OK, here’s the news item:
| Hizbollah guerrillas captured two Israeli soldiers and killed up to seven Israelis in violence on either side of the Lebanese border on Wednesday, further inflaming Middle East tensions.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert described the Hizbollah attacks as an “act of war” by Lebanon and promised a “very painful and far-reaching” response. Defense Minister Amir Peretz said Israel held the Lebanese government responsible for the two soldiers’ fate because it let Hizbollah operate freely against Israel from its territory. “Israel sees itself as being free to employ any means it deems fit, and the army has been instructed accordingly,” he said in a statement, hinting at a broad military response. Israel began calling up reserve troops, signaling a large-scale campaign to retrieve the two soldiers, Israel’s Channel 10 television said. |
If you’re a Christian, do you pray about these matters? And if so, how? And if not, why not?
Meanwhile, over at Wizbangblog, Kim Priestap observes:
| So Hezbollah had this planned and was ready for Israel’s response. This could get really ugly really quickly. If the terrorists see even more momentum swinging their way, we could see an attack on Israel from all fronts. |
I very much agree.
It appears we are lurching toward all-out war. Maybe Jimmy Carter was right about Palestinian statehood, eh?
That said, perhaps soon (if not already) some cynic will connect the expanding military operations to this story:
| Israel’s president is being dogged by allegations of sexual harassment in a spiraling scandal that has pushed the country’s violent standoff with Hamas off the front pages. |
Do leaders really engage in military attacks to distract from their personal woes? Maybe. Is that what’s happening here? I obviously don’t know, but I doubt it.
It seems Hizbollah was very well prepared for the Israeli response. They now have a terrific stockpile of rockets that can reach TelAviv and Jerusalem. and their leaders are well esconced in vast underground bunkers. This certainly does not speak to an unexpected retaliation for the abduction of 2 Israeli soldiers across the border on Israeli territory. They now have Israeli military engaged on two fronts. So while pundits are analyzing Israeli military tactics, no-one seems to be analyzing Iranian/Syrian/Hizbollah tactics. Here’s a thought- this was premeditated and well thought out . Along with this, Egyptian troops are being attacked by Palestinians at the Gaza crossing. Maybe to preoccupy Egypt and divert them from engaging in some kind of mediation? Seems to be very well planned indeed.