The preliminary figures are in. It cost Israel $5 Billion in expenses and lost GDP, to destroy over 3.5 Billion Dollars worth of Lebanon. (setting the Lebanese infrastructure back 2 decades and the Israeli's military reputation back 200)
The U.S. has dutifully agreed to pick up the tab for Israel by extending it's low-interest loan guarantees, set to expire in 2008, off until 2011. And the not so 'hidden-hand' of the U.S. in support of the Israeli "War on Roads, Bridges, and Apartment buildings" has now presented a golden opportunity to Iran and Saudi Arabia, (especially Prince Alwaleed) flush with cash from two years of record high OIL prices, to purchase a vast amount of goodwill by funding the 'reconstruction' of Beirut and Southern Lebanon.
That is, if the shooting stops for long enough.
But in the meantime, U.S. armaments makers should net a billion dollars or so, replenishing the expended Israeli inventory of artillery shells, jet fuel, and air-to-ground missiles, and perhaps a few more billion down the road with "star wars" anti-missile technologies. While Iran and Syria go about the task of replenishing Hezbollah's "missile" stocks. (but then how many 1940's vintage Katushya rockets can there still be?)
Of course there is also the loss of lives, tourist-season money, and 'political' perceptions to be weighed, but regardless of such "incidentals", always remember this:
For the people who decide, execute, and fund such policies,
EVEN WAR HAS A BOTTOMLINE.
stephenhsmith
20Aug2006
