Triumphant round-up

There's a lot of victory in the news these days. (North) Korean News, for instance, features a story about the "Ever-Victorious Banner of Korean Revolution." It concludes:

Fully aware of their mission of the times and conscious that to faithfully uphold and implement the Songun revolutionary line is the highest level of patriotism and loyalty, the servicepersons and people of Korea will more vigorously wage the struggle for defending socialism and the efforts for building a great, prosperous and powerful nation with inexhaustible mental power under the banner of Songun.

The Islamic Revolution in Iran, not to be outdone, is "out to save Humanity":

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said here Sunday that the Islamic Revolution is the clearest religious and divine movement after the advent of Islam which seeks to save all humanity.

Every victory has to involve a loser, of course. As the Supreme Leader (of Iran) observes, the "Bullying powers feel humiliated." He observes further:

Comparing the current status of Zionist regime and the US government with the situation that existed 20 years ago, Ayatollah Khamenei said they are now experiencing weakness and gradual annihilation worldwide.

Victory in Gaza was, of course, inevitable, since "an honest, faithful resistance is so powerful that no military strength in the world could face it." Indeed, "The victory of Gaza is a turning point in the Arab-Zionist conflict." What's the next stage?:

Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri stated Saturday that the victory of the Gaza Strip is a turning point in the history of the Arab-Zionist conflict, adding that the next stage is the stage of the victory of the resistance project and the failure of the settlement project.

Khalid Meshaal visited Iran, and that was also the occasion for some victory-talk:

The Leader again congratulated the resistance movement on its victory and said, "The people of Gaza and the Islamic resistance made us all proud, and through their patience and resistance they successfully passed this great and extremely difficult test."

Samir Kuntar was also on hand for all this triumph. He observed:

"we must destroy the Zionist regime" . . .

Referring to sufferings of Iranians during the Islamic Revolution in 1970s and Lebanese in war with Israel which both led to their nations’ victory he added Gaza and Palestine will have the same destiny and will see the victory after hardships.

And the victories go on and on. According to SANA, the official Syrian news agency:

Observers described the popular reception given to Erdogan in Istanbul airport as it is the reception of the victorious conquerors . . .

What a scene!

The crowded people raised the Turkish and Palestinian flags chanting " Death to Israel, and we are proud of you, Erdogan."

Just to end on sensible note, Michael Totten asks "Who Really Won the Second Lebanon War." Totten observes:

Nasrallah, though, was all but forced to apologize to Lebanese for the death and destruction he brought down on their heads. "We did not believe," he said on Lebanon’s New TV station, "even by one percent, that the captive operation would result in such a wide-scale war, as such a war did not take place in the history of wars. Had we known that the captive operation would result in such a war we would not have carried it out at all."

These are not the words of a man who thinks of himself as a victor. Nor are these the words of a man speaking to those who think they have won. He did not issue his apology because he hoped to appease his Christian, Sunni, and Druze opponents in Lebanon. He routinely, and absurdly, dismisses their March 14 coalition as the "Zionist hand." No. Nasrallah apologized because his Israeli adventure devastated his own Shia community.

Nobody ever said victory was easy.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad