Arbitration and Agreements . . . for What?

I read today that al-Maliki is exerting a bit more authority in his occupied country and he's been met with some resistance by his occupiers. I also read that Israel and Hezbollah have signed an agreement. From what I've read in the Israeli papers, Israel has made a lousy deal. Israel is releasing prisoners, dangerous prisoners, and several of them, in exchange for the bodies of two IDF soldiers. I realize the soldiers deserve to be honored, but being remembered for defending their country is honorable. I can't imagine that any soldier would feel honored knowing a murderer was set free so their already deceased remains could be buried at home. How is it that Israel has been left to negotiate with terrorists, and her allies are doing nothing? Maybe somebody in Israel needs to get on the TV and shout something about "either you're for us or against us." I can't help but wonder why our present American administration has declared a global war on terror, yet helped place two terror groups into political power and is now being invited to leave the war we started. Here we've been hearing about how good things are going over in Iraq, what with the troop surge and all. Wasn't it just a couple of months ago, we were told downtown Baghdad was coming out from under cover? Now, today, after al-Maliki invites us to leave, I read that things are still pretty bad over there. I wish I believed America's efforts in the Middle East were honorable. I wish I just believed something the American administration says.
I'm certainly not feeling like I have any idea what is really going on, but something is going on and it just feels like trouble is brewing. And from what I've seen the last seven years, I think it's "home-brew."
He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears. a Proverb of Holy Scripture