URGENT- Syria and Israel

[webmaster]

There is plenty of critical press in the West.

It's just that the primary source for "the Lebanese side of the border" argument is Al-Manar ie Hezbollah.

Not really:

The militant group Hezbollah captured two Israeli soldiers during clashes Wednesday across the border in southern Lebanon, prompting a swift reaction from Israel, which sent ground forces into its neighbor to look for them. The forces were trying to keep the soldiers' captors from moving them deeper into Lebanon, Israeli government officials said on condition of anonymity. Forbes 7/12/06

The Lebanese Shiite Hezbollah movement announced on Wednesday that its guerrillas have captured two Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon. "Implementing our promise to free Arab prisoners in Israeli jails, our strugglers have captured two Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon," a statement by Hezbollah said. "The two soldiers have already been moved to a safe place," it added. The Lebanese police said that the two soldiers were captured as they "infiltrated" into the town of Aitaa al-Chaab inside the Lebanese border. Hindustan Times 7/12/06

The Lebanese Hezbollah movement announced Wednesday the arrest of two Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon. Lebanese police said that the two soldiers were arrested as they entered the town of Aitaa al-Chaab inside the Lebanese border. Israeli aircraft were active in the air over southern Lebanon, police said, with jets bombing roads leading to the market town of Nabatiyeh, 60 kilometers south of Beirut. Bahrain News Agency 7/12/06

TRANSLATION: According to the Lebanese police force, the two soldiers were captured in Lebanese territory, in the area of Aïta Al-Chaab close to the border, whereas Israeli television indicated that they had been captured in Israeli territory. fr.news.yahoo 7/12/06

In the afternoon, the scene changed in the streets of southern Lebanon, which was the target of 32 Israeli raids that mainly targeted areas near the area where the two soldiers were captured in Aita al Chaab, close to the border with Israel. news.monstersandcritics.com 7/12/06

According to the Lebanese police force, the two Israeli soldiers were captured in Lebanese territory, in the area of Aïta Al-Chaab, near to the border with Israel, where an Israeli unit had penetrated in middle of morning. AFP 7/12/06

The militant group Hezbollah said it captured two Israeli soldiers during clashes across the border in southern Lebanon on Wednesday. chinabroadcast 7/12/06

It all started on July 12 when Israel troops were ambushed on Lebanon's side of the border with Israel. Hezbollah, which commands the Lebanese south, immediately seized on their crossing. They arrested two Israeli soldiers, killed eight Israelis and wounded over 20 in attacks inside Israeli territory. Asia Times 7/15/06

It all boils down not to who you want to believe but what is your personal preference in regards to type of information you want to hear rather than the truth, facts, etc.

For Israel, it boils down to giving respect to their neighbors and not infiltrating into their lands while demanding respect for it self, claiming to have the right to defend it self and then go on field trips into enemy territory by crossing INTERNATIONAL BORDERS. And for Arabs as well as the arab groups operating in the region, they also need to give Israel and its citizen the respect they deserve and NOT target Israeli civilians in various attacks that they are accused of carrying out.

See attached file.

 

[Grand Danois]

Not really:

The militant group Hezbollah captured two Israeli soldiers during clashes Wednesday across the border in southern Lebanon, prompting a swift reaction from Israel, which sent ground forces into its neighbor to look for them. The forces were trying to keep the soldiers' captors from moving them deeper into Lebanon, Israeli government officials said on condition of anonymity. Forbes 7/12/06

The Lebanese Shiite Hezbollah movement announced on Wednesday that its guerrillas have captured two Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon. "Implementing our promise to free Arab prisoners in Israeli jails, our strugglers have captured two Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon," a statement by Hezbollah said. "The two soldiers have already been moved to a safe place," it added. The Lebanese police said that the two soldiers were captured as they "infiltrated" into the town of Aitaa al-Chaab inside the Lebanese border. Hindustan Times 7/12/06

The Lebanese Hezbollah movement announced Wednesday the arrest of two Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon. Lebanese police said that the two soldiers were arrested as they entered the town of Aitaa al-Chaab inside the Lebanese border. Israeli aircraft were active in the air over southern Lebanon, police said, with jets bombing roads leading to the market town of Nabatiyeh, 60 kilometers south of Beirut. Bahrain News Agency 7/12/06

TRANSLATION: According to the Lebanese police force, the two soldiers were captured in Lebanese territory, in the area of Aïta Al-Chaab close to the border, whereas Israeli television indicated that they had been captured in Israeli territory. fr.news.yahoo 7/12/06

In the afternoon, the scene changed in the streets of southern Lebanon, which was the target of 32 Israeli raids that mainly targeted areas near the area where the two soldiers were captured in Aita al Chaab, close to the border with Israel. news.monstersandcritics.com 7/12/06

According to the Lebanese police force, the two Israeli soldiers were captured in Lebanese territory, in the area of Aïta Al-Chaab, near to the border with Israel, where an Israeli unit had penetrated in middle of morning. AFP 7/12/06

The militant group Hezbollah said it captured two Israeli soldiers during clashes across the border in southern Lebanon on Wednesday. chinabroadcast 7/12/06

It all started on July 12 when Israel troops were ambushed on Lebanon's side of the border with Israel. Hezbollah, which commands the Lebanese south, immediately seized on their crossing. They arrested two Israeli soldiers, killed eight Israelis and wounded over 20 in attacks inside Israeli territory. Asia Times 7/15/06

It all boils down not to who you want to believe but what is your personal preference in regards to type of information you want to hear rather than the truth, facts, etc.

For Israel, it boils down to giving respect to their neighbors and not infiltrating into their lands while demanding respect for it self, claiming to have the right to defend it self and then go on field trips into enemy territory by crossing INTERNATIONAL BORDERS. And for Arabs as well as the arab groups operating in the region, they also need to give Israel and its citizen the respect they deserve and NOT target Israeli civilians in various attacks that they are accused of carrying out.

See attached file.

I am aware of "personal preference" and "spinned information that caters to preferred perceptions."

Before I give a reply on the actual substance of your post, can we agree that the primary source for the Lebanese side of the border claim is?

1. Hezbollah, through Al-Manar.
   
   
2. Lebanese security forces, subordinate and sympathetic to Hezbollah in Hezbollah controlled areas.

Meanwhile I shall go investigate. Don't know what the result will be.

 

[webmaster]

I am aware of "personal preference" and "spinned information that caters to preferred perceptions."

Before I give a reply on the actual substance of your post, can we agree that the primary source for the Lebanese side of the border claim is?

1. Hezbollah, through Al-Manar.
2. Lebanese security forces, subordinate and sympathetic to Hezbollah in Hezbollah controlled areas.

Meanwhile I shall go investigate. Don't know what the result will be.

Not entirely. Some of the news stories do not sight Al-Manar as the primary source but it could be as we have CNN, FOX NEWS and RADIO TALK shows here in the west as primary source.

As we are all aware, small clashes take place between Hizbullah and Israeli soldiers on almost daily basis but it seldom makes it to the news. Why this one? I don't know but it why would Hizbullah infiltrate into Israeli territory just to capture two soldiers? And on the other hand, what were Israeli soldiers doing in Lebanese land if they were indeed captured inside Lebanese border?

 

[Grand Danois]

Not entirely. Some of the news stories do not sight Al-Manar as the primary source but it could be as we have CNN, FOX NEWS and RADIO TALK shows here in the west as primary source.?

My bad language (translation). I meant original source. Everyone that actually quotes a source says Al-Manar or Hezbollah.

As we are all aware, small clashes take place between Hizbullah and Israeli soldiers on almost daily basis but it seldom makes it to the news. Why this one? I don't know but it why would Hizbullah infiltrate into Israeli territory just to capture two soldiers? And on the other hand, what were Israeli soldiers doing in Lebanese land if they were indeed captured inside Lebanese border?

There is no clear black and white in this. And the true or perceived reasons can only be speculated about. I will try to give my interpretation of the ground event of the 12th of July in next post.

Allow me to say I'm not out to antagonise anyone, but I think it is worth an investigation.

 

[webmaster]

Allow me to say I'm not out to antagonise anyone, but I think it is worth an investigation.

Sure it is and that is why I jumped in this discussion otherwise I try to stay away from commenting on such stuff.

 

[Grand Danois]

I think it is reasonally possible to disseminate where it happened without relying on claims by either side. Indirect sources.

First I went to UNIFIL to read their observations, this in order to see if there was a history of ground incursions.

I note that they have absolutely no mentioning of ground incursions by IDF, but they do mention exchanges of artillery fire and aerial bombardments.

Report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations
Interim Force in Lebanon
(For the period from 22 July 2005 to 20 January 2006)

So there is no (recent) established history of violations on the ground from IDF as observed by the UN.


The attack/clash(?) itself.

Hezbollah engaged 2 Humvees with 7 IDF soldiers. To me, that gives two possibilities:

1. Hezbollah crossed the border and laid an ambush.
   
   
2. IDF conducts incursions into heavily fortified Hezbollah controlled territory configured as a border patrol, in very small numbers, in unarmoured or lightly armoured vehicles, apparently without support.

I am certainly not intimate with the operation procedures of the IDF, but this does sound to me like a border patrol that got ambushed.

Lastly, UNIFIL and others report diversionary attacks in the form of rocket attacks prior to, and attacks on borderposts consecutively with the kidnappings.

Report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations
Interim Force in Lebanon
(For the period from 21 January 2006 to 18 July 2006)

I. Introduction
1. The present report is submitted pursuant to Security Council resolution 1655 (2006) of 31 January 2006, by which the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) for a further period of six months, until 3 1 July 2006. It covers developments since the previous report, dated 18 January 2006 (S/2006/26).

11. Situation in the area of operation

2. The situation in the UNIFIL area of operation remained tense and volatile,
although it was generally quiet during most of the reporting period. This situation completely changed on 12 July, when the current hostilities broke out and the area was plunged into the most serious conflict in decades.

3. The crisis started when, around 9 a.m. local time, Hizbollah launched several
rockets from Lebanese territory across the withdrawal line (the so-called Blue Line) towards Israel Defense Forces (IDF) positions near the coast and in the area of the Israeli town of Zarit. In parallel, Hizbollah fighters crossed the Blue Line into Israel and attacked an IDF patrol. Hizbollah captured two IDF soldiers, killed three others and wounded two more. The captured soldiers were taken into Lebanon. Subsequent to the attack on the patrol, a heavy exchange of fire ensued across the Blue Line between Hizbollah and IDF: While the exchange of fire stretched over the entire length of the Line, it was heaviest in the areas west of Bint Jubayl and in the Shab'a farms area. Hizbollah targeted IDF positions and Israeli towns south of the Blue Line. Israel retaliated by ground, air and sea attacks. In addition to airstrikes on
Hizbollah positions, IDF targeted numerous roads and bridges in southern Lebanon within and outside the UNIFIL area of operations. IDF has stated that those attacks were to "prevent Hizbollah from transferring the abducted soldiers". At least one IDF tank and an IDF platoon crossed into Lebanon in the area of the Hizbollah attack in an attempt to rescue the captured soldiers. An explosive device detonated under the tank, killing four more IDF soldiers. An eighth IDF soldier was reportedly killed in fighting that ensued during an attempt to retrieve the four bodies. That night, the IDF issued a warning to UNlFlL that any person - including United Nations personnel - moving close to the Blue Line would be shot at.

http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unifil/unifilDrp.htm

So, it indicates that it was initiated by Hezbollah as a planned operation, as opposed to contingency planning by Hezbollah in the event of an IDF ground incursion.

I arrive at

• the IDF forces that got hit was configured as a border patrol.
  
  
• no established (recent) history of ground incursions. If so, this was unique.
  
  
• indications of initiation by Hezbollah.

That is my take on it. If anyone have other facts, different contexts or interpretations, I am open to see them, I may be going out of a tangent.

 

[pshamim]

Grand Danois,

I am disturbed by the notion that only Israel can tell the truth. Not so, they are great in creating the news which is then then carried on friendly press as the truth. every one else is a liar and should neither be listened to nor believed.

Ever heard of the BLUE LINE. The soldiers were captured across the Blue Line-that is an area the UN-demarcated boundary that Israel withdrew behind in 2000 - to the Litani River, which was the northern border of Israel's occupation of Lebanon in 1982. That is a very large area and what was Israeli soldiers doing there.

Problem with the Israelis is that they believe that they are holier than every one and that gives them the right to take any action they may see fit. It is OK for them to use F-16s, gunships, tanks, and bombs to target and kill civilians but use of katyusha rockets is a greater sin. Both are wrong.Sanctity of life is the same whether on Israeli side or Arab's.

Daily attacks in West Bank and Gaza and kidnapping of Arab Ministers is Kosher but retaliation is wrong and terrorism.

That is the crux of the problem.

 

[Grand Danois]

pshamim,

My response was to your post that regarded how informed we are in the West. I don't really care about who has the high moral ground in this issue as it is only used in a pointless blame game. You can make a sound argument for Israel to do a restrained response and a prisoner swap, just as well as you can make a sound argument for the stuff that is happening in Lebanon today.

However, did I use Israeli sources...? Maybe Hezbollah did pour out propaganda, just like the Israelis do, just in a different way.

(EDIT: I used a third-party primary source.)

I just don't think the information at hand supports Hezbollahs case.

I knew little of Lebanese geography prior to this war/conflict. But I have already found out that the BLUE LINE is not at the Litani River.

From Wiki (once again)

The Blue Line is based on the deployment of the IDF prior to March 14, 1978. It is equivalent to the Purple Line which is the cease-fire line of the Six Day War (1967), and the Green Line (established in 1949) which is the cease-fire line of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. Some contend that a partial 1923 map that attempted to demark the border of France and Britain's territory (see: Treaty of Sèvres) should be considered a previous definition of the Israeli-Lebanese border as well, since Lebanon is an ex-French mandate and Israel an ex-British mandate. (See League of Nations)

So Hezbollah did cross the actual border. The Litani River is far north of the BLUE LINE.

Both are wrong.Sanctity of life is the same whether on Israeli side or Arab's.

Agreed. It is too easy to submit to the temptation that "the others" are expendable.


The original reason for me commenting on Al-Manar and this particular event was to try to explain why Al-Manar did not get credentials in the West for its claim. It is to easy to pick apart.

I am not going to get drawn into the wider issue of the ME this time. It is complex, as in time consuming, and in this case a lateral displacement of discourse.

 

[contedicavour]

The whole point of the matter is who is willing to risk his troops to separate Israeli troops from the Hezbollah, establish a buffer zone, and disarm the Hezbollah as requested by the UN.
I know my country has even offered to lead a multinational contingent of UN troops in Southern Lebanon, though only if all parties to the conflict agree.
What a difficult mess to disentangle ...

 

[radiosilence]

The militant group Hezbollah captured two Israeli soldiers during clashes Wednesday across the border in southern Lebanon, prompting a swift reaction from Israel, which sent ground forces into its neighbor to look for them. The forces were trying to keep the soldiers' captors from moving them deeper into Lebanon, Israeli government officials said on condition of anonymity. Forbes 7/12/06

The Lebanese Shiite Hezbollah movement announced on Wednesday that its guerrillas have captured two Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon. "Implementing our promise to free Arab prisoners in Israeli jails, our strugglers have captured two Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon," a statement by Hezbollah said. "The two soldiers have already been moved to a safe place," it added. The Lebanese police said that the two soldiers were captured as they "infiltrated" into the town of Aitaa al-Chaab inside the Lebanese border. Hindustan Times 7/12/06

The Lebanese Hezbollah movement announced Wednesday the arrest of two Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon. Lebanese police said that the two soldiers were arrested as they entered the town of Aitaa al-Chaab inside the Lebanese border. Israeli aircraft were active in the air over southern Lebanon, police said, with jets bombing roads leading to the market town of Nabatiyeh, 60 kilometers south of Beirut. Bahrain News Agency 7/12/06

TRANSLATION: According to the Lebanese police force, the two soldiers were captured in Lebanese territory, in the area of Aïta Al-Chaab close to the border, whereas Israeli television indicated that they had been captured in Israeli territory. fr.news.yahoo 7/12/06

In the afternoon, the scene changed in the streets of southern Lebanon, which was the target of 32 Israeli raids that mainly targeted areas near the area where the two soldiers were captured in Aita al Chaab, close to the border with Israel. news.monstersandcritics.com 7/12/06

According to the Lebanese police force, the two Israeli soldiers were captured in Lebanese territory, in the area of Aïta Al-Chaab, near to the border with Israel, where an Israeli unit had penetrated in middle of morning. AFP 7/12/06

The militant group Hezbollah said it captured two Israeli soldiers during clashes across the border in southern Lebanon on Wednesday. chinabroadcast 7/12/06

It all started on July 12 when Israel troops were ambushed on Lebanon's side of the border with Israel. Hezbollah, which commands the Lebanese south, immediately seized on their crossing. They arrested two Israeli soldiers, killed eight Israelis and wounded over 20 in attacks inside Israeli territory. Asia Times 7/15/06

It all boils down not to who you want to believe but what is your personal preference in regards to type of information you want to hear rather than the truth, facts, etc.

For Israel, it boils down to giving respect to their neighbors and not infiltrating into their lands while demanding respect for it self, claiming to have the right to defend it self and then go on field trips into enemy territory by crossing INTERNATIONAL BORDERS. And for Arabs as well as the arab groups operating in the region, they also need to give Israel and its citizen the respect they deserve and NOT target Israeli civilians in various attacks that they are accused of carrying out.

Very informative, i wasn't aware that there is a possibility that the israeli soldiers might have been abducted inside lebanon....

 

[kams]

Israel has agreed to suspend air strikes for 48 hours in south Lebanon.

 

[.pt]

They suspended the air raids only after yesterdays error at canaan.
Anyway, i suspect that this time the Israelis will have to fall back, sooner or later, as increasingly, their stated objectives have not been achieved so far, all they have earned is worlwide condemnation.
I think this time Hizbolah and Syria are smiling, because they are reaching their objectives, Hizbollah , despite military losses, on the political side is getting stonger and with new recruits, Syria is breaking out of their isolation.
In my view the only way for the Israelis to achieve something worthwhile is to invade Lebanon and establish a buffer zone, as in 1982, but this time circunstances are different and i don´t think they will do it, or want to.
Lesson: Airstrikes and artillery alone, are not effective in rooting out the enemy, or degrade its ability to strike back. And the so far limited incursions on Lebanon by IDF, are not degrading rocket launches.
.pt

 

[merocaine]

The whole point of the matter is who is willing to risk his troops to separate Israeli troops from the Hezbollah, establish a buffer zone, and disarm the Hezbollah as requested by the UN.
I know my country has even offered to lead a multinational contingent of UN troops in Southern Lebanon, though only if all parties to the conflict agree.
What a difficult mess to disentangle ...

I hope its an all italian force, the last time they were in the leb 1983/4 they were the best received and least antagonistic of all the foriegon troops, the Americans and French were seen as the allies of the Israelies and Christians respectivly. The last thing you would need is the French in the Leb, dispite all the noises their making it would be a desaster, it would be like sending the British into Afganistan a bad idea.... wait hang on a minute.

 

[merocaine]

They suspended the air raids only after yesterdays error at canaan.
Anyway, i suspect that this time the Israelis will have to fall back, sooner or later, as increasingly, their stated objectives have not been achieved so far, all they have earned is worlwide condemnation.
I think this time Hizbolah and Syria are smiling, because they are reaching their objectives, Hizbollah , despite military losses, on the political side is getting stonger and with new recruits, Syria is breaking out of their isolation.
In my view the only way for the Israelis to achieve something worthwhile is to invade Lebanon and establish a buffer zone, as in 1982, but this time circunstances are different and i don´t think they will do it, or want to.
Lesson: Airstrikes and artillery alone, are not effective in rooting out the enemy, or degrade its ability to strike back. And the so far limited incursions on Lebanon by IDF, are not degrading rocket launches.
.pt

Thats the problem with a over sized military, the temptation to use it, to solve your problems, is over powering. You could use your head or you bomb the shit out of your enemy.
Coupled with the relutence to take casultlies, the Israelies have managed to look Stupid and Weak! what a combination....
For all thier military sopistication they have lost control of the political situation and now they look like losing their border region to a neutral power.
Dispite what the Israelies think the international troops on the ground will be more sympathetic to the locals than to Israelies. Thats what happened pretty quickly with the UN Force, only the Israelies won't be able to intemidate the international troops so easly by bombing them.

Syria has come out of this strenghtened, not least because they have condemed Israeli actions from the very begining, while the rest of the arab league keept slient. And now the International force comes into place Israeli incusions and possibly over flights will be a thing of the past.

 

[Waylander]

What should an international force do what the IDF didn't achieved?
How are they going to stop Hizbollah from firing and building rockets?
By having a robust mandate? More robust than the actions of the IDF?
I don't think so.

BTW I don't want to see german soldiers there. It is a waste of lifes, money and time. Both sides will give a *** on the UN-Force if it fits into their plans.

 

[merocaine]

What should an international force do what the IDF didn't achieved?
How are they going to stop Hizbollah from firing and building rockets?
By having a robust mandate? More robust than the actions of the IDF?
I don't think so.

depends what you see the international force doing, I dont thinks it will be thier to stop cross border attacks, only an agreement between Hezzbullah and Israel can do that.
What they will do is monitor the border. Israel feels the UNIFIL is Biased against it, and after Israeli actions I dont see how it could be not be.
Whatever the Israelies say about not wanting to return to the Status Quo, I dont think they have any choice, because they have been unable to change any realites through military action.

There was an uneasy peace for 5 years on the border, Hezzbullah firing the occasional rocket, and Israel violating Lebanese air space daily and firing the occasional arti round into the Leb. What we will have is more of the same.
I can't see how the Israelies would think that the International force will act as a proxie army in their service.

But it looks like it could all be over soon anyway thank God, when this kind of stuff happens all the looneys come out of the wood work!

If their is an international force I do hope it will be of troops who do not have stratgic asperations in the area, or no historic links to any of the parties.
Italy, Spain, India, or even german

I think they would be in more danger from the IDF than Hezzbullah though

 

[Waylander]

No historic links to any of the parties? And you mention Germany?
Israel -> Jews

 

[merocaine]

No historic links to any of the parties? And you mention Germany?
Israel -> Jews

whoops... jesus how did I miss that one... a heavy weekend!!:drunk1

 

[.pt]

UN peacekeepers

Whatever the nationality of the troops that eventually deploy to Lebanon, i don´t envy their task.
Traditionally, rules of engagement of such forces are sh****, i.e., they are inadequate to the situation on the terrain and don´t provide the tools for the troops to defend thenselves, let alone intervene and keep the peace. Also, any forces to deploy must really have the means, i.e., the muscle, in order to be respected by all sides, especially the Israelis, or all they will get is humiliation, unnecessary casualties, and for no efective result. As such Forces take time to deploy and are very costly to maintain, i wonder who will pick up the tab?
Also, its very likely that hizbollah forces may use these forces to cover weapons smugling, deployments, etc, and that, eventually will take a response from the Israelis, and perhaps a few more casualties for nothing. Also, who can say if the Israelis will permit the deployment of such forces, in their soil, despite all the retoric? So i agree with merocaine that no international force will be able to do better than the IDF, to stop Hizbolah atacks, so its all a farse. For my part i just hope that no Portuguese troops will be deployed, because i agree with waylander.
.pt

 

[kams]

Whatever the nationality of the troops that eventually deploy to Lebanon, i don´t envy their task.
Traditionally, rules of engagement of such forces are sh****, i.e., they are inadequate to the situation on the terrain and don´t provide the tools for the troops to defend thenselves, let alone intervene and keep the peace. Also, any forces to deploy must really have the means, i.e., the muscle, in order to be respected by all sides, especially the Israelis, or all they will get is humiliation, unnecessary casualties, and for no efective result. As such Forces take time to deploy and are very costly to maintain, i wonder who will pick up the tab?
Also, its very likely that hizbollah forces may use these forces to cover weapons smugling, deployments, etc, and that, eventually will take a response from the Israelis, and perhaps a few more casualties for nothing. Also, who can say if the Israelis will permit the deployment of such forces, in their soil, despite all the retoric? So i agree with merocaine that no international force will be able to do better than the IDF, to stop Hizbolah atacks, so its all a farse. For my part i just hope that no Portuguese troops will be deployed, because i agree with waylander.
.pt

Agree with you 100%. This conflict has no military solution..only political. Unless Hizbollah is integrated in to Lebanese Army, the International force will get kicked from both sides (Israel and Hizbollah). I really don't thing India will deploy her forces under NATO command. I hope she won't and all our boys curently in Lebanon safetly make home.