We'll Give You One More Week to Pound Hezbollah

The Guardian is reporting that the U.S. has told Israel it has one more week to finish pounding Hezbollah:

The US is giving Israel a window of a week to inflict maximum damage on Hizbullah before weighing in behind international calls for a ceasefire in Lebanon, according to British, European and Israeli sources.

The Bush administration, backed by Britain, has blocked efforts for an immediate halt to the fighting initiated at the UN security council, the G8 summit in St Petersburg and the European foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels.

"It's clear the Americans have given the Israelis the green light. They [the Israeli attacks] will be allowed to go on longer, perhaps for another week," a senior European official said yesterday. Diplomatic sources said there was a clear time limit, partly dictated by fears that a prolonged conflict could spin out of control.

US strategy in allowing Israel this freedom for a limited period has several objectives, one of which is delivering a slap to Iran and Syria, who Washington claims are directing Hizbullah and Hamas militants from behind the scenes.

I have a feeling this report is probably correct. Right now there's no reason to stop Israel from dismantling Hezbollah. Let 'em finish the job.

Meanwhile, CNN is acting as Hezbollah's handmaidens as the terrorist's press agent gave CNN a tour of the damage zone in Beirut, and of course claimed the entire area was only filled with civilians. The Hezbollah rep challenged Israel, live on CNN, to come and fight face-to-face. He's going to get his wish.

I was listening yesterday morning to Captain Dale Dye, the military analyst on KFI in Los Angeles. Captain Dye says the current pattern of airstrikes in Southern Lebanon is consistent with the "cut them off and then kill them" strategy. Israel is fixing Hezbollah in place by cutting off their avenues of escape and resupply, and will likely move in ground forces to clean up whatever's left. The terrorists are going to get their face-to-face fight.