We had Vietnam, the USSR had Afghanistan, and now Israel has Lebanon as its failure.
How? Each invader underestimated the depth of popular support of the enemy they were trying to beat. How did they expect to capture the hearts and minds of a population that was bombed and disrupted?
Hezbollah couldn't prevent Israel from invading or bombing civilians and infrastructure, but they have been quicker in supplying relief to the population of Southern Lebanon than all the major powers.
Lebanon's government is still talking about its own reconstruction plan, but Hezbollah has already flexed its organizational muscle to deploy heavy machinery, hundreds of engineers and thousands of workers across the country, spending hundreds of thousands of dollars, and in the process leaving the government looking flat-footed. Flush with cash that it says comes from Iran, Syria and other donors, including Islamic charities and Shiite groups, Hezbollah was able to hire contractors and give money to the displaced even before the shooting stopped.
Israel and the United States have said they expect the Lebanese army to disarm Hezbollah under the terms of a U.N. Security Council resolution. But even as southern Lebanon's residents cheered the arriving soldiers, Hezbollah banners waved nearby, and the group's members have said they have no intention of giving up their weapons for now. Lebanese government officials have made clear that the 15,000 soldiers being sent to southern Lebanon will not search for weapons.
Which side started it is irrelevant. Who won? Won what?