U.S.: Iran's actions compromise Lebanon's sovereignty
State Department spokesman responds to Iran announcement it will support Lebanon's army if U.S. halts its military funding.
By Natasha Mozgovaya Tags: US Iran Hezbollah LebanonU.S. State Department spokesman Philip Crowley said Tuesday that "Iran's activities compromise Lebanese sovereignty," after Iran offered to support Lebanon's army if the U.S. were to discontinue military aid.
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Exchange of fire on the border between Israel and Lebanon - August 3, 2010 |
| Photo by: Reuters |
For years, the U.S. has pumped money into Lebanon's military, hoping a strengthened army would sideline Iranian-backed Hezbollah's powerful militia.
On Monday, the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee said he suspended U.S. military aid to the Lebanese Armed Forces on Aug. 2 amid growing concern in Congress that American-supplied weapons could threaten Israel and that Hezbollah may have influence over the army. The State Department, however, stressed that continued financial support for the Lebanese army was essential.
"We've worked hard to build an effective relationship with the Lebanese government and to help expand the capabilities of the government and thereby improve its sovereignty over its territory," Crowley said when asked if he thought that Iran's proposal was in any way dangerous. "I think that the statements by Iran are expressly the reason why we believe that continuing support to the Lebanese government and the Lebanese military is in our interest."
On the unexpected decision by a U.S. Congressman to suspend that aid over concerns the weapons could be turned on Israel, Crowley said that "there is aid already in the pipeline. So I can't say that a hold today necessarily has an immediate impact."
Israel said it had complained to Washington and Paris about funding provided to the Lebanese army after Lebanese soldiers killed a senior Israeli officer in a rare border skirmish that also left two Lebanese soldiers and a Lebanese journalist dead.
Iran's ambassador to Lebanon met Lebanese army chief Jean Kahwaji on Monday and said Tehran was ready to "cooperate with the Lebanese army in any area that would help the military in performing its national role in defending Lebanon."
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Shame on the Obama administration, which streches out its arm to Iran, then comes a year-and-a-half late to sanction it, which "engages" Syria, and adds this shamefully coward rhetoric on Lebanon's Iranian metastasys.
You mean Iran’s actions compromise Israel supremacy
The US is not the only dog in the game and should realize that - and Iran, which is indigenous to the region has more leverage and right than any american administration to intervene help or resist - although I am pro-Israel, just not pro-US - they meddle to much and it always backfires, Iraq is now an Israeli headache for decades to come and Iran is much stronger and will probably get nukes now.
. USS Truman posted opposite Hormuz as Iranian threats spiral To meet increasingly defiant Iranian threats to US regional military forces, Washington has detached the USS Truman carrier from support duty for Afghanistan in the Arabian Sea and reassigned it to Dubai opposite the Gulf of Oman and the Straits of Hormuz with thousands of marines aboard. Reporting this, DEBKAfile's military sources note that the Iranian submarine attack on a Japanese oil supertanker last month near Hormuz underlined the urgency of heightened security for keeping the vital straits open.How about that one people?
Israel is entering the Lebanese Air space and sea and they can do whatever they like... The US arms are allowed to kill civilian through IDF in Lebanon but the US hummers and light weapons given to Lebanon are not allowed to be used to defend themselves with! those gifts given by the US to Lebanon, will cost us more the whole point of the gift idea is to make business, plus the gift given to Lebanon from the U.S cant do anything against Israel, the american are giving gifts like clothes, "boots" transportation vehicles not missiles and jets and all this stuff the U.S gives Israel for free every year! I'm not a big fan of Iran but if they want to support the army with real arms they are more than welcomed! and so is the Russian I would love to see the Russian back in the ME, if you want peace there should be balance without balance no so called peace can be achieved with Israel! Russia Lebanon needs you! and thank you Russia for the choppers! we are hoping for the SAM defence missiles system so it can shoot down the IDF aircraft over the Lebanese territory :)
The Congressmen rushing to suspend aid to the Lebanese army were: Nita Lowey, Howard Berman, Eric Cantor; two men and one woman; two Democrats and one Republican. Question: What is their common denominator? Answer: They are all Jews, reflexively supporting Israeli positions. Unfortunately, Israeli positions are not always wise, and sometimes they may hurt Israel and the US, even in the near future. If the US withholds support from Lebanon, they will be able to get even more advanced arms from other sources, from France or even Russia for example, paid for by the Saudis. And if they want to be nasty, they will take the Iran offer and get weapons from that source. In short, the US will lose the influence it has in Lebanon and somebody else will gain it. And all this for some trivial matter. The fact is that the US does not supply arms that are dangerous to Israel, not even defensive anti-air missiles that can shoot down Israeli intruders. Another source can supply that, if the US loses influence. The House of Representatives is weak on geo-political issues. Better leave this to the Senate. Senators are of higher quality.
These forces are both legitimate, the hizbis are the ones causing the trouble behind the scene. Why doesn' USA send troops and interfere since they are Israeli aliance and LAF aliance??
When US does it, it is not compromising Lebanon's sovereignty but in Iran's case it does? What a phony.
At least that way everyone would know where they stand. Arab countries would know that the US doesn't care about them, only about Israel, so they wouldn't be constantly disappointed by American actions. And the US wouldn't have to act surprised every time it finds out that nobody in the Middle East, not even Israel really, likes it.
If you just knew how frustrating it is to waste your time and energy to write a post and not see it published. What's the criteria? Ideology? What are the rules, anyway? Your behaviour is indecent to honest people that just want to contribute to the debate.
American 'naivite' once more exposed in its full sense. It is crystal clear that any weapons given to the Lebanese army will be used by Hizbalah. It is exactly as arming Hizbalah which is an archi terrorist organization . Obama is getting to understand the hard way , that the status quo in this region should be preserved and just Israel should be armed. Israel is the only reliable ally of the United Sates in the region. Its military superiority should be preserved becuase it implies preserving American interests in the region,
Iran is the main head of this snake, cut it off and the rest will wither.
you my hero
the word Iran by Israel. Then you say what most people think.
And once this snake's head is chopped, you make the Sunni terrorists jihadists, Taliban and ISI in Pakistan, Muslim Brotherhood, Al-Qaida, and the like, not only free reign in the Muslim world, but Pakistan's nukes in a silver plate. And don't think for a minute that they are any less anti-Semitic than Iran's terrorist snake.
Lebanon is not a country. It's an Iranian playground where Syrians and Hizbullicks enjoy life ... So ashamed of being of Lebanese descent...
great, renounce lebanese citizenship and stay in Brazil. we won't miss you.
The US military want to see Lebanon Christians strong enough to stop a Hizbollah take over but for Israel its not so clear cut. Israel is focused more on destroying Hizbollah than trying to contain it, so a weaker Lebanon army is better. Bottom like is that these US Congressmen would rather put US troops at risk than IDF soldiers, people in US may not see that way but foreign Gov. do.
Israel wants one thing from Lebanon, and that is Lebanon's water resources. Israel's founders lusted over the waters of the Litani just as much as they did the aquifers of the West Bank and the Golan, without which Israel would not exist as it does today. With Israel's overuse of its own aquifers and those of the occupied territories, much of Israel's water supply is becoming salinated, so once again Israeli leaders are lusting over Lebanon's water supply and looking for a means to justify "Operation Litani 2".
Hezbollah, although deemed a "terrorist group" by those whose refusal to abide by UN Security Council resolutions demanding their unconditional end of its operation Litani forced its formation, is in fact a product of Israel's own actions and has every right as a citizens militia to defend its countries border, and most importantly the waters of the Litani from those who have sought to occupy their homeland and tap their resources since prior to its inception. If the US chooses to not provide Lebanon with the means to defend itself, so be it, but by what right does the US have to dictate from whom Lebanon, a sovereign state, obtains the means to defend itself? I'm sure that there are others who are ready and willing to fill the void both militarily and economically as the US recedes into depression, perhaps even China, which is making huge inroads into economies that its Israel makes untenable for the US today. China moving in means that US corporations are going down, down, down... Welcome to the new world order America.
How convenient to forget that Israel was RESPONDING to attacks from Lebanon.
say anything that's not moronic? I doubt it, but doesn't hurt to ask.
I am reminded of the recent statement from General Ray Odierno: [the USA has 50,000 troops in Iraq to] "ensure that this government can be formed by the Iraqis, and that all the other nations respect their sovereignty as they go about forming their government." As in: US troops are there to ensure that the the USA is the only country that can usurp Iraq's sovereignty. You are seeing the same thinking from Crowley i.e. America is the only country that is entitled to use military aid as a lever to influence Lebanese affairs, and anyone else who tries to do the same is an evil warmongering bastard.....
My best to you. Salaam/Shalom
US rule is for shure less legitimate than the Syrian rule. The US cannot protect "the Lebanon", see Sabra and Shatila. They should first care about Iraq.
Wether it comes from the US or Iran, Money remains Money and it will be used to strenghten the Lebanese Army. So enough cheap politics and bad propaganda... Lebanon will seek to enhance its Armed Forces by all means, and it is its legitimate right!
Last century-1900s,britain, the size of virginia,controlled/ruled two-thirds of the land mass.This century-2000s,ISRAEL, the size of delaware,Rules North America the European Union and japan.JEWS are the most intelligent race/religion on earth....period.
OMG, until when will we listen to stuff like that? The lobby does what any organized institution would do to protect interests. Why do you think the Muslim lobby in the US is getting stronger, using the same resources and tatics of Jewish one? That's how things work. It's not a question of mental superiority.
But daily overflights into Lebanon and shooting sheepherders, farmers and fishermen getting too close to the border is not invading Lebanese sovereignty. Please our government is beginning to sound and act like the Israeli government.
Which nation? Lebanon? Israel? Do they not Both have the right to exist?
Is the Israeli leadership even bright enough to understand they've made an OOPS!? Hope they realize that if the Lebanese end up taking the Iranian offer, Israel has no basis upon which to CRY foul...and NO recourse under international law. So Israel pulled its little AIPAC strings, and its thralls in congress performed their roles, and lo' and behold, Israel has managed to land Lebanon directly into the friendly hands of Iran. Good work, Boobi Baby!
Hezballa are unelected rulers in Lebanon by veto and brute force. They go on killing sprees when the Lebanese object.
iran and syria have been controlling lebanon for decades now. hezbollah, iran's proxy, cannot be overthrown from within lebanon. the lebanese army is largely shia, and as such, controlled in part by hezbollah. the doha accords have been a failure. assad is not reliable, either. assad has enough problems with his own population.
You want to run their government anyway. Or maybe you could turn it over to al Qaida since you don't think the Lebanese should govern themselves. It'll be a cakewalk.
Since Lebanon is occupied by Hizballah and Syria it is now not a state as it was previously,but stollen by the above people I mentioned.The once country called Lebanon now is called or should in future be called HEZBOLISTAN...Much to my disma it is a FACT to be remembered .The Shiites see that their power will remain as also it is same in Iraq with Hasrallah 's cousin.Alternatively Saudi Arabia does not help much considering they are extra Sunnite fundementalistic. In short there is no chance of any peace in the region until one CUTS the head and the Tail OF THE VIPER ...i.e Iran first that will fall like house of cards eventually.It is odd when we read some Christian lebanese lauding Ahmedi and Hassan. it shows their mindset admitting they too...Christian or not follow Hassan. Funny tpe of Christianity NOT!
They can do anything they wish. Their problem not Israel's. if they are so enamoured with Hassan's take over of Lebanon who's to stop them. Live and let live...with a big difference NO FURTHER ATTACKS ON ISRAEL PERIOD. And if not,then the consequences are justifyable.No occupation,but defensive actions ..is admissible don't you think?
mostly gifted and unpaid for. Iran is taking the same route, while smaller than the Soviet state.
The USA has no guarrantee the weapons they supply will not be turned against them or their allies in Lebanon or elsewhere. Hezballah has lots of American and Lebanese blood on their hands.
Just wondering how the comments are "selected"
SO, the US is effectively compromising Israel's sovereignty by offering to finance their military? SO, the US was NOT compromising Lebanese sovereignty by doing the very same thing? HUH?
I know all the idiots', fact-trampling, automated answers at this anti-Semitic cyberfest. But Lt. Col. Dov Harari was the latest victim of shooting (any kind of weapons) from Lebanon into Israel.
I don't think Lebanon is a US colony ... Lebanon is independent and sovereign and can buy weapons from whomever they want to defend their country. The US or Israel for that matter have no say in that.
means that Iran is compromising Lebanon's sovereignty, while the US supplying Israel with the weapons to invade Lebanon any time they want is, I guess, promoting Lebanese sovereignty. Now, I have to adjust my screen settings. I just realised that I am looking at white letters on a blue background ;-}
!hturt eht ekil sgniht trevni yeht woh egnarts Everything is backwards ;)
Boy, we should give seminars on foreign policy. We're so good at it. It's a knack.
sounds like us is saying "we will compromise lebanon's sovereignty"
I feel sorry for the Christian Lebanese people if the radical Hisbollah take over.. Where are the clever muslims or are they also living in America and Australia
Lebanon's ease of switching sides to Iranian support is exactly why US support should be withheld. At their earliest convenience, Lebanon would join up with Hezbollah, Syria and Iran and use those very weapons against US interests. Continuing financial support is not a garauntee, and judging by how the Arabs have acted when it comes to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, there's no reason to believe that aid will build any sort of loyalty with the local populations.
When was compromising state sovereignty ever a problem when the US invaded and occupied Iraq and Afghanistan. The US provides Israel with all the military resource it needs to ensure there's no threat to the illegal occupation and settlement enterprise, and now Iran offers to provide Lebanon with the weaponry to resist against Israeli aggression, and another occupation - what's the problem with that?
What Does Israel OR the USA want? Do EIther want a Lebanon which is capable of controlling it's borders and preventing private militias like Hisbollah? Then there MUST be a Lebanese Army capable of controlling those borders and suppressing militias like Hisbollah. Israel REFUSES to allow a Lebanese government or army capable of suppressing Hisbollah. There was NO Hisbollah until Israel invaded and occupied much of Lebanon. Israel claims that the presence of Hisbollah justifies preventing Lebanon from having an Army capable of suppressing Hisbollah. Yet Israel claims that the existence of Hisbollah justifies it's continued persecution of Lebanon. IS Israel a more dangerous place because Egypt can control it's border and prevent terrorist attacks? Is Israel a more dangerous place because Jordan can control it's borders and prevent terrorist attacks? Is Israel insane to use it's ability to force America to do anything it wants to prevent Lebanon from being strong enough to control Hisbollah and prevent terrorist attacks? Or is Israel a nation which prevents Lebanon from being able to defend itself - from Hisbollah as well as Israel - because Israel wants one nation on it's border which it can kick the crap out of any time it feels insecure? Only a Lebanon capable of controlling it's land, it's border can be strong enough to survive and prosper. ONLY a strong Lebanon may be deterred. Israel has a sick need for a whipping boy which it may abuse at any time it desires. It does not desire a nation on it's northern border which is strong enough to keep Hisbollah from being a major power with it's own militia. Ergo, Israel, the nation responsible for the creation of Hisbollah, remains the most important force preserving Hisbollah and crippling a Lebanon which could suppress Hisbollah. Hisbollah, the Bastard Child of Sharon and Iran is the beloved beneficiary of the protections, support, and support of Israel today. Nasarallah and Netanyahu, brothers in a cause which is the preservation of an ultra-rightwing Israel which serves to promote both of their careers.
Yes, Israel wants a force that can stop Hezbollah. No, Israel does not just want to replace Hezbollah with another military/fighting force that equally despises Israel and is willing to lie about an incident of killing a soldier with the same ease that Hezbollah would have killing soldiers randomly.
15 to 1 rating against this post. Maybe if you write longer feedbacks your positive rating will improve. Your feedback is so misdirected its Laughable. When you are on the ground you tend to have a better handle of reality, which you do not.
Hezballah and Amal were in Lebanon at the wake of the 1979 Iranian revolution. The PLO was shooting daily katyushas into Israeli civilians, in Kiryat Shemona and all the north of Israel. The Israeli invasion was necessary, and then turned into a tragic mistake as it went all the way to Beirut. It achieved expulsing the PLO, and perhaps, influencing the change of its charter in Tunis. Hezballah and Iran have nothing to do with the invasion and the withdrawal from israel's security buffer zone inside Lebanon. If the UN declared that the Blue Line was completely respected, what need is there for a "Resistance" of Hezballah, that has for all practical purposes, metastasyzed Lebanon into one cancerous Iranian protectorate. There simply is no reason for Hezballah to exist, nor for Iranian, Syrian or anybody's meddling in Lebanon. If that was the case, Israel and Lebanon would live in peace like Jordan and Israel.
Big old bad Lebanon is mean to me, I didn't do anything wrong.
getting fingered by Hezbolla, who has Syria's finger in its hyde, and who has Iran's finger in its.
little old Lebanon would be no more. In short, the big daddy protects Lebanon far more than Israel.
even barak a defense minister said that 2006 lebanon war was a disaster... buddy israel has yet to prove anything.... they have not fought anyone who can actually defend themselves... give it a rest..
This is what we get for being so blindly supportive of Israel. This is a classic case of the tail wagging the dog and since when should our national interests be dictated or jeopardized by Israel? Israel says, "Jump", and the USA says, "how high?" We open the door for Iran to have more influence in the region because Israel can't handle it themselves? Pathetic!!
Because people are to busy to see who they are voting into the office! Howard Berman, who is modestly identified in this article as "a Congressman", supports the political Right in Israel, and makes this symbolic gesture of stopping the aid to please the present gov. of Israel. COunter productive and pathetic move.
For the U.S. to cut weapons to the Lebanese army is equivalent to the U.S. in giving Iraq to Iran on a silver platter.
most of the people reading these types of news article are voting and commenting on emotion. It doesn't matter how many downvotes you get because you're absolutely right.
why does renault-nissan still assembly auto in iran?
The bull is now being led by the nose. Welcome to 2010. 2012 will be when Israel charges at Iran and suddenly looks to the side to see the US no longer charging with it.
Zionist's plan to prepare the Lebanese army for destroying Hizbullah has failed. Hizbullah is the army and the army is Hizbullah. Americans are bankrupt. They should instead use that money to feed their people.
o.k, this could be good for lebanon, iran "maybe" might force america to reneg on there halting of military aid, knowing if iran gets it's hands on lebanon then all is lost, i'de stick to iran, 1. america allowed israel to bomb the living daylights out of lebanon, 2. america does not give lebanon it's good weapons for defence and 3. iran would give much more aid to lebanon than america, imagine if hezbollah brought the idf to a standstill what the whole country can do.
what sveregnity ? hezbollah is conroling .and in charge in lebanon .when israel provided pictures that hezbollah hiding weapons rockets around hosphitals schools .UN ben moon said .oh israel exaggreted .or all the weapon that was smuggle to hezbollah under the nonse of the UNIFIL? .hesbollaH IS a cancer decease .contiguous .should be rooting out from lebanon at once UN EU US it your job to do so because it is you fult and you should take the responsibilty to deal with decease,we can not set quiet and let iran in
It looks like they're handing out free netbooks in the settlements where the host of jobless religious nutters can learn hasbara techniques. Will someone show these guys where the spell & grammar checker is ?
But it doesn't make it true. Why don't you take your hate back to WWII Germany?
at least you understood my my point .thats all whats count ...ha ha
With all the global meddling the US does? What a joke
It proves that iran has significant enouigh revenues in reserve that when it comes to fighting Israel it will spend every nickle. I pity the poor Iranian poeople as their government spends on weap0jns and terror instead of teh people
a bigger war in the ME.The whole world will suffer. PEACE.
Israel needs to choose which it prefers to govern Iran since obviously it does not like the idea of Lebanese doing the job. Or do you want to go back in and do it yourself for another 20-60 years? Last time worked out so well and so is the West Bank.
To govern Lebanon: 1) Lebanese; 2) Iran; 3) al Qaida; 4) IDF. If you don't want options 2 or 3, you have 1 or 4 as a remaining choice. If you don't like the cost in blood and treasure of option 4, then the Lebanese have to have the capability.
Can the Thumb Demon get it over 1000 thumbs?
haha, this boomerang hit the stupid Yankees right on the back of their heads.
wen you talk about ME ... you have to apply regular well accepted double standards created by all Western countries... USA give 5 billion in aid to Israel but tat doesn't compromise anything - NO QUESTIONS ASKED.... but if any other state or country, especially muslim state to muslim state -- then israel cries and USA comes defending
the cards have already been laid out. hezbollah will try to start a war to make any 'proper' outcome of the special tribunal for lebanon impossible. either this war will be started before the special tribunal releases its findings, or immediately after. this way, when the findings are released, lebanon will be reeling or in the midst of yet another conflict and in no condition to bear a confrontation within itself over the results of the tribunal. hezbollah believes it can survive yet another war with israel and emerge just as strong as before (it has experience to back it up), but is not sure it can survive being 'indicted' for hariri's murder. will israel be dragged into another war? only if it fails to appreciate fully what is going on in lebanon.
The gap will be filled up by states that the U.S. do not want them involved, such as Syria or Iran or Russia . Russia is willing today to send Lebanon the most sophisticated armaments free just to have an influence on the mediterranean. So American should not follow those shady characters in congress. It is wrth spending chicken feed to gain influence after-all we send israel multi-billions dollars that we borrow from the chinese and have no influence at all in return.
what a winner his muslim apology tour and ass licking foreign policy has been...
Let me see if I understand this properly. If the US funds Lebenon, Israel, Egypt, Pakistan, India, Georgia, etc, their soverignty is not comprimised but if Iran funds Lebenon, then its sovereignty is comprimised. Same old double standard applied by the same old players. Israel once more the victim needing protection from Mommy. Quite BORING
well, you dont have iran telling them that they will go funding whoever they want including terrorists. They do go around telling everyone what tyehy intend to do :) Why do you think its ok to be a bully. If we dont stop them, who would? Ask yourself? Why do you say thayt Why do you say israel is the baby?
it is about time to take care of ahmadinejan or hezbollah.the snacke is geting obsess and obese with israel .both thy pose extrem danger with ther poison.we should act now before the situation will deterioate P>S it is all ready late ,but as we say never is to late .
What's a "snacke"? And who is getting obese together with Israel?
Of getting rid of Ahedinejad? my country (USA) Just does the talk,but not the walk. Why are they reluctant to tell that buffoon..oh I forgot he is is just the mouth piece of Khameini and the rest of the mullahs.This state of affairs has gone on far too long without any resolusion insight. Perhaps we are all afraid of the cosequences? but when confronted by such people the best thing s to beat them at their game I would have thought.Bu nah,nah as I said above powers that be only talk. They put sanctions at Iran,in return Iran just laughs it off.Hezbolah?oh yes them too.But are they not all in it from Syria,Lebanon and now evenTurkey playing with them as ineffcient and incapable to beat them.I do not blame them seeing how perceive by going as far to push the USA Enjoying the game of "hide and seek".Sickening to contemplate coming from the greatest country such as the USA being taken for a ride....
If the USA ACTUALLY supported a Lebanon capable of defending itself and disarming it's militias, then there would be no opening for Iran. The USA has consistently failed to live up to it's promises to Lebanon.
I'm flabbergasted. Is this administration for real?! I don't know where we're going with this kind of shenanigans. I bet the Lebanese have lost the last drop of respect for us, if they ever had any.
And when did Lebanon even ATTEMPT to disarm its militias?
And when, exactly, has the Lebanese Army EVER been strong enough to take on that task?
they donut care if there is any body respect or not as long as they make apace and isreal happy we all know it now
than do anything to change the facts on the ground in Lebanon. Unlike you, I was never a fan of Obama because of total lack of any experience in anything but I must say that he and his administration have done an excellent diplomatic job on Iran, much better than I ever expected, and his policy on Lebanon is quite balanced.
The US has NO obligations or "promises" to honor to Lebanon, any more than we have to Somalia. It is a cesspool of French-instigated Muslim-Christian fratricide for which neither the US nor Israel can be blamed. US arming of Lebanon has been failing since our silly occupations of 1958 and 1982, which cost hundreds of American lives, gaining absolutely nothing. US State Dept. officials have been insisting for decades that US military aid would fight off militias, not to support gleeful, unprovoked attacks on Israel, and they have now (no surprise) been proven to be liars. Somali-like Lebanese terrorism and warmongering violence has gotten a free pass for too long. The chips should be let to fall where they fall, and that means no more aid for Lebanon unless they recognize the Blue Line instead of claiming part of pre-67 Israel, and prosecute the officer who ordered the sniper attack, instead of giving him medal. Why do we need "friends" like this, Mark?
The LAF fought a war with Fatah Al-Islam back in 07 or 08. It was one the Palestinian Refugee Camps which was being run by extremists. They had poor equipment but put up a good fight and achieved their goal. Had they been better equiped it would have been a better fought war with less casualties to the LAF and a much more efficient victory.
Israel has at every opportunity failed to comply with the international community. UN resolutions for example. ( Has Israel every complied?) NO. Stop the double standard. If you cant comply with world Law then don't try and dictate it.
The LAF only came out so-so because the US made an emergency supply of bullets available, over Israeli objection. Otherwise, Hezbollah and al Qaida could be splitting the government and warring with each other.
israel pulled out of Lebanon as required. The promise for that withdrawal was that Hezbollah was not to be rearmed to reduce the chance of war-Hezbollah is not even an official army , yet they continue to be armed in violation of the principle agreement.
Somalia, is this not the land hosting those pirates who attack civilian ships in international waters?...