Another success story

US President George W. Bush said yesterday that Hezbollah had been defeated in its month-long conflict with Israel. He cast the fighting that killed hundreds of Lebanese and Israeli civilians as part of a wider struggle "between freedom and terrorism".

Bush said Iran and Syria were the primary sponsors of Hezbollah guerillas who captured two Israeli soldiers, igniting the battle with Israel.

"There's going to be a new power in the south of Lebanon," Bush said.

"We can only imagine how much more dangerous this conflict would be if Iran had the nuclear weapon it seeks."

The President spoke at the State Department after conferring with his national security team, first at the Pentagon and then at the State Department. From Rupert’s The Australian

THE Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, has admitted his handling of the war was flawed and pledged to take sole responsibility for a month-long campaign that most Israelis believe was a failure.

The opposition leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, who has received widespread praise for his refusal to personally attack Olmert during the fighting, said the ceasefire plan had failed to ensure that Hezbollah would disarm and would lead to another war.

"Right now, we are in an interim period between wars," Netanyahu said. From the Sydney Morning Herald

I have posited, in an article in GP Background Stories (What happened to unassailable Israel?) that Israel suffered from poor intelligence. I guess Bush’s comments make Israel’s intelligence briefings look pretty good by comparison.

Another success story?