Israel’s Tremendous Restraint
I must admit that it sure appears that Israel is giving a serious beating to Lebanon, including its civilian population. However, something I heard my Dad say prompted me to look a little closer. Consider the following, published at many a major news outlet (emphasis added):
The level of damage inflicted by Israel appeared finely calibrated. For example, a missile punched a hole in a major suspension bridge on the Beirut-Damascus road but did not destroy it, unlike less expensive bridges on the road that were brought down. An Israeli strike hit fuel depots at one of Beirut’s two power stations — sending massive fireballs and smoke into the sky — but avoided the station itself.
Throughout the morning, Israeli fighter-bombers pounded runways at Beirut’s airport for a second day, apparently trying to ensure its closure after the Lebanese national carrier, Middle East Airlines, managed to evacuate its last five planes to Jordan. One bomb hit close to the terminal building.
Israel is very capable of bringing down expensive suspension bridges and destroying power plants, but all they do it make the bridge unusable right now and make the power plant unable to supply power right now. They want to put pressure on Lebanon — including its civilian population — but they don’t want a long-term humanitarian crisis.
For all of the “opponents” that the Lebanese could be facing, they better be glad they are facing an enemy that cares enough to avoid wholesale destruction. Unfortunately, I believe that it is likely that very few will ever understand Israel’s tremendous restraint.