This is Defense Secretary Robert Gates talking, and he is telling the stark truth to Ehud Barak, Israel’s minister of defense, who presumably already knows.
Of course, it did not start with the Obama administration at all. It was one of the sterling achievements of the Bush custodianship of foreign affairs in which Condi Rice hustled, along with Tzipi Livni, to close down the 2006 Lebanon war. Security Council Resolution 1701 was the instrument, and it had a history in the United Nations going back at least to1978. To understand the tragic-comic drama, please read the U.N.’s own historical narrative and text. It is pathetic.
Recalling all its previous resolutions on Lebanon…
Expressing its utmost concern at the continuing escalation of hostilities…
Emphasizing the need for an end of violence…
Mindful of the sensitivity of the issue of prisoners…
Welcoming the efforts of the Lebanese Prime Minister…
Determined to act for this withdrawal to happen at the earliest…
Taking due note of the proposals made in the seven-point plan…
Welcoming the unanimous decision by the Government of Lebanon…
Aware of its responsibilities to help secure a permanent ceasefire…
Determining that the situation in Lebanon constitutes a threat to international peace…
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Calls for a full cessation of hostilities…
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... calls upon the Government of Lebanon and UNIFIL…
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Emphasizes the importance of the extension of the control of the Government of Lebanon…
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Reiterates its strong support for full respect for the Blue Line…
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Also reiterates its strong support … for the territorial integrity, sovereignty and political independence of Lebanon…
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Calls on the international community to take immediate steps…
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Affirms that all parties are responsible for ensuring that no action is taken…
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Calls for Israel and Lebanon to support a permanent ceasefire and a long-term solution…
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Invites the Secretary-General to support efforts to secure as soon as possible agreements…
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Requests the Secretary-General to develop … proposals to implement the relevant provisions
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Decides … to authorize an increase in the force strength of UNIFIL…
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… authorizes UNIFIL to take all necessary action in areas of deployment of its forces…
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Requests the Secretary-General urgently to put in place measures…
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Calls upon the Government of Lebanon to secure its borders…
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Decides further that all States shall take the necessary measures…
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Decides to extend the mandate of UNIFIL until 31 August 2007…
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Requests the Secretary-General to report to the Council within one week…
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Stresses the importance of, and the need to achieve … peace in the Middle East…
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Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.
“Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.”
Of course, the government of Lebanon is no longer an independent regime, its sovereign powers having once again been suborned to Syria with the deluded (or maybe cognizant) cooperation of the Obama State Department. Dr. Assad was, after all, not such a bad fella. And Hezbollah, well, Hezbollah was an indigenous Shi’a force in the country. So how could you stop this terrorist force from militarily overwhelming the perfume soldiers of the Lebanese army?
Hezbollah has these weapons systems transferred by Syria and Iran not to just stockpile them. They aim to use them and to use them against Israel. Whom else would they use them against?