Top Items:
John / OPFOR:
PREPPING THE BATTLESPACE — One of the lessons America, and the world, drew from the lightning campaigns of Gulf Wars I & II was the importance of battlesplace preparation. That is, the conditioning of the battlefield's environment prior to initiating full scale military operations.
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Observer:
Children die in convoy attack as Israel widens Lebanon assault — Inigo Gilmore in Nahariyah, Patrick Wintour in St Petersburg and Tracy McVeigh — Israel steeply escalated its military campaign against Hizbollah in Lebanon yesterday with a series of air strikes that left more than 35 civilians dead …
Hassan M. Fattah / New York Times:
Blame by Some Arab Leaders for Fighters — BEIRUT, Lebanon, July 16 — With the battle between Israel and the Lebanese militia Hezbollah raging, key Arab governments have taken the rare step of blaming Hezbollah, underscoring in part their growing fear of influence by the group's main sponsor, Iran.
Ynetnews:
Left-wing rally: Negotiate with Hamas, Hizbullah — Some 1,000 people take part in march held in protest of Israeli operations in Lebanon, Gaza. Demonstrators call on government to cease military actions, negotiate for release of hostages — Moran Rada
Ze'ev Schiff / Haaretz:
ANALYSIS: Israel-Hezbollah fighting yet to reach its zenith — The fighting between Israel and the Hezbollah, which is backed by Syria and Iran, has still not reached its zenith. The Israel Defense Forces' operational plans against the Shi'ite organizations have not yet been carried out.
Forkum / Cox & Forkum Editorial Cartoons:
Disproportionate Response — The criticism that Israel is using a "disproportionate response" to the kidnappings of its soldiers is an attempt to morally disarm Israel and make Israel out to be a bully. This notion is ludicrous when considered in the full context: Hezbollah and Hamas initiated …
Reuters:
G8 calls on Hizbollah to end attacks
G8 calls on Hizbollah to end attacks
Discussion:
California Conservative, Riehl World View, The Democratic Daily, Power Line and Captain's Quarters
New York Times:
In an About-Face, Sunnis Want U.S. to Remain in Iraq — BAGHDAD, Iraq, July 16 — As sectarian violence soars, many Sunni Arab political and religious leaders once staunchly opposed to the American presence here are now saying they need American troops to protect them from the rampages …
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Aqeel Hussein / Telegraph:
Mortars let fly as Iraq draws first front line of civil war — The battle lines of a full-scale civil war in Iraq have been drawn in Baghdad. — Highway 60 has become one of the bloodiest fronts in the war between Sunni and Shia. Known to its frightened inhabitants as the "street of death" …
Discussion:
Winds of Change.NET, ParaPundit, The Democratic Daily, Unqualified Offerings and The Peking Duck
Robert H. Reid / Associated Press:
Bomber kills 26 at cafe in northern Iraq
Bomber kills 26 at cafe in northern Iraq
Discussion:
The Sundries Shack
Wretchard / The Belmont Club:
The Terrible Ifs Accumulate — The Washington Post writes: … Commentary — These goals are consistent with the military activity being reported, which resembles an air/sea campaign designed to degrade enemy assets in preparation for a large ground attack. Not just a raid, but an attack far larger in scope.
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Philip J. LaVelle / San Diego Union-Tribune:
Dean raps Bush on defense — Democratic chairman speaks at conference — Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean accused President Bush last night of being weak on national defense and absent in the escalating violence between Israel and Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon.
Discussion:
The Reaction, Ankle Biting Pundits, littlegreenfootballs.com, RedState, Outside The Beltway and Old War Dogs
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David Postman / The Seattle Times:
A different tone from Gingrich on World War III — When Newt Gingrich told me yesterday that he thinks we are in the midst of World War III he mentioned that he'd be on Meet the Press this morning. I was getting something of a preview of his take on global conflicts and the current Middle East crisis:
Sebastian Mallaby / Washington Post:
The Fighters and the Freeloaders — Before things can turn a corner in the Middle East, we need the diplomatic equivalent of electric-shock therapy. We may need $100 oil to jolt the Europeans and the Chinese. We may need the Russians to be told that they can forget joining the World Trade Organization.
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Mark Steyn / Chicago Sun Times:
'Great Men' have grating effect on Mideast — I was on the road the other night and so found myself watching CNN's coverage of Israel, Lebanon, Gaza, etc. It was "Larry King Live," and it was one of those shows where Larry interviews great men about what needs to be done and the great men …
Richard A. Epstein / Chicago Tribune:
The problem with presidential signing statements — a law professor at the University of Chicago — Recently, the Republican chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Arlen Specter, held a hearing about "presidential signing statements." Shortly thereafter, the Supreme Court issued …
Washington Post:
A New Alliance Of Democrats Spreads Funding — But Some in Party Bristle At Secrecy and Liberal Tilt — An alliance of nearly a hundred of the nation's wealthiest donors is roiling Democratic political circles, directing more than $50 million in the past nine months to liberal think tanks …
Terence Hunt / Associated Press:
U.S. Evacuation Teams Arrive in Lebanon — U.S. security teams landed at the American embassy just outside Beirut on Sunday to plan the evacuation of some of the estimated 25,000 U.S. citizens living in war-torn Lebanon. — Witnesses said two helicopters flew in from over the Mediterranean …