[BigBoss]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...over-Iran.html

Any Hizbollah retaliation to an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities would prompt Israel to launch a war in Lebanon so ferocious that it would take a decade to rebuild the villages it destroys, a senior Israeli military officer has warned. Despite the inevitable international outcry, Israel would be left with no choice but to lay waste to swathes of southern Lebanon because Hizbollah has entrenched itself so deeply within the civilian population, he said. The unusually stark warning comes after months of heightened speculation that the Israeli government is considering unilateral military action against Iran's nuclear installations despite opposition from the United States. Although the prospect of an attack in the next few months is unlikely until after Israelis vote in a September general election, Ehud Barak, the country's defence minister, recently insisted that military strikes had not been ruled out. Israel has always been aware of the heavy price it could incur from such an attack, with Iran able to retaliate through Hizbollah and Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that controls Gaza. Both Islamist movements have long been funded and armed by Tehran and have built up vast stockpiles of rockets capable of reaching deep into Jewish territory. But Israel has also sensed an unexpected opportunity as a result of the Arab Spring, which has significantly diminished Tehran's regional clout. Hamas has begun to reorient itself towards the resurgent Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and is seen as increasingly unlikely to join a regional war should Iran come under attack. Unlike Sunni Hamas, Hizbollah remains far more dependant on its fellow Shia patrons in Iran but its popularity in the Arab world has suffered because of its support for the Assad regime in Syria, which has long backed the group. Hoping to drive a wedge between Hizbollah and Lebanon's Sunni and Christian communities, the officer urged the Lebanese people not to be drawn into a war for which they, rather than Iran, would bear the brunt of Israel's anger. "The situation in Lebanon after this war will be horrible," the officer, a senior commander on Israel's northern border with Syria and Lebanon, said. "They will have to think about whether they want it or not. I hope that Iran will not push them into a war that Iran will not pay the price for but that Lebanon will." Israel drew international condemnation in 2006 when it last launched military action against Hizbollah in an offensive that is believed to have killed more than 1,000 people, many of them civilians. But the officer, speaking on the condition of anonymity, suggested that Israel had taken too cautious an approach in the conflict, leading to the deaths of dozens of Israeli soldiers. No such mistake would be made in the next conflict, he said, especially as Hizbollah had built military sites in the centre of many villages and towns in southern Lebanon. Pointing to a satellite map of the town of Khiam, he identified a series of buildings that the movement had allegedly taken over for military purposes. "In these villages where Hizbollah has infrastructure I will guess that civilians will not have houses to come back to after the war," he said. "The Lebanese government has to take this into consideration. Many of the villages in southern Lebanon will be destroyed. Unfortunate, but we will have no other solution. The day after (we attack) the village will be something that it will take 10 years to rebuild." Since the war in 2006, Hizbollah has acquired a stockpile of 50,000 rockets of greater sophistication and range than it had before and is capable of striking at Tel Aviv, more than 70 miles away, according to Israeli intelligence assessments. The conflict in Syria has also made it easier for Hizbollah to smuggle weapons into Lebanon, the officer said, and there is concern that some of the Assad regime's stockpile of chemical weapons could end up in the group's hands.

[Randolph Freelander]

If it all wasn't so dang frightening, it would be entertaining.

[commedieu]

Well... not much to discuss here.

Damn.

But lets be honest, Decades to rebuild? exaggerate much..

[Pilgor]

I'm ok with this.

[smurfx]

I'm ok with this.

i sure as hell am not since this might lead us into declaring war on iran.

[commedieu]

i sure as hell am not since this might lead us into declaring war on iran.

US..? USA.. UK..? It would be hard to imagine that Israels allies wont step in, but their (Israel)military alone could wipe out iran/lebanon with ease. My fear is Irans allies responding, then we would have to respond...

Going to be bad either way. Israels never really mouthed off like this no? And its pretty much confirming a strike against Iran.

so you're okay with indiscriminate force.

If its war. Its fucking disgusting on all fronts. Lets not pretend that these guys aren't just animals under all the laws and clothing(on both sides) You can only hope that individual soldiers remember there may be repercussions for their mistakes in battle. This entire issue is bullshit, as the world needs to intervene on the behalf of the innocent people killed daily, however the world wont. Theres too much to lose, too many toes to step on, etc. The UN is meaningless at doing its job. So when the issues get to this point, we only have ourselves to blame for all of this. They will battle it out, if it comes to that. And its no different than any other time. And after the dust settles, the West still won't hold Israel accountable for anything, and we will still condemn Irans acts of self defense as terrorism.

[theignoramus]

I'm ok with this.

so you're okay with indiscriminate force.

[smurfx]

US..? USA.. UK..? It would be hard to imagine that Israels allies wont step in, but their (Israel)military alone could wipe out iran/lebanon with ease. My fear is Irans allies responding, then we would have to respond... Going to be bad either way. Israels never really mouthed off like this no? And its pretty much confirming a strike against Iran.

i wouldn't be so sure about israel alone being able to wipe them out with ease. maybe if they nuked them yeah.

[Pilgor]

so you're okay with indiscriminate force.

It's not. Attacking Iran is not the same as attacking Lebanon.

[Xeke]

US..? USA.. UK..? It would be hard to imagine that Israels allies wont step in, but their (Israel)military alone could wipe out iran/lebanon with ease. My fear is Irans allies responding, then we would have to respond... Going to be bad either way. Israels never really mouthed off like this no? And its pretty much confirming a strike against Iran.

Who is Irans allies?

[RawPower]

Who is Irans allies?

China, Russia, and Syria, last I checked.

[ElectricBlue187]

The good guys always threaten civilians

[s7evn]

Who is Irans allies?

China and Russia are the big two.

[Dude Abides]

The last Lebanon war didn't go so well for Israel.

[Pollux]

China, Russia, and Syria, last I checked.

Syria's military is a little busy these days slaughtering their own people, I doubt they would take a break from that to go fight Israel.

[commedieu]

i wouldn't be so sure about israel alone being able to wipe them out with ease. maybe if they nuked them yeah.

They have the most advanced Airforce known to man.If they aren't discriminating their targets. Then yes, it would be devastatingly simple for Israel to dominate, and cripple water/food/hospitals etc in a few hours. They don't need nukes to do any of this.

If they don't care about their image, their bad PR, and are blood lusting savages with amazing precision and technology(just saying savages as the statement in the op is just brutal), its not going to be a battle.

The last Lebanon war didn't go so well for Israel.

And that was with kid gloves. Let them have Israel on them without giving a damn what the world says.

edit;

Hope the UN steps in.. or something. War is bullshit.

[yodathesoda]

The last Lebanon war didn't go so well for Israel.

Pretty sure Israel fucked their shit up in '06.

[fizzelopeguss]

They have the most advanced Airforce known to man.If they aren't discriminating their targets. Then yes, it would be devastatingly simple for Israel to dominate, and cripple water/food/hospitals etc in a few hours. They don't need nukes to do any of this. If they don't care about their image, their bad PR, and are blood lusting savages with amazing precision and technology(just saying savages as the statement in the op is just brutal), its not going to be a battle.

They flattened lebanon in 06, utterly pulverized their infrastructure. hezbollah came out stronger than ever because of it.

You sound like a psychopath, stop talking bollocks.

[Alebrije]

China and Russia are the big two.

I am pretty sure they wont move a single soldier no matter if Israel and U.S. attack Iran.

[Dude Abides]

Pretty sure Israel fucked their shit up in '06.

They did a good job killing civilians and destroying infrastructure. Less effective at hurting Hezbollah.

[SUPREME1]

Well... not much to discuss here. Damn. But lets be honest, Decades to rebuild? exaggerate much..

If a village is flattened, left in a pile of rubble. Who is going to fund it's rebuilding?

I believe that is what he means. It would be so totally devistated that they'd have to start from scratch and would take several years to get back to it's current state.

A decade isn't too much time. Sure a village can be built up a lot faster if there is money and drive behind it.

Who's going to proved that in the case of these smaller villages?

[mercenar1e]

The last Lebanon war didn't go so well for Israel.

yeah for such a power military Israel sucks at ground war

[theignoramus]

Pretty sure Israel fucked their shit up in '06.

yeah, they bombed the shit out of everything but the Hezbollah soldiers stood their ground against IDF ground troops. Israel fucked up Lebanese civilians but the number of dead israeli soldiers versus dead Hezbollah troops was close. 200 dead hezbollah to around 160 dead IDF, even though Israel obviously tries to play up the number of dead hezbollah.

[Tabris]

I am pretty sure they wont move a single soldier no matter if Israel and U.S. attack Iran.

Won't move a single soldier, but will provide hardware and "consulting" to turn it into a longer war. Iran could be the stage to a new cold war.

[-COOLIO-]

it would take a decade to rebuild the villages it destroy

did he really say that? what a child if so

[yodathesoda]

yeah, they bombed the shit out of everything but the Hezbollah soldiers stood their ground against IDF ground troops. Israel fucked up Lebanese civilians but the number of dead israeli soldiers versus dead Hezbollah troops was close. 200 dead hezbollah to around 160 dead IDF, even though Israel obviously tries to play up the number of dead hezbollah.

UN estimates were at 500 Hezbollah dead (Many believe it was over 1000) vs. 121 IDF. Pretty decisive.

[commedieu]

They flattened lebanon in 06, utterly pulverized their infrastructure. hezbollah came out stronger than ever because of it. You sound like a psychopath, stop talking bollocks.

Eh. I'm responding to someone say that they aren't sure Israel could do it with ease. And you post that they did in fact, do it already.

Hardly a bowl of bollocks.

Edit;

And I'm suggesting that if Israel is attacking without the care of the world to worry about, it will be a lot worse.

If a village is flattened, left in a pile of rubble. Who is going to fund it's rebuilding? I believe that is what he means. It would be so totally devistated that they'd have to start from scratch and would take several years to get back to it's current state. A decade isn't too much time. Sure a village can be built up a lot faster if there is money and drive behind it. Who's going to proved that in the case of these smaller villages?

I'll elaborate. Decades is slightly hyperbolic. I'm sure the UN will fund, or their allies, both are letting this all unfold in front of them. There is money to be made, someone will jump to the task..

did he really say that? what a child if so

more or less what I was getting at.

[Alebrije]

Won't move a single soldier, but will provide hardware and "consulting" to turn it into a longer war. Iran could be the stage to a new cold war.

[RawPower]

Are there any "good guys" in this war?

[Jburton]

Pretty sure Israel fucked their shit up in '06.

No they did not, Hezbollah pushed them out .... made Lebanon state forces look really bad.

Makes Hezbollah defacto army of Lebanon.

[Jburton]

Won't move a single soldier, but will provide hardware and "consulting" to turn it into a longer war. Iran could be the stage to a new cold war.

And with an Iranian border with Afghanistan, tis likey the whole region would erupt.

Bad news for the whole area, would unravel a lot of the work the US is trying to do in the region.

[speculawyer]

Clever double-bluff.

They are not attacking Iran and they are not attacking Lebanon.

[Heshinsi]

Did he just make a blatant threat to kill civilians? Cause I don't know of a way to destroy villages without some serious collateral damage. I despise Hezbollah, and think the Iranian regime can go suck a big one, but come the fuck on Israel; threats against civvies is a no-no.

[crazy monkey]

Are there any "good guys" in this war?

The innocent men, women and children who will die needlessly are.

[Prine]

The innocent men, women and children who will die needlessly are.

They were sheltering terrorists, its ok, they can be wiped out.

[commedieu]

Did he just make a blatant threat to kill civilians? Cause I don't know of a way to destroy villages without some serious collateral damage. I despise Hezbollah, and think the Iranian regime can go suck a big one, but come the fuck on Israel; threats against civvies is a no-no.

This wouldn't be the first time. The 06 war, Israel targeted Lebanon's infrastructure, and other state/civilian targets that had nothing to do with Hezbollah, to sway the people of Lebanon to not support Hezbollah, and shockingly, it had the reverse effect.

Yeah, it makes no sense.

[el retorno]

Clever double-bluff. They are not attacking Iran and they are not attacking Lebanon.

Exactly. But this tread will turn into Israel being the worlds worst country, no its not, yes it is.

[commedieu]

Exactly. But this tread will turn into Israel being the worlds worst country, no its not, yes it is.

Now thats bollocks! (looks at fizzelopeguss)

No one has said anything of the sort in this thread. Both sides of the conflict need mediation from the world, but no one steps in. As far as discussing an OP, you have someone saying they are going to level parts of Lebanon. Come on, don't turn it into something its not.

[SMT]

Being of Lebanese descent, but not part of these odd politics, I find that Lebanon's UNESCO Heritage sites will suffer the most.
I want Netanyahu and Hizbollah to duke it out on some desert wasteland and not on Lebanese soil.
Why do the artifacts have to suffer? This is nothing more than a feud cemented in ethnocentric views.
I suggest both parties to reconcile, Olmert even bombed Beirut town-square (slicing in half the Lebanese equivalent of Big Ben), a god-forsaken neutral area, endangering the lives of 50,000 Canadians of Lebanese descent. My friends were there, and had to be brought back by boat.
Isn't it the South you wanted, Olmert? What the fuck, just because the whole country is powerless, you take a cheap shot? Something's gotta give.

Make peace and love, not killing people until they become the stars above.

Why would ''Israel have to wipeout Lebanon'', when it is a faction that they are after? The Lebanese Defense Force is not part of this.

THIS IS NOT A WAR BETWEEN COUNTRIES.
It is a war between one idiot and a faction.

They were sheltering terrorists, its ok, they can be wiped out.

I can't tell if you are being sarcastic. The Lebanese Police/Army, no matter how mediocre they can be, should be the ones to address the situation because it is happening within their jurisdiction, not those on some self-righteous pursuit of justice further fueling an invisible feud and dividing people by not only race, but religion. There are 3 parties caught in this strife; Israelis, Palestinians, and Lebanese people.

You want terrorists? Well it's not going to be easy since they are humans too, have social links and people that will defend them. An army represents a huge circle of the opposite color which will never subtly infiltrate the ranks of the troublemakers. You want secret agents here, how is a chair going to slip into a mouse-hole? The object is only going to make noise, alerting the mice and having them scatter throughout, using the many alternative exits, or in this case, hideouts. Not very subtle Netanyahu, you can't even put together a simple plan to flush them out.

Lebanese people just want peace in their homeland (When the fuck will it happen? I want to vacation there and see the Phoenician Ruins while learning about my background), but foreign parties are using our land as a battle-playground, arg.

Which is why, I repeat, go play in the deserted Sahara, and hopefully never come back.

[Kad5]

It's funny and ironic considering Hezbollah was pretty much created because of blowback caused by Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon in the 80s.

[RawPower]

As someone of Jewish descent, I've always been a supporter of Israel and its right to exist. The situation is far more complicated than "Israel BAD, Palestinians good", and I get rather sick of people calling me heartless or fascist because of it. I honestly wish people would examine both sides of the issue instead of condemning one side and aligning themselves with the other.

Just my general feelings. Not directed at anyone in here.

[mercenar1e]

As someone of Jewish descent, I've always been a supporter of Israel and its right to exist. The situation is far more complicated than "Israel BAD, Palestinians good", and I get rather sick of people calling me heartless or fascist because of it. I honestly wish people would examine both sides of the issue instead of condemning one side and aligning themselves with the other. Just my general feelings. Not directed at anyone in here.

Israel threatens Hezbollah.. this has nothing to do with the Palestinians so in this case Israel baddddddd

[RawPower]

Israel threatens Hezbollah.. this has nothing to do with the Palestinians so in this case Israel baddddddd

I was speaking in general about how people (from my experience) are quick to demonize Israel, not on this specifically.

[.GqueB.]

Well... not much to discuss here. Damn. But lets be honest, Decades to rebuild? exaggerate much..

Well it took a decade for NY to rebuild a few buil... no NO!!! Stop it.

[commedieu]

Well it took a decade for NY to rebuild a few buil... no NO!!! Stop it.

[Al-ibn Kermit]

I was speaking in general about how people (from my experience) are quick to demonize Israel, not on this specifically.

Well this particular threat is actually very valid thing to criticize them about.

It is obvious that they probably can't/won't attack and that the whole nuclear situation in Iran is going to most likely reach an agreement soon. But it's still disgusting that members of the Israeli government are willing to make such a threat and expect people to believe it.

[ItAintEasyBeinCheesy]

Nice, they openly admit to targeting civilian villages in the first sentence. Scum, pure scum.

[goomba]

Iran have close ties with Iraq now and are they are moving towards working with Egypt post revolution.

Its Israel who wont have any friends in the region, especially once the Saudi regime falls.

[theignoramus]

Nice, they openly admit to targeting civilian villages in the first sentence. Scum, pure scum.

this is nothing new. google the "dahiyeh doctrine", it's an open threat to target civilians made by the former head of Israel's northern command. imagine if some Iranian general said Iran would flatten an Israeli village for every bomb dropped on Iran. we would NEVER hear the end of it.

“What happened in the Dahiya quarter of Beirut in 2006 will happen in every village from which Israel is fired on,” Eizenkot said in an interview in October 2008. “We will apply disproportionate force on it and cause great damage and destruction there. From our standpoint, these are not civilian villages, they are military bases.”

[NullPointer]

So this must be Tuesday then?