How should I know whether Isreal has done the right thing by going into Lebanon? I don't know what sort of pressures they face, day in and day out. Based on what little I know about Isreal, it appears that they either underestimated their foe or are willing to take substantial losses in an extended war.

Courtesy of www.washingtonmonthly.com is the following quote from an article in the Wall Street Journal:

"A senior [Bush] administration official said the U.S. believed Israel would have only a matter of weeks to strike Hezbollah before international pressure for a cease-fire forced an end to the fighting, especially if civilian casualties climbed. Now, the official said, the U.S. is beginning to fear that it could be left both with mounting regional fury and an emboldened Hezbollah that has withstood the initial assault without losing its ability to inflict casualties on Israeli troops and civilians."

Sounds like Iraq to me. Maybe it will turn out OK, but it's going to be a rough ride.