Report: Hezbollah Has 40,000 Rockets - Triple That Of 2006

This is more than ominous news. This is world-changing news. From this report from DEBKA, Hezbollah, with the help of Iran and Syria has rebuilt their rocket stockpile to over 40,000 which means they have THREE TIMES as many rockets as they had prior to the 2006 war with Israel. From the article:

Not only has Tel Aviv come within range, but Hizballah and the Palestinian Hamas in Gaza can between them cover most of Israel except for its southernmost tip at Eilat. Using these two surrogates, Tehran can therefore make war on Israel and keep its hands clean.
And not only Iran. DEBKAfile’s military sources report the lion’s share of rockets smuggled to Hizballah in recent months are Syrian-made.

So, what does Israel do about it? Well, since Israel's Olmert is apparently still intent on staying the course on the ridiculous thought process of a Middle East peace accord, then dust off your negotiating tactics and play some hard ball. Hell, even Vice President Cheney said today that huge sacrifices would be needed by Israel for peace to take place - well, if some concessions and sacrifices would be in the offing for Israel, then at least get some hard hitting concessions from Hezbollah. Namely, Hezbollah must destroy every single rocket that they have in their possession and they must allow peace process inspectors to witness the destruction of 40,000 rockets. Will Hezbollah or Iran or Syria allow that? Of course not. But it will show that there is no peace intention by any Arab in the region. Now Cheney did offer up token support of Israel's right to defend itself but what good does that do now, when they have been put in this precarious situation?

On the other hand, how Israel let this get to this point is beyond me. Israel now sees itself in a handcufffed position - they simply cannot start to make some air strikes into Lebanon after the likes of Hezbollah without giving up severe casualties in places like Tel Aviv. This changes the picture totally.

And instead of America's Vice President Dick Cheney telling Israel they would need to make huge sacrifices or offering token support of Israel's defense, Cheney should be standing on the world stage and telling Hezbollah they have 3 months to get rid of their rockets or America will assist Israel in their destruction.

p.s. I'll let you decide what I meant by "their" in the last sentence.

Exclusive: Hizballah more than trebles rocket arsenal to 40,000

Hizballah’s heavy armament will figure large in the talks US Vice President Dick Cheney is holding with Israeli leaders on the Iranian nuclear threat. Cheney arrived in Israel Saturday night, March 22, from talks with Saudi leaders.
DEBKAfile’s military sources disclose that Hizballah has built up its rocket arsenal to three and-a-half times its pre-2006 Lebanon War stocks. Some of the 40,000 rockets of Syrian and Iranian manufacture can hit Israel targets as far south as Beersheba, 350 km. away from the Shiite terror group’s launching pads north of Lebanon’s Litani River.
Not only has Tel Aviv come within range, but Hizballah and the Palestinian Hamas in Gaza can between them cover most of Israel except for its southernmost tip at Eilat. Using these two surrogates, Tehran can therefore make war on Israel and keep its hands clean.
And not only Iran. DEBKAfile’s military sources report the lion’s share of rockets smuggled to Hizballah in recent months are Syrian-made. Damascus has also shipped to Hizballah quantities of anti-air weapons, including shoulder-borne rockets and scores of Russian-made anti-aircraft ZSU-100 automatic 14.4 mm caliber cannon, which are most effective against low-flying aircraft, helicopters and drones.
All these issues will be discussed at length mainly during the US Vice President’s session with Israeli defense minister Ehud Barak.
On his arrival, Cheney pledged that his government would not pressure Israel to take steps that threatened its security.
"America's commitment to Israel's security is enduring and unshakable, as is Israel's right to protect itself always against terrorism, rocket attacks and other attacks from forces dedicated to Israel's destruction," Cheney told a joint news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.