Qana

I think what the international outrage over Israel's bombing of the village of Qana shows is that you're allowed to kill people by the handfuls but not by the dozens. As I continually remind my children, take small bitefuls, and don't talk with your mouth open. And quit hitting your sister!

The military strategy in this case confuses me. Ok, so maybe Hezbollah had launched Katyusha rockets from near the apartment building that Israel bombed. But Israel had supposedly dropped leaflets warning residents to leave in anticipation of bombing. So wouldn't the Hezbollah fighters have left as well, taking their (highly mobile) rockets with them? What could Israel possibly have hoped to gain from this attack?

I'm in the camp of those who believe that Hezbollah is a dangerous organization, it provoked this crisis, and Israel has the right to respond with all reasonable force. I also believe that Israel's attacks have done Israel more harm than good, they will not succeed in destroying Hezbollah, and they are wreaking unjustifiable havoc on the people of Lebanon. Realistically, there's not much the U.S. can do to help matters in the short run. But rather than doing "not much" to help, the Bush administration has done what it can to make the situation worse. Here's what a real president would have done. Right away, send Condoleeza Rice around the region pushing for (1) ceasefire on all sides, (2) release of the captured Israeli soldiers and any Hezbollah fighters captured in the current conflict, and (3) beginning of negotiations on the longer-term issues - disarming of Hezbollah, return of Hezbollah prisoners in Israel, and return of Shebaa Farms to Lebanon. Chances are this would have accomplished nothing, but at least it would put the U.S. on the side of peace and common sense.