Inside Hezbollah | Party of God

[Occhidiangela]

I think that might be the crux of it. Hezzbollah gains adherents and thereby political power by showing "success" which can be the form of a rocket killing Isreali's in Haifa, or the Isreali military response to rockets. Hezzbollah is striking their political blows against the legitimate government in Beirut, by attacking Isreal.

And by showing the Lebanese government in Beirut as powerless to stop either them, or the Israeli's. I saw an interesting article the other day, said most of the officers in the Lebanese army are Druse, Christian, and Sunni, and about 70% of the soldiers/ranks are Shia.

No wonder they aren't all that effective, given where loyalties tend to lie at the visceral level.

Occhi

[Rinnhart]

I think that might be the crux of it. Hezzbollah gains adherents and thereby political power by showing "success" which can be the form of a rocket killing Isreali's in Haifa, or the Isreali military response to rockets. Hezzbollah is striking their political blows against the legitimate government in Beirut, by attacking Isreal.

Hezbollah gains adherents by being a grassroots organization that operates as a fully functional and independent government within Lebanon.

It's deeper than a successful militant organization; this is a popular social group with strong connections to local communities and a significant hold upon the hearts and minds of the Lebanese people.

CNN Linky

If it wasn't for the "CRUSH THE ZIONIST" element, they'd be stand-up guys.

[Occhidiangela]

Hezbollah gains adherents by being a grassroots organization that operates as a fully functional and independent government within Lebanon.

It's deeper than a successful militant organization; this is a popular social group with strong connections to local communities and a significant hold upon the hearts and minds of the Lebanese people.

CNN Linky

If it wasn't for the "CRUSH THE ZIONIST" element, they'd be stand-up guys.

Sure, except for their Shia bent, which makes them a threat to any of the Sunni in the Middle East. Roughly 90% of Muslims are Sunni. So, like the Communists of the 30's and 40's, if it weren't for some of their nastier habits and their dedication to over throwing the basic social order, sure, they'd be stand up guys.

Of course, there are conservative/reactionary Sunni factions as well, but they don't tend to benefit from the largesse of Teheran, nor subscribe to the Islamic Revolution/Islamic Republic rhetoric and ideology.

Meanwhile, I was just thinkin' -- a lot of folks in India aren't all that pleased with the Muslim agitators in Pakistan and Bangladesh pursuing their agenda at the expense of the Hindu. Recent train bombings seem to stem from a Bangladesh cell of activists/guerillas.

Not a whole lot of love going around these days, it seems. John Lennon's fantasy is fading fast.

Tom Lehrer's lyrics are more apropos than the drippy refrain to "All You Need is Love"

"Oh the Catholics hate the Protestants
And the Protestants hate the Catholics
And the Hindus hate the Moslems
And everybody hates the Jews!

But during National Brotherhood week . . ."

Occhi

[kandrathe]

Sure, except for their Shia bent, which makes them a threat to any of the Sunni in the Middle East. Roughly 90% of Muslims are Sunni. So, like the Communists of the 30's and 40's, if it weren't for some of their nastier habits and their dedication to over throwing the basic social order, sure, they'd be stand up guys.

Of course, there are conservative/reactionary Sunni factions as well, but they don't tend to benefit from the largesse of Teheran, nor subscribe to the Islamic Revolution/Islamic Republic rhetoric and ideology.

Meanwhile, I was just thinkin' -- a lot of folks in India aren't all that pleased with the Muslim agitators in Pakistan and Bangladesh pursuing their agenda at the expense of the Hindu. Recent train bombings seem to stem from a Bangladesh cell of activists/guerillas.

Not a whole lot of love going around these days, it seems. John Lennon's fantasy is fading fast.

Tom Lehrer's lyrics are more apropos than the drippy refrain to "All You Need is Love"

"Oh the Catholics hate the Protestants
And the Protestants hate the Catholics
And the Hindus hate the Moslems
And everybody hates the Jews!

But during National Brotherhood week . . ."

Occhi

This is why this skirmish had very little to do with Isreal. They really were just a punching bag, and damned if they fought or not. This was just a propaganda ploy, and now Damascus and Tehran can rally the islamo-facist youth of the world for more terrorism.

Houston Chronicle Article - Syria, Iran leaders praise Hezbollah

There is no "winning" when the underdog just needs to have some people remain alive in order to claim victory.

"See you did not kill us all, so God is obviously on our side."