adjustments

we can certainly say that the olmert government is as agressive as the bush administration; however, they are also more clearly able to make adjustments based on ground reality. leading voices from the security cabinet increasingly urged olmert to organize a substantial ground invasion. the new york times recently reported:

"Israel sharply stepped up its ground campaign in southern Lebanon after the Israeli Cabinet decided early today to expand its operations, aiming to push Hezbollah back from the border before a cease-fire is declared and a multinational force is deployed there. . .Israeli troops may push northward to the Litani River, some 15 miles from the Israeli border, Cabinet ministers said following the meeting."

earlier, i called for a serious ground offensive to push hezbollah militants above the litani river. i believe a massive ground force fulfills the powell doctrine, which calls for overwhelming ground forces. rumsfeld believed that strong air strikes combined with lean ground forces. . . however, it cannot sustain an asymmetrical war against guerilla forces. . .

i believe that israel must defend its territory, and i believe a strong offensive can clear way for an international force. i wish that they had listened to these voices earlier, and i remain disappointed that a staggering amount of civilians were killed. we cannot keep our policy fixed if we _know_ that hezbollah militants crowd in civilian areas. we have to adjust to this reality. it may be more challenging and more difficult, but it is also more real.