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Comments and thoughts of an American Muslim on US Foreign policy in the Middle East and the so-called War on Terror,examining the contradictions from a perspective of justice, fairness and human rights.

And The Winner Is…
02 September, 2006

Like an announcer at a sports event, US President Bush has declared the winner of the recent bloody conflict that took place between Israeli Aggression Forces and the Resistance Fighters of Hezbollah to be Israel.[i] This is typical of the “War President” who thinks in terms of win or loose, black or white, good or evil, right or wrong, with us or with the enemy. Only a detached, insensitive individual, who has no regard for the human lives lost and destruction caused by the chaos of war, could frame this disaster in terms of winners and losers. We have all lost.

Others seem to take exception to the unilateral Bush declaration of an Israeli victory and even go so far as to say that Hezbollah won. In addition, there are those who say that the myth of Zionist invincibility after previous Arab defeats (1948, 1967 and 1973) has now been shattered.[ii] In fact, some say that Bush's "New Middle East" is dead and that a new wave of democratic renaissance is sweeping across the Arab World.

It is against this background of contrasting opinion that we are forced to ask, did Israel win? In order to answer the question, one must clarify what were Israel's stated goals upon entering into this conflict with Hezbollah? We find the following stated objectives:

Return of the two soldiers captured on 12 July 2006.[iii]

The uprooting of Hezbollah from Southern Lebanon.[iv]

Creation of a security buffer from the "Blue Line" to the Litani River.

Destroy the “Iranian Western Command” before it obtains nuclear capability.[v]

As Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz stated, “The goal is that… Hezbollah will be so stricken that there won’t be anyone there who isn’t sorry they started this.” [vi]

Were any of these objectives attained? No, NOT A SINGLE ONE, therefore it is clear that Israel could not be considered the winner. Israel also expected to provoke a negative response to Hezbollah from Lebanese Christians, Sunni Muslims and others but instead caused unification, with an overwhelming 87% of Lebanese supporting Hezbollah.

Now, let's ask the question, did Hezbollah win? Again, looking at goals for entering into the conflict, we ask what did Hezbollah hope to achieve by capturing the soldiers?

Secure a prisoner exchange, as had occurred previously.[vii]

Maintain its right to resist Israeli aggression by retaining its arms and positions.[viii]

Were any of these goals attained? Yes, Hezbollah did not have to give up its arms, implying a degree of recognition by the Lebanese government that only Hezbollah has the ability to resist Israeli aggression.[ix] Prisoner exchanges are being negotiated as well. So, while perhaps Hezbollah has achieved their goals, it’s impossible to say they won, for one must ask, what was the cost of this 33 day Israeli – Hezbollah war?

In Lebanon, some 1300 lives lost, 3700 wounded and 900,000 were displaced from their homes.[x] Estimates for material and economic costs in Lebanon alone are $9.5 Billion USD.[xi]

In Israel, 157 dead (40 civilians) 1000 wounded plus 450 soldiers wounded in Lebanon.[xii] Estimates of the cost to Israel are $1.6 Billion USD.[xiii]

So who really won?

Weapons manufacturers such as Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, General

Dynamics, Northrop Grumman, Bell/Textron, United Technologies and Cessna,

who manufactured the aircraft, precision-guided bombs and other ordnance used.[xiv]

Christian Zionists, such as Chuck Hagee and his Christians United For Israel (CUFI), who are using religion to push an expansionist policy for Israel.[xv]

And who really lost?

Is it the children of Lebanon who now must play amongst the unexploded cluster bombs and other munitions brought by this war? Estimates are that some 10% of the bombs (about 400 a day towards the end of the bombing) did not detonate.[xvi]

Is it the Lebanese people who have seen their country pulverized by another ruthless military attack after previous Israeli attacks in 1978, 1982, 1993 and 1996[xvii]?

Is it the environment of Lebanon as a result of the Israeli strike on the fuel tanks at the Jiyeh power plant, 18 miles south of Beirut, and the subsequent oil spill?[xviii]

Is it the Palestinians, who suffered from the ongoing Israeli attacks on Gaza and the Occupied West Bank while the world turned its attention to Lebanon?[xix]

Is it democracy in Lebanon? US rhetoric speaks of supporting democracy and then openly supports an attack on a sovereign democratic state. After the fact, the US has launched an investigation to see if the cluster bombs that it rushed to Israel were used according to existing secret agreements.[xx]

Is it American credibility with the International community due to its absurd and obviously contradictory response to the Israeli invasion?

The US provides some $3 Billion USD per year in order to arm Israel and then gave permission to commit this atrocity, declaring that the Zionist regime has the right to “defend” itself. Then, after allowing the devastation, the US initially pledged only $50 million in humanitarian aid to Lebanon, a mere 1/60 of the amount given per year to Israel for weapons to destroy it.[xxi]

Is it diplomacy in the Middle East?

US Ambassador to the United Nations, John Bolton is already turning up the rhetoric. He has accused Iran of not living up to its commitments under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, as well as obstructing IAEA inspections and falsifying data.[xxii] Ilan Berman,

Vice President for Policy of American Foreign Policy Council states that regime change in Iran is the only sure way to eliminate the threat of an Islamic nuclear power. Even Bush himself has declared that the US faces no greater challenge from a single country than from Iran.[xxiii]

Is it hopes for a lasting peace in the Middle East?

In a (UK) Sunday Times article dated 2005-3-13, Uzi Mahnaimi revealed that Israel has already drawn up plans to strike Iran if diplomacy fails and that American officials have already given the green light.[xxiv] In fact, Israel’s Chief of Staff Dan Halutz has already appointed the commander for the upcoming invasion of Iran, Air Force Commander Major General Elyezer Shkedy.[xxv] And let’s not forget the US shipments of GBU-28 “Bunker Buster” laser-guided bombs to Israel, a sure sign that preparations are under way for the next war.[xxvi]

After the stunning successes of the US-Israeli Military Conglomerate to solve problems in Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine and Lebanon, it now appears that they are preparing to use the military option once again to solve their perceived problems with Iran.[xxvii] Who has won? War is the real winner here, for it has been declared victorious over diplomacy. And who has lost? We are all the losers, for with the defeat of diplomacy, Humanity has lost.

Yuram

Endnotes

Posted by yuram 20:08 | Lebanon | Comment(0) | Permalink

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