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Originally Posted by Undertoad
I agree with almost all of that, but be sure to save your ticket stub so you can return to your seat. The boxers are in their corners and the bell is about to ring for round two.
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This made apparently because the points of that ceasefire do not address any issues from both sides. The resolution does not order the return of abducted Israeli soldiers, an original reason Israel cited for going to war, nor does it meet Hezbollah requests for release of prisoners held by Israel. It does not even address Sheeba Farms which even Prime Minister Fouad Siniora listed as one point of the conflict.
Neither side is really ready for peace. How will a pathetic force - not even empowered with UN Chapter 7 authority - achieve peace? It will be interesting. No country wants to put their soldiers into battle without purpose. As a result, the UN is even having difficulty get commitments for a trivial 15,000 men.
The problems have not been addressed. Attitudes have not changed. Nothing was accomplished. Neither Israeli help prisoners nor two kidnapped Israeli soldiers have been returned. Nor does the resolution even address that basic and earliest issue.
However stranger things have happened. When Egypt did a surprise attack on Israel and so severely destroyed the Israeli air force, well, what eventually resulted was enough respect by each side for the other as to result in a peace treaty. Hezbollah, if nothing else, has repeatedly earned respect by causing Israel's six invasion of Lebanon to terminate and having fought Israel to a stalemate. Question remains whether this turns into respect for Hezbollah or an end of Prime Minister Olmert's government. Olmert displayed poor leadership. Will Israeli's blame him or did they gain respect for Hezbollah?