Wednesday, August 02, 2006

Israel/Lebanon War Updates

Updated throughout the day.

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Heavy Equipment Used to Bury the Dead in Baalbek


- Israeli troops have moved deeper into Lebanon to Baalbek where the IDF reports they have grabbed 5 suspected Hezbollah fighters. With Condi and Olmert publicly scrapping about how long it will take for a ceasefire to kick in - Condi said days while Olmert said weeks - Olmert now says there will not be a ceasefire 'until an international force is deployed in the south of the country'. At the rate countries are (not) signing up to create such a force, this fighting could go on for a long time. The UN will meet on Thursday again to discuss the situation.

Meanwhile, Olmert boasts:

..."the infrastructure of Hezbollah has been entirely destroyed" with more than 700 command positions "wiped out".

- On Wednesday, launched its biggest barrage of rockets into Israel to date. Obviously, their infrastructure has not been 'entirely destroyed' as Olmert claims.

- Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister is not pleased:

"We disagree with the U.S. policy in this area ... the United States is the super power and it can seek an immediate ceasefire," Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal told a news conference.

"(We) take issue with the United States that it did not take a position that prevents Israel from striking Lebanon."

He said Washington was morally obliged to prevent Israel from using U.S.-made weapons in attacks against civilians.

If he threatened to cut off oil supplies to the US, his criticism might actually mean something to Bush.

- Hezbollah has announced that it is interested in negotiating a prisoner swap with Israel, using an intermediary. It's doubtful such an offer will be expected as Israel has clearly broadened its military campaign with a stated mission to completely destroy Hezbollah in Lebanon.

- There is so much absolute crap in this National Post article that I'm not even going to waste my time debunking it.

more to come...

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