The Supermarket Sweep Strategy

Even as cautious optimism for the diplomatic route to peace progresses, Israel is racheting up the pressure. It seems they want to push as far as possible into Lebanon before the referee's whistle blows? It's hard to see what Israel is trying to accomplish by expanding their offensive operations at this point. Maybe they want a hedge should the negotiations fail. Or maybe it's just a last-ditch facesaver. I can see how they would want to say that their boys controlled everything south of the Litani before they were yanked back by the diplomatic agreement, although I don't know exactly who they would be fooling.

According to Ian Welsh of The Agonist, we are going to have a new Middle East. Unfortunately it might not be the one Condi had in mind.

Meanwhile, more southern Lebanese, including the soldiers, are legging it northwards.

MARJAYOUN, Lebanon (Reuters) - Thousands of civilians prepared on Friday to leave two Christian towns in south Lebanon occupied by Israeli forces this week, witnesses said.

They said hundreds of cars gathered near the Lebanese army barracks in Marjayoun as U.N. peacekeepers were evacuating about 350 Lebanese soldiers and policemen under an agreement with the Israelis.

"Everyone wants to leave with the Lebanese force," one resident said by telephone. "No one will feel safe with the evacuation of the Lebanese force, we'll be trapped between Hizbollah and Israel."

The witnesses estimated about 3,000 people were in Marjayoun and nearby Qlaia town with a few hundred people who had left nearby Shi'ite Muslim villages.

The civilians plan to drive behind the bus convoy carrying the Lebanese security men and accompanied by U.N. peacekeepers.

As Greenboy of Needlenose put with unkind bluntness: "Say, aren't the Lebanese soldiers supposed to be going in the other direction? It's a sad statement when the Smurfs have to save your bacon."