Infiltrated militias

Sunday, July 30, 2006

The assertion that militias are hidden amongst the population in Lebanon, Iraq and other nations strikes me as patently disingenuous. I am neither supporting nor condemning those militias...just attempting to introduce a bit of reality. It must be understood that the reason these unofficial armies..Hamas and Hezbollah, for example, are found immersed within the general population is due to the fact that their essential natures have been bred by popular causes. In our own revolution, the ensconced miltias within the population base were completely analogous to what we find in the so called "terrorist" states in the Middle East.

Rather than arming ourselves with vitriolic diatribes, myopic reasoning and stubborn talking points, it would be of much greater value to examine and understand the etiology of these militias and quasi-official armies. This refusal to explore underlying issues has become a historical reality. Subsequent to 9/11, there was very little dialogue dedicated to understanding why predominantly Muslim nations dislike the West. Of course, the actions of Osama Bin Ladin were inexcusable and horrifying, but behind these extremist actions lies a mind set, a world view, that we have refused to analyse.

Terrorists and terrorism generally need fertile ground for their seeds of insurgency to grow. For example, it is generally agreed that the Treaty of Versailles created fertile ground for the development of a Hitler ideology couched in nationalistic fervor. We may find that similar treatment of Arab and Muslim nations by western powers may have had an effect on the growth of Hamas and Hezbollah, as well as upon other jihadic movements wherein the western powers, generally, and the U.S. specifically are held accountable by those groups and nations as perpetrators of what is also termed "terrorism".

Hezbollah is condemned for the fact that its leaders are "hidden" amongst the population. The same can be said for Tel Aviv, Washington D.C. as well as any other modern nation's capitol. The governments are situated in these cities as well as residences, businesses and a broadly distributed population of citizens. It stands to reason that Hezbollah's leaders are also found amongst the Lebanese civilians. Were Hezbollha to target Tel Aviv with the mission of taking out Israeli leaders, it is certain that there would be civilian casualties. The same could be said for Washington D.C.


It seems evident to me that we obfuscate the issue through over simplification when we resort to the rationale that these militias purposely use civilians as shields. For all that may be wrong with Hezbollah, it is certainly evident that it has provided for civilians consistently since its formation in 1982. It supplies the populace with food and medical needs. It is sensitive to community life and pressures and has been solidly involved in the day to day life of impverished Lebanese who reside in the southern (predominantly Muslim) regions. It is grossly inaccurate to state that they have manipulated and controlled the lives of those citizens.

Again...it is not my intention to determine who is right and who is wrong. We all know that there is plenty of blame to be distributed amongst all parties. As an American Jew...I will always feel a kindred spirit between myself and Israel. But...over and above that...I am a citizen of the world...and...I see my world factionalized and rife with mis and disinformation. I see hidden agendas and cabals. I see corporatized governments who deify wealth and power and devalue people. What I DO NOT see is a concerted effort to understand, to tear down the walls that separate us, to promote tolerance and an affimation that our differences need not divide us.

We are at a crossroads, our world is, and we have the opportunity to determine which direction we, as citizens of Planet Earth, will choose to take. Will we choose shouting, name calling, divisiveness and war? Or...will we opt for dialogue, an attempt at understanding, a valuation of each and every living being?

trickster108