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.

Lawn Darts.

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It has been reported that in the southern part of Lebanon, upwards of 200,000 persons will be delayed in returning to their homes. For as long as two years!!

This of course in the aftermath of the recent war between Israel and Hezbollah.

There is so much unexploded Israeli munitions laying around. Unexploded munitions mostly in the form of bomblets from cluster weapons. About 1 millions "lawn dart" bomblets it is estimated.

Those cluster weaponry I have blogged about recently.

As much as 40 % of Israeli cluster munitions did not detonate. This is a very high and unexpected percentage to fail. The area of southern Lebanon appears to be strewn with the "lawn dart" bomblets from dropped bombs.

This poses a severe problem to say the least. Getting rid of all that "stuff" is not so easy. You just cannot walk around and pick the "stuff" up. All those bomblets must be categorized as "armed" and ready to detonate. The slightest nudge or jostling can set the "thing" off. With disaster being the consequence. Anyone within a radius of 200 meters is at risk. Extreme care will have to take in removing this ordnance.

Normally, the procedure to destroy the "lawn darts" would be to place a small piece of plastic explosive NEXT TO the bomblet and detonate the plastique'. The bomblet is blown up in the process. This is the safest and most sure method. Hard to do if the bomblets are strewn over a populated, built-up area.

What they need in southern Lebanon is that contingent of fifteen hundred South African contract workers [mercenaries] just recently returned from Iraq. Are expert at clearing minefields and guarding pipelines. Performed these tasks in Iraq with distinction. Apparently performed their tasks in an admirable fashion, save but for several the entire contingent returning home unscathed.

[some dispute the contention that these folks are involved in land mine clearing operations. I cannot say for sure.]

If anyone can approach the cluster munitions problem and know how to handle, it is these guys.

More work, and no rest for the weary!!

coolbert.

Unforeseen?

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Zee'vi Reprise - - Yet again!!

Hassan Nasrallah, the head, purported to be, of Hezbollah, has expressed "surprise" that the latest round of fighting in Lebanon occurred as it did.

Hostilities commencing with the capture [kidnapping] of two Israeli soldiers.

Nasrallah claims that what happened [the war], was totally unexpected.

"'We did not think, even 1 percent, that the capture would lead to a war at this time and of this magnitude. You ask me, if I had known on July 11 ... that the operation would lead to such a war, would I do it? I say no, absolutely not,' he said in an interview with Lebanon's New TV station."

Hassan should have paid more heed to the comments of the person I reasonably infer to be Rehavam Zee'vi:

"Let them quake. And let them call us a mad-dog nation. Let them realize that we're a wild country, deadly and dangerous to everyone around, awful, crazy, capable of suddenly going nuts because they murdered one of our kids - - even one! . . . that if they shoot one of our ambassadors, or even a consul, or even the attache' in charge of stamp collecting, we're capable of starting, suddenly, just for the hell of it, before breakfast, World War Three."

"They have the oil, but we have the matches" - - Ariel Sharon.

coolbert.

Konkurs & Kornet.

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It seems that the Hezbollah have other Russian designed anti-tank-guided-missiles [ATGM] in addition to the Metis-M and the RPG-29. Other ATGM that give Hezbollah gunners a formidable capability.

ATGM such as the Konkurs and Kornet.

The more formidable of the two, the Kornet is laser guided and possesses the dual tandem High Explosive Anti-Tank [HEAT] and fuel air explosive warhead.

It is apparently the latter [the Kornet] that is causing the Merkava tank so much problem. And also useful as an anti-personnel weapon too. Has the fuel air explosive component that I have NOT even heard about. Gives a more robust capability to a weapon primarily used against ONLY armor.




There are web sites that advertise simulators for these ATGM. Simulators that allow the gunners to train almost anywhere. Even from a home PC it seems!!



Simulators of the type ONLY at one time found in military circles. Even a Hezbollah has state-of-the-art equipment available to it's fighters.

Such simulators were used extensively by the Arab armies when they dallied with the old Soviet Union. During the 1973 between the Arabs and the Israeli, Israeli troops were astonished to see simulator trucks pull up the front lines during lulls in the fighting. Simulators to allow Egyptian ATGM gunners for instance, to train and keep their proficiency at a high level, even during periods of actual combat!!!!

[the ATGM such as the Kornet are second generation ATGM. The ATGM used by the Egyptian in 1973 were first generation ATGM. The gunner had to track the missile and target both at the same time. NOT SO with the Kornet. The gunner tracks the target ONLY.]

Even a nation such as India has an impressive military capability and a burgeoning arms industry. Private firms of that nation also make simulators for ATGM training. Another example of how just about anyone that has the money and the brainpower can have the latest and most advanced military equipment equal to anyone else in the world. Even terrorist organizations!!??

It is EASY to see why Israel was having [given the "truce" holding, was is the appropriate word] such a hard time with it's ground offensive in southern Lebanon. Rough terrain, fighting a determined enemy employing sophisticated weapons and who has preplanned and prepared fighting positions in depth. An enemy that employs tunnels and bunkers perhaps of the log and earth variety as used by the Japanese in World War Two?? An experienced enemy ready to die for their cause. Perhaps even eager to die for their cause!

Recall what Joseph Campbell had to say about Shia martyrs:

"according to Shi'a, martyrs in the cause of Ali suffer only in appearance. Their true bodies are lifted to heaven, while in the hands of their executioners mere substitutes remain."

[at the actual instant of death [death NOT actually occurring], an angel whisks the corporeal body of the martyr to heaven, and an image is left behind for the all to behold. Believers say the image does not decay, but has the smell of musk!!]

[NO, I am NOT making this up. I have actually seen forums on the internet where the participants vigorously say that this is so. Martyrs "images" even weeks later have NOT decayed and smell of musk!!!???]

"The moral is to the physical as three is to one" - - Napoleon.

coolbert.

Blogger.

This is coolbert:

Here is a report from a blogger that has actually visited the border area between Israel and Lebanon.

First hand reporting concerning the current fighting that is very well done.

Replete with photos and just plain good reporting.

Of course, this is from the Israeli side of things. Keep that in mind.

Some interesting points:

On the tunnel complexes the Hezbollah evidently have constructed well in advance of the fighting:

“Some things, yes,” he said. “We destroyed a lot of their infrastructure. They had more weapons and more underground bunkers and tunnels than we had any idea. People coming out of there say it’s vast

Regarding the quality of the Hezbollah fighters:

"They're the same," he said. "They're good. These guys are are very experienced. They have been fighting of a long time. But we've killed more than 25 percent of their fighting force. I think they'll break. All armies break. Killing even one percent of a Western army is a disaster. It's prohibitive."

"hardly any journalists have mention this," Dan said. "But at the very beginning of this thing, when Hezbollah captured our soldiers, they also tried to invade, conquer, and hold the town of Metulla along with two other towns. And they were repulsed."

[I admit, I did not hear this anywhere!]

This all according to two IDF [Israel Defense Forces] spokesmen, one of whom is a Hollywood screen writer [one wonders what Mel Gibson would say about that??].

This to me almost sounds like a Vietnam War type of thing.

* The enemy has a capacity we did not know about [tunnels], but we have destroyed them.

* The enemy is tough, but we are killing a lot of them, they will break.

* The enemy tried to capture and hold a town [Tet Offensive], but we stopped them.

A good report from a blogger. Bloggers are everywhere.

coolbert.

Evacuees.

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It seems that the Israeli military and people really ARE shook up about the current fighting that continues unabated in Lebanon between the Israeli and Hezbollah fighters.

About 500,000 Israeli civilians are said to have VOLUNTARILY left the northern part of the country. To escape the unceasing barrage of rocket artillery fired daily by Hezbollah.

[Israel has about 6 million folks tops. For that number [500,000] to leave is pretty significant. About the same number of people that lived in New Orleans prior to Katrina.]

From the Chicago Tribune:

"On Wednesday more than 180 rockets landed in northern Israel, several of them long-range missiles that fell harmlessly to open areas."

[the latter are Fajr-3 and Fajr-5??]

Furthermore, from the same Tribune, this item headline:

"Rocket casualties force Israel to rethink tactics, technology".

"Hezbollah's unguided and relatively unsophisticated missiles [rockets] have left one of the world's best-equipped armies unable to defend its citizens."

"'I don't think anybody had any way to really grasp the implications of this kind of war.' said Gerald Steinberg, head of the conflict management program at Bar-Ilan University."

"The relentless and indiscriminate rocket attacks - - which increased despite Israeli air and ground wars against Hezbollah in Lebanon - - have undermined the country's faith in both military and political leaders and are likely to force major shifts in Israeli military strategy and tactics"

"The United States and Israel invested in developing a multibillion-dollar missile defense system after Saddam Hussein fired Scud missiles at Israeli cities in the 1991 Persian Gulf War. But the Arrow-2 system is incapable of hitting Hezbollah's long-or-short range rockets, which are launched to close to Israel and land too quickly."

"Israel scuttled development of the defenses against primitive rocketry, deciding the effort was too expensive and might not work."

[this sounds like the THEL laser system which I have mentioned before. I was curious of this defensive system was being used. Evidently NOT!!]

This war IS NOT going well for Israel!!

coolbert.

RPG-29

This is coolbert:

Israeli ground forces are having a hard time with the Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon. Hezbollah is equipped with all the latest equipment, purchased on the world armaments market or supplied by Iran or Syria.

The Israeli Merkava tank no longer has the omnipotence it once did. A formidable weapon, the Merkava has taken casualties. Evidently much to the surprise of the Israeli commanders.

Hezbollah fighters are equipped with anti-tank weaponry, of Russian design, that has the tandem High Explosive Anti Tank [HEAT] warhead.

Weaponry to include the METIS-M and the RPG-29.

METIS-M does have the dual HEAT warhead. Designed specifically to defeat reactive armor. Reactive armor of the Blazer variety, first developed and used by the Israeli. Supposedly, the METIS-M was tested against Russian T-80 and T-90 tanks and WAS ABLE to defeat frontal armor of both.

The RPG-29 is the latest incarnation of the hand-held, "panzerfaust" shoulder fired anti-tank weapon. Used by the infantryman to combat oncoming armor. The RPG-29 also has the tandem HEAT warhead.




[Back in my day, the Soviets only were up to the RPG-7 variety of anti-tank weapon.]

Russian weapons designers have not stood still since the fall of the communist state. New, more advanced and deadly weaponry is constantly being developed. I bet a lot of it is destined for the export market. To provide what they call "hard currency".

Even more threatening from the array of Hezbollah weaponry is the Zelzal-2 rocket. Provided evidently to Hezbollah again by the Iranians. A copy of the Soviet Free Rocket Over Ground [FROG]. All of Israel will be within range if the go-ahead is given to use this rocket. The Zelzal could carry a chemical/biological/nuclear warhead [??]. Or pack a huge wallop [half a ton of explosive??] from a conventional round. Supposedly the ayatollahs in Iran are the only ones that can give the command to use the Zelzal. Use of this rocket will constitute a significant escalation of hostilities.



coolbert.

Peacekeeping?

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This is one of those headlines that astounds me:

"UN deaths 'threaten peacekeeping'"

"The UN said it wanted to 'get to the bottom' of what happened.

The UN has warned the deaths of four of its personnel in southern Lebanon may deter countries from contributing to a future peacekeeping force in the area."

This from a BBC internet article dated today.

Of course the BBC is talking here about the incident where an outpost of UN observers in southern Lebanon was hit by Israeli fire. Four [??] UN observers were killed.

And the consensus opinion from "informed parties" in the UN is very negative.

"Mr Malloch-Brown told the BBC the UN 'continued to harbour serious concerns about what went on in the Israeli military forces that day'."

"He said the losses posed a 'very serious threat to the whole concept of neutral peacekeeping.'"

"'Peacekeeping is a dangerous business and we depend on the support of the international community,' he said."

[well, at least Malloch-Brown does understand some basics.]

"'When people die it is not a simple accident to be brushed away.'"

Yes the informed opinion is negative. But this is the type of fuzzy thinking that sometimes makes me wonder about "informed opinions".

As I have said many times before, being in the military period is a dangerous business, and cannot be thought of as being otherwise.

EVEN TROOPS IN A PEACEKEEPING MODE ARE AT DANGER! THIS CANNOT BE DENIED! WHEN YOU ARE IN THE MILITARY, AND IN THE PRESENCE OTHER HOSTILE, ANGRY, ARMED FOLKS, YOU RUN THE RISK OF HAVING SOMETHING BAD HAPPEN TO YOU!

IS THIS NOT OBVIOUS!!??

But to say that the entire role and concept of UN Peacekeepers is jeopardized because of one incident seems to be ludicrous. When people "donate" and "volunteer" forces to be Peacekeepers under UN auspices, what do they think may or very well occur??

coolbert.

Tunnels & Bunkers.

This is coolbert:

The Hezbollah seem to have built, over a period of years, an extensive series of underground tunnel and bunker complexes.

And has done so right along the Lebanese/Israel border.

Allows for Hezbollah "fighters" to survive the most horrendous aerial and artillery bombardment. Then emerge to engage in battle with advancing Israeli troops.

This was the sort of thing that American forces faced when fighting the Japanese in World War Two [WW2] and the Viet Cong [VC] during the Vietnam War.

If history is any guide, such tunnel complexes will provide the Israeli Army with a dilemma it has not faced before. A highly motivated enemy that is shrewd in it's approach to facing an offensive minded, technologically superior foe [Israel]. Use tunnels to escape the massive firepower the enemy can throw at you, then emerge to fight a defensive battle, inflicting unacceptable casualties upon a foe [Israel], that CANNOT accept such casualties.

Tunnel complexes were widely used by the VC in Vietnam and proved to be a successful counter to American firepower. Such may be the case in Lebanon too.






[the two above photos should be best juxtaposed side by side for the full effect!]

Both the VC in Vietnam and the Hezbollah in Lebanon had years, even decades to create, improve, and maintain and increase the size and sophistication of their tunnel complexes.

Evidently too, the Hezbollah engineers are no amateurs either. Read about their preparations along the border between Israel and Lebanon in 2003.

"Hezbollah demolition teams building a network of fortified underground tunnels and bunkers along the border with Israel. Some of the tunnels are connected to an abandoned train tunnel, newly renovated by Hezbollah engineers with new rails and a lighting system."

"New rails - - lighting system - -"

A sophistication well thought out and prepared for well in advance.

Israel is going to have a tough time, and IS having a tough time dealing with this threat.

coolbert.

Golani.

This is coolbert:

It seems the Israeli army is having a very hard time dealing with the Hezbollah "fighters" in Lebanon.

Israeli units, primarily the "Golani" brigade, have suffered casualties that are normally unacceptable for ANY Israeli army force. Especially one fighting a foe who is generally considered to be "terrorists" or guerillas.

Hezbollah seems to hold the advantage in this latest round of Middle East combat.

Has seized the initiative and is holding it.

* Hezbollah attacks an Israeli base, kills Israeli soldiers, captures [kidnaps] two.

[Israel responds]

* Hezbollah fires rocket artillery into Israel.

[Israel responds]

* Israeli troops cross the Lebanese border to "take out" Hezbollah positions.

[Hezbollah ambushes the Israeli, fights from prepared defensive positions and succeeds in making the Israeli respond to them!!]

This seems to be a decided shock to Israeli commanders and the general Israeli public at large. NOT something the Jewish state is accustomed to. NOT having the initiative is considered to be a big minus in warfare, period.

As covered in today's Chicago Tribune:

"When [the army] falls into ambushes time after time, and is surprised each time anew, this series of events has to be stopped." Rafi Noy, a retired general and former chief of staff in the army's northern command told Channel Two television. "It's not good when this happens to an army that is so [well] trained and so [well] professional."

[this is the type of thing that happened to the U.S. Army in Vietnam over and over too!!]

That says a lot.

This war IS NOT going well for Israel.

coolbert.

Nautilus.

This is coolbert:

Read here about Hezbollah rocket artillery.

This type of military exchange occurring right now between Israeli forces and the Hezbollah happened back in 1996 as well. Hezbollah fires rocket artillery type weapons at Israel and the Israeli fires back with counter-battery radar directed artillery and airstrikes.

In 1996, this was called "The Grapes of Wrath".

"When Prime Minister Shimon Peres launched Operation Grapes of Wrath, the plan was to whip Hizballah into submission by bludgeoning the landscape until Lebanon and Syria cried uncle. Israel's response against Hizballah was a high-tech blitz, targeting specific buildings and vehicles hiding the enemy, while avoiding civilian casualties."

"The 1996 Grapes of Wrath ceasefire accord stated that Hizballah and Israeli troops must not attack civilian targets or use civilians as cover, even while assaulting each other's forces inside Lebanon."

Well, forget about 1996. This is NOW! Escalation.

Read here about Iranian rocket artillery. As I have said, the Iranians have gone for rocket artillery in a big way.

A whole lot of potent stuff. Including and allowing for a chemical capability in some instance. This would be a barrage of rockets all launched at once, saturating the target with chemicals and causing a "big hurt".

Iranian rocket artillery includes:

* Fajr-5 missile, which is launched from a mobile platform, reportedly has a range of between 60-70 kilometers.

* Fajr-3 missile 240-millimeter has a range of some 25 miles

* Shahin I is a HE rocket. [there is a Shahin II.]

* Oghab.

* Noor and Hadid 40 tube 122 mm MRL [multiple rocket launcher].

* Arash version of the 122mm Katyusha MRL.

* Haseb, an Iranian 12 tube 107 mm MRL

This is a formidable capability. Israel proper is threatened in a manner that Arab airforces and artillery WERE NOT able to threaten in the past.

There is a counter to all this rocket artillery??

Read too about the high energy laser system THEL, a cooperative venture between the U.S. and Israel. A battlefield laser designed to DEFEAT rocket artillery. The Nautilus. First developed as a counter to rocket artillery in the late 1990's, and fielded [??] in the early part of this current decade??




"THEL tests during 2000 and 2001, which focused on the threat of rockets, proved highly successful, intercepting and destroying 25 Katyusha rockets."

Lasers used in this manner have up to now been strictly within the realm of science-fiction.

Will this Nautilus work and will it be deployed and will it be successful?? Maybe it already has??

coolbert.

ASM.

This is coolbert:

Read here the entire story of the Chinese designed anti-ship missile that struck an Israeli warship operating off the coast of Lebanon. Did some significant damage, with four Israeli sailors missing. Evidently this is a Chinese missile built in Iran and operated by Iranian Revolutionary Guards fighting along side the forces of Hezbollah.

Two missiles were fired, one striking the Israeli vessel, another striking a cargo vessel much further out at sea??

See here for another blog that contains a full run-down on the Chinese anti-ship missile.

This [the missile attack] IS, combined with the rocket artillery attacks upon Israeli cities, a significant escalation by the Hezbollah and Iranian forces in the low intensity war they have been waging against Israel. Where Israel was once impervious to such actions, they no longer are. This is realized, it seems, now, by a lot of folks.

coolbert.

Liban.

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One of the most vicious wars of contemporary times was the war fought several decades ago now in Lebanon.

Started in the mid-70's and continued on and off for about ten years.

Competing militias vied for power and control over their respective "turf". Each militia was organized along ethnic lines.

You had the Christian militias [competing Christian militias existed], Palestinians, Shiite, Sunni, and Druze, fighting all at once. And the militia situation was exacerbated by the presence of foreign "fighters", primarily Iranian "Revolutionary Guards", and a large presence of Syrian regular army troops as well.

And how did the actual fighting start? Over a rape incident!! It seems that two Christian girls were abducted and raped by some Muslim men. The very next day, a Christian militia stopped a bus, made the passengers disembark, separated the Muslim men, and shot ten of these Muslim men to death. And from that point on it was payback after payback escalating into out and out warfare.

As the fighting grew in size it did so in intensity also.

From small arms, the warring parties began to get their hands on more and sophisticated and sophisticated weaponry. At the end, all sides were using artillery, AAA, and using all these weapons in an indiscriminate manner, causing casualties that went well beyond the combatants.

It is estimated that about 1 million persons died during the ten years of warfare in Lebanon. And this in a country that numbered about 10 million persons at the start of the fighting.

Some indication of how indiscriminant the militias were with their weaponry was demonstrated during the annual bird migrations that occur through this part of the world. Migrating birds traveling through the Lebanese flyway [one of the most important bird migration routes on the planet] were subjected to AAA fire from bored militia gunners, who used birds such as storks, eagles and other large soaring birds as targets, heedless to where their expended ammunition landed!!

After a decade of fighting, a truce was achieved and comparative calm restored to the Liban.

But this was only after the various populations within the country had mostly relocated to contiguous, defensible territories that became fiefdoms for the respective militias. The country is now broken down into a Christian zone, Sunni zone, Shiite zone, Palestinian zone, Druze zone, etc. Whereas prior to the war, the groups had been fairly intermingled. And this truce was only reached when all sides realized that further conflict would not result in further gain for any side. A relative stalemate had been reached!

There is really something really dreadful about the whole Liban situation. Prior to the outbreak of the fighting, Lebanon was held up to the U.S. as being an example of a society where disparate groups could live in peace and relative harmony. Was to be an example for the racial groups in the U.S. to emulate. Well, I sure hope not!!

coolbert.