The sky is falling, the sky is falling! Actually, I tend to agree with you in this case - at this time - though I am starting to think that the title of Iranian Foreign Legion is more an apt title for Hezbollah at this point. No doubt we can disagree on that for old time's sake.

Yikes! I concur 100%. This must be a bad sign of something.<p>They are, when you think of it, acting in a very Central America 1970-80s way with plenty of examples on both sides of the Cold War backer roll that Iran and Syria are playing. I also think it is quite distinct from Hamas which, for better or worse, really boils down to something based in resistence of a perceived invasion upon jurisdiction - perhaps even analogous to highland Scots and the English. Hezbollah is more blindly theoretical or ideological, more Peruvian Marxist Shining Path (though perhaps not quite of the level of Pol Pot and Cambodia.) That is why Lebanon needs to be backed by the West and moderate Islamic countries and be perceived for what it is - a country destabilized by radical guerillas backed by a foreign idealist power.<p>Could you see the day Canadian, Jordanian and Indian soldiers patrol Lebanon supporting a Lebanese army rooting out the guerillas not unlike what occurred in the former Yugoslavia though with a bit beefier ROE orders? I see that as the end game. This should not be left to Israel as the Arab-Israeli aspect to the conflict needs being undone. It is a battle between moderation and radicalization.

I am banging my head on the computer desk. This agreement thingie will be the death of me yet! I really do get tired of people making the blanket assumption that Hamas and Hezbollah are the same beast - they may share certain goals and a certain mode of operation, but they are distinctive beasts.

One of the things that people often overlook is that until the rise of Hezbollah, Shi'ite's Lebanese were the most discriminated and downtrodden groups in Lebanon. There simply was no social or political network to enfranchise them in Lebanese society. Sort of an untouchable caste. Yes, there was the Amal movement but it did nothing to allievate the suffering that the average Shi'ite had to endure as one of the "untouchables". Hezbollah changed that with a combination bloodthristy reprisals and building a social network based on medical care, food, housing, jobs and schools. Until one can offer a viable alternative to the Lebanese Shi'ites to Hezbollah - Hezbollah cannot be defanged or disarmed. Which is why I am rather cyncial about the West's ability to be able to help foster change in Lebanese society. If Hezbollah is to be disarmed, Lebanese society has to offer something to their Shi'ite populace rather than being the bottom of the barrel.

But if a multi-national task force is to be sent in - I'd say forget the Jordians, who are mostly Sunni, and therefore the potential for additional conflicts could be too high - I'd try to recruit Brazil instead.

Better jerseys, too. But please stop now. Soon we will link to each others blogs again.

"Until one can offer a viable alternative to the Lebanese Shi'ites to Hezbollah - Hezbollah cannot be defanged or disarmed."
And so nothing should've been done about the IRA?
Sinn Fein was, somewhat, habilitated. The IRA split off, demonized, and discredited.
Hezbollah can be given the same treatment. The military wing split off and run into the ground. The gov't section incorporated into the nation state(as a political party).
That's why Cannuckers, Jordanian and Indian troops have to go in FIRST, under a UN flag, to root out the militants. Peacemaking missions instead of walking the beat peacekeeping.
The arms embargo will only work if there's a proactive scheme involved. Otherwise you've got Gaza all over again.
Let's just accept that Lebanon is a failed state and prop the sucker up until it can stand on its feet, shall we? Turning it into a UN protecorate isn't fun or nice, but it sure beats going thru ths again, no?

Hey - looks like you can negotiate with terrorists after all.