As an American, I am sorry for this.  I wonder if the feckless U.S. government just did not throw in the towel after seeing Olmert's indecision in the prosecution of war for almost a month.  Still, we needed to be strong and we have let you down. Stratfor's analysis is that some unknown but clearly serious concern is holding Israel back in this war.  Are you aware of any rumors on your end of what this could be?  Is this apocolyptic rumor regarding Iran and 8/22 being given more credence than meets the eye?  Is there fear in the upper echelons of Israeli intelligence that Iran has some type of WMD?

No need for rumors, there is total disunity within Israel's Government, to be specific the cabinet which is made up of on one hand weak left wing bozos who wouldn't know a tank if it ran over them, and on the other some of the former rightists who are famous opportunists and put their own asses well ahead of the State. The safe way out as it is said.

Foreign Minister Livni did not even support the war, can you imagine? A pacifist Defense Minister, a withdrawal obsessed PM, and a nearly non functional largely uninterested Foreign Minister who practically disappeared after the third day of the conflict.. They may have all destroyed their political careers and with good reason. I think Hezbollah had it good compared to what the public and the media is going to do to these 'leaders' in the coming weeks and short months.

That unknown was the fear of getting caught in an occupation, there's no need to wrap it in anything more exciting truthfully. The threat of WMD always exists, and always has – but it never stopped Israeli prosecution of wars before. The political will failed the country. A threat of WMD in reality should only have spurred them on harder to win hands down and remove the Hezbollah threat. Olmert did not want to fight or have casualties.

None of them have ANY experience or ability for strategic thought, this was the most unimaginative war ever. Olmert claimed on a number of occasions no plans were presented to him, I guess he forgot that he was supposed to lead. He had an unheard of 4 weeks, he just never got it done. I believe he never had any intention of taking on Hezbollah seriously, only from a distance.

I should add that each of them is trying to secure themselves as the next leader of Israel, infighting, mistrust, etc etc.. They are all quite worthless.

As an Israeli i am shamed at what I have seen come out of my government. I have always thought of us as peace loving people and as a society that never uses violence as an answer to ANYTHING. I always thought we were better than everyone else but after the events in Lebanon I have realized we are worse than everyone. Israel is really evil.?I am ashamed to be an israeli.

* link to propaganda pictures of dead people removed* – Saus.

" I have always thought of us as peace loving people and as a society that never uses violence as an answer to ANYTHING"

Other than the fact that my stats clearly show you coming from Bahrain, where there are no Israelis just Arabs this seems very truthful. Amazing, the Arabs can't stop lying even for 10 seconds. Is your mother proud of you?

The unfolding of events is beyond my comprehension.  By starting, pausing, halting, resuming, retreating, hesitating, and ultimately capitulating, the Olmert government has accomplished the impossible.  It has damaged Israel's credibility; it has squandered Israel's image of invincibility; it has assured that the soldier casualties have died in vain for a mission that wasn't accomplished; it has guaranteed that French, UN, and Lebanese will serve as human shields for Hezbollah; and has made virtually certain that the next war will be far deadlier for Israel than this one.  Never "play" not-to-lose, for that is the surest way to court defeat.  I am beside myself with disappointment and incredulity. 

UN resolutions have little merit, why should we start believing they do now.  It's pure fog of war bs…watch and see. No fat lady is singing in Israel 

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/749484.html  I agree.

Saus, Thanks for your insight.  I knew that the government's main players were inexperienced and out of their depth, but their performance has been ghastly.  Livni looks like she should be running a sorority, not the foreign policy aparat of a nation at war.  Peretz has been a disaster.  But the top guy always takes the brunt of the blame and Olmert will go down as the Neville Chamberlain of this war.  I hope you are right about the fate that awaits them and that it happens soon. I hope that there are enough loopholes in this resolution to allow the IDF to finish their work on the ground.  It appears–knock on wood–that the ground presence and encirclement of Hezbollah rocket crews has severly degraded their ability to fire into the North.  Just think what could have been if this action had been taken in the first week of war.

One last thing.  Do you think it is possible that the U.S. government just gave up on this Israeli government and voted for the resolution in order to bring the war to a halt now, at least temporarily, hoping that the Olmert government would fall and a stronger (on military matters) government could resume the war later on?

yes my mother is proud of me, because i believe in love not war unlike the government of israel which believes violence is the answer to the lebanese/palestinian conflict…why do u remove the link? because you dont want israelis to see where their tax money and what their government is doing to other people? Do you believe israeli blood is better than Lebanese or palestinian blood? If you do then there you are one of the people that are horrible in this world and its sad that people have started to think that Arabs are the cause for everything. Fine, believe in your media, believe what the little bubble you surround yourself in. And for ur info I am a jew living in bahrain. Bahrain is a very open society. We have a jew in our senate.

Ron, If you think this Israeli government relishes making war you are sadly mistaken.  I have never seen more half-hearted wartime leadership.  They are clearly reluctant warriors, if warriors at all. If you really are a Jew in Bahrain, then I would think you would be somewhat concerned about Iran's rising influence in your neck of the woods?  I sincerely doubt that practicing Jews will be tolerated under either fundamentalist Shia or Wahabbi domination.

Mr. Bahrain, we don't desecrate the dead, pose them for cameras, move them around, it is against our religion.
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Hi Gus – I personally think the US did what was at this point politically expedient, it is as they say 'what it is'. Clearly I think it was a mistake, and mistakes were made on all sides. The biggest mistake of all was Hassan Nasrallah's who critically misjudged the situation.

There is plenty of talk in the Arab World as is evidenced above of the nasty Israelis etc etc, propaganda – You don't hear much about the Arabs, Muslims & Christians that will be slaughtered in Lebanon by the Hezbollah after the fighting has ceased. The murders that have & will take place in vengeance against others who did not serve 'allah' well in the conflict. This is their way, and most Lebanese know it and will admit it – if you can catch them away from their overlords for a moment.

Given the choice between being stuck in a room now with an Israeli, or a Hezbollah man tomorrow they will admit to you they would choose the former.

Cheers saus

Give me a break.  Israel is supposed to capitulate to people that want to see it "wiped off the map"?  That isn't love, that's just sick… If the Muslims (among them many Arabs), be they Lebanese, Palestininian, Syrian, or Bahrainian, gave up their designs on the territory that is now Israel, then this war / conflict would be over tomorrow.   So go ahead, keep on believing that Arabs are not at all responsible for their actions, that they are justified in lying, in launching rockets indiscriminately, at suicide bombings, at blowing up planes, at kidnapping, at killing to recapture "Arab" land (supposedly).  Oh yeah, and have fun at Bahrain's annual gay pride parade and the Bahrainian Jewish community's outdoor celebration of Yom Haatzma'ut. One day you'll have to let me in on the secret of how you got into Bahrain on an Israeli passport when Bahrain and Israel have no diplomatic relations.  I personally don't care if you are an Israeli, a Jew, an Arab or all three.  But I have to say that I am very unimpressed with you as a person.  First, you were shown to be a liar.  Second, instead of apologizing and acknowledging your lies, you accuse the moderator of living in a bubble and of being a racist.  What kind of behaviour is that?  Looks more like chutzpah than love to me.

Hi Neil, Hope all is well my friend in your new action!