Ceasefire. The end of hostilities. And the return. Soldiers, civilians and aid workers. Now the real talk begins, for the real work to truly begin.

We speak of the Israel-Lebanon conflict, the unforgettable war that has just ended.

Better late than never, we thank the United Nations for finally ending the war. As Secretary General Kofi Annan solemnly stated, it is lamentable...even disgraceful...that this day didn't come much much earlier. We must, and do, lament.

Soul-searching must follow, on all sides, and by every side, of the divides. We have all lost in this war. All of us.

May the "wasted" souls find repose.