(Jerusalem Post) Gary C. Gambill - Under the protection of Damascus, the radical Lebanese Shi'ite Hizballah movement has developed the best-trained and equipped guerrilla combat force in the world, stockpiled roughly 12,000 rockets capable of hitting Israeli population centers, and assumed a direct role in training and equipping Palestinian terrorist cells. It is unlikely that Lebanon's central government will have sufficient military and political clout to confront the organization for several years. If Hizballah's price for endorsing the current political system is state recognition of its armed presence, Lebanon's political elites will pay it if they can. Having inherited stewardship of the developing world's most indebted government, however, they can be swayed if the international community makes it clear that much-needed economic aid will not be forthcoming as long as Hizballah remains armed.
2005-07-29 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive