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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Stand alongside Hizbullah, Lebanon's army tells troops |
| 2006-08-19 |
| An internal Lebanese army statement, circulated among forces in the past week, has called for troops to stand "alongside your resistance and your people who astonished the world with its steadfastness and destroyed the prestige of the so-called invincible army after it was defeated". The circular has alarmed ministers in the Lebanese cabinet who had been calling for the army to disarm Hizbullah. It will also fuel the concerns of Israel, the US and the UN security council that the Lebanese army is incapable of securing the south of the country, adding increased urgency to the calls for a multinational force to be swiftly deployed. According to sources close to the army command, there has been a tacit agreement between Hizbullah and the army that those fighters who hail from the south will return to their villages and all arms will be put out of sight. Publicly displayed weapons will be seized but any further attempt to disarm the group has been ruled out for the time being. Retired general Nizar Abdel-Kader, a former deputy chief of staff for army personnel who is in close communication with the army command, told the Guardian: "The army knows there is a gun in every household, they are not going to go out and look for them ... What we are concerned about is the launchers. There is an agreement with Hizbullah that any weapons that are found will be handed over." A mutual respect and cooperation exists between the army and Hizbullah, according to Gen Kader. "They are two very separate entities but they cooperate on security issues," he said, adding that many of the army's troops were from southern Lebanon. One defence analyst who asked not to be named said that, in the south, the army often acted as a subordinate to Hizbullah's military apparatus. "All intelligence gathered by the army is put at the disposal of Hizbullah but Hizbullah does not offer the same transparency to the army," he said. "In a sense, military intelligence in the south is operating on Hizbullah's behalf." Another retired general, Amin Hoteit, now a professor at the Lebanese University, said: "The army sees Hizbullah as a group that is defending the country and so assists them as best it can." Speaking last year, the Lebanese army chief of staff, General Michel Suleiman, said: "Support for the resistance is one of the fundamental national principles in Lebanon and one of the foundations on which the military doctrine is based. Protection of the resistance is the army's basic task." The relationship had been strong for many years, Gen Kader said. "From 1996 onwards there has been a consensus in the army command that Hizbullah was a legitimate national defence force and that the government should extend its umbrella to protect the resistance." He said most army officials viewed the deployment primarily as a "counter-penetration force" working to prevent the infiltration of Israeli intelligence and military patrols. Hizbullah's top official in south Lebanon, Sheikh Nabil Kaouk, told reporters in Tyre this week that the group welcomed the Lebanese army's additional deployment in the south. "Just like in the past, Hizbullah had no visible military presence and there will not be any visible presence now," he said. "We are helping them with our experience by advising them on the best strategic areas to deploy and the best means of protecting this land from Israeli and US violations." The UN's expected deployment of 15,000 troops is seen as an additional force to assist in Lebanon's defence against Israel. "We are happy with such a large force to provide sufficient deterrent to Israeli aggression," said Gen Kader. Reinforcing the fears of many in Israel that Hizbullah would continue to pose a threat, Amal Saad Ghorayeb, a Hizbullah specialist, said the arrival of the army and Hizbullah's redeployment further north was a largely superficial transformation. "The fact they have insisted on retaining their weapons in that area suggests that they intend to use them if and when the time comes." Suggestions from Washington that the Lebanese army should forcibly disarm Hizbullah have been met with alarm by the army command. "If the mission of the army is to defend the people then the whole country will be behind it, but if it is to act against the resistance, it puts a big question mark over the future of the country," Gen Hoteit said. Major-General Moshe Kaplinsky, Israel's deputy chief of staff, said his country intended to keep unmanned "outposts" in southern Lebanon. Ordinary Americans are now enemies of Hizbullah, a Shia cleric said yesterday at the funerals of the 29 victims of the July 29 Qana bombing, above. "American people, you are partners in these massacres, you are partners in this war," said Nabil Kaouk, the leading Hizbullah official in southern Lebanon. "After this no Lebanese can trust an American. You are all murderers and criminals." |
| Posted by:lotp |
| #16 Koffee-Kup and the Syrians and Iranians don't play poker, do they? |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2006-08-19 23:07 |
| #15 I figured that this whole thing, from Lebanon siding with Hezb'Allah to the UN retreating from its side of the deal, would end up this way. I just didn't think it would happen this fast. In any case, if it had to go this way, I'm glad it happened quickly. GWB has all kinds of ammo now. Now all I hope is that the 50% of the public who can't seem to figure it out can actually figure it out. Am I hoping for too much? :-) |
| Posted by: gorb 2006-08-19 22:43 |
| #14 This will make round 2 easier. No need to separate Hisbollocks from the Lebanese govenment. Bomb them all. |
| Posted by: SR-71 2006-08-19 22:29 |
| #13 DV - How long ago did you lose the 'r'? |
| Posted by: Bobby 2006-08-19 22:01 |
| #12 Any rocket attacks should be greeted by the clearing of a 1/4 mile perimeter centered on the launch point. And what is left napalmed for good measure. |
| Posted by: DathVader 2006-08-19 21:57 |
| #11 In light of this, how is Israel supposed to believe that the border is being secured? Reinforced, more like. As so many others have suggested for the Palestinian Terrortories, a slowly walked artillery barrage incremented by another 100 yards each day until a fully de-militarized zone (i.e., rubble) is created. Any rocket attacks should be greeted by the clearing of a 1/4 mile perimeter centered on the launch point. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2006-08-19 21:06 |
| #10 Time for carpet bombing it is time to remind these idiots why you don't want a war. |
| Posted by: djohn66 2006-08-19 20:54 |
| #9 Not so sure that we shouldn't go back to the WWII version of strategic bombardment and just level the place ala Hamburg, Dresden, Tokyo, et al. |
| Posted by: RWV 2006-08-19 19:40 |
| #8 "American people, you are partners in these massacres, you are partners in this war," said Nabil Kaouk, the leading Hizbullah official in southern Lebanon. "After this no Lebanese can trust an American. You are all murderers and criminals." In the minds of your average Arab, is there anything we're not responsible for? |
| Posted by: Raj 2006-08-19 19:29 |
| #7 The UN forces will get there just in time for fireworks. No worries though, they will be led by the French and every French officer carries a white flage. |
| Posted by: 49 pan 2006-08-19 19:26 |
| #6 This officially makes the "ceasefire" null and void. Sorta like the UN. |
| Posted by: flyover 2006-08-19 19:04 |
| #5 "All intelligence gathered by the army is put at the disposal of Hizbullah but Hizbullah does not offer the same transparency to the army Geebeez, shades of 1996 Olympics - the US Army and the FBI. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2006-08-19 17:45 |
| #4 Appears that Leabanon has decided it wants to be a failed state. Even a UN force can't stop this. Israel should notify the UN to remove it's personel as Leabanon has decided it wants war. |
| Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom 2006-08-19 17:25 |
| #3 Stand with Hezbollah. Die with Hezbollah. |
| Posted by: RWV 2006-08-19 17:22 |
| #2 we REALLY need to send those cluster bombs to Israel |
| Posted by: Frank G 2006-08-19 17:05 |
| #1 Fully expected. |
| Posted by: Duh! 2006-08-19 16:41 |