This letter in the 8 August International Herald Tribune eloquently states what should be obvious to all:


Israel has the right to defend itself, but what is the effect of its current policy in its war with Hezbollah? If Israel's objectives have been to punish Hezbollah, kill hundreds of Lebanese, destroy Lebanese infrastructure, displace nearly a million Lebanese, create a humanitarian disaster, weaken the Lebanese government, radicalize Arabs and Muslims worldwide against Israel and America, with implications for global terrorism, then clearly it has succeeded. If Israel's objective has been to enhance its security, then, just as clearly, it has failed.

Surely, this must, once again, call into question any effort to impose simplistic but lethal "military solutions" on complex problems, whether in Gaza, Lebanon, Iraq, Chechnya or elsewhere.

Dennis J.D. Sandole
Arlington, Virginia