| But I doubt if it will be. Succulent bunch of carrots, but the decision's made in Teheran. |
 President Bush yesterday left open the possibility that the militant Shiite Muslim group Hezbollah could be part of the political mainstream in Lebanon despite its terrorist past. "We view Hezbollah as a terrorist organization," Bush said after an Oval Office meeting with Jordan's King Abdallah. "I would hope that Hezbollah would prove that they are not by laying down arms and not threatening peace."
| Yeah. They might all reform and become choirboys or something... |
Hezbollah has been involved in Lebanese politics for over a decade, with an extensive social welfare program and nine lawmakers in the current 128-seat parliament. But it has steered away from major decision-making in national politics as its army — the most organized and best-armed faction in Lebanon — focused on fighting Israel. Lebanon considers Hezbollah a legitimate resistance movement that led the guerrilla war against Israel's 18-year occupation of southern Lebanon.
| Lebanon considers Hezbollah a large army of gunnies who can be expected to wreak havoc on the country if they're messed with. |
Lately, Hezbollah has been flexing its political muscle by organization two huge pro-Syrian rallies.
| ... thereby demonstrating that its sympathies lie with Damascus, rather than with Beirut... |
A UN Security Council resolution demands that Hezbollah disarm and that Syria, which has 14,000 troops in Lebanon and has enormous control over political affairs there, withdraw its soldiers. Some European leaders and some in Lebanon have been urging the United States to back moves to nudge Hezbollah into mainstream, legitimate political life in Lebanon. Bush appeared open to the idea, emphasizing the chance for Hezbollah to change its ways even as he issued new warnings to the group. "One of our concerns, the majesty and I discussed, is that Hezbollah may try to derail the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians," Bush said. "Hezbollah has been declared a terrorist organization by the United States because of terrorist activities in the past." |