Hezbollah's New Supporters

What do you expect them to say when Israeli forces are again destroying their homes and slaughtering their families?? "Thank you, Mr Olmert"??

No, but the reported statements are quite incredible. There were several Christian militias in the civil war, but the largest, the Phalange were Israel's allies, to the extent of commiting atrocities on their behalf.

There's a report of a Catholic priest in Damascus (go look at a map, incidentally, or if you have Google Earth use the Yorkshire Ranter's KMZ file, and you'll see how close Damascus is to where the Israelis are now getting serious). There seems to be a view that the attack on Lebanon is attack on all *Middle Eastern* people, rather than just a militant Shia group. Quite why polishing the image of Hezbollah up to a fine shine is considered worth Blair's support frankly staggers me.

I never thought I would hear myself saying this, but I support Hesbollah's right to self-defence from overwhelming agression. Even though I am totally against violence there has to be a point where decent people say enough is enough.

The crimes being commited in Lebanon are totally inexcusable, although that dosen't seem to stop most westerners excusing them.

For example, look at the BBC 'have you say' section. The house rules state that no messages will be posted if they are;

1. rascist.
2. condone or encourage unlawful activity.

And yet, over 50% of the messages posted their break those rules, especially point 2. Israel is breaking a number of very serious international laws, and supporting them does indeed condone them.

Perhaps not so surprising. I know a Christian Lebanese family who've got extensive farming interests in the north of the country who've long supported Hezbollah financially. There's certainly an element of protection money there, but they tell me that, much as they dislike many of Hezbollah's policies, they disliked their country being invaded and occupied by the Israelis even more last time it happened, and Hezbollah were, and are, rightly or wrongly apparently considered the people most likely to get rid of them. I'm told by people who visit Lebanon frequently that this attitude is by no means uncommon.

They also tell me, which I can well believe, that they are never particularly bothered about people's religion; their main interest -- understandably -- was, and is, trying to run their farms and businesses in peace without people either invading their country or starting civil wars.

Hi Steve, I certaily found the majority of the Maronites to be tolerant and being unconcerned as to someone's religion, but they did see Hezbollah as agents of Syria/Iran who were conducting a war by proxy. For all their tolerance, there were large parts of the country where a Hebollari would have been shot on sight by the Maronites.

I think that the actual animosity between the various communities in Lebanon is often overstated.

Anyway I read an interesting theory lately that Bush/Blair are doing worse than failing to constrain Israel, but have actually egged Israel on in order to teach Iran/Syria a lesson. However they have egged Israel on into a situation that they can't win. See Is Israel Fighting a Proxy War for Washington?