Posted by
Pete Hoogerzeil on Wednesday, July 26, 2006 8:44:12 AM
I'm tired of the over saturated coverage of the Israeli-Hizballah conflict/war. This war is a reincarnation of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict in Southern Lebanon starting in the 1970's and leading up through the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982. It is a repeating consequence of a failed political system in Lebanon.
The problem with Lebanon is the failed system of confessional politics, where religion draws the political battle lines. The Lebanese Muslim population has been increasing exponentially, and they have dwarfed the Christian Maronite minority who still holds significant power in the current government.
Lebanon's failed confessional political system allowed the PLO to dominate the nation's southern region in the 1970's (the same area Hizballah now controls). They were used as outposts to conduct commando raids and military operations against the Israelis (familiar?). In addition, the PLO influence extended to West Beirut, where they wrestled heavy political influence.
The inability to control the Palestinians was the main reason for the fifteen year Lebanese Civil War, where the Christian factions squared off against the Sunni and Shi'a Muslims. The war ended without any particular resolution except that the Syrians were invited in to provide "security" for the reigning government that still protected a shrinking Christian minority. In addtion, the Israelis refused to leave southern Lebanon to insure a security buffer they correctly assumed the pathetic United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) would not provide.
Hizballah was formed as a reaction against two things. First, the continued occupation of Southern Lebanon by the Israelis, who drove out hundreds of thousands of Shi'a during their invasion (and did not leave until 2000). Second, the desire to make Lebanon into an Islamic Republic. It is not surprising that our wonderful news media tends to forget Hizballah's dream of political domination.
Not surprisingly, Hizballah has been playing the prisoner exchange charade for years. All terrorists use this straw man to justify their actions. The charade disguises their main objective: to take over the Lebanese government and to create an Shi'a muslim Islamic Republic. They are attacking Israel to gain support from Sunni muslims, where in turn they hope to create an alliance to take over the Lebanese government. In addition, they claim to be sympathetic to the Palestinian cause to gain international and overall muslim support. The Palestinian terrorist cause, led by Hamas, still seems to be legitimate in the eyes of the Anti-Semetic/Anti-American world community.
I believe there is a hierarcy of hate within Hizballah. They hate Jews the most, Americans second, Christians in Lebanon third, Sunni muslims fourth, and last but not least Europeans of all stripes. What the world needs to realize is that Islamist movements are the driving force behind almost every conflict in the Middle East. At least Israel clearly realizes that fact. Hopefully over time the rest of the world will realize it too.