Lebanon Not Cooperating

The Lebanese ambassador to the UN pretty much states that they aren't going to disarm Hezbollah.

"Lebanon will be, I think, the last state to sign a peace treaty with Israel," UN ambassador Nouhad Mahmoud told CNN television's "Late Edition" program, without explaining the remark.

He called the agreement a "crucial" test for all the parties involved.

"Now it is the moment of truth for everyone, and we'll see who will abide by the Security Council resolutions and who will not, so (what) we have this week is very crucial," Mahmoud said.

The diplomat added that the 15,000 Lebanese soldiers to be dispatched to south Lebanon to help keep the peace alongside a similarly-sized international UN force "are not going to use force" to disarm the Hezbollah militia which has been battling Israel.

"Hezbollah will just leave the area as armed elements as I understand it, and the Lebanese army will take over the whole region along with the United Nation forces," he said

So Lebanon will continue to hide a terrorist organization within its borders. Doesn't this strike anyone as leaving the situation open to occurring all over again? Hezbollah will go silent for a while to ensure that they look like they are making piece, but you can depend on them to start trouble again in the near future. The UN force with this statement are more worthless than I would have originally predicted.

And to no great surprise Hezbollah claims victory.

Hizbullah distributed leaflets on Monday congratulating Lebanon on its "big victory" and thanking citizens for their patience during the 34-day war with Israel.

Supporters of the guerrilla group were seen passing out leaflets to cars heading south on the Zahrani highway, which connects the hard-hit southern cities of Nabatiyeh, Tyre and Sidon.

"Congratulations to you on the big victory, with the support of God, the mujahedeen (holy warriors) and your patience," it read.

Completely pathetic. My question still comes down to how will they be held to the cease-fire. They aren't a signatory to the agreement, nor a member state in the UN, so how exactly are they going to be held accountable? The Lebanese don't seem to have the will, and the UNFIL force doesn't seem to have any mandate to enforce the cease-fire. Now all Hezbollah has to do is find a little UN force and start launching rockets. No one is going to blame them for anything. If Israel defends themselves, they will be the ones held as the agressor.

Israel seems to think the world will see Hezbollah for what they are, but I don't think they will, since they haven't yet been honest enough to make that determination.

The officials said the working assumption at the Prime Minister's Office was that Hizbullah would not honor the agreement and that the world would then comprehend Israel's predicament more than ever. At press time, the Lebanese cabinet had not given final approval to the cease-fire.

"When Hizbullah violates the cease-fire, the world will see who the aggressor is and will understand us," a source close to Olmert said. "We will insist that the agreement be implemented. It's a good agreement for Israel and Hizbullah's opposition is proof."

Then there is this bit that really makes you wonder about Annan's intelligence:

But UN Security-General Kofi Annan sent a letter to the government over the weekend warning that if one side was fired upon, the other side should not respond except in immediate self-defense. A source in the Prime Minister's Office called Annan's letter unacceptable and said a team was working on a letter in response that would reiterate the IDF's right to respond to Hizbullah if it broke the cease-fire.

Yep, If Israel sees Hezbollah setting up rocket launchers, they can't respond until Hezbollah starts firing. Israel has already lost the fight if this is the standard that the UN is going to hold them too. Without any mandate to disarm Hezbollah or allowance to use force to stop them from attacking Israel, the UN has made itself a shield for Hezbollah.

Olmert definitely screwed up when he didn't attack in force when he had the chance. It may have cost more Israeli blood at the time, but the long term consequences are likely to be worse.