stop missiles being rained on civilians. It does not point out that the news reports purportedly covering Israeli crimes were in fact fabrications, thoroughly debunked by a cursory examination of the evidence.

Mr Loewenstein is in fact collaborating in information warfare waged by true war criminals and murderers of civilians. He is not worth our spit.

Yes Leigh, sounds like Kevin Kline in "A fish called Wanda" - "we didn't lose Vietnam - it was a tie!"

Point being - what would "wiping Lebanon out" (whatever constitutes that??) actually achieve. Would that extend the hand of friendship to the rest of the region? Much like our own indigenous "sorry" dilemma, Israel has to recognise mistakes and continued tyranny that the Arab population is and has been subjected to (not only in Israel, but in the wider region by colonial powers) and stop giving excuses to radicalise the population. Israel has the strength of arms and as such they have the power. They need to be the ones to build the bridges between the communities. This won't happen while they remain the proxy (whether they admit/recognise it or not) of US interests in the region.

History shows that when it comes to the crunch, the lowest common denominator for the US is their own national interest. Despite rhetoric, the bloody scab that is the Israel/Palestine conflict is one way the US can draw attention of the populations of oil producing states away from actively getting the most benefit for themselves from the massive natural resources they own. The ruling classes are in the pockets of the US so the oil keeps flowing. If the oil ran out, the US would have no further interest in the continuation of the conflagration.

The radicalisation of religion in the region grew out of the power vacuum left when Arab nationalism (which would have threatened US control of resources in the region) was crushed in the 70’s. Maybe the US didn’t predict this outcome, but they continue to manipulate and milk the situation to suit their own purposes. There seems to be too many diversions and too much chest beating from all sides in this conflict to see this aspect and consequently, the sub plots in the conflict become the main themes.

cont...

I believe (some, at least in) Israel know this, but it's actions and policy have been so compromised in the last 40 years, manipulated by the US when it suits, that they themselves are splintered in agreeing on the way forward. Israel is the muppet and the US is the hand. They have to find a way to disassociate their actions from the US, remain powerful and strong to deter other states in the region, and work towards policies that actually improve the Palestinians lot without letting radical Islamists take credit. How they do this when they rely of the US for much of their military might is indeed a stumbling block. Nice trick played by the US however.

The current course of action (more settlements, economic repression etc) will simply continue the situation – anyone can see this, particularly the US, and why wouldn’t they want to keep it that way?

ChrisPer,

If you want fair-mindedness, count the bodies. How many casulties and deaths has Hezbollah caused against Israelis in the past, say, ten years? How many did Israel cause against Lebanon in just the one conflict in 2006? In these same period what percentage were civilians and what percentage were combatants? These numbers are available and you may care to consider them in a non-partisan manner.

What is one to think of the Haim Ramon's comments that "Everyone in southern Lebanon is a terrorist and is connected to Hizbollah"? What is one supposed to think of Israel's biggest-selling paper, Yedioth Ahronoth, that "a village from which rockets are fired at Israel will simply be destroyed by fire". Yet you try to blame Hezbollah for civilian deaths during the 2006 Lebanese war?

If you want critical thinking, read your history. How was Hezbelloh formed? It was formed after the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982 (Make sure you read this: http://www.nybooks.com/articles/17060). It probably wouldn't have existed if it wasn't for that invasion. So the wheel turns, eh?

or you could look at how israel was formed, by terror and expropriation of moslem arab land by european jews.

the zionists can't seem to understand that those people, and their children, want their land back. any basic concept of justice will demand that they succeed.