Bombing Lebanon

Andrew Pass asks,

"Mr. Prime Minister, if a terrorist organization from inside England continuously bombed France and took French soldiers prisoners and England did not stop it, what would you do?" Even the Labanese admit they do not control the southern part of their country. Should the Israelis simply let Hezbollah bomb away?"

I would think that if people in England were firing missiles at the French, bombing Parliament and Heathrow airport would be the last thing I'd want to do.

For one thing, the killing of innocent people in order to get what you want is wrong no matter who you are.

And for another, bombing a country is not a very good way of getting it to cooperate with you.

This is all the more the case if the people in Britain doing the bombing were originally from France, are there because of a French civil war, and aren't really liked by the British government.

France has outstanding counter-terrorist units (remember the 'Raid at Entebbe'?). I would address these kidnappings swiftly, silently and lethally, the way they can, instead of blindly strinking out against people I know must be innocent bystanders.

In this way, I not only get my people back, I avoid granting the kidnappers the widening of the conflict they are so obviously seeking.

The only reason I can see France would have for wanting to bomb Britain would be to use the spilled blood of innocent people to inflame passions on both sides, and therefore, to spread and prolong the conflict.

I would like very much to believe this is not France's intent. But I find it very difficult to reconcile with the civilian blood that is already on its hands.