Lebanon.

This is coolbert:

"We are the sons of the umma (Muslim community) ...
... We are an ummah linked to the Muslims of the whole world by the solid doctrinal and religious connection of Islam"

Devoted readers to the blog wanting to be in the know will be following closely the developments in Lebanon.

Hezbollah has gone on a rampage and is starting another civil war in that beleaguered nation?

[I had previously blogged that about 1 million persons had been killed in the Lebanese Civil War [1975-1990]. That figure is way too high. ONLY 150,000 killed, 1 million casualties total!!??]

I thought Hezbollah was out of the picture for some time to come?

"Hizballah casualties were not less than 500 and may have reached 700 – a figure greater than all the casualties Hizballah has suffered during the last twenty years. It will take Hizballah at least two years to rebuild its capabilities and to recruit and train new people." - - Maj.-Gen. (res.) Yaakov Amidror [Israeli] - - 16 January 2007

Casualties suffered by the Hezbollah military in the war against Israel [2006] were so bad that just to reconstitute as an effective fighting force would take some time?

Evidently NOT!!

This whole current mess started as a "dispute" over an internal Hezbollah communications network!

"Beirut to axe Hezbollah telecoms"

First Hez attacks Lebanese governmental offices in Beirut. Fighting then spreads to the Sunni section of the city [Hezbollah of course consists of Shia Muslims]. NOW, the Druze in the Shouf mountains east of Beirut are under attack by Hez, and Tripoli [far north of Beirut] is also besieged!

"Clashes resume in north Lebanon"

Hezbollah for some time has of course been recognized as a state within a state. Able to use force when it so desires, and emerge victorious, the Lebanese army standing by idly, afraid to tangle with the apparently inspired and ruthless Hez. Hez was certainly able to rebuild an effective fighting force, and in a short time - - was it not?

Hezbollah IS a state within a state, BUT ALSO HAS A GLOBAL REACH!!

Much more serious and potent a threat to the U.S. than even Al Qaeda?

"We have been led to believe that Al-Qaeda is the terrorist group we most need to fear . . . this is a misconception. They identify other terrorist networks working in the United States and write about the one that top American counterintelligence officials and members of the Senate Intelligence Committee have labeled 'the A-team of terrorism,' Hezbollah."

"the number three person [#3] at the FBI said, 'Hezbollah makes Al-Qaeda look like Sunday-schoolers, children, kindergartners.'"

Hezbollah is THE terrorist entity posing the greatest danger to the U.S. and other western nations? Proxies for the Iranians, possessing considerable numbers of fanatical, frenzied, and well trained fighters!

Described [Hezbollah fighters] by persons in the know as the BEST LIGHT INFANTRY IN THE WORLD!! Fighters NOT ONLY well trained for the type of warfare [irregular] as waged by Hez, imbued with a fanaticism, and highly capable of performing military and non-military type missions autonomously ANYWHERE!!

[the word "best" of course is subjective. BEST in this sense means an ability to perform resourcefully, flexibly, with agility at a number of tasks, MOST quasi-military in nature!!]

"Cells", existing and evidently flourishing in the U.S., conducting Hez business, laying the groundwork for terrorist activities the world over!

"a gamut of activities, ranging from cigarette and drug smuggling to operating charitable organizations aimed at financing the purchase of weapons, high-tech equipment, and fraudulent passports."

[Cigarette smuggling has been for decades the one way the U.S. Mafia made the most money the easiest and safest way!]

Profits from illicit activities are quite often loaned to Arab immigrants to set up legitimate businesses, Hez then levying a 20 % tax on all subsequent profits? A "state within a state!"

Hez "fighters" in the U.S. have been "put out of action" through racketeering convictions and sent to prison as would have been any other common criminal.

The U.S. government, again, with Hezbollah "cells" active in the U.S., handles the issue as A CRIMINAL MATTER!! Prosecutes Hez fighters as criminals rather than foreign terrorists who have invaded with the intent to wage war. Until something much more drastic occurs [another 9/11 or even beyond that], this is the best that can be done??!!

coolbert.