This is taking on the substance of a direct armed attack on Britain and particularly, the United States.
Twenty thousand Israeli troops are perched to push more than 30 miles into Lebanon, which would include the port city of Tyre. These Israeli troops are supplied, if one takes statements from the Syrian Ambassador to the United Nations seriously, by the United States. So, extrapolate this conflict to one between the Arab World, using it's extremists, against the West.
The Ambassador, in his statement, returned again and again, despite attempts to get back to the question originally asked, to the role the US plays, and of the need to censure Israel. Hezbollah, according to this statement, is not a terrorist organization, but freedom fighters on a Holy Mission to return Palestine to the Palistinians. And that would require, as the Iranian President has called for, the eradication of the State of Israel. The Ambassador also stated baldly that 'all Arab States' are in agreement, that Lebanon, despite it's overt support of Hezbollah, is the innocent victim of unprovoked agression by Israel, and by the United States.
Now, what we have to understand here is, this is a form of Levantine bargaining. The statements of the Ambassador were heartfelt, and to his knowledge and understanding, perfectly legitimate and correct. Iran, Syria, Lebanon, have all openly supported open terrorism within Israel. It is their duty, as they see it.
And this is the point that we must understand. They are not disseminating what we know to be tripe, for to them it is the truth. They believe in their cause, and no amount of rational discussion nor diplomacy, will alter that 'faith'.
There well may be no solution to the Middle East problem. We are simply too far apart, as cultures and in ethics, that it could possibly be impossible to negotiate a lasting and satisfactory solution.
And that is why, 20 thousand Israeli soldiers will put boots on the ground deep into Southern Lebanon. There is simply no other choice.
In the long run, as has been asserted againand again, the only way we in the West can prevail of the Middle East, is to stop buying their oil. Venezuela may take the side of the OPEC Nations, and that leaves us with Russia.
We can deal with the Russians. They think like us.