The occupation of Beirut by Hizbullah and the arming of Hizbullah to a State-level is not a civil war. It is a foreign invasion by all standards. Hizbullah is an Iranian-Syrian militia operating in Lebanon.
The occupation of South Lebanon by Hizbullah can be equated with Iraq's occupation of Kuwait or Israel's occupation of West Bank and Gaza. The only difference is that Iraq sent it's troops into Kuwait, but the Syrians and Iranians chose a different method. They trained and armed local people after brainwashing them.
Therefore just as Iraq was sanctioned when it invaded Kuwait and just as Israel was under pressure to pull out of Palestinian Land it occupied in 1967, the UN must subject Iran and Syria to international sanctions until Hizbullah (which is in fact an Iranian-Syrian army) surrenders all it's weapons and the Lebanese-Syrian borders are monitored by UN against Syrians smuggling weapons to Hizbullah.
The US has committed a fatal mistake by handing Iraq over to the Shiites, which meant Iran had access to South Lebanon thru Shiite Iraq and Shiite-ruled Syria ( 99% Syrians are Sunnies governed by Shiite - Assad family-).
It is time the world community thru the UN give Syria and Iran a deadline to disarm Hizbullah and transfere all it's weapons to the Lebanese army or face the consequences.
Garbage my friend! utter garbage! Hezbollah has enormous support within Lebanon, and it has formed a strong coalition with various Christian and Sunni groups, AND the Lebanese army has sided with Hezbollah again that silly puppet Siniora government.
the key to Lebanon's woes is in its flawed constitution that legalises discrimination against the majority of the population. You will not have peace in Lebanon until the Constitution is revised in line with the Taifa Peace Agreement of 1989 (hope I have the date right). Only then will Hezbollah merge its forces with the regular army.
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Niloufar Parsi (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 4 diaries, 73 comments)
on Tuesday, May 13, 2008 at 3:42:07 AM
niloufar : How come you paased elementary school ??
niloufar : It seems your elementary school teachers didn't do a good job in teaching you how to participate in a discussion, so I suggest you go back and read second-grade people manners.
As for Hezbollah, the way you talk about it, seems as if you have been in Lebanon surveying the people. Only one Christian man and one Sunni man with him ( I am sure you do not know them ) and you say he enjoys wide support. ?
Could you kindly enlighten us on your evidence that Hezbollah enjoys support among Sunnie and Christian (assuming you are a Syrina or Shiite, in which case I can understand your concerns over sanctions)
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Hamad Alomar (7 articles, 0 quicklinks, 6 diaries, 18 comments)
on Tuesday, May 13, 2008 at 8:15:42 AM
You write a piece totally in contradiction of facts on the ground, pandering to the worst neocon and Israeli agenda of aggression in the middle east, present absolutely no facts and figures on the ground, raise false alarms, insult our most basic levels of intelligence, and you tell me that I have no idea how to debate?
If you want to debate, then do not start with a childish and amateur piece of propaganda, and we may have a chance to discuss matters.
I want to have a healthy debate. I was not insulting you, but the garbage that you wrote. There is a difference, believe me.
Lebanon will only ever become a real nation once it can unite its own various factions with or without foreign intervention. Fact it, the Shia are a majority, but they are excluded from peaceful power sharing by the Lebanese constitution that is totally sectarian by design, and elevates a Christian minority to an unfair position of power.
Moreover, Hezbollah have clearly won majority votes in areas where they have contested local council elections. What then gives you the inkling that they have 'no' local support and are 'foreign' agents? Pls explain your claims.
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Niloufar Parsi (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 4 diaries, 73 comments)
on Tuesday, May 13, 2008 at 11:11:32 AM
All the details I am willing to share with anyone here is already on my author's page. You have no business asking for any more. If you want to talk, talk. Why are you hiding behind identities?
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Niloufar Parsi (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 4 diaries, 73 comments)
on Tuesday, May 13, 2008 at 2:02:52 PM
Hezbollah are provided with support from Iran who helped form them and tacit support from Syria who believes it benefits from its actions but they clearly are Lebanese and supported by many Lebanese of different backgrounds. They were formed in reaction to the Israeli invasion (which they initially welcomed as a release from the PLO). As you can see from my background, I have an interest but no dog in this fight. Indeed when there are constant efforts to stoke unnecessary conflict one must ask, who gains?
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kwalsh (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 5 diaries, 184 comments)
on Wednesday, May 14, 2008 at 1:31:49 AM
Regardless of how, when and why Hezbollah was established, the fact is now it is a state-level army operating in free-Lebanon and funded by Iran with Syria doing all the logistics. This is enough reason for the UN to warn Iran and Syria to leave Lebanon to the Lebanese and disarm Hezbollah.
Shiite Iran has an Issue with Sunni Arabs. Iran's real enemy is not Israel, but Sunni Arabs. If you research how Shiites view Sunnis, you will believe me. Iran's drive is to export Shiism to the Arab countries which will create a (fifth column) that will carry out its orders to dominate the Gulf and Arab affairs. Hezbollah has carried terrorist attacks in Saudi Arabia and other places.
Hezbollah long-term role as seen by the Mullahs in Iran is not to drive Israel out of Lebanon, but to be a resident Iranian army in Sunni Arab land to spread Shiism and threat anyone who tries to argue with Iran.Palestine and Palestinian plight is being used by Iranians to be pretext to get involved in Arab affairs only.
Lebanon has three major sects, Christians, Sunni Muslims and Shiite Muslims. Yet, Iran armed only the Shiite (Hezbollah). If Iran was serious about it's care about Lebanon, it could have armed the Lebanese army instead of the Shiite only ??
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Hamad Alomar (7 articles, 0 quicklinks, 6 diaries, 18 comments)
on Wednesday, May 14, 2008 at 2:23:04 AM
In a piece ostensibly about Lebanon, you have mentioned Lebanon 7 times and Iran 11 times. You are here for a political agenda rather than honest political debate. You mean to spread fears about some 'Shia conspiracy' against Sunnis. You are in the wrong place for this agenda. Try joining AIPAC. They would love you!
Relax Hamad. We Iranians are normal people like everyone else. We are not going to eat you! I am a Shia married happily to a Sunni. Try to learn to live and let live. It works much better than lying to the whole world about some fantasy enemy of yours.
Peace.
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Niloufar Parsi (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 4 diaries, 73 comments)
on Wednesday, May 14, 2008 at 5:02:52 AM
Niloufar: Why not the other way around? May be I am looking for honest debate and you have political agenda. Who will believe you are married to a Sunni ?
I didn’t mention Australia or Mexico, because non of them is behind demonstrations in Bahrain and Eastern Saudi or Bombings in Alkhobar or Mecca. Who are you trying to fool? Not to mention the killings and murders in Lebanon of politicians who could compete with Shiites.
You and I know details which many readers may not know. If you like we can stop here. Read Arab and world press now and before. All figures point to Iran. Do you think they all are lying?
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Hamad Alomar (7 articles, 0 quicklinks, 6 diaries, 18 comments)
on Wednesday, May 14, 2008 at 7:54:37 AM
If you are that honest, then why do you not answer my original questions? Tell us exactly why you say that Hezbollah is a foreign agent with no local support? Last I checked they won every election they participated in hands down, and won some honour back for Lebanon by twice kicking the Israelis out of their country. It is their country, they are the majority, and they will use foreign supported for their own ends to achieve their own vision. They provide schools, hospitals and other social services for the people of Southern Lebanon. They are also fiercely independent and proud, and they want a united non-sectarian constitution. Try to understand them!
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Niloufar Parsi (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 4 diaries, 73 comments)
on Wednesday, May 14, 2008 at 9:58:10 AM
I was Mayor of Greater Dandenong, a city with 54% of its residents born overseas. It has people from over 150 countries, it is mostly Christian, however it is 22% Buddhist, 8% Muslim and 4% Hindu, it has Zoroastrians Bahia and even a few of the Jewish faith, it has people from both sides of virtually every war of the last 60 years and they all basically get along. We do not impose faith on anyone and the city has an Interfaith Network Committee were religious leaders get together deal with the few issues that arise and yes we have Shia and Sunni Muslims living side by side.
Lebanon was an artificial creation where the borders were carefully drawn to achieve a Christian majority from a Turkish province that was formally ruled by the Druze, each mountain has its own religion.If old sectarian divisions are encouraged and sadly your article might not be helpful in this regard, then all Lebanese will suffer needlessly.
I know from personal experience that communities with different religions can live in harmony. It is mainly fear of the 'other', unnecessary competition for resources and manipulation from those who profit from division that has led to conflict all over the world. The question is who gains from such fear and division?
I am yet to be convinced that Iran and indeed the Hezbollah are unusually irrational actors on the world stage
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kwalsh (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 5 diaries, 184 comments)
on Wednesday, May 14, 2008 at 5:48:40 AM
It is fairly normal for co-religiests to help each other. Palestinians are helped by Iran because the West drove them into Iranian arms by financial strangulation when they voted for Hamas. Hezbollah remained armed as their territory was occupied by Israel and they were therefore exempt from the disarming that followed the civil war as the 'Resistance' against Israel.
The true solution is to achieve a settlement of the Palestinian and border issues, then there would be no need for armed militia. It is relatively easy to see conspiracies where none exist often the true culprit is a flawed analysis and understanding of what is happening and possible and delusions of adequacy and unrealistic views on the capacity of governments.
by
kwalsh (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 5 diaries, 184 comments)
on Wednesday, May 14, 2008 at 6:02:30 AM
