[Weekly Standard] David Schenker - Not all Shiites support Hizballah. Some have been voicing their opposition to the "resistance" agenda and, not surprisingly, Hizballah is attempting to strong-arm these dissidents into line. Hizballah was elected to the Lebanese parliament, but the organization is not constrained by the precepts of democratic government. Nasrallah himself feels no compunction to abide by even the bylaws of his own party. He is now serving his fifth three-year term, exceeding Hizballah's two-term limit on secretary generals. In addition to being the leader of the "resistance," Hizballah represents the culmination of years of Shiite effort to have a significant role in Lebanon's political system. Convincing the long-suffering Shiites in Lebanon that they can remain influential without Hizballah is going to be a tough sell. The writer is a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
2006-11-07 01:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive