The Temptation to Occupy Lebanon

The Vietnam War proved to guerrillas everywhere that with patience even a "Third World" home team stands a good chance of beating a visiting world power, first France, then the USA.

The USA learned from this experience and avoided entering conflicts where they would face a similar disadvantage.

After all, what country could withstand a conventional military conflict with the USA?

Not one.

Therefore, if one were preparing for an assault and occupation by a conventional military, one would make provisions for a protracted guerilla engagement after the likely defeat of the conventional military.

It would also be logical for Pentagon war games to assume this would be at least one strategy a likely opponent would apply.

The vexing behavior of the assembled armies in the First Iraq War now seem "prudent," as senior would say.

Then came Junior.

The boy who avoided Vietnam wants to make up for it by sending his children to fight in Iraq. Oh wait, no, they didn't volunteer to go. Home...

The intelligent learn from their mistakes. The wise learn from others mistakes.

Now Israel seems poised to set themselves up as fools...

The Intifada succeeded where five wars did not. Occupying Lebanon (again!) will only put Israeli soldiers in a similar position to America and British troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.