Ground Forces Enter Lebanon
Israel has sent ground forces into Southern Lebanon for the first time today. Up until now, the offensive has been an aerial one only.
JERUSALEM – Israeli ground troops have entered southern Lebanon to attack Hezbollah bases on the border, a government spokesman said Monday. Israel's six-day-old offensive against Hezbollah following the capture of two Israeli soldiers earlier had been an aerial campaign.
The government spokesman, Asaf Shariv, said the Israeli army chief of staff confirmed that ground troops were also in Lebanon.
Earlier Monday, Israeli fighter bombers pummeled Lebanese infrastructure, setting Beirut's port ablaze and hitting a Hezbollah stronghold in attacks that killed at least 17 people. Hezbollah retaliated by firing rockets that flew farther into Israel than ever before.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair and U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan called for the deployment of international forces to stop the bombardment of Israel and to persuade the Jewish state to stop attacks on Hezbollah, while the European Union said it was considering the deployment of a peacekeeping force.
Ok, this is an interesting development, I think. If the Europeans actually do something other than wring their hands and blame Bush, I'll be quite surprised. But that they are even talking about it may be the best indication yet that attitudes are starting to change and that the West must stand up and face this situation.
UPDATE: Bruce Kesler at Democracy Project also would like to see a European response, not a UN force.
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A Blog For All — July 17, 2006 @ 4:56 pm
By Roland Hesz, July 17, 2006 @ 7:10 am
The should do something.
At least the brits, but the french too. They started the mess, should take care of it.