Defeat Stolen From The Jaws of Victory

This is not the first time that I have heard or read something like this:

(IsraelNN.com) A Hizbullah man interviewed by Israel’s Channel 10 TV said that the terror group was saved by the Olmert government’s decision to call a cease-fire.

“The cease-fire [at the end of the Second Lebanon War] acted as a life jacket for the organization,” the terrorist said. He explained that the group would have surrendered if the battles had continued for another 10 days.

He described the condition of Hizbullah’s equipment and morale at the end of the fighting, saying they were running low on food, water, and arms.

Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni boasted before the Winograd Commission that the cease-fire was her idea, with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert saying it was one of the major accomplishments of the war.

The officer also admitted to firing missiles from inside urban centers, knowing that it would lead to civilian casualties on the Lebanese side. He explained that firing from open areas simply was not feasible, as the IAF quickly targeted any launchers operating in such areas.

Olmert and company bungled this badly. There will be another war and more people will die. Let’s hope that the next time is managed better than the last.

• Saved: Terrorism, War