Nasrallah Admits That He Is Stupid
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah admitted in a televised interview that he had no clue whatsoever what he was about to unleash on Lebanon and his organization when he ordered the kidnapping of Israeli soldiers. He has also admitted that had he realized what would happen he never would have given the order.
Hezbollah guerrillas killed three Israeli soldiers and seized two more in a cross-border raid July 12, which sparked 34 days of fighting that ended Aug. 14. Five other Israeli soldiers were killed as they pursued the militants back into Lebanon.
"We did not think, even 1 percent, that the capture would lead to a war at this time and of this magnitude. You ask me, if I had known on July 11 … that the operation would lead to such a war, would I do it? I say no, absolutely not," he said in an interview with Lebanon's New TV station.
Nasrallah also said the United Nations and Italy already had initiated "contacts" about beginning negotiations on a prisoner swap.
Israeli officials have been refusing to comment on the record about the prospects of a prisoner exchange, citing the extreme sensitivity of the issue.
But military officials said earlier this month that Israel is holding 13 Hezbollah prisoners and the bodies of dozens of guerrillas that it could swap for the two captive soldiers, but would not include any Palestinian prisoners in such a deal.
"The Israelis have acknowledged that this (issue) is headed for negotiations and a (prisoners) exchange," he said. "Contacts recently began for negotiations."
That he had no clue is obvious. I suspect that the fact that he even admitted this in public is because Hezbollah was hurt a lot more that he is letting on. I would also guess that there is more than a little contention in the organization because of Nasrallah's screwup and he is trying to defuse it. Later in the interview he as much as admits that Hezbollah isn't ready for another fight anytime soon.
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Blue Crab Boulevard » Blog Archive » Victory? — August 31, 2006 @ 10:26 pm
By Tano, August 27, 2006 @ 9:19 pm
What really turns my stomach is to realize that Nasrallah thus demonstrates that he has a stronger character – is willing to face up to and admit and apologize for his mistakes – than other political leaders who do not seem to have that strength.
By Gaius, August 27, 2006 @ 9:31 pm
I made an exception here and let this through even though you are banned here. What turns my stomach is that you do not see he admitted this to save his ass and defuse a political situation.
So presumably you prefer that.