The Israeli cabinet has decided not to expand the ground war in southern Lebanon. I think they are making a mistake. They have unleashed the dogs of war (in a justifiable response to provocation by Hezbollah), now they must let the dogs do their dirty work. The only justification for war is victory. Half-measures will surely leave Hezbollah on the field of battle with their weapons and their rockets intact (at least to some extent). That will be seen across the Muslim world as a victory for Hezbollah, which will draw to them more money and recruits and an even greater belief in the ultimate victory.

Prime Minister Olmert has outlined a plan for a Hezbollah-free zone near the border. It seems completely inadequate to me, especially while Hezbollah still has rockets that can hit Israel.

Perhaps the reason the Israelis are shrinking from any expansion of the ground campaign is because they are finding it so difficult to defeat Hezbollah in the narrow streets of the few villages they have already tried to take. The tenacity and skill of the Hezbollah guerrillas is also, according to this article in the Washington Times, discouraging other nations from volunteering their troops for an international peacekeeping force.

The violence in the Middle East has given David Warren some reason for hope.

Could Syria be the key to ending the violence? If the results of the Rome meeting are any indication, most international leaders and media types believe it is Condi Rice who is at fault.

Meanwhile, in Iraq, according to this article in the Washington Post, American troops are becoming increasingly frustrated by the difficulties in trying to bring peace and unity to the Iraqi people. It makes sense, of course, when you understand the fact that the American military is not designed to bring peace, unity or democracy to a nation. It is designed to bring death and destruction to the enemies of our peace, unity and democracy. We used the right tool to bring down the Hussein regime. But it is the wrong tool to rebuild Iraq. I am becoming convinced that we do not have the proper tools to rebuild Iraq. In fact, those tools do not exist. Thomas Friedman was right when he said that Saddam was the way he was because Iraq is the way it is. Iraq is an artificial country that can only be held together by fear, intimidation and violence. Since the Iraqi government and security forces, along with their coalition allies, do not strike fear in the hearts of the various thugs and factions that make up the country, since they do not have the resources to buy support, and since they do not have the secret police force to keep everyone in line, they are failing. Partition may be the only answer.