Lessons from the Israel-Hezbollah Conflict

Anybody with more than a passing interest in international relations and the ongoing struggle between democratic states and terrorist networks--quite possibly the defining feature of 21st century IR--should read this article by Sarah Kreps in the latest issue of Parameters. Entitled "The 2006 Lebanon War: Lessons Learned," Kreps touches on many of the key themes to emerge from the conflict, including, but not limited to: the asymmetry of a democratic state in a conflict against a terrorist organization, the shortcomings of airpower in modern warfare, the influence (and manipulation) of the media to shape perceptions, Qana, and the still-unresolved fate of Corporal Gilad Shalit and the other abducted Israeli soldier whose illegal capture served as the casus belli for last summer's conflict.

Kreps' article is very engaging, and I'd recommend it to anybody that is trying to get a handle on the inherent differences between democracies and terrorists in this war. The suggestion of treating both sides even-handedly or with a balanced approach is ludicrous, and that is something else which comes clear in this reading.