Lileks, on the absurd theatre that is the United Nations:

...the West struck a deal with Hezbollah and its paymasters, and it was regarded as a positive development. Peace in our time, and all that.

It's a wonder they didn't pass out tiny collectible umbrellas from the Franklin Mint "Neville Chamberlain Collection" to solemnize the event.

The cease-fire resolution wasn't surprising; the United Nations may have created Israel, but it's been apologizing ever since. Nevertheless, let no one assert the document lacks teeth. As Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice put it: "This resolution has an arms embargo within it, and a responsibility of the Lebanese government to make sure that illegal arms are not coming into their country."

Yes, that'll work. You can well imagine the frosty reception that awaits an Iranian general who tells the mullahs he's found a way to slip new rockets into Lebanon:

"We will smuggle in the parts under the guise of providing reconstruction machinery; if satellites detect the tell-tale profile of the rockets, we will simply point to the damage suffered by the Lebanese Space Agency. Then we tattoo assembly instructions on small children and send them via diplomatic pouch. When the parts are in place -- why are you looking at me that way?"

The mullahs look at one another, and one finally speaks.

"General, perhaps you were unaware of this fact, but all parties have agreed to disarm Hezbollah. Assurances were made to Ms. Rice. Do you understand? Assurances. Now rip up your mad schemes, return to base, and think no more of perfidious things."

I think he's being sarcastic again.

You're missing the real point, which that Lebanon has to stop *illegal* arms. Who decides if the arms are illegal? The Lebanese government. It's like Hillary asking Bill to stop committing adultry while letting his amorata define the word "sex".

Billmon at the Whiskey Bar quotes Condi Rice and Rush Limbaugh on this exact point:

First Condi:

"I don't think there is an expectation that this (U.N.) force is going to physically disarm Hezbollah," Rice said. "I think it's a little bit of a misreading about how you disarm a militia. You have to have a plan, first of all, for the disarmament of the militia, and then the hope is that some people lay down their arms voluntarily."

If Hezbollah resists international demands to disarm, Rice said, "one would have to assume that there will be others who are willing to call Hezbollah what we are willing to call it, which is a terrorist organization."(emphasis added)

Now Rush:

"There's no question that the Hezbos, that the Syrians, and the Iranians think they won big here. They won, and so they're going to lay down their arms voluntarily? And guess what we're going to do if they don't? We're going to call 'em names, yeah!"

Warning, its a ultra - leftie blog

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In other news, I have read that the French may be getting cold feet about their deployment to southern Lebanon. So where will those U.N. teeth come from, anyway?

It is possible that Israel will regain some good will for attempting a cease-fire. They'll need it for part two.

WHEN the cease-fire fails because Hezbollah refused to disarm does anyone think Israel will just aw-shucks you fooled us? Or will they go ape shit on Hezbollah and finish the job they started having called everyones bluff on the peace talk and found it wanting. I think the later.

"WHEN the cease-fire fails because Hezbollah refused to disarm does anyone think Israel will just aw-shucks you fooled us?"

Yes

Bill: "I have read that the French may be getting cold feet about their deployment to southern Lebanon. So where will those U.N. teeth come from, anyway?"

What makes you think there would be any teeth if the French DO deploy? ;-)

Somebody should write a screenplay or novella based on this scenario:

Ariel Sharon awakens in the hospital and summons Olmert to come explain what's been happening over the past several months.

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It would need to be written by someone with a detailed knowledge of Israeli politics, society and personalities. And that eliminates me.

"Walk in the Woods" (that stage play about Reagan & Gorbachev) is something of a model in my mind. Olmert and Sharon, alone in the hospital room discussing recent events. Any takers?

Quote from Bill White: "Somebody should write a screenplay or novella based on this scenario"

Okay I'll give it a shot, here goes --

A Jewish man is walking on the beach when he discovers a bottle containing genie. He rubs it and a genie comes out, promises to grant him one wish. He says, "Peace in the Middle east, that's my wish." The genie looks concerned, then says "No, I'm sorry, that's just not possible. Some things just can't be changed. Do you have another wish?" The guys says 'Well...for my whole life I've never receievd oral sex from my wife. That would be my wish." The genie pauses for another moment and then says "How would you define peace?"

THE END