Read this interesting article published by the World Security Network talking about a plan for peace in the Middle East.

This is a pretty intelligent and thought out plan for Israel, Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine to come to a peaceful resolution. The short story:

• Common values for all sides need to be established. i.e economic interdependence
• Israel, USA, and EU need to implement a policy of reconciliation in addition to power politics
• For instance, rebuilding the damaged infrastructure in Lebanon.
• Through compassion and interdependence, the pools of hatred and terrorism from which groups like Hezbollah, Hamas, and Fatah draw their power will dry up.
• Syria will be isolated from its neighbors as the only terror-sponsoring dictatorship and will have to transform itself in order to survive, probably changing into a democracy of some sort.
• Palestine needs a new pragmatic leadership to step up and make decisions that enable the state to have a purpose other then the destruction of Israel.

Anyway, and interesting article I thought. I did not know that Israel's attacks on Lebanon were actually done with the blessing of the UN - Resolution 1559 apparently allows another nation to come in and open up a can of whoopass on possible terrorist threats. Hmm sounds familiar... US is to Iraq as Israel is to Lebanon? Of course without the reconstruction, occupation, and endless world policing.