This just has to be time wasting while Israel stomps on the terrorists. Anything else is unthinkable.

Except that it's all we ever thought they were doing to begin with. The whole operation in Lebanon has been pointless from day one. The targets that make sense are in Damascus.

And there were precious few "Japs" in North Africa.

Does it matter what the Insecurity Council does if the Northern side doesn't "agree" to any resolution?

It looks like there will be at least another couple of weeks of blather and yammering, at least until the Lebanese President finally is forced to choose to endorse any "plan" that guarantees no more firing into Israel.

Meanwhile, any comment from the UN about the Chinese "peace-keepers" wounded by a Hezbollah mortar strike on their compound today? Has Kofi called it a 'deliberate' attack? Will the UN be bugging out, as they did in Baghdad?

Finally, how about recommending the Syrian Army as the peace-keeping force? Their Foreign Minister was in Beirut yesterday, bragging about their readiness and capability, both on the ground and in the air. Time to put those words to the test.

OJ, do you think Hezbollah will stop fighting if Damascus falls? I want to see Baby Assad toppled as much as you do, but I fear all it would do is put a temporary crimp in their rocket supply.

No. Hezbollah's violence will wind down once they have a constituency to answer to, as Hamas's has.

Sort of like Iran, eh?

Papaya:

Wouldn't you expect that regime change in Syria to stop any resupply of weapons? And also cut off the financial pipeline from Iran?

If Syria falls, it would certainly isolate the shadow elements in Lebanon, and might even provoke some retaliation against them. The Hezbos might need to start watching their backs as well as the sky. Of course, there could be an overall increase in violence, with everybody getting into the act (more like 1976).

Yes, after early its flirtation with terrorism after the Revolution, Iran has settled into rather dowdy ways. (of course, the Iraq war and shooting down the passenger jet helped in that regard)

Syria, Smryia. Missiles, nuclear devices and whatever will continue to be beamed over to them from their pals in NoKo.

Ratbert: If both Damascus and Tehran suddenly fell, yes, Hezbollah would be in a pickle. But I don't see that happening anytime soon.

"Iran has settled into rather dowdy ways"?? Well, if you don't count continual support for terrorism (not least in Iraq right now), continual apocalyptic Jew-hating and anti-US rhetoric, and building nukes. Other than that, they're practically our allies!

Did you all note that the day of Hezbollah's attack on Israel was also the day Iran was supposed to respond to the UN about their nuclear program? I think that was their answer.

A bit of nutty chatter, some right-wing hysteria about non-existent aid in Iraq and a nuclear program that's ten years away from even the possibility of a weapon. Wow, scary....