Hezbollah says they might withdraw as long as the Lebanese army doesn't mess with their stuff while they're gone:

Hezbollah indicated it would be willing to pull back its fighters and weapons in exchange for a promise from the army not to probe too carefully for underground bunkers and weapons caches, the officials said.

Amazing.

Combine that with this:

Hezbollah activists provided money for the trip to many refugees leaving centers around the country. In his televised talk, Nasrallah promised they also would receive money on the spot to help them rebuild their homes, starting an immediate aid program for displaced people while the government was still holding meetings and appealing for funds.

It appears to me that Hezbollah is now more powerful (politically) within Lebanon than it was two months ago.

Again, who won this war?

So it appears maybe we've had our second Vietnam after all.

So it appears maybe we've had our second Vietnam after all.

Because of Hezbollah? This is what finally convinces people here? This truly is surreal.

The engagement between Israel and Hezbollah wasn't very big. It's an embarrassment for Israel, but it will settle down. The Shiite militias in Iraq are like 30 Hezbollahs. The US military hasn't even started to seriously fight them. It probably never will. That is the real "second Vietnam".

Presumably this time when the Israeli army withdraws from Lebanon they will take all of their equipment with them, unlike last time. That alone makes this less of an embarassment.

Vietnam? Second Vietnam?

What are you people smoking?

So far, Hezbollah has failed to meet a single requirement of UN resolution 1071. They are still firing their missiles. They still hold captive the two Israeli soldiers. They are not disarming. It doesn't sound like the war is over yet.

Hezbollah is playing the propaganda game to their advantage. So long as they prevent any other entity from providing aid to the war torn area, then they will seem like the victors. IDF should stand their ground in Southern Lebanon and prevent this activity from continuing.

By the way, that's the difference between what's going on in Lebanon and what's happening in Iraq. The US troops are still there and providing aid. Civilians are not confused as to who won and who is providing them to aid to rebuild. That's the whole reason that you can't fight terrorism like the US did in the 90's.

I'd say the situation in Lebanon is more similar to that which existed in Iraq in late 1991.

I agree with this:

Hezbollah is playing the propaganda game to their advantage. So long as they prevent any other entity from providing aid to the war torn area, then they will seem like the victors. IDF should stand their ground in Southern Lebanon and prevent this activity from continuing.

However, if we prevent Hezbollah from spreading aid (and we should) then someone else needs to get in there and spread aid. Otherwise Hezbollah wins a double propaganda victory.

Well hopefully the Israeli's will use the interim to purge Olmert/Peretz/Halutz and get some leaders who have a military clue. The above mentioned are already trying to put the clamps on public criticism from the officer corp with the lame a$$ excuse that it will give Hezbolah military intel.

I'd lay odds on Gen. Halutz getting canned first over that investment portfolio issue.

From the Corner. Uh oh:

This Times article portrays Hezbollah as a competent, politically attuned version of FEMA. There is a striking formulation from one analyst that Hezbollah isn't a state within a state, but a state within a non-state.

"a state within a non-state"

I think that is as true a statement on the Lebanon/Hezbollah relationship as I've read lately.

Israel ought to be rushing to rebuild and feed the returning Lebanese. Why let the Hezbos look like the good guys? Food is food, and shelter is shelter- and people just might remember who provided it. If Israel puts a bit of it's ability to succeed into this there's a slim chance of really boosting good feeling here. Just a thought.

"Israel ought to be rushing to rebuild and feed the returning Lebanese."

Actually, Stu, they should be rushing to find as many Hezzie tunnels, weapons caches, etc., and blowing them to kingdom come.

And around the ruins they should leave leaflets in Arabic (or whatever they speak in Lebanon) saying, "You're welcome. The IDF."

The Lebanese returning south are either Hezbollah supporters or Hezbollah themselves. Feeding them means feeding Israel's enemy, and Israel won't get one dot of credit for doing so anyway. This is a lose-lose situation right now.

Vietnam? Second Vietnam?

From what I'm hearing, if Israel has lost, it is because the politicians tried to set war strategy and tactics instead of leaving that to the generals.

We've been hearing for going on five years now that there was going to be another Vietnam.

The engagement between Israel and Hezbollah wasn't very big.

In the overall scheme of things, Vietnam was far less consequential.

Bill White wrote: However, if we prevent Hezbollah from spreading aid (and we should) then someone else needs to get in there and spread aid. Otherwise Hezbollah wins a double propaganda victory.

Bill, I originally wrote about getting the French troops in gear quickly, so that once in place, the UN aid organizations could provide assistance. I scratched all that and didn't post it, because that theory is almost pollyannish. Essentially, that was the same tactic used in Somalia, and it didn't work. Instead, warlords assaulted the aid convoys, took the aid, and then distributed the aid to those who would support them. Hezbollah could use the same template. Maybe the UN (and the US) has learned from that experience, but that's more of a hope for now.

At the same time, this (using peace keeping troops to protect non-discriminating aid organizations) is how the UN should work, and it is what is necessary to stop more bloodshed.

Israel could have done this to help Fatah verus Hamas. Maybe too late, now but the US did bribe Egypt not to fight with Isreal. We still are bribing Egypt.

Perhaps massive financial aid to West Bank and Gaza via the U.N. together with stout walls and immediate massive counter battery fire for missile attacks can help defuse that situation.

Then, seek the same deal with Lebanon since I have a sinking feeling that Hezbollah control of all Lebanon will be the ultimate outcome of this recent war. Perhaps winning Lebanon was Nasrallah's objective from the beginning.

Israel should withdraw and leave them the land in peace. And nothing else at all; no buildings, no roads, no equipment, no crops, no water supply. Except for a large number of signs saying: "The land is yours. You're welcome to it - have fun rebuilding. Oh, by the way, if military equipment is placed here, we'll blow it all up again."