It seems that Ehud Olmert's Hamletesque conduct of the Israeli offensive into Lebanon has gotten him into political trouble in Israel. It seems the people wanted to finish off Hezbollah, but their leaders wimped out on them.
"The war was backed by a consensus spanning everyone but the far-right and far-left. The opposition, apart from the Arab parties, was at it's most loyal and the public, despite almost a quarter of it's members being forced to live in mortal danger, was stoically supporting its leaders.(via Michelle Malkin)
And the nation didn't waver, even when the war turned out to be a far cry from the quick and elegant air operation that had been envisaged at the start. There was not as much as an protest, even when serious question marks began to arise about the strategic wisdom directing the campaign. Israelis accepted that they had to make terrible sacrifices, even pay for their leaders' mistakes, for the greater good. That we seemed to have Uncle Sam's full support made the choice even easier.
Now the feeling is that while the public was prepared to grin and bear it, it was the politicians, especially Olmert, who weren't able to go the extra mile. The cabinet's decision on Wednesday to extend the operation by at least two more weeks and to make an all-out push for the Litani, with the evident casualties that would be part and parcel, was supported, according to all the opinion polls, by a wide majority. But the order to halt the troops pending a diplomatic solution in New York was already too much for an overpatient public."
But at least they got a cease fire out of it. Sure, Hezbollah still has the Israeli hostages. Right, Hezbollah is now heroic in the Arab street. And, of course, Hezbollah is still firing Katyusha rockets at the Israelis.
But they got a cease fire, and dammit isn't that what counts?
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