Israel Matzav

Michael J. Totten interviewed by the Jerusalem Post

Michael J. Totten, who lived in and regularly visits Beirut, was interviewed by the Jerusalem Post this past weekend. The interview appears in today's edition:

What are Hizbullah's plans with regards to Israel? Do they wish to engage Israel again anytime soon?

...

Hizbullah's decision-makers are in Teheran and Damascus. If Israel wants to deter Hizbullah, Israel will need to deter Teheran and Damascus. No amount of damage inflicted on Beirut will deter Hizbullah. [Emphasis mine. CiJ] They themselves are in a state of near-war with Beirut and the Lebanese government.

...

Are Syria and Iran still supplying Hizbullah? Have they recovered from the war last summer?

Absolutely. Hizbullah is as strong, or at least nearly as strong, as they were last July. Iran and Syria will continue supplying Hizbullah until they fear the consequences of continuing their support or until no one in Lebanon is willing to receive their support. Right now everyone who dies because of Syrian and Iranian support for Hizbullah is Lebanese or Israeli. They have no reason to stop until that equation is altered. [Emphasis mine. CiJ]

...

You have traveled in Palestinian refugee camps and the territories, yet your writings come across as fair and at times even pro-Israel. What are your ideological views?

I'm an American, so I think in American political terms. Within the American political system I'm basically a centrist. I vote for both Democratic and Republican candidates and suspect I will do so for a very long time. Each party gets some things right and some things wrong.

A huge majority of Americans support Israel. I'm right in the mainstream when it comes to Israel, even though I often disagree with what Israel does. I thought the invasion of Lebanon was foolish, counterproductive, and a waste of money and lives in both Lebanon and Israel. But I sympathize with what Israel was trying to do, and of course with Israel's right to exist and defend itself. So my criticism wasn't the shrieking axe-grinding kind that I'm sure you're all too familiar with. If Israel would have clearly won the war last summer I would have changed my mind, admitted I was wrong, and supported it in hindsight. [Emphasis mine. CiJ]

Too bad the Olmert-Peretz-Livni government didn't have the guts to take advantage of the opportunity they were handed by the Bush administration last summer.

Read it all.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 11:06 PM