ceasefire resolution
It's a disgrace it took this long, and it's not perfect by any means. But I hope it works. As unfair as it may seem, the only way to stop the deaths of Lebanese civilians right now is to support a deal that Israel can be forced to adhere to. I'm hoping Hizbullah will accede to the wishes of the Lebanese government and agree to the ceasefire.
That said, I've just reread the portion of Pity the Nation about the establishment of UNIFIL and its well-intentioned ineffectiveness in the late '70s, and it makes it hard to be anything but skeptical. This time, presumably Israel won't be allowed to arm any proxy pet south Lebanese militias (a la Haddad's South Lebanon Army), which may make the UN effort more credible. Apparently Turkey may contribute some forces, as will France--I can't say the presence of soldiers from two former colonizers (albeit of very different sorts) strikes me as a bright idea, politically-speaking. But I still hope this works.
update: except Israel has just tripled its forces and launched a last-minute offensive to the Litani. Brilliant.
That said, I've just reread the portion of Pity the Nation about the establishment of UNIFIL and its well-intentioned ineffectiveness in the late '70s, and it makes it hard to be anything but skeptical. This time, presumably Israel won't be allowed to arm any proxy pet south Lebanese militias (a la Haddad's South Lebanon Army), which may make the UN effort more credible. Apparently Turkey may contribute some forces, as will France--I can't say the presence of soldiers from two former colonizers (albeit of very different sorts) strikes me as a bright idea, politically-speaking. But I still hope this works.
update: except Israel has just tripled its forces and launched a last-minute offensive to the Litani. Brilliant.
posted by kitabet at 8:32 AM
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