Submitted by Dave Levy, May 3, 2007 15:26

This recovery process is not so simple as replacing the top leaders and the cabinet, as some people are proposing.

Olmert, Livni and Peretz had available to them, all the miliary and political advice they needed before making the decision to strike Hezbollah's positions, missile locations and concentrations of troops.

They were caught in a UN squeeze so to speak. They made the decision to send in those 50,000 troops too late., when they saw that the initial bombings were not producing the desired effect. No matter who would have lead at the time, the innocent civilians caught up in this, including many Americans living in Lebanon, was an impediment to a more harsh and devestating attack.

Israel's problem is not in it's leadership or military advantages (It can destroy entire Arab armies if wants), but in it's relationship to the US, EU and UN, all of which are putting restraints on it.

Even if more right wing leaders were to take over, Israel would still be in the same predicament.

It must might be time for Israeli leaders to call for a regional conference, including it's main enemies (and Iran) and settle this 100 year old war once and for all.

However, withdrawing from the so-called "occupied territories" at this time, without guarantees by the other side, enforceable, are not worth the paper written on.

As part of any "deal". Iran's nuclear threat will have to be addressed.

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