Eye on Shebaa
It turns out that Shebaa Farms are still disputed but Hezbollah has decided to withdraw. It's now something of a paper dispute, which is probably what it ought to be, rather than one between a state-less militia and a paranoid nation.
Annan Booed
On NPR this morning, word was that Annan's visit to Southern Lebanon was met by the [phony] public and he recieved boos. The editor of the Daily Star kept repeating himself in the one minute interview which suggests he only had one [propaganda] point to make. That was, of course, harsh rhetoric directed against US and Israel for footdragging the peace process as Israel continued its attacks. I don't know when it ever became the reputation of the UN to act with alacrity. Then again, this is another weird expectation of instant war and instant peace. It's not going to happen.
So Give 'Em Back Already
The release of two hostages negotiated by Abbas in the Gaza Strip shows a useful difference between the desparation of the Palestinians and the arrogance of Hezbollah. Rafe thinks, astoundingly, that Nasrallah is some kind of honest leader:
I was shocked to read the following from Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah yesterday:
If I had known that the operation to capture the soldiers would lead to this result, we would not have carried it out.
I think I'm so disillusioned at this point that I'm surprised when anyone in a position of leadership actually admits to a regret or mistake. It's a shame that a terrorist leader is setting the example here.
I was also glad to read that the Fox News journalists were freed in Gaza. It's hard out there for a journalist in the Middle East these days, but the job they do is vitally important.
Duh. Nasrallah still hasn't returned the Israeli soldiers that started this mess. How honest is that?
