August 2, 2010 - Now Lebanon - War on Lebanon within 18 months, US report says

Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Qabas said on Monday that a report issued by the US Foreign Affairs Council, written by Daniel Kurtzer, the former US ambassador to Israel and Egypt, predicted a third war on Lebanon within the next 18 months and advised the US administration to be prepared.

Kurtzer said there were two indications for war: Israel’s growing fears of Hezbollah’s arms, which the report said have become a great threat, and the tense rhetoric between the Jewish State and the Resistance.

This comes after Hezbollah officials repeatedly said they are prepared for any future war with Israel in response to Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi’s statement last month that the situation along the Lebanese-Israeli border would deteriorate following the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL)’s indictment expected to be issued before the end of the year.

The report also said it was likely that Israel would drag Hezbollah into a war or strike the party’s bases in Lebanon in an attempt to weaken it.

Kurtzer added he thought Israel would not succeed in destroying or weakening Hezbollah, saying that US efforts would be limited in attempting to prevent a new war on Lebanon.