Redstate

By Mark Kilmer Posted in Elections — Comments (5) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »

Sunday, July 30, 2006

The deaths at Qana were a big part of this morning's shows, but the most important concept to the hosts seemed to be that Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora had told Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to go away, she was not welcome in Beirut.

On MTP, Israeli Ambassador to the UN Dan Gillerman said that Hezbollah had probably planned to sucker Israel into striking civilians in Qana to thwart any chance of peace. Russert's next guest on MTP, Lebanese special envoy Nouhad Mahmoud, glibly told Russert that he respects Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah; while the two disagree on whether or not Israel should exist, he said, this was unimportant as it was not an issue in this conflict.

Special advisor to Siniora, Mohamad Chatah, basically told George Stephanopoulos on TW that human shields were a legitimate means of warding off attacks on military installations, as there can be no reason whatsoever for killing women and children. Undersecretary of State Nick Burns told Brit Hume on FNS that the battle between Israel and Hezbollah is about Iran. On TW, he told Steph that the DMZ in the south of Lebanon would be from the Israeli border to the Litani River. No setback entered his tone.

Responding to a new anti-Bushie novel by a WashPost reporter, Paul Bremer again explained debathification and the dissolution of the Iraqi army.

On FTN, Lebanese Prime Minister Siniora said that the Israeli strike on Qana ten years ago was called, by the Israelis, "The Grapes of Wrath." His name for this incident is: "The Grapes of Hatred." On the same show, Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Shimon Peres asked of Hezbollah: "What do they want?" The question was rhetorical, no doubt.

On LE, Lebanese Justice Minister Charles Rizk posited that the Israelis had struck Qana because they did not want Secretary Rice to negotiate a cease fire. Nick Burns explained to Blitzer that Secretary Rice had told Siniora that she didn't think now was a good time for her to go to Lebanon, rather than him telling her to get lost.

Read on for the show-by-show review…

TIM AND GILLERMAN ON MTP. Tim Russert had as his first guest on NBC's Meet the Press Israeli UN Ambassador Dan Gillerman. Russert wanted to know if Israel would agree to Lebanon's call for an immediate cease fire in the wake of the civilian deaths at Qana. Gillerman acknowledged that the death of civilians was tragic. He added: "They may have been hit by Israeli bombs, but they are victims of the Hezbollah. If Hezbollah was not there, this would never have happened. And I wouldn't put it beyond that vicious, brutal, cynical terrorist organization to have held those people there against their will after we repeatedly asked them to leave, so that they would actually be used as human shields." He admitted that it might sound farfetched, but he posited that Hezbollah could have wanted this to happen, "as this serves nobodies purposes but Hezbollah and Iran."

Israel will not agree to a cease fire, he said, because Hezbollah would then remain in Lebanon, holding the people there hostage, and terrorizing Israel. "This kind of thing could happen tomorrow or the week after."

Russert averred that the people in Qana could not leave because they had no money, and the entire world thought Israel was awful. He asked Gillerman is Israel was losing world opinion badly because of Qana. Gillerman said that he would not be surprised if Hezbollah didn't time Qana to happen precisely when Secretary Rice was there, as every time they near a "ray of hope," the terrorist do something to sabotage it because they do not want peace.

He pointed out that 115 Katyusha rockets were fired at Israel. The difference, he said, is that Hezbollah fires to kill civilians while Israel tries to avoid civilians while going after Hezbollah.

"This is part of the war on terror. We are fighting this not only for ourselves but for the rest of the world," said Gillerman, which sounds as if it could be the President's sentiments relayed to Prime Minister Olmert by Secretary Rice.

Russert asked if the total elimination of Hezbollah were still the policy of Israel, and Gillerman said that he meant that they should be "totally disarmed." He grieved that Lebanon has been "taken hostage" and "strangled."

Russert accused Israel of attacking the whole of Lebanon, not just the Hezbollah strongholds in the south. Gillerman cited remarks made by Lebanese special envoy Nouhad Mahmoud, Russert's next guest, on American television saying that one could not distinguish between Hezbollah and the rest of Lebanon: "Hezbollah is everywhere." He defined the most evil "Axis of Terror" as Iran, Syria, and Hezbollah. (Expect Zawahiri, or someone with a similar voice, to release another cassette claiming Qaeda control of Iran, Syria, and Hezbollah.)

Russert cited Noah Feldman of the CFR as asserting in the New York Times that Israel's recent actions have backfired and united everyone against Israel. Gillerman allowed that this was the case in some instances, but he asked Feldman what he would want Israel to do. What would anybody do? What would the United States do if our third largest city, Chicago, were bombed from Canada? Send the postcards, flowers? (Haifa is Israel's third largest city.) He added that the Lebanese do not need incentive to hate Israel, as this is how they've been raised.)

Once Hezbollah is gone, he promised, Israel will work with other countries "to rebuild Israel." He said he wants children to go to school on both sides without fear of bombs.

Russert wanted to know if this has been a more difficult military exercise than Israel had expected. (Shades of the U.S. in Iraq?) Gillerman said no, they knew Hezbollah had dug in. And if they chose not to be sensitive to civilians targets, they could have obliterated the cities and finished this much sooner.

Russert thanked him for the views of his government.

RUSSERT AND NOUHAD MAHMOUD. Russert's next guest was Lebanese special envoy Nouhad Mahmoud. He asked if Rice would be welcomed to Beirut soon, highlighting that Rice had evidently been forbidden from showing up by Lebanese Prime Minister Siniora. Mahmoud replied that Rice was to arrive today, "but unfortunately, that didn't happen." He said their always looking for political solutions from the United States, which is the "main Superpower that can have connections with both sides."

Russert asked if she'd ever be allowed in Beirut, and Mahmoud said that perhaps in the coming days, as they need America for any ceasefire.

Russert asked if Israel were doing the right thing by trying to eliminate Hezbollah. Mahmoud said that everyone can see that Israel is not doing the right thing. They are committing war crimes and "destroying the country."

If Israel is trying to destroy Hezbollah, he said, they are losing the war.

Russert read the relevant portion UNSC Resolution 1559 of 2004 and asked him why the government of Lebanon had refused to remove Hezbollah. He said that there was no "quick fix." Russert asked him to admit that the Lebanese army was not strong enough to disband Hezbollah, and Mahmoud said: "It's not in our political agenda to disband them militarily."

Russert quoted Lebanese President Emile Lahoud as saying that Hezbollah had "freed" Lebanon and Hassan Nasrallah had his "utmost respect." Russert asked Mahmoud if Nasrallah had his respect. Mahmoud answered glibly: "Sure." Russert quoted Nasrallah from 1999 calling for the "disappearance" of Israel: "Peace settlements will not change reality, which is that

Israel is the enemy and that it will never be a neighbor or a nation." Mahmoud responded, "We don't agree on that, but we are not working on that."

Mahmoud said that Israel constantly reminds everyone of their might, and Israel wants "everyone to submit to their dictation." The man sounds like Hugo Chavez talking about the United States.

Russert asked him if Lebanese Christians minds had been changed about Hezbollah because of the Israel's actions in such a way that they would now vote for Hezbollah. Mahmoud muttered something about Israeli aggression and fell asleep.

CHATAH ON TW Host George Stephanopoulos, on ABC's This Week, first spoke with Dr. Mohamad Chatah, a senior advisor to Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora. Chatah talked about the Israel strike on the Lebanese town of Qana, calling it a "tragic event." He wondered aloud if Israel were targeting children. Steph asked him about the Israeli belief that Hezbollah was using the facility for its operations, and Chatah declared: "That's no excuse for killing women and children." So he's all for Hezbollah using Lebanese women and children as human shields. He said that the attack "cannot be justified by anything."

"There's no way anyone can create peace by terrorizing women and children," Dr. Chatah warned. "It's not war -- it's a war crime." He complained repeatedly about the "Israeli war machine," blaming them for the war only because they are capable of killing more people than is Hezbollah.

Chatah wants a cease fire, he told Steph: "We want it to last."

NICK BURNS ON FNS. Brit Hume was in again for Chris Wallace on FOX News Sunday this morning, and his first guest was Undersecretary of State Nick Burns. Burns told Brit that Secretary Rice "has a lot of work to do," including convincing the UN Security Council to send a force to Southern Lebanon. He explained that Secretary Rice did not go to Beirut today because she thought, with the strike at Qana, she wanted to stay in Israel. Brit repeated that Siniora had fumed earlier that there would be no talks after "the massacre."

Burns said that everyone agreed on a "sanctions regime" against Iran, which will be "a devastating blow to them." He said that the Israel-Hezbollah battle "is about Iran," as Hezbollah is a proxy for Iran. He guaranteed "a lot of action in New York at the Security Council this week."

Perhaps they'll commission a study. (Sarcasm on a Sunday.)

NICK BURNS ON TW Burns was Steph's next guest on ABC. He talked about a "political agreement" and a force for Southern Lebanon. The DMZ, though he didn't use that term and it might not be exactly accurate, is to be from the Israeli-Lebanese border north to the Litani River.

Secretary Burns said that the goal is "to avoid a repetition of the situation where you basically put a band aid on something." After what happened at Qana, many world governments are calling for the band aid.

Burns pointed out that while Hezbollah serves as a political organization and a social organization, it is also a terrorist organization.

Of the force to be sent to southern Lebanon, Burns said that it will not be "a blue-helmeted UN force," but it the United Nations will authorize it. He said that because it will be entering a "war situation," it will have to be a strong force capable of fighting. This indicates that the U.S. might not want to wait for a cessation of hostilities or a cease fire, or it may be an acknowledgement that Hezbollah cannot be trusted not to fire indiscriminately at Israel.

AYALON ON TW. Israel's Ambassador to the U.N., Danny Ayalon, was Steph's next guest. He demanded a safe return of the two Israeli soldiers abducted by Hezbollah in order that the abduction not turn into a Hezbollah gain. Israel wants to destroy Hezbollah, he iterated, because a cease fire which last for only months won't do. The militia must be denied any military power.

BREMER ON FNS. Former Coalition Provisional Authority head Paul Bremer was Brit's next guest on FNS. He said that to secure Baghdad, we must move to disband the various militias. Moqtada al Sadr's Mehdi Army, he said, should be the primary focus. Brit asked why they hadn't killed al Sadr. Bremer replied that they wanted to let the Iraqis determine his fate, but when he was there, the tried to "find a way to deal with" a Sadr. Brit wanted to know, again, about killing him. Bremer said that his fear, while he was there, was that al Sadr would develop into an anti-Democratic force; Bremer observed that he has.

Hume asked Bremer about disbanding the Iraqi Army, something which a new book alleges should not have been done after the war. Bremer said that this criticism has been around for a long time, like a "cat with nine lives." Bremer explained that there was no Iraqi Army left to disband -- as they had mostly been conscripted Shi'ites who simply went home --- so the question was not whether to disband them, but whether to call them up again. Bremer said that the Iraqi army had killed Shi'a and Kurds by the thousands, and if they were recalled, it would have told the Iraqis that we were not serious about replacing Saddam's regime.

The book to which Hume referred also criticized the President for "Debathification." Another cat with nine lives, Bremer sighed. He said that it was exactly like Denazification" after World War II, as Saddam had publicly said that he emulated that Nazi Party. Bremer explained that only one percent of the Baath members had been told that they could not hold public office. They were allowed to go into business, start newspapers, etc. This was important, Bremer said, to convince the Iraqis that we were serious when we promised that we would rid them of Saddam's regime.

SINIORA ON FTN. CBS' Face the Nation host Bob Schieffer first spoke with Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora. He had just declared Secretary Rice's efforts to broker a case fire were "now in shambles" after Qana. Lara Logan said that the "devastation is very, very huge." There are 5,000 people in Beirut, Logan reported, protesting Israel and the United States by breaking car windows and threatening to destroy Tel Aviv.

Siniora said, "Thank you, Bob. The situation is very bad." He said that 50% of the 50 people killed were children, one of whom was only a day old. He said that this was the repetition of an "Israeli crime" in Qana a decade ago. He pointed out that the invasion of ten years ago, the called "The Grapes of Wrath"; this one, he said, was "The Grapes of Hatred."

Siniora claimed fifty Israeli separate strikes on Qana.

Schieffer asked Siniora if it were after the raid that he told Secretary Rice that she was "unwelcome in Beirut." Siniora implied that he never said that, and instead urged an immediate cease fire. He said he was speaking to the American people, that Israel's crimes were "crimes against humanity." We, the American people, are to "stand for peace and an immediate cease fire," he challenged.

Schieffer asked if Siniora had no influence on Hezbollah, as he'd done nothing to stop Hezbollah from firing on Israeli. Siniora said that they knew nothing about Hezbollah's strikes and disavowed them.

"It's high time to find a solution," Siniora sang.

Schieffer pointed out that Hezbollah had vowed retaliation, so wouldn't he ask Hezbollah to stop it. He said that Israel is still occupying Lebanon "for years and years" and keeping Lebanese prisoners in detention. He asked for a map of land mines put in Lebanon by Israel.

He invoked the Armistace of 1949.

Schieffer thanked him and called him "impassioned."

BOB AND SHIMON ON FTN. Schieffer's next guest was Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Shimon Peres, to whom he referred as a "Nobel laureate." Schieffer brought up a report out of Jerusalem that Prime Minister Olmert had told Secretary Rice that Israel needed another two weeks. Peres first spoke sensitively about the terrible tragedy of the death of children. Then he mentioned that four times, foreign governments and organizations have seized Lebanon.

He asked of Hezbollah, "What do they want?" It was almost rhetorical. He said that the "tragedy will end" the moment the shelling stops.

Schieffer asked if the Lebanese government could stop Hezbollah. Peres said that if they can't, "they don't have a say." He pointed out that the Lebanese army had done nothing to stop Hezbollah. He called the Lebanese people "a great people," and he said that Israel wants to live with them in peace, work together, etc.

Schieffer asked again about the two weeks Olmert reportedly told Rice that Israel needed before a cease fire, and Peres offered that he didn't think Olmert had said such a thing. "It's merely speculation."

BLITZER TALKS TO RIZK. On CNN's Late Edition, host Wolf Blitzer first spoke to Charles Rizk, the Lebanese Justice Minister. He told Blitzer that Prime Minister Siniora had not told Rice to go away, she was no longer liked' rather, he thought the mission should be postponed in the wake of Qana. Blitzer asked Rizk he thought Rice was at all effective, given how everything had been botched. Rizk said that Rice is very much respected.

Blitzer asked him if Hezbollah had used the people at Qana as human shields. Rizk rejected that idea, and demanded that this be investigated by an impartial, international body. He said that it is Israel's mission is so to attack women and children, as this is what they have done for the past three weeks. He said that what happened in Qana "is a representation of all that has happened for the last three weeks." It's not a war, he said; rather, it's a "massacre of women and children." Ninety-percent of the dead, he said, are civilians.

Blitzer asked Rizk if it were Lebanese policy that Hezbollah be disarmed, and would the Lebanese army do it? He referred to seven points to which Lebanon had agreed, and complained that the kidnapping of two soldiers does not justify the slaughter of women and children.

Rizk hinted that Israel may have hit the civilians in Qana to "sabotage" Secretary Rice's visit and any cease fire.

BURNS AND WOLF. Blitzer next spoke to Undersecretary for State Nick Burns, who had Rice heading back to Washington after meeting with Prime Minister Olmert. He sees "much of the action shifting back to New York," the UNSC, over the next week. Blitzer characterized Siniora's statement to Rice as telling her that she's not welcome. Burns had Rice telling Siniora that she thought now would not be the right time for a meeting and Siniora agreeing with this.

Blitzer asked Burns who blames for the deaths of women and children in Qana: Israel or Hezbollah. Burns said that the deaths were tragic, but Israel has a right to defend itself. "What we have to do now, is to turn our attention and keep the kind of sustainable cease fire" to prevent incidents like this from happening again.

Burns accused Hezbollah of "co-locating" its forces with civilians. He also pointed out that Hezbollah had not warned the civilians in Northern Israel that the missiles would be incoming. (Israel has warned the people of southern Lebanon."

Burns said that the United States would like Hezbollah to respect the sovereignty of the government of Lebanon.

Blitzer quoted Chuck Hagel as calling for a direct dialogue with Syria. Burns explained that we have diplomatic relations with Syria, but "Iran and Syria have acted irresponsibly."

-----

Have at it! (But remember that if John Kerry were President… yadda, yadda, yadda.)