Clausewitz reminds us that war is not "an algebraic action," but the clash of two living wills. The decision to escalate to full-scale war does not rest with Hezbollah alone. Israel also gets a vote. It seems to be the general opinion that Israel doesn't want such a full-scale war, but after what has happened in the north since 10/7 maybe that's the only realistic course of action. To forego that option would be to leave the initiative in the hands of Hezbollah, which is to say of Iran. The conflict thus far has created new facts on the ground—and not to Israel's advantage. The destruction of Hamas in Gaza will be a pyrrhic victory if nothing is done to eliminate the much greater threat posed by Hezbollah.
The threat posed by Hezbollah is regional. They have occupied, destabilized and destroyed Lebanon’s government and army. If you resist, they assassinate you. The sad truth is that it won’t be Hezbollah that is most affected in future attacks on Lebanon. It is the Lebanese land and people.
You wrote, "... The Druze are Israeli citizens. They are Arab but not Muslim. Their men serve, with great distinction, in the Israeli army, and they made heroic contributions - and suffered tragic losses - on October 7. Their commitment to their Israeli nationality and Israeli brethren could explain why the wails of anguish and furious protests that generally arise around the world when Arabs die by violence in this neighborhood have been so conspicuous by their absence..."
This is incorrect. While it is true of the Druze in Israel "proper", this attack took place in Majdal Shams, on the Golan Heights. The Druze there are not Israeli citizens and do not serve in the Israeli Army (Zahal/IDF) by default. Though there has been an uptick in recent years in Golan Heights Druze requesting Israeli citizenship, most still self-identify as Syrian, are not citizens of Israel and do not serve in the IDF.
You're confusing the Druzes of Israel with those of the Golan Heights. Whether this is deliberate or out of ignorance, I don't know, but you really should read up on the history of the Druzes in the Heights and the state of Israel.
It all goes back to "Barry." "Barack Obama fundamentally reshaped the party when he struck the 2015 deal legalizing the nuclear weapons program of Hamas’ sponsor, Iran. By legitimizing the apocalyptic foreign policy aims of the world power that embodies Jew hatred, Obama sidelined the Jews and other centrists and made the progressive, anti-Israel faction the party’s new center of gravity.
The media did yeoman’s work obscuring the details and purpose of the agreement, but the fact is, by putting Iran’s bomb under a protective American umbrella, Obama was arming an American adversary to make it his own ally. The Iran deal was the first clear sign that Obama was not a normal U.S. commander in chief." (Lee Smith.)
Clausewitz reminds us that war is not "an algebraic action," but the clash of two living wills. The decision to escalate to full-scale war does not rest with Hezbollah alone. Israel also gets a vote. It seems to be the general opinion that Israel doesn't want such a full-scale war, but after what has happened in the north since 10/7 maybe that's the only realistic course of action. To forego that option would be to leave the initiative in the hands of Hezbollah, which is to say of Iran. The conflict thus far has created new facts on the ground—and not to Israel's advantage. The destruction of Hamas in Gaza will be a pyrrhic victory if nothing is done to eliminate the much greater threat posed by Hezbollah.
The threat posed by Hezbollah is regional. They have occupied, destabilized and destroyed Lebanon’s government and army. If you resist, they assassinate you. The sad truth is that it won’t be Hezbollah that is most affected in future attacks on Lebanon. It is the Lebanese land and people.
You wrote, "... The Druze are Israeli citizens. They are Arab but not Muslim. Their men serve, with great distinction, in the Israeli army, and they made heroic contributions - and suffered tragic losses - on October 7. Their commitment to their Israeli nationality and Israeli brethren could explain why the wails of anguish and furious protests that generally arise around the world when Arabs die by violence in this neighborhood have been so conspicuous by their absence..."
This is incorrect. While it is true of the Druze in Israel "proper", this attack took place in Majdal Shams, on the Golan Heights. The Druze there are not Israeli citizens and do not serve in the Israeli Army (Zahal/IDF) by default. Though there has been an uptick in recent years in Golan Heights Druze requesting Israeli citizenship, most still self-identify as Syrian, are not citizens of Israel and do not serve in the IDF.
The kids weren't Israeli.
You're confusing the Druzes of Israel with those of the Golan Heights. Whether this is deliberate or out of ignorance, I don't know, but you really should read up on the history of the Druzes in the Heights and the state of Israel.
https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/barack-obama-ended-normalcy-american-politics
It all goes back to "Barry." "Barack Obama fundamentally reshaped the party when he struck the 2015 deal legalizing the nuclear weapons program of Hamas’ sponsor, Iran. By legitimizing the apocalyptic foreign policy aims of the world power that embodies Jew hatred, Obama sidelined the Jews and other centrists and made the progressive, anti-Israel faction the party’s new center of gravity.
The media did yeoman’s work obscuring the details and purpose of the agreement, but the fact is, by putting Iran’s bomb under a protective American umbrella, Obama was arming an American adversary to make it his own ally. The Iran deal was the first clear sign that Obama was not a normal U.S. commander in chief." (Lee Smith.)