Assad gave Hizbullah antitank missiles

[bemildred]

Syria has recently transferred large quantities of advanced antitank missiles to Hizbulla in Lebanon, going against a UN resolution on the subject, senior officials in Jerusalem recently learned.

The shipments include Russian-made Kornet antitank guided missiles, of the same type used by Hizbullah against Israel during the war in Lebanon.

A high ranking official reported that in wake of the war, the Shiite group realized it needs to stock up on substantial quantities of missiles that can target the Israeli armored forces.

In addition to the missiles, Israeli officials discovered that Hizbullah continues to amass Katyusha rockets, as well as medium-range and long-range rockets.

Ynet

[Kagemusha]

1. Granted, the UN is against this and all but...

We should just NOT be surprised. Not in the slightest tiniest bit. After all, did the US stop shipping Israel weapons? Hell no, the US accelerated shipments. No, it's not virtuous or moral stuff, but war tends not to be either.

[bemildred]

28. No surprise at all.

Completely not news. Mostly this is just an indicator that the course of events after the late war in Lebanon continues as expected. Of course, it is unattributed fear-mongering, but I expect it is correct in a general way. Did anyone with a brain expect Hiz'bullah not to arm, or the various parties mentioned not to give them money and sell them arms? Hizbullah, in this case, needs to prepare to defend itself in the coming civil war, too, and the Israel defense fellows appear to be thinking about another go at it with them this year too. It's almost like these anonymous defense sources are trying to give them hints about what to buy.

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[eyl]

3. I'm.....speechless

I mean...really....wow

[Lurking Dem]

4. Astounding.

[Name removed]

29. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Meshuga]

22. Oh boy!

n/t

[furman]

24. No, not good at all

Voicing support for the armament of Hezbollah is tantamount to calling for the destruction of Israel.

[Lurking Dem]

25. Not to mention the government of Lebanon.

[msmcghee]

26. Yes, bad form.

The accepted practice is to state that some of your good friends are Jews who all agree with you that Hisb'allah has no choice but to selflessly stand up to Israel to protect Lebanon from the Zionists in the GOI who are intent on stealing their land.

[breakaleg]

5. And? Is Israel the only side in this conflict allowed to have weapons?

They've shown how irresponsible they are with the US weapons they have. I see no reason why they are more entitled to have them than the next guy.

The fact is Israel rolled through Lebanon and the world did nothing to stop them. Everyone has a right to defend themselves, like it or not.

[Solo_in_MD]

6. Hezbollah is an illegal militia, not the national army of Lebanon

Nasrallah has openly acknowledged the support of Iran and Syria

[breakaleg]

7. Well, since the Lebanese army isn't strong enough to defend the country, someone has to do it.

[Solo_in_MD]

9. If the Hezbollah would stand down their militia the Lebanese army could defend the country

The real issue is that Lebanon is not in control of its territory due to the militias that have roots going back centuries. The Party of God is a recent mantle that has been assumed.

Egypt controls its territory and the border with Israel. There are no bombings and kidnappings. Israel does not invade, overfly with UAVs or fighters, or launch raids at Eqgyt. There is peace and prosperity. Clue anyone?

[breakaleg]

11. That's one side of the argument. The other is what is to prevent Israel from walking

over and taking control of their neighbor's land?

You are coming at this from the point of view that Israel's goals are above reproach. Unfortunately that's not the case. They have lots of excuses, but the reality on the ground is very different from what we are led to believe.

[Phx_Dem]

13. But you know what the real goals of Israel are right?

Even though they have NEVER attacked another nation unprovoked, they can't be trusted right? Your so biased it's not even funny, it's sad.

[breakaleg]

17. Isn't that always going to be the case? Right now Israel is making a case

to attack Iran. Just like Bush made a case to attack Iraq. And now it turns out Bush couldn't back up his claims and the invasion was for naught.

I think that we need to be very careful in any choice to invade any country. In the end, Israel's actions in Lebanon were a disaster for everyone. They didn't accomplish what they set out to. So maintaining they had a valid reason after the operation has failed, is not helping either side.

[Solo_in_MD]

14. Cost

If there is no reason to invade, Israel won't. They have demonstrated it with Egypt and Jordan. Invasions cost the Israel economy a great deal, not to mention political problems domestically and internationally. Pragmatically, if left alone the IDF stays home and everybody prospers.

Hezbollah == illegal...it refuses the orders of the national government and the UN to stand down and disarm. It openly acknowledges rearming and receiving arms, money, and other support from Iran and Syria. UNIFIL has done nothing to stop this, their new French leadership as impotent as their predecessors.

[breakaleg]

16. "need to invade" Israel didn't "need" to do what they did. They chose to. There's a difference.

[pampango]

18. But if Syria gave anit-tank missles and other armaments to the

Lebanese government (not likely I know since they are hardly on the best of terms) wouldn't the Lebanese army develop the strength to defend the country. As the army's strength increased Hezbollah (at least in theory) could decrease their strength without there being a decline in the ability of Lebanon to defend itself.

[breakaleg]

19. Yes.

In the meantime, Hezbollah is doing that job - like it or not. I'm not at all a fan of Hezbollah. I just don't see why such a big deal is made out of their status simply because they aren't an official army of their country. They have already made their way into the political arena and it's not unrealistic to assume their militia could also be absorbed into the army as well.

[pelsar]

20. yes hizballa is doing the job...terrorizing the christians..

but i guess thats ok...not to mention that fact that hizballa is occupying s.lebanon with their own militia, own laws, not paying taxes to the lebanese govt....not to mention 6 years of attacking israel and now rearming and laying new mines on israeli territory once again.

but thats ok becauase israel must attack lebanon and take their land and only hizballa is preventing that.....

or...how about this, we look at what jordan has done, we look at egypt....we look at syria...and what we see our countries that protect their own border with their own army and it works!..no shooting, no overflights, no katushas.....

ok i know, those are just facts on the ground, we probably should ignore them.

[Howardx]

31. laying new mines on israeli territory

debatable, both sides are claiming to be in the right.

[Phx_Dem]

8. He knows that

but breakaleg and mr. prax both seem to like terrorist organizations like Hizbullah.

[breakaleg]

10. excuse me? Thinking that it isn't fair for only one side to have weapons to use

against the other means I like terrorist organizations? Right. Perhaps I'm just sick and tired of the US defining for the rest of the world what constitute a terrorist organization. If you look back through history you'll find that many groups participated in terrorism and then went on to be more mainstream. You might even find some of those groups around here.

[Lurking Dem]

12. So it's okay for THEM to ignore

Security Council Resolutions.

Got it.

[breakaleg]

15. pot - meet kettle.

Since Israel is in violation of many UN resolutions, I find it amusing that they would expect another group to come in line with the ones Israel approves of.

Once Israel begins to tow the line, they may have an argument.

[Lurking Dem]

21. pot/kettle was exactly my point

[pelsar]

23. tried....

didnt work....year 2000.......

[Porcupine]

27. Declaring people illegal is rarely the route to peace.

We keep trying it in Los Angeles. "Gangs are illegal" It really doesn't work to well. The group so ostracized merely notes you as a threat and continues about it's business.

[bemildred]

30. Syrian President: Syria firm in its support for Hezbollah, Hamas

DAMASCUS - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad vowed to keep supporting Hezbollah, an Islamic militia in Lebanon, and Hamas, a Palestinian Islamist party, despite United States pressure on Syria to stop backing the groups, Baath Party members familiar with a speech the Syrian leader gave on Wednesday said.

Assad was speaking at the start of a two-day conference of the ruling Baath Party central command, which is expected to set a date before July for a referendum on the renewal of the president's seven-year term.

"The president was clear that Syria's support for the two movements will continue and that their resistance to regain occupied land was a legitimate right," Baath Party member Mostafa al-Meqdad told Reuters.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/823267.html