Text 36559, 90 rader
Skriven 2006-08-11 16:22:38 av Ross Cassell (1:123/456)
Ärende: Hezbolla
================
* Originally in crossfire
* Crossposted in POL_INC
* Crossposted in politics
* Crossposted in FIDONEWS
* Crossposted in MATZDOBRE

Hello All!

From the August 4th edition of a newsletter put out by a local talk radio
host..

Israel v. Hezbollah for dummies
Ralph Bristol
August 4, 2006

Frankly, I don't care whether you call Hezbollah a terrorist organization, a
political party, or a civic club.  We get too hung up on labels and ignore the
real issues. I bring this up because there is a growing argument about whether
Hezbollah is a terrorist organization.  U.N. Deputy Secretary-General Mark
Malloch Brown is among those to challenge the U.S. State Department's
designation, to which the state department answers, "Brown should stick to
baking cookies" - or words to that effect.

The European Union also does not list Hezbollah as a terrorist organization,
and there's at least one Democratic U.S. Congressman, John Dingell, who may not
think so either. Dingell told a Michigan TV station, "I don't take sides for or
against Hezbollah, or for or against Israel." Dingell didn't specifically say
whether he thought Hezbollah was or was not a terrorist organization, but what
he did say is closer to focusing on the real issue.

Here are some simple questions and answers to help people take sides, if they
are hesitant to do so.

Q: Is Israel a legitimate, sovereign nation, so recognized by the world?

A: Yes

Q: ! Is Hezbollah, regardless of its designation, dedicated to the destruction
of Israel?

A: Yes

Q: Has Hezbollah acted on that goal with aggressive, military action?

A: Yes, with just enough frequency to satisfy its sponsors (Iran, Syria) and
enough infrequency to avoid an all-out retaliation (until now). During that
period, Hezbollah used Israel's prolonged restraint as an opportunity to build
up its supply of rockets and other armament. That's why Israel is having a more
difficult time than expected in its eradication mission.

Q: Does Lebanon deserve the pounding that it's getting?

A: I'll report, you decide. Lebanon has acted as a willing host to Hezbollah
since its inception. The Lebanese people have placed 14 Hezbollah members in
its 128-member parliament. Hezbollah also holds the Ministry of Water and
Electricity. Lebanon has allowed Hezbollah to maintain a militia, even as all
other militias were forced to disband.  It is natural that the eradication of a
deadly pest is going to cause harm to the willing host of that pest, especially
when the pest takes great pains to imbed itself in the host, and the host does
not resist.

In effect, Hezbollah has taken a country (Lebanon) as a hostage in an attempt
to avoid prosecution. Na‹ve observers seem to believe that Israel should handle
the conflict like the FBI might handle a bank hostage situation - negotiate and
use minimum violence to avoid harming the hostages.

The difference is this. ! In the bank hostage situation, if the FBI manages to
wait out the bank robbers and end the standoff without violence, the hostages
are set free and the robbers are arrested.  The robbers are not free to rob
again when they so choose. In the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, if
there is a cease-fire before Hezbollah is incapacitated, then Hezbollah simply
lives to repeat its past aggressions, and there is no progress. Israel's
existence remains threatened, and Hezbollah is free to grow stronger for the
next bout.

Israel has the right, and it has no other choice than to forcefully disable
Hezbollah's military capabilities. It is unfortunate, but unavoidable that the
people and country of Lebanon are being harmed in the process, but Lebanon
itself - and its people - are more to blame for that than Israel, because they
have willfully nurtured a group whose purpose is to destroy a sovereign nation.
(Feedback)

==
Ross
Fidonet Feeds Or Fidonet In Your Newsreader! http://www.easternstar.info
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... You do not strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
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 * Origin: The Eastern Star - Spartanburg, SC USA (1:123/456)