Weeks

AFP/Oussama Ayoub

Israeli generals are saying the offensive will last only weeks, not months. (article here). I'm sure the Lebanese people are so relieved to hear that. But if the Israelis want the Lebanese army to take control, why are they targeting them?

British Prime Minister Tony Blair said talks are needed, although he offered no specifics on how to bring any of the parties to the bargaining table. Blair's office said he believed any cease-fire would have to include halting Hezbollah rocket fire into Israel and releasing two captured Israeli soldiers.

"Unless there is some negotiated process, then we're not going to be able to get a cessation of hostilities," Blair said.

The Lebanese base in Kfar Chima took a direct hit as troops rushed to bomb shelters, killing at least 11 soldiers and wounding 35, the Lebanese military said. The base is in a hilly area adjacent to Hezbollah strongholds in southern Beirut that have been frequently targeted by Israeli jets in recent days.

There was no indication why the base was hit, but Lebanese media suggested Israel may be trying to prevent the quick repair of previously destroyed bridges and roads.

The Lebanese army has largely stayed out of the fighting, confining itself to firing anti-aircraft guns at Israeli planes. But Israeli jets have often struck Lebanese army positions.

Not for nothing, but just what is going to be left of Lebanon to bomb after another week of this? It occurs to me that the Israelis have adopted Cheney's "One Percent Doctrine," deciding that there's a one percent chance that the Lebanese army or lebanese civilians will side will Hezbollah. Which makes it okay to bomb a sovereign nation into rubble.

I think I'm with Wolcott on this war:

You know what, I don't want to be an Israeli. Include me out. Pardon me for not wanting to be conscripted into the Israeli division of the 101st Fighting Wankers. I'm an American, a New Yorker, and a world citizen, and I don't see why empathy is supposed to reside exclusively on the Israeli side when Lebanese civilians are suffering so. Why I should identity with the humanity of those fleeing Haifa and not with those fleeing Beirut? Is this supposed to make me want to become an honorary Israeli?

"Israel struck at large numbers of targets on Sunday, and early Monday morning, that had nothing to do with Hezbollah. The far north of Lebanon is Sunni, as is the port of Tripoli, where the Israelis killed a Catholic Lebanese soldier. They also hit factories in north Beirut, not a Shiite area. They bombed a village near Zahle, a notorious center of Greek Orthodox, killing 3 civilians. The Israelis are either not very good shots, since they have murdered 140 civilians since Wednesday and only managed to kill about 17 Lebanese military personnel. Or they just don't give a damn." (via Juan Cole)

While I'm at it, let me just add that I agree with Professor Cole on this as well, here:

If the reports coming out of Lebanon can be believed, the Israelis are only sometimes striking known Hizbullah safe houses or facilities or missile emplacements. A lot of their bombardment appears aimed at punishing civilian populations and forcing them north to Beirut. Such an approach would help explain the high number of civilian casualties. That is, there may be an element of ethnic cleansing in Israeli tactics.

The situation is intolerable, as is our government's decision that civilian deaths are tolerable in pursuit of the bigger boogeyman.

We could pressure Israel to knock it off. But we won't. It's another day when I'm embarrassed to be an American.