Lebanese defense minister: Army will fight ground invasion

[lovuian]

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/741100.html
Lebanon's army, which so far has sat on the sidelines of the violence raging in the country, will fight an Israeli ground invasion, Defense Minister Elias Murr said on Al-Jazeera television Thursday.

"The Lebanese army - and I stress - the Lebanese army will resist and defend and will prove that it is an army that deserves respect," he said.

In most of the previous Israeli attacks, including in 1978 and the 1982 invasion in which Beirut was occupied, the Lebanese army largely stayed out of the fighting.






Some 20 Lebanese soldiers have been killed in strikes on their bases during the Israeli bombardment of Lebanon.

Nasrallah: Hezbollah leadership intact
Hezbollah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah said Thursday that the group's leadership remains intact, appearing in an interview on Al-Jazeera TV a day after Israel claimed to have bombed a bunker where he may have been hiding
more...
They must think Israel is really serious right now...

[Kagemusha]

1. I'm sorry? Why would they have assumed Israel wasn't serious?

Word is that the Hezbollah outposts along the border are much more fortified than Israeli ground troops expected (in limited incursions). Gee, I thought Israel said Hezbollah totally underestimated Israel's resolve and had not the slightest idea Israel would attack! It's silly.

Of COURSE Israel's serious. It wasn't a secret this was the sort of thing Israel would do if challenged on the northern border after withdrawal from S. Lebanon. (THough everyone seems to have forgotten that Israel was ever there in the first place.) Why would the Lebanese not think Israel would be back if it was attacked like this? I don't understand that concept. It's consuming one's own propaganda.

[lovuian]

2. Maybe because in 1978 and 1982 they didn't find it necessary

and now they do...
thats my only guess...

[cynatnite]

3. little league baseball has more firepower than the Lebanese army...

I've heard and read the Lebanese Army is a sewing circle compared to Hezbollah. Israel isn't concerned with them at all. If they were, they wouldn't even consider going into Lebanon.

[lovuian]

4. It does show how weak this government is

you can see why Hezbahlah thrived...

[cynatnite]

5. Exactly...

What amazes me (perhaps I shouldn't be) is that no one saw what was happening once Syria left Lebanon. Hezbollah moved in and no one did a thing to help strengthen the Lebonese government.

With a strong government and with support from Israel and other Arab countries I think they could have forced Hezbollah out.

No one did a damn thing.

Oh, I take that back...Bush did. He said how great it was for a Middle Eastern country to have a democracy. :eyes:

[MGD]

9. Iranian money in Hezbollah coffers has completely undermined the Lebanese

government. There is much blame to go around for all of this of course but it would be disingenuous to ignore Iran's role in this.

[cynatnite]

11. You're right

I'm not ignoring their role or anyone else's...I just think there was an opportunity and it was squandered.

[MGD]

12. If we could sever the money links between Iran and Hezbollah

we would be well on our way to cutting the head off of this serpent. Easier said than done of course. Still, it beats the hell out of dropping bombs/killing children.

[MADem]

6. Well, if they're gonna do it, they'd better get a move on

The IDF is on their way into the southern sectors if not now, any minute now.

I'm betting that's more bluster than fact. The Israelis just want their buffer zone, so the cheap rockets can't hit Haifa, they aren't interested in occupying the entire country. And they'll want to turn the area over to an international force as quickly as they can manage it.

And then, you have to consider the source. That Defense Minister has a long, long history of being EXCEEDINGLY PRO-SYRIAN (which is one step away from being pro-Iranian, when you look at the full picture)...so no doubt he's looking for some excuse to invite THOSE bums back in; like say, oh, the ARMY needs some help...?

Background on the DEFMIN: http://nuralcubicle.blogspot.com/2005/07/biography-of-elias-murr-al-mur.html
http://www.naharnet.com/domino/tn/NewsDesk.nsf/0/68E8158B0E7B727EC225703C002C4BC8?OpenDocument

The truth of the matter is about a fifth of the Lebanese army is associated with HizbAllah, and some of them have no doubt already deserted their military responsibilities to take up their militia posts, so they have, though without formal permission, already joined the fray.

[katinmn]

7. It's sad because they are no match for US/Israel.

But it is understandable. They have a duty to defend their children against indiscriminate bombings. Or should they lie down and let tanks roll over all?

Shame on the United States for its role in this atrocity.

[lonestarnot]

8. No surprise here.

[daleo]

10. The Lebanese Army would be cut to ribbons, from what I have read

So there has to be more to this.

[Behind the Aegis]

13. How sad...

They (the Lebanese army) are to weak to expel Hizb'allah, but Israel coming in and excising a terrorist group attacking them from Lebanese soil and they are going to fight Israel? :crazy:

[Hardrada]

14. These guests

were uninvited. Makes a difference.

[Behind the Aegis]

15. And those he sides with are why the unvited are there!

[Hardrada]

16. Rationale for German invasion of Belgium in 1914

Basically. "You guys are in the way." Of course Belgium was going to defend itself.

[lovuian]

17. kick

:kick: