>>But from what I see/hear Isreal has gone wayyyyyy too far. Just as the U.S. has gone wayyyyyyyyyy too far in the (alleged) "war on terror".
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>>Seems to me Israel could have strengthened its border posts to deter future kidnappings.
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>That is not a solution as the rockets into would still be flying as they were before the kidnappings.

How many rockets into Isreal from Labanon before the kidnappings? More to the point, how many citizens of Isreal were killed by those rockets?
The count is now over 35 Israelis DEAD since the retribution began. It adds up to a poor choice by the Israeli government in my books. Except that we are not aware of all the other factors at play here that seems to have the U.S. quite pleased with how things are going.

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>>By escalating the way they have Israel knew full well that it was jeopardizing countless regular citizens, yet their deaths seem to be acceptable while harm to the 2 soldiers is not.
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>C'mon Jim. There is a difference between targeting Hezbollah's members, safehouses and weapons caches, which are purposfully hidden amidst civillians and firing unguided rockets, some loaded with ball bearings for maximum casualties, into a city hoping to kill as many civilians as possible.

C'mon, Jake, your own response tells the story. The very idea of targeting anything that is purposefully hidden amidst the civilian population is a non-starter. Except when other hidden objectives may be at play.
The Israeli's apparently have poor aim and/or poor quality guidance in their missiles, given what's being bombed.
And you see a difference between a 40 pound 'payload' with some ballbearings and a 1000 pound bomb surrounded by metal that becomes shrapnel?
How many rockets from Lebanon, causing how many deaths, BEFORE the kidnappings?... Aimed at which cities?

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>How many Israeli civilians would've been killed were it not for their air-raid sirens and countless bunkers? The rockets have been flying since the pullout. Just like what happened in Gaza.

How many from Lebanon, causing how many deaths?... before the kidnappings?

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>Take this from another angle. What if the weapons were reversed and Israel had rockets and Hizballah had tanks, jets and 2000k bombs? Is there any doubt that hundreds of thousands of Israeli's would be immolated and their cities reduced to rubble?

No doubt at all. Just like it's actually happening right now with Israel doing the power shooting.

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>>Personally, I think there's something bigger at play here, probably involving attempts to get 'reaction' from Syria and/or Iran... then watch the fireworks fly!
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>There are several messages being sent.
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>Israel is sending a message to Syria and Iran. They know that Syria has provided the Katyusha rockets with ball-bearings. They know that the radar guided cruise missles that hit an Israeli warship and an Egyptian fishing boat were C-802s which are an Iranian-made variant of the Chinese Silkworm.

Forget about "messages" and tell me about objectives.
Do you find it strange, as I do, that this started within days (maybe hours) of Iran replying that they believed the proposal delivered regarding their nuclear 'ambitions' presented an acceptable framework for discussion? You should if you don't.
Do you find it strange that Secretary Rice suggests there may be a "cease fire" IN A FEW WEEKS yet when that happens she anticipates a multi-national force with teeth to get between the antagonists? Why can't they just do that now? Why does it take 6 weeks of war first????
One possible answer is to get Syria and Iran to do some misstep somewhere along the way. Something perfectly natural but blown all out of proportion.
Do you find it strange that Iran and Syria are accused of funding/supplying terrorists yet the U.S. was the master of such skulduggery in the past?

No, with elections looming in the U.S. and Iran ready to talk about its nuclear programs and Iraq going as it is and Afghanistan in a sorry state, something had to be done. Wag the dog.

cheers
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>The US is sending message by not restraining Israel.
>The message from other Arab leaders, by not supporting Hezbollah, to Iran and Syria.
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>>Nothing better for the future of incumbents than to have a broadening war to deal with.
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>Israel just had its national election in March. There is more going on that politics.