White House Opposition to Israeli Military Escalation Ironic

Israel's Security Cabinet today approved plans to send IDF troops deeper into Lebanon which will clearly expand the ground war. At the same time, Hezbollah rejected the U.N. peace plan which had been falling apart almost from the moment it was first proposed.

White House press secretary Tony Snow said that “We are working hard now to bridge differences between the United States position and some of the positions of our allies. We want an end to violence and we do not want escalations.”

This statement sounds very much like those spoken by many individuals leading up to the invasion of Iraq in 2003, yet, this same White House decided not to pay heed. Makes one wonder: why should Israel pay heed?

They shouldn't. Less than two weeks ago, President Bush was very definitive in comparing Israel's actions in Lebanon to the U.S. action in Iraq...both a fight against the forces of global terror. If so, Israel should press further, and harder. Unlike our military incursion into Iraq, Israel was actually attacked, and they've responded as they should. President Bush seems to be practicing "do as I say, not as I do" diplomacy.