Both Israel and Hezbolla are claiming victory. Who is right?

Question

No childish answers...Adults only please

Answer 1

The way I see it, as long is the fighting is over, both sides are winners.

Answer 2

They both won, at the expense of the Lebanese civilian population.

Israel has shown it can do what it pleases, and control the USA for a while. I can't get the image of the combined Rice-Olmert press conference where Rice kept looking at Olmert for approval.

Furthermore, it has carved a slice of Lebanese territory and will most likely establish a buffer zone without giving up a slice of its territory. Best of all the world kept quiet and let it do what it wanted.

Just one more point, does anyone find it strange that Hariri was supposedly killed by Syria who already had troops in Lebanon? Why would they do that? It was contrary to their interests; Hariri was a nuisance but one they could live with. After Hariri's disappearance, Syria had to move out and leave a vacuum. This made the invasion easier for Israel; a real army moving out. Hezbollah was also likely to be trying to fill that vacuum.

Hezbollah gained respect as fighters and more following. They did not collapse despite huge Israeli pressure, so they are definitely a good military force, especially in urban warfare. Furthermore, the bombings of civilians is likely to have converted quite a few ordinary Lebanese people to their cause; not necessarily as fighters, but at least as sympathisers.

I'd say both are right, but the unsaid bit is that it's the innocent Lebanese population who were driven out of their homes, hunted, killed... who lost.

Answer 3

Well in the long term, i think the winner is the Hezbollahs. Although as of now, Hezbollah force is injured more that the Israelis, this Israel attack on the Hezbollahs stirred up a huge tension in the Middle East. Obviously, most Muslim countries backed the Hezbollahs in someway or another, though they dont admit it, but to have all those muslim nations against Israel, surrounding it, no matter how good Israel's nukes are, Israel just lost.

Answer 4

They are both wrong. There are no real winners in war. War is mostly unwinnable in the long term. Humans have a way of ignoring this fact when they want to start a war. If someone had told the Israelis not to bomb Lebanon but to ask Hisbulla how many of the many prisoners they wanted for their soldier they would have scoffed. But after many dead on both sides, it looks like this is the most likely action. The lesson is we should negotiate first and shoot later. Both sides now have to clear up the mess and it wont take 4 weeks

Answer 5

You have to admit - the Pakwaks gave the Jew-boys a bit of a beating - What do you expect it was mostly all Nancy boy University Student Reservists ..who all have a Fall Wedding in New York to attend.. The Israelis took it easy on them No "Real" Missiles was used..it was all powder shells. A few Tomahawk Cruise Missiles would have flattened the place in a couple of days and saved a few serviceman's lives. The Pakwaks were probably high on Hash & Bin Lah Lah Videos.. The 2 of them need a good Kicking.

Answer 6

true and here is why:
1. 30000 solders VS 3000 fighters
2.32 days of fighting on the ground Israel was the under dog.
3. Israel was rated te 4 military power in the world today its 13
4. Israel was forced to negotiate the swap of prisoners.
5. for the 1st time in Israeli wars many Israeli cities were attacked
The only thing Israel was able to do from the sky like Bombing airports, electricity stations, water stations, schools ,road ,media centers, hospitals , apartments , and killing civilians.

Answer 7

I think Hezbollah has the right to claim victory. Because they killed and wounded more soldiers than Israel has done to Hezbollah and Haifa is almost completely destroyed. Sure Israel killed more, but they were cheap and killed civilians. CIVILIANS are easy to kill, It is a war crime to me. The areas Israel hit were really rural areas in Lebanon so the Price of damage isn't a big deal but Haifa is a city like Dallas Texas and the damage is in the billions...

Answer 8

Neither side has won, neither side ever will win, neither side will ever stop - it's in their blood down to a molecular level.
They are both scum in my opinion. Not very grown up, but I'm just too angry. There is no rationalising this kind of behaviour - this perpetual pissing contest by two sides who cherry pick their beliefs and philosophies at the expense of women and children. Hezbollah are disgusting for hiding amongst the people of Lebanon who receive their support. Iran is having fun stirring whilst pretending it's hands are not dirty. Israel is a disgrace for it's indiscriminate bombing. The world is a disgrace for allowing this to go on. Shame on us all.

Answer 9

How can there be a winner after so many deaths of innocent people???????? Why cant people sit down and discuss their problems rather then go to war and people suffer and die?to answer the question neither have a right to claim any sort of victory,they should both be ashamed of the slaughter they have caused!!!!

Answer 10

Hezbollah (or however you spell it) won; more exactly, Iran won because Hezbollah is simply an arm of the Iranian military. They got away with capturing Israeli soldiers on Israel's home turf; these soldiers are undoubtedly dead now, given Hezbollah's history with captives. Hezbollah also got away with an extended campaign of literally hundreds of rocket attacks on civilian targets; yet successfully swayed both Arab and Western media, and the UN, to paint Israel as the aggressor.

They also arranged for an innocent nation, Lebanon, to take the brunt of the retaliation; Iran itself is unscathed and can continue to re-arm Hezbollah while pursuing its nuclear ambitions uninterrupted. They will attack again, and with far greater confidence now that they know they can count on Europe and certain elements of the US government (you know who you are) to throw Israel to the wolves.

Remember, 'Lebanon' is Arab for 'Belgium.'

Answer 11

if you count the amount of civilians killed, displacement caused to millions, pollutions caused to the coastline and environment,
Infrastructures damaged and carving for herself a nice juicy piece of another man's homeland while the UN and the US looks on. Israel wins hands down.
If you are thinking of Warships, planes and Helicopters downed Soilders killed, tanks destroyed,objectives unfulfilled. you'll have to hand victory to the Hezbollah who have shown the whole world that all the modern weapons of war means nothing if youve got people fighting straight from the heart for their homeland.
What remains true of this war is that Israel fought to defend herself on another man's land.