Okay! Who the hell won?

UN Cease Fire agreed upon by Israel, Lebanon and ... to a degree, the Hezbollah

You will notice immediately that the buffer zone was/is the same one that was agreed upon back in 1978 -- some of you weren't even born yet then!

You also see that the "buffer zone" doesn't even totally meet the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) tactical goals, let alone its strategic goals which were stated when Prime Minister Ehud Olmert included in his claim of victory (as a downright lie) that the ceasefire eliminated the "state within a state" (Hezbollah continuing to exist and operate in Lebanon).

Today's rocket attacks destroyed Mr. olmert's statement vis-a-vis the magical disappearance of the Hezbollah.

Oh yes, President Bush made almost exactly the same statement yesterday and I can't believe that he isn't being taken to task on his claim of "victory" by the Israeli forces. Whoops! I just heard one of his own sycophants on Fox News (Sean Hannity) state that the "peace" is a completely phony peace.

I can't believe that I actually agree with Sean Hannity on anything!

The most powerful -- and frightening -- statement made during the day was one by Abu Aziz, second in command of the Al-Aqsa martyrs brigade terror group. He said, Hezbollah's victory leads him to believe "the end of Israel is in sight." He went on to say, "Now is the time to attack Israel from all directions."

Crap! That August 22 date looks more worrisome today than ever before.

Without question, I think Israel overreacted when its two soldiers were captured -- although now I truly believe that the United States was largely the impetus behind their disproportionate response.

But as to who is the "winner" today. Of course, there is no winner with so many dead and so much damage to the infrastructure of Lebanon -- but ...

Israel did considerably more damage to the Hezbollah than the Hezbollah did to Israel ... so Israel has been the tactical winner.

But what about the strategic victor?

Lebanon (now a puppet of Iran -- especially true today after Israel -- with US-made F-16s, etc. -- made the Hezbollah the heroes that they are in all areas of Lebanon) has time on its side. It will continue to build stockpiles of weapons that are also gaining in range at the same time. And notice that,, despite the fact that Lebanon has agreed to 15,000 troops in the "peace force," they are 85% Hezbollah leaning as an overall population, and I don't distinguish the central government too very much from the Hezbollah -- under whatever name they emerge in a few weeks or months.

Thus ...

Exactly whose weapons will be in the buffer zone shown above? French? Italian? Bolivian? Uh, uh ... they will be weapons in the hands of the Lebanese Army with its large contingent of Hezbollah-leaning personnel -- until the Israeli forces return ... all the way to the Litani River in the west too -- including the occupation of Tyre!

Further, nuclear fissile material is continuing to be produced in Iran. Syria (with the help of our new democratic Iraq) is a sieve for God-knows-what-kinds and how many weapons moving towards Lebanon ... and directed at Israel.

Whereas I was certainly saddened by our cheering Israel on into its disproportionate response to the capture of its two soldiers five weeks or so ago -- especially the unnecessary slaughter of civilians, I see no other choice than that we protect our only ally in the entire Middle East as country after country is surrounding Israel with the intent to fulfill Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's seemingly at the time) crazy words, "we will wipe Israel off the map!"

Yes, the Israelis have lost the support of most of Lebanon and didn't do the US any favors in that regard either ... and they have time on their side ... so it would seem as though Israel would be the strategic loser ... but ...

They are/will be victorious! Unfortunately, we (the United States of America) will be drawn actively into the fray as will a number of other nations who will sacrifice enormous resources (oil, money, casualties, etc.) to stop ... not Lebanon, per se ... but ... Iran!

Iran (and Lebanon, sadly ... and Syria, sadly ... and major parts of Iraq, sadly) will be decimated in a very short time after they -- and the rest of the Shiite crescent -- encircle and attempt to wipe Israel off the map.

How sad for us all! It will be an Israeli victory in time, but a pyrrhic victory, for sure.

[Note: Outside of the ongoing (and unnecessary) mess in Iraq, US casualties won't be excessive thanks to our incredible Air Force, carefully utilized Special Operations forces, and our Navy missile capability. But that won't make up for the complete collapse of the world economy and damage to the world's environment.]