From PRI, Public Radio International and KCRW Santa Monica, this is To the Point.

In southern Lebanon, does peace have a chance?

Hello again, I'm Orman Alney, and this is To the Point.

From Public Radio International, a daily look at the issues Americans care about most.

France is not the only nation in Europe with cold feet about sending troops to southern Lebanon.

Italy, Spain, and Finland want to know if the rules of engagement will require their soldiers

to make the peace or just keep it. Will they have to disarm Hezbollah?

Meantime Israeli commandos engaged Hezllah, 60 miles inside the Lebanese border.

Did they violate the ceasefire?

On to the point, we'll get perspectives from Paris, Beirut, and Jerusalem.

We'll hear from the U.N. about a new resolution proposed by the U.S.

Can international forces be deployed in southern Lebanon in time to keep the ceasefire from falling apart? First, here's the news.

Support for To the Point comes from subscribers of KCRW Santa Monica and from the Public Radio International Program Fund, whose contributors include the Ford Foundation and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur

Foundation. Hello again. Warren Alney back with To the Point. Europe is dragging its feet on

troop deployment in southern Lebanon and Israel is accused of violating the ceasefire. On To the

Point, can the rules of engagement be clarified in time to prevent the agreement from falling

apart? First, this news update, President Bush met reporters for almost an hour today, and a major theme was staying the course in Iraq, despite the violence that seems increasingly out of control. Does the president plan any change in strategy?

The strategy is to help the Iraqi people achieve their objectives and their dreams, which is in a democratic society. That's the strategy. The tactics. Now, either you say, yes, it's important. We stay there and get it done,

or we leave. We're not leaving so long as I'm the president. That would be a huge mistake.

It would send an unbelievably, you know, terrible signal to reformers across the region.

Michael Hirsch is senior editor for Newsweek magazine. Michael, always good to talk to you. Thanks for having me on more. President is usually on

vacation in Texas at this time of year. He sounded very energetic today, and he also acknowledged that

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