Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - July 30, 2006, Winnipeg, Manitoba A4 Winnipeg free press sunday july 30, 2006 crisis in Mideast Mideast hands see Little Hope in . Strategy by Robin Wright j Jerusalem ? the Bush administration is now entangled in a risky new diplomatic venture in the Middle East ? and one with huge potential Pitfalls even if Secretary of state condole Ezza Rice succeeds in negotiating a cease fire according to several former diplomats and specialists with Long experience in the Region. The controversial . Position ? which has pitted Washington against most european and Arab allies that pressed unsuccessfully for an immedi ate cease fire ? also reflects a shift Back to the Bush administrations first term strategy foreign policy specialists said. With Rice at the Helm of foreign policy the second Bush term had been characterized by a More realistic and collegial approach to foreign policy a shift from the hard charging go it alone push epitomized by the Iraq War during the first term. But now analysts said the administration is effectively Back again endors ing All out Force in Defiance of allies. In his weekly radio address presi Dent Bush placed the Lebanon crisis in context of Iraq and the broader . War on terror. As we work to resolve this current crisis we must recognize that Lebanon is the latest flashpoint in a broader struggle Between Freedom and terror that is unfolding across the Region Bush said. Rice has described the ongoing fighting not just As Between Israel and Hezbollah but As part of the birth pangs of the new Middle East. In the biggest Challenge she has faced As Secretary of state Rice a diplomatic Gamble has already deep ened the chasm Between the United states and the islamic world. The . Is alienating even More world opinion not to mention allies for the Sake of a strategy that is very Likely to fail said Augustus Richard Norton an expert on lebanese shiite politics and a former . Peacekeeper in Lebanon. The . Framework for resolving analysis the current conflict is most vulnerable on at least three Broad fronts ? Politi Cally regionally and militarily. Politically the plans Centrepiece requires Hezbollah to surrender the military Force and formidable weapons Arsenal it spent 24 years building and which has Given it special standing both in Lebanon and Well beyond its Borders. As the Only Arab Force that has Ever forced Israel to Retreat in six decades of regional warfare Hezbollah would effectively have to give up being a regional player. Nothing will work unless Hezbollah agrees to it. And you can to expect Hezbollah to do something that is com mitting suicide said Robert Malley director of the International crisis groups Middle East program and a former Clinton administration nation Al Security Council staffer. The .-Israel strategy of pounding Hezbollah could also backfire former Bush officials warn. Don to get me wrong ? if i thought that this air Campaign would work and would eliminate Hassan Nasrallah and the leadership of Hezbollah i think it would All be Fine former Deputy Secretary of state Richard Armitage said on National Public radio this week. But i fear that you can to do that from the sky and that you re going to end up empowering Hezbollah and perhaps introducing a dynamic into the body politic in Lebanon that will take some great period of time to recover at the moment the shiite movement also has serious incentives not to Coop Erate ? or fully cooperate ? Given Many indications that its popularity is growing on streets throughout the Arab world even in countries with sunni Muslim majorities in turn giving shiites the islamic worlds second sect new prestige. Regionally the Hezbollah conflict with Israel increasingly looks like a proxy War Between Iran and the United states according to european Diplo Mats and . Analysts. The .?designed package to end it is premised on excluding Iran and Syria despite their historic interests geographic proximity and deep political ties to Lebanon not Only with Hezbollah. Militarily a new International Force will be highly exposed and almost certainly controversial among some lebanese Long weary from the Parade of foreign armies in the poor South. The last multinational Force in Lebanon led by the United states and including French italian and British troops also went in As peacekeepers after israelis 1982 invasion but ended up becoming ensnared in Lebanon a civil War ? and becoming targets of Hezbollah suicide bombers. They departed abruptly in 1984, their Mission incomplete. I think its going to be a Slippery slope said Danielle Pletka a Middle East expert at the american enter prise Institute. There a no multinational Force that can disarm Hezbollah. Once you go Down that Road you make compromises and compromises will be that whatever happens Hezbollah is not disarmed. Its a risky approach Pletka said. Its doing something to do something for the appearance of doing ? the Washington Post yesterdays developments Rice in Jerusalem . Secretary of state condole Ezza Rice met with israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert in Jerusalem and was expected to continue on to Beirut. She said she was encouraged by a tentative Hezbollah commitment to allow International troops into Southern Lebanon and eventually disarm. In peacekeepers wounded two Indian in peacekeepers in Southern Lebanon were wounded by an israeli air attack. Israel rejected a in request to have a 72-hour ceasefire to allow humanitarian Aid into Southern Lebanon. Israeli troops regroup israeli troops pulled Back from a lebanese Border town and Hezbollah guerrillas hailed the Retreat As a Victory. But the israeli pull Back from the town of Bint jail appeared to be in preparation for a new incursion along a different part of the Border zone. Civilians Bear Brunt warplanes struck outside the Market town of Nab Atiyeh crushing a House and killing a woman her five children and a Man in a nearby House lebanese Security officials said. In the Southern port City of Tyre volunteers buried 31 victims in a mass grave among them a one Day old girl. Nasrallah claims Victory Hezbollah Leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah threatened to fire rockets even deeper into Israel. Appearing on Hezbollah television Nasrallah claimed Victory saying Israel had failed to make a single military achieve ment during its 18-Day offensive. Border crossing attacked israeli warplanes fired missiles at Lebanon a main Border crossing with Syria cutting off one of the last ways to get into or out of the country. The attack 300 metres to the East of the lebanese Immi Gration and customs House came As the last two ships chartered by Canada to get its citizens out of Lebanon sailed for Cyprus. Tony a Academy Auto service 2nd annual Golf tournament Tony a Academy Auto service 2nd annual Golf tournament was held on thursday july 20th, 2006, at Bel acres Golf and country club. The tournament was held in support of the Winnipeg pet Rescue shelter Manitoba a first registered Charity no kill animal shelter. The participants had a fabulous Day of Golf and the tournament was a Success. We extend a huge thank you to All our corporate sponsors All the companies that so generously donated prizes the volunteers and All of the staff at Bel acres. Gold corporate sponsors Napa Auto parts Auto Biz web design Dundee wealth management Caddy shed Golf stores Ltd. Tony investments Ltd. Tony & Joe a Academy Auto Ronde limited / 3m Silver corporate sponsors dealer Exchange Centre inc. Marco Auto painting & collision Centre Wall Street Manitoba Blue Cross Ronde limited / Standon Wes Allin Auto millennium Bronze corporate sponsors Tony a Academy Auto service fort Street Agostino a pizzeria Blackhawk distributors Canadian Linen Castrol Wakefield direct Cash atm / Sele tech inc. Hard scapes inc. H. Albers builders Ltd. 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