As expected:

BEIRUT, Lebanon - Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah said Monday that his guerrillas achieved a "strategic, historic victory" against Israel — a declaration that prompted celebratory gunfire across the Lebanese capital.

Israel's prime minister, however, maintained the offensive eliminated the "state within a state" run by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.

Unfortunately, Hezbollah's claim can be given greater credence because it was able to launch against Israeli cities and still survives, and Israel has not yet seen the return of its two soldiers that were taken hostage. The majority of Israelis appear to be of this opinion as well, in one of the darkest times in its history. Israelis on the left and right are viewing the war as an abysmal failure.

The Olmert government deserves almost nothing but scorn for its incompetence in handling this war, and for the sake of all Israelis who value the security of their county and the restoration of Israel's now significantly diminished deterrence against attack, the sooner the Olmert government falls the better.