#1 Ok Hizballah and HAMAS are quasi-state organisations. Which means what? They are proto-statelike authority structures that control a territory and exert defacto soveriegnty? (as oppsoed to de jure?). Or are they non-state actors that inhabit a piece of territory and claim jurisdiction over it but haven't decaklred that outright? Or are they a semi-autonomous part of the governance system of a state?
#2 The ISI is a Pakistani government agency. But I agree that we shoudln't elide the government's role. The buck stops with the Prime Minister.
#3 Disengenuous (sp?) The US Army is not a quasi-state (AFAIK). It is an agency of the US government and the President is it's C-in-C. Is Saad Hariri Hizballah's C-In-C? Is the Cheif of staff of the Lebanese Army, Shawki Al Masri the chief of staff of the armed wing of Hizballah? I think not. And until it is I think it patently ridiculous to punish a country for a terrorist organisation operating in its borders and which holds it hostage. (Should we [Britain] have, by your logic, attacked or held accountable Eire for the actions of the IRA?
Moreover, holding Lebanon to account for the actions of Hizballah (which is a quasi-state within a fragile/weak state) has actually driven large sectors of the Lebanese community into the arms of Hizballah (in terms of political support for its existence/toleration). It allows Hizbuaalh to legitimate its claim to be defending Lebanon (which is hardly its raison d'etre) even though large sectors of Lebanese society vilify its existence (but if you're Lebanese, who do you support; Hizballah that occupies your land and claims to represent you or Israel which punishes you for Hizballah's crimes?). IFF (if and only if) Hizballah merges its military wing with the LAF can we begin treating it as part and parcel of the Lebanese state. Until then, let's to the Lebanese a favour and acknowledge that aren't as simple as we'd like them to be nor are they as easy to ammeliorate as we think with a semantic slieght of hand (I say again...anyone remember the Axis of Evil?).
Last edited by Tukhachevskii; 07-09-2010 at 10:01 AM.
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