I spoke to my mother (77) in Beirut today. She is in the hospital suffering from a severe asthma attack. Just before she was rushed to the hospital, we spoke about the sound of explosions. I knew that this was bad for her. I suggested that she put the AC on to isolate the noise. It is amazing how people in Lebanon always assume that the scenario of events are run from the US. My mother wanted to know how the prospects are, from the standpoint of US foreign policy. I said that I personally rule out a ground invasion: I believe that Israel is using the threat of ground invasion to terrorize the population further and to achieve more public pressures on Hizbullah. How could Israel invade Lebanon when they have destroyed and demolished the bridges, roads, highways, and side-roads all around? But Israeli propaganda keeps insinuating about a ground invasion, as if the people of Lebanon have not been terrorized enough. My mother watched Nasrallah's interview on AlJazeera. She did not like it: she did not think that he was good. She said that he was not "firm enough." She asked me what Jumblat has been saying in the last few days (she did not have TV in the intensive care unit). I reminded her that Jumblat's statements and interviews have always been bad for her health.