Hezbollah will not go away

Yes, it's a terrorist organization, but it has support among many people because of it's social programs. It is a grass-roots organization that has significant impact on those people who need the help. No other organization in Lebanon has been able to accomplish what Hezbollah has.

Israel, the US and anyone else who thinks Hezbollah will be destroyed by what's happening is living in fantasy land.

The US and Israel will have to talk to Hezbollah along with Syria and Iran. If anyone wants peace in the ME, they have to be face the fact that they will have talk to people they don't like. There's no getting around it, IMO.

This is plain blood sport going on now. Hate driven ruthless killing without goals, without justification.

that Israel plans to destroy Hezbollah.

This so-called buffer zone is imaginary hope they can push Hezbollah far enough away to not hurt them again. It's false security.

Just like the PLO. Just like the Muslim Bretheren. Just like a host of other Islamic political-social-militia entities. And just like the Catholic IRA, for that matter.

Westerners fail to realize this AT THEIR PERIL. One should never confuse the statements coming out of the charitable outfits or the political wing with the goals and agendas of the militia. The goal of the militia, stated, quite clearly, is to kill all the Jews, push their bloated bodies into the sea, wipe the nation of Israel from the map, turn the entire region of the Levant and Palestine into a Shi'a theocracy answerable to the Ayatullahs in Iran, and while they're at it, assume control of the Holy Places in Jerusalem...and eventually, in Meccah and Medina. That IS their goal. Don't lose sight of it.

The guy who runs the political wing of the outfit may talk to the guy running the charitable wing, but he will NEVER publicly ally himself with the head of the militia, at least while they are running around killing people. They keep their business separate so that one agency can survive if the other gets crushed. Look at the PLO for a bit of history, there. Their militia was kicked to shit in 82, but Arafat was able to keep the outfit going and thriving by wresting control of the political wing after his militia was licking its wounds in Tunis and elsewhere, and bringing the political wing to the fore, while garnering popular support by snatching up Saudi Arabian petrodollars and distributing them to the people in Gaza and the West Bank through the PLO charities.

I agree completely with John Kerry on this matter. We don't need to negotiate with those bastards. Those Iranian proxies need to be DESTROYED:

Hezbollah guerillas should have been targeted with other terrorist organizations, such as al-Qaida and the Taliban, which operate in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Kerry said. However, Bush, has focused military strength on Iraq.

"This is about American security and Bush has failed. He has made it so much worse because of his lack of reality in going into Iraq.…We have to destroy Hezbollah," he said.
http://www.rawstory.com/showoutarticle.php?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.detnews.com%2Fapps%2Fpbcs.dll%2Farticle%3FAID%3D%2F20060723%2FUPDATE%2F607230360

I'm under no illusions what they're primary goal is. That's why they exist in the first place.

They've been in existence for over 20 years now and enjoy wide enough support because of the social programs that destroying them is nothing more than a dream.

Considering how wide their support is, Israel and the US will have to talk to them at some point. Hezbollah does have a political voice in the Lebanese government.

It's three guys chewing their cud now, and maintaining Arafat's tomb.

Nasrallah had better watch his ass. He goes, the whole outfit crumbles.

The trick is to find substitutes for the charitable enterprises. Once that happens, the political support will dry up. In the interim, the militia needs to be hunted down and slaughtered. Without mercy, just like they treat those that oppose their sick world-views.

On the 24th of May, "after the collapse of the SLA and the rapid advance of Hezbollah forces, Israel withdraws its troops from southern Lebanon, more than six weeks before its stated deadline of 7 July."<24> This was widely considered a victory for Hezbollah and boosted its popularity hugely in Lebanon.<25><8>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hezbollah

Some of the Lebanese population does blame Hezbollah for what's happening now, but I don't think it's nowhere near what anyone would like in order to disband them.

Hezbollah is still popular and has a political voice in the Lebanese government. The only option I see is for someone with more moderate views who realizes that destroying Israel is nothing more than a pipe dream to take over. Nasrallah won't live forever. If I was a betting person, I'd say Israel is working their butts off to kill the man. I don't buy their denials about this.

Nasrallah dead, though a bit crude to say, would be the best thing for peace and stability in the region that anyone could hope for. And he's young--that bum is in his forties, tops. Hell, Khomeini lived to be a VERY old man...and the bastards at the top of the food chain currently are no spring chickens, either.

Israel NEVER wanted to be in southern Lebanon; they simply had no choice--it was either that, or be infiltrated, deal with hit and runs, and the very rocketeering that we see today. I mean, really, that was their awful little vortex where for two decades they flushed their most important asset, their military servicemembers. Every one is valuable over there, every single one--way more than in militaries with lots of assets (I am not talking about the intrinsic value of human life, here, I'm talking hard-nosed, practical, cold facts). A single soldier is worth ten to thirty in other armies.

The concept of accepting that Hezbollah kills and terrorizes some people, but they help some others. This is not acceptable. All violence must stop, and until then, there will be no peace.

I'm saying eventually Israel and the US will have to talk to Hezbollah. Yes, they have to stop their violence, but we will be talking with them in the future.

Palestinians fairly. As long as Israel occupies post 1967 land, there will be war. Hezbollah will remain a part of it.

They might also have to offer up some key perpetrators of past terrorist acts and agree to cooperate with authorities to ensure that they remain a legal organization.

Do you really think that if Israel stops bombing that Hezbollah is going to stop?
Duckie

bombs and bullets will put a serious dent in the military portion, but cutting off it funds will cause it to wither away. If Syria and Iran continue to fund it as their surrogate, they Lebanon will continue to suffer

They are already at home.

Don

There is no "talking to" a fantical group of people intent on carrying out one mission and one mission only: the destruction of Israel. Look what happened with the PLO. The political faction remained under the direction of Arafat, but the radical terrorist infrastructure was rooted out and scattered to the winds by Israel. And this is exactly what needs to happen - and WILL happen - to Hezbollah.