ASSAD ANNOUNCES WHY HE AND IRAN WAGED A PROXY WAR

ASSAD:

America's plan for a "new Middle East" has collapsed after Hizbullah's successes in fighting against Israel, Syrian President Bashar Assad said on Tuesday in Damascus. "The Middle East they (the Americans) aspire to ... has become an illusion," he said.

I think he is wrong, but at least he's admits why he and Iran fomented this war at this time: to restore the pre-Bush status quo and save his own ass and Syria's hegemony over Lebanon.

Assad went on to reveal a most common Arab trait (unfortuantely, one echoed this week by many on the Right): claiming victory where there was truly only defeat; (Sadat claimed victory in the Yom Kippur War! Ironically, Sadat was assassinated by Jihadists while at a parade "celebrating" that "victory"). Assad:

Assad said this war revealed the limitations of Israel's military power. In a 1982 invasion of Lebanon, Israeli forces surrounded Beirut within seven days of invading, he said. "After five weeks it (Israel) was still struggling to occupy a few hundred meters."

"From a military perspective, it (the battle) was decided in favor of the resistance (Hizbullah). Israel has been defeated from the beginning," Assad said. "They (Israelis) have become a subject of ridicule."

This is total BS. The only limit on Israeli military power is Israel's free will; Israel (acting through Olmert) chose to limit the range and scope and intensity of this police action - Israel chose only to attack Hizballah and only establish ground-control over the area south of the Litani. Israel was not limited by Arab resistance or bravery; Israel was limited by the UN and the MSM; in fact the lying scum of the MSM was the most effective weapon Assad and Ahmadinejad and Nasrallah had; without fauxtography they had nothing to stop the ISraelis from using the full force and fury of the IDF.

Sure: the IDF took casualties, but they did in Jenin, too. They have always taken casualties in wartime. The IDF woulds have taken fewer casualties if they has been more ruthless. The same was also true at Jenin. Histoiry will record this as another military victory for Israel - the early reports are coming in, right now; (hat tip PJM).

I believe history will record this as the lowest low-point for the Fourth Estate in all of human history. It is a real shame that many on the Right are swallowing the MSM's lies about this war hook, line and sinker. NO MATTER: believing the world is flat doesn't make it so. Believing Israel lost can't make it so, either. If Assad and Nasrallah and their stooges want to delude themselves: fine. But shame on the Right. As I said below: it was a mistake for Israel and the USA to cave into the UN, but this mistake - and the momentary respite it gives the enemy - doesn't hand the enemy a victory; it only delays our victory.

This is not new, not a novelty due to Olmert and Bush. Israel has done this many times before; Israel; Isrsel has let the enemy off the hook many times; many times it could have killed Arafat, but chose not to. They have done it again. Nevertheless, it is the enemy which has been cornered, not Israel. Nasrallah has fewer fighters, fewer missiles and weapons, and occupies fewer square miles and is more isolated from his fellow Arabs than ever. Israel did not accomplish all of it's goals, yet. But if the diplomatic efforts fail to in the coming months, then they will. And they will do so without mercy.