(Jerusalem Post) Colin P. Clarke - Much of the analysis of the civil war in Syria has failed to highlight how participation in the war has hurt Hizbullah. While Hizbullah has gained valuable combat experience fighting alongside Russian and Iranian forces, it has lost 1,700-1,800 fighters, including many seasoned veterans. In comparison, Hizbullah lost 1,200 fighters in its conflicts with Israel between 1982 and 2000. To replenish its ranks, the group has been forced to recruit younger and less qualified fighters. In addition, its image suffered drastically after it sent its fighters to defend the odious Assad regime that has repeatedly used chemical weapons against its own civilian population. The writer is a political scientist at the RAND Corporation and an associate fellow at the International Centre for Counter Terrorism-The Hague.
2017-10-20 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive