(Updated: Originally published November 16, 2006)
This post will show you the the "radical Islamic terrorists" are nothing of the sort.
As Hezbollah attempts to gain power by democratic means:
"Shiites may benefit in Lebanon's crisis" by Michael Slackman November 13, 2006
"Lebanon is in the middle of a political crisis that is a fundamental realignment of authority here -- perhaps in the region. Long in the making, the 34-day war between Israel and Hezbollah -- which was waged to crush the group's militia -- seems to have accelerated the rise of Lebanon's Shiites, from their onetime status as the nation's unwanted stepchild to the cusp of political dominance.
War kinda backfired on ya there, huh, Israel?
A befitting result for mass-murderers who wage aggressive warfare against civilian populations.
As a political party, a militia, and a social welfare organization, Hezbollah has used the devestation of the war with Israel to help strengthen the allegiance of Shiites, giving out money and services that the government has so far failed to deliver.
Let me get this straight: Terrorist Hezbollah a "political party?"
A defense force? A "social welfare organization?"
It can't be!
Such newsprint descriptions DEFY EVERYTHING I'VE EVER BEEN TAUGHT ABOUT TERRORISTS LIKE HEZBOLLAH!
Damn liberal liars at the NYT!
Compare Hezbollah to Bush's "jewel of democracy in the Middle East," which has "failed to deliver" those essential services!
Shiites are believed to have reached a plurality to realize their political goal of dominance, which could threaten long-term instability, and perhaps bring armed conflict.
I'm sure USrael will make that outcome a certainty.
Working on it right now, I'll bet!
On Saturday, Hezbollah and its main Shiite ally, Amal, provoked a political crisis when their five ministers resigned from the government after talks broke down about giving Hezbollah's alliance more authority. A sixth minister aligned with opo-Syrian president, Emile Lahoud, quit today. Those resignations have set the stage for a showdown between Hezbollah and its allies, which are aligned with Syria and Iran, and the Sunni, Druse and Christian leaders who control the largest bloc in Parliament and side with the West."
Of course, one does remember that a large Christian bloc is alleged to have allied with Hezbollah.
General Michel Aoun's "Free Patriotic Movement."
"The Christian leader and retired army general has rallied his followers in the capital with an outpouring of anger at the government, which includes ministers from much smaller and less popular Christian political parties than Aoun's.
Aoun, a sworn enemy of Syria, and Nasrallah, whose movement openly accepts Syria's military and financial support, formed an unusual political union in February. Both leaders believe Lebanon's electoral rules unfairly depress their share of power in the national government, and both rail against government corruption and nepotism.
Just a year ago, Aoun was a loud proponent of disarming Hezbollah. But now, shut out of power by the ruling coalition, he has accorded broader legitimacy to Hezbollah by giving it a cross-sectarian base, in exchange for Shi'ite support for his November 2007 presidential bid.
Aoun, in an interview, said:
"[The government has bankrupted the country, and runs it like a mafia. They are puppets. They cannot resist popular pressure and strikes, because they aren't supported by the people (Boston Globe October 29, 2006)."
This is the same Lebanese government that employs security forces that:
Fatally shot a Shiite demonstrator in the Hezbollah stronghold of southern Beirut on Oct. 6. The government was trying to crack down on illegal construction in the Shiite suburb.
The outcry that followed stoked a power struggle between the government and Hezbollah, with members of the Shiite group demanding that government police leave their part of the city.
The government's "Internal Security Force" sounds like a DEATH SQUAD to me!
Rather than droll on, let's let the Lebanese people speak:
Myrtha Hadidi, from the upscale center of Beirut, paying respects at Hariri's grave, after she bowed her head and crossed herself in front of the grave:
"I am leaving to Qatar. The situation is very, very dangerous now. I think there will be a war again."
Across town, along the crowded streets of the poor Shiite neighborhood devastated by Israeli bombs during the summer war:
Ziad Kamaan, as he prepared to reopen his women's accessory store for the first time since the war ended: "I am very optimistic about the future."
Ali Berro, owner of a small grocery: "Hezbollah gave us dignity and pride; they made us feel like human beings again. It's true that America and Israel devastated this country, but we will rebuild again, ourselves."
Judith Palmer Harik, a professor at the American University in Beirut who has studied and written about Hezbollah:
"This war has improved the Shiite identity and self-image. They got something out of this war that was pretty uplifting."
Tarrad Hamadeh, the Hezbollah minister of labor, who resigned Saturday, referring to the agreement that the presidency would be reserved for Christians:
"If they want to govern without Shiite ministers, then nothing would prevent a Shiite from running for president in the future, They are messing with the country's future."
Bilal Naeim, a Hezbollah politburo member who is overseeing the group's relief effort and works out of a large tent that Hezbollah put up in Dahiya to serve as an office for reconstruction and distribution of assistance. It's office was flattened by Israeli bombs, but it's work was not stopped:
"We can make a revolution in Lebanon, we can occupy Lebanon, but this is not what we want. We could make a coup d'état."
Ali Ahmed Raychouny, entered the tent looking for help rebuilding his bookstore. Hezbollah is preparing to give out money for inventory damaged by the war, and since he and his employees and his landlord depend on the income from his bookstore, he wanted to make sure it was on the list:
"I never expected anything from the government of our country. I have five kids and I support three families. Hezbollah is in my blood."
I must admit I am surprised.
I had no idea that Islamists had "women's accessory stores" (I just assumed Muslims kept women under the burqa and beat 'em!); had small businesses like "grocery stores" (I'd assumed the totalitarian Islamofascists had total control over their subjects, therefore rations, no business); and that Muslims had "bookstores" (I'd always been told that Muslims only read the Koran, then sit around, hate, and discuss ways to kill infidels, No books allowed. WTF?)
Must be more lies from the Times. Yeah, that explains it!
No way Hezbollah could be humans! They are not like us.
