Condoleezza Rice in Beirut
Before her arrival in Lebanon on Monday, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the need for a cease-fire between Israel and Lebanon-based Hezbollah guerrillas is “urgent,” but only when the conditions are right.Rice spoke with reporters en route to the Middle East, where she’s expected to meet with Israeli and Lebanese officials Monday.
“We believe that a cease-fire is urgent,” Rice told reporters on a flight from Washington to a refueling stop in Ireland. “It is important, however, to have conditions that will make it sustainable.”
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“The really important thing here is that whatever we do has to contribute to Lebanon’s regaining sovereignty over all its territory,” said Rice.
“It’s just very important that we work urgently, but that we also work in a way that is going to push this forward, not backwards.”
It seems clear to me that Rice’s message to Lebanon is that we can work for a cease fire, but only if you cooperate with the U.S. and/or Israel in getting Hezbollah out of Lebanon (as an armed force at the least.)
That has always seemed to me to be the best option in dealing with this crisis but it may be a difficult thing for the Lebanese Government to do, not only from a military perspective, but from a political one as well.



I feel that Ms. Rice should get her head out of the sand and see the regional conflict for what it really is (although, in her heart, she already knows this). It seems more and more to me that Israel is the aggressor in this war. The leaders of this nation use the excuse of wanting the kidnapped soldiers for starting their terror attacks on the population of Labanon. They say that they only wish to target Hezbollah forces, but they know well enough that most of the damage has been on the people of Labanon, especially the Muslim population. They wish to punish these people for voting for and aiding Hezbollah leaders. According to Israel, this should not be happening……..If they take sides with Hezbollah, then they should be punished!
Ms. Rice, has already shown her colours. She does not come to the region with solutions, rather with altimatums..to the Arab people. Why she was even invited to visit Labanon is beyond my understanding…She will not be fair………has the Bush Administration ever been fair!!