Hezbollah, really?

[Eretz Yisrael]

Iran should get out of Lebanon and stop vying for leadership with Saudi Arabia in the Middle East.

 

[Tee Kay]

I don't know. If I had only two choices I'd prefer to live in Iran rather than Saudi Arabia.

 

[Eretz Yisrael]

I don't know. If I had only two choices I'd prefer to live in Iran rather than Saudi Arabia.

Well, I'd prefer Shia Islam than Wahabiism.

 

[Dachs]

Iran should get out of Lebanon and stop vying for leadership with Saudi Arabia in the Middle East.

You want the Saudis to assume some kind of regional leadership position?

 

[Eretz Yisrael]

You want the Saudis to assume some kind of regional leadership position?

You're right...maybe we should just let Egypt assume leadership.

 

[Ecofarm]

Not to mention they suffered nearly equal losses against an enemy they outnumbered 3 to 1.

The Lebanese top police office and the Lebanon Ministry of Health, citing hospitals, death certificates, local authorities, and eye witnesses, put the death toll at 1,123—37 soldiers and police officers, 894 identified victims, and 192 unidentified ones.

A UN official estimated that 500 Hezbollah fighters had been killed,[11] and Lebanese government officials estimated that up to 500 had been killed.[10] A Stratfor report cited "sources in Lebanon" as estimating the Hezbollah death toll at "more than 700... with many more to go",[172] Meanwhile, British Military Historian John Keegan estimated that as many as 1,000 Hezbollah fighters were killed.

Figures for the Israel Defense Forces troops killed, given by Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, range from 117[17] to 119.

That's closer to a factor of power different than "nearly equal". If you include Lebanese soldiers/police officers, it's ~2000 to 120.

 

[Lord Baal]

Well, let's look at all the good things Hezbollah does before we go and criticize them.

Great line.

Seriously, they do a ot of good things for the impoverished in Southern Lebanon. Of course, since all of that is merely for recruitment purposes, it isn't really a point in their favour.

 

[snakeseare]

 

[Joecoolyo]

And they failed miserably. You can't wipe out Hezbollah without either; a large-scale invasion and occupation - which is more likely to lead to the creation of other such groups, not to mention other massive problems for Israel - or; a long-term diplomatic and intelligence offensive to deny Hezbollah their funding and arms, as well as bringing the Lebanese, and preferably Syrian and Iranian governments into line, combined with eliminating the economic conditions in whcih Hezbollah currently thrives.

The latter route takes longer, but is better, and that's the one Israel seems resigned to, though there are still those who think all Israel's problems can be solved by bombing everything in sight. Defeating Hezbollah means removing its lifelines and destroying its popularity. Military force alone won't achieve that, because even if Israel gets lucky and actually kills Hezbollah, someone else will take their place.

Hmmm... yes I agree with you here. The Hezbollah are too rooted in to be taken out with force, and Israel made the mistake of thinking they could. At least they have learned from their mistakes.

They do a lot of charity for the Lebanese poor. And war victims and widows.

And then they go on to bomb Israeli hospitals, what's your point?

 

[Karalysia]

As did a number of fascist, Marxist, and assorted totalitarian regimes and outlaw groups do. Does that make those places any less bad?

You're the one who suggested we look at the good things.

And then they go on to bomb Israeli hospitals, what's your point?

He's the one who suggested we look at the good things.

 

[amadeus]

You're the one who suggested we look at the good things.

I was being sarcastic, actually... although I didn't make that point clear to those that weren't already aware of my anti-Hezbollah stance. I can just imagine the crapstorm that would have ensued if someone had said something in defense of the KKK because they held a bake sale to help save a white family's house from foreclosure or helped to pay for a white kid's operation.

 

[Lord Baal]

I was being sarcastic, actually... although I didn't make that point clear to those that weren't already aware of my anti-Hezbollah stance. I can just imagine the crapstorm that would have ensued if someone had said something in defense of the KKK because they held a bake sale to help save a white family's house from foreclosure or helped to pay for a white kid's operation.

I can imagine the headline now.

The KKK Kares.

 

[amadeus]

They tried to join the "Adopt-a-Highway" program in Missouri and while the court couldn't reject their request, they renamed that section after Rosa Parks. I think it's asinine because Rosa Parks wasn't from Missouri and doesn't deserve any more accolades than she already has. Why not make the highway an honor to the 62nd and 65th U.S. Colored Troops? At least they're connected to Missouri's past and provide a relevant civil rights message...

 

[Lord Baal]

They tried to join the "Adopt-a-Highway" program in Missouri and while the court couldn't reject their request, they renamed that section after Rosa Parks. I think it's asinine because Rosa Parks wasn't from Missouri and doesn't deserve any more accolades than she already has. Why not make the highway an honor to the 62nd and 65th U.S. Colored Troops? At least they're connected to Missouri's past and provide a relevant civil rights message...

Good point. I already knew about that, but have pretty much no knowledge of the US Civil Rights movement - excepting Dr King and a few other details - so I never would have picked up on that.

 

[ParkCungHee]

That's closer to a factor of power different than "nearly equal". If you include Lebanese soldiers/police officers, it's ~2000 to 120.

Considering they were not fighting Lebanese soldier/police officers, that hardly seems to matter.
And you'll note that I said losses, not deaths.

 

[classical_hero]

You're the one who suggested we look at the good things.



He's the one who suggested we look at the good things.

I am totally surprised you missed the obvious sarcasm. It is a good thing no one was around to hear how loudly I laughed.

This decision actually does not surprise me that much, considering how they react to such situations.