And It's Too Late, Baby

Now it's too late. Hezbollah was off and running before the ink on the cease-fire dried. LATimes (08.17.06), via Billmon:

"The Bush administration is scrambling to assemble a plan to help rebuild Lebanon, hoping that by competing with Hezbollah for the public's favor it can undo the damage the war has inflicted on its image and goals for the Middle East. Administration officials fear that unless they move quickly to demonstrate U.S. commitment, the Lebanese will turn more fully to the militant group, which has begun rolling out an ambitious reconstruction program that Washington believes is bankrolled by Iran." U.S. Hopes to Rival Hezbollah With Rebuilding Effort

Financed by Iran? Oh come now! "American officials also believe that the administration must restore its influence to keep a newly assertive Syria from undermining U.S.-supported reformers in Lebanon." Forget it. Any influence we may have had is long gone. Note the irony. "A major rebuilding investment would put the United States in the position of subsidizing both the Israeli munitions that caused the damage and the reconstruction work that will repair it. Such a proposal could meet with resistance from Congress, but administration officials said that the need for action was urgent." Then again, they've done such a great job in New Orleans.