By Andrew L. Jaffee

“Diplomats! The best diplomat I know is a fully charged phaser bank.”

- Scotty, Stak Trek: “A Taste of Armageddon”

Scotty, the chief engineer of the starship USS Enterprise, gave us this timeless quote in 1967. Why do I now quote from a sci-fi classic? Because U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice seems not to even have the common sense that a TV show espoused 30 years ago. Rice is at this moment trying to push Israel to make concessions to the terrorist group Hezbollah. Again, Israel is being coerced into negotiating with terrorists. Has Rice forgotten how many times this technique failed in the past?

Hezbollah kidnaps Isaeli soldiers, annihilates Israeli civilians with hundreds of rockets fired haphazardly at urban centers, uses Lebanese civilians as human shields, and is sworn to the destruction of the Jewish state. Israel should make concessions? Where’s the common sense in this? From Haaretz:

The deal being put forth by Rice is for the deployment in Lebanon of an “international stabilization force” comprising 10,000 to 30,000 troops in return for Israel’s withdrawal from the controversial Shaba Farms, on the western slopes of Mount Hermon.

The international force would assist the Lebanese army to deploy in southern Lebanon and inspect the crossings between Syria and Lebanon, so that no arms will be smuggled to Hezbollah.

Shaba Farms is claimed by Hezbollah and its benefactor Syria, a state sponsor of terrorism. This is incredulous. Rice has previously ruled out a “ceasefire,” so as to let Israel pound Hezbollah. Has she now succumbed to pressures from the EU or some of the Arab states? Or is she just too much of a diplomat, the kind Scotty referred to?

That’s right, reward Hezbollah for its terrorist acts. That will sate its genocidal ambitions, just as Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza did not appease Hamas; just as Israel’s withdrawal from the Sinai did not sate the Arab states, just as her withdrawal from Lebanon in 2000 did not appease Hezbollah; just as the Oslo Accords did not satisfy Arafat; etc., etc. Is this diplomacy for the sake of diplomacy?

Another article from Haaretz spells out quite clearly what Israel should do:

Besides bringing Hezbollah and Lebanon under fire, all of Israel’s military cards at this stage are in the form of two Lebanese villages near the border that have been captured by the IDF.

If the military cards Israel is holding do not improve with the continuation of the fighting, it will result in a diplomatic solution that will leave the Hezbollah rocket arsenal in southern Lebanon in its place. The diplomatic solution will necessarily be a reflection of the military realities on the ground.

Also from the Syrian perspective there seems to be a contradiction between the American strategy and the steps Israel has taken with regards to Syria. Washington wants the solution to the problem of Hezbollah as a militia to be found in Lebanon. There are those in Washington who are recommending a connection to Syria must be found on this matter, but at the State Department and the White House they say this would simply invite Syria back into Lebanon, and this should not be allowed.

Damascus must be worried about a foiling of the American-Lebanese diplomatic plans. Syrian concerns should have stemmed from Israel, but for days now Israel is doing everything possible to convince Damascus it is not in any danger. If there is no danger from Israel, Damascus can certainly allow itself to undermine any possible plan meant to weaken and defeat Hezbollah. It will act on its own and with Iran without any fear.

Israel has limited options for continuing the fighting. Since it has not succeeded to date to restrict Hezbollah’s war of attrition against urban centers in Israel, including the targeting of Afula, the only option is a rapid operation for the capture of southern Lebanon in order to destroy the Hezbollah rocket arsenal prior to the transfer of a multinational force to the area. It may have other serious options, but these will not affect the rocket arsenal of Hezbollah. This is a race against time and against Hezbollah that is aided by Syria and Iran.

The further along the diplomatic process moves, international pressure will be exercised against Israel, including by the Americans, calling for an end to the targeting of Lebanese infrastructure. There is no point mobilizing reserve divisions if they are not going to be used appropriately, from a strategic point of view, before the end of the war.

The argument voiced is that the divisions are not adequately trained because of the cuts to the defense budget and it is not acceptable in view of the situation Israel is in. This is not the right time to blame the Finance Ministry, and it is not the only one to blame.

The history books seem to have been burned and their contents forgotten. Diplomats! Let Israel pound Hezbollah until nothing is left but a page in a history book.

---

---

Related: Israel, United States, Palestinians, Peace Process, Terrorist Groups

---