So the 3 week war is over (or at least there's a timeout) and the question people are asking is "who won: Hezbollah or Isreal"? Depends on who ask. Hezbollah seems to think they've won and if you look at their reasoning you can't exactly disagree outright with them. Sure Lebanon got shelled to smithereens but Hezbollah won the PR war by a huge margin. They now have way more converts and sympathizers. And all Isreal has done is made a great show of force, pushed into parts of Lebanon and are now retreating (sure their tails aren't between their legs but they are hardly victors).
On the other hand, Bush and Isreal seem to think Isreal has won. As Bush, in his most diplomatic way, puts it: how can Hezbollah claim victory when it used to be a state within a state and now will be replaced by a UN force?
Personally, I think it's more of a question of who lost, not who won. The hundreds of Lebanese and Isreali civilians killed are the losers. The Lebanese state, who will have to repair dozens of civil infrastructure destroyed by Isreal, also lost. And Bush also lost. He might not realize it now but unless he turns things around dramatically in the middle east, his presidency will be remembered as one that brought the most strife to the middle east.
On the other hand, Bush and Isreal seem to think Isreal has won. As Bush, in his most diplomatic way, puts it: how can Hezbollah claim victory when it used to be a state within a state and now will be replaced by a UN force?
Personally, I think it's more of a question of who lost, not who won. The hundreds of Lebanese and Isreali civilians killed are the losers. The Lebanese state, who will have to repair dozens of civil infrastructure destroyed by Isreal, also lost. And Bush also lost. He might not realize it now but unless he turns things around dramatically in the middle east, his presidency will be remembered as one that brought the most strife to the middle east.
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