SURPRISE!

Like a bratty four-year-old whose parents let him get away with murder, Hezbollah didn't expect a strong response from Israel.

They were surprised when Israel demanded, "Enough. No more."

BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) -- A senior Hezbollah official said Tuesday the guerrillas did not expect Israel to react so strongly to its capture of two Israeli soldiers.

Mahmoud Komati, deputy chief of the Hezbollah's political arm, also told The Associated Press that his group will not lay down arms.

His comments were the first time that a leader from the Shiite militant group has publicly suggested it miscalculated the consequences of the July 12 cross-border raid in which two Israeli soldiers were captured and three were killed.

"The truth is — let me say this clearly — we didn't even expect (this) response ... that (Israel) would exploit this operation for this big war against us," said Komati.

He said Hezbollah had expected "the usual, limited response" from Israel.

This is priceless.

Komati admits that he believed Israel would use restraint.

Why?

Because that's what Israel has been encouraged to do, as if that would be a way to secure a lasting peace.

9/11 changed everything.

Now Israel and the U.S. know better. It took a long time to learn that lesson, but at least it was finally learned.

The Islamofascists do not want to talk.

Lebanon's failure to live up to its promises, as stated in UN Security Council resolution 1559, cannot be excused. Why should Lebanon be allowed to ignore the agreement?

Moreover, Israel's utterly pointless and painful withdrawal from Gaza meant nothing to the terrorists and their bankroller Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. If anything, it emboldened them.

Israel was no longer going to make compromises to achieve peace and get nothing for it but continued attacks.

Komati said his group had anticipated negotiations to swap the Israeli soldiers for three Lebanese held in Israeli jails, with Germany acting as a mediator as it has in past prisoner exchanges.

Komati miscalculated.

Israel is finally refusing to be pushed around by the terrorist-appeasing, anti-Semitic UN.

"The response is unjustified," Komati said. He added that the Israeli offensive was planned in advance, and Israel was only "waiting for the right time" to carry it out.

First, I wouldn't call it the "Israeli offensive." It's defense.

And of course, Israel would have military plans in place. It would be negligent for Israel to not have a course of action in place to deal with Hezbollah.

Asked about reports that Hezbollah has been firing Iranian-made missiles on Israel, Komati said: "We don't deny nor confirm. We believe where the weapons come from is irrelevant."

Yeah, right.

Talk about a double standard!

Arabs, Europeans, and Lefty Americans always make a big deal out of Israel's American-made weapons. They like to hold the U.S. accountable for each American-made missile that Israel fires.

Why is where Israel gets its weapons relevant, but not the fact that Hezbollah has sophisticated weapons from Iran? Why would Hezbollah's weapons source be irrelevant?

...Komati said Hezbollah demanded an immediate end to Israeli attacks before agreeing to negotiate and rejected a plan proposed by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice during her visit to Beirut.

I think Israel should refuse to negotiate until Lebanon complies with SC 1559.

..."No one can talk about politics while the fire rages, and killings occur," Komati said.

Israel has been expected to talk politics while terrorists slaughter innocents.

Israel has always been expected to make concessions, even while Islamofascist suicide bombers are murdering Israeli civilians.

Again, a double standard.

...But he was adamant about Hezbollah's refusal to disarm because of what he said was Israeli occupation of Lebanese land, the "threat of Israeli aggression" and the Lebanese held in Israeli jails.

What a complete joke!

I think it's about time that Israel fought back.

Obviously, Hezbollah was caught off guard. The terrorists expected Israel to exhibit more of the same weakness that they've come to know.

I'm glad Hezbollah got a surprise.