BBC: John Bolton “damned proud” of preventing ceasefire during Israel’s invasion of Lebanon
A former top American diplomat says the US deliberately resisted calls for a immediate ceasefire during the conflict in Lebanon in the summer of 2006.
Former ambassador to the UN John Bolton told the BBC that before any ceasefire Washington wanted Israel to eliminate Hezbollah’s military capability.
Mr Bolton, a controversial and blunt-speaking figure, said he was “damned proud of what we did” to prevent an early ceasefire.
Bolton and the administration have much to be proud of; over 1000 Lebanese civilians and 43 Israeli civilians were killed in the war, billions of dollars worth of Lebanese infrastructure and homes were desroyed by US provided bombs dropped by US provided Israeli air power, Hezbollah gained a new reputation and power which it is still exerting today, Israel was humiliated, and the US lost more prestige in the region, not that we had much left anyway.
Mr. Bolton and the US administration can also then be proud of the daily deaths and injuries incurred by Lebanese civilians due to US provided cluster bombs dropped in civilian areas of Lebanon during the final 72 hours of the war.
