Inside the Hezbollah

[warrens]

Hezbollah is not just a rag-tag militia; it is a well-trained, well-armed, disciplined and highly motivated fighting force.

With considerable help from Iran and Syria and using even some North Korean expertise, Hezbollah has created a vast network of well-hidden tunnels, bunkers and missile-storage dumps over a wide area of south Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley.

Missiles and other arms have been stored on farms and in garages, workshops and office blocks as well as in the cellars and roof spaces of private homes. Each village has a network of "stay behind" bunkers from which small groups of Hezbollah reappear each time the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has "captured" the area.

Hit-and-run tactics by small, well-armed units have caused more of an ongoing nuisance and created additional casualties for the IDF than any serious military defeat. However, the unwanted losses and the embarrassment of apparent failure have been difficult for the IDF to swallow. The terrain is also much in favor of the defenders and against the rapid deployment of massed armored vehicles.


SNIP

http://atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/HH09Ak04.html

[treestar]

1. Sounds like the Cold War

Before 1990 it would have been the Russians supplying them.

But somehow I think "Iran and Syria" are not up to that level of troublemaking.

[Kutjara]

2. While I'm sure this is true...

...its a meme that's been trotted out pretty regularly to show that the IDF is fighting an organized and capable military force, rather than a loose-knit band of irregulars. I remember the same argument was used in the run-up to the Iraq invasion, something about Sadaam having the 4th largest army in the world, WMDs, long range missiles capable of hitting Rome or London within 40 minutes.

Again, it's very likely that Hezbollah are a well organized force, but we should also be careful to be sensitive to the use of inflated claims to justify disproportionate force.

As Shrub so eloquently put it, "Lie to me...no wait...fool me once, lie... no, shame on...er...me...no...you. Lie to...um...me twice...ah...wait, I got it...two in the bush."

[warrens]

3. I'd read the whole article

It's a pretty good look at the Hezbollah, and it appears to be written dispassionately; I don't see any hint that it favors either side. It just says these guys are a lot tougher than they were made out to be. And so far, they have been very, very tough.

[Kutjara]

5. I did, and I do...

...largely believe that Hezbollah are a serious outfit. Perhaps I've just become cynical as a result of the lies, deceit and double-dealing of the past 5+ years, but I find myself taking large pinches of salt with everything I read or see.

It appears to be a well written, dispassionate and non-partisan article. I'm sure it is. Well, pretty sure. Well, fairly sure. Oh to hell with it, I think I need to go lie down with a cold towel on my head.

[breakaleg]

4. Intelligence failure blamed party on Lebanon..

It's unbelievable to me that Israel would expect any different. Is Lebanon supposed to allow Israeli forces to complete covert operations inside it's border unimpeded? They think their particularly narrow opinion of Hezbollah should be shared by the world and even the country they are currently invadiing.

from the same article:
---
Intelligence failed at a vital moment
There is justified criticism of the lack of intelligence on the ground in the Lebanon. Intelligence that should have been available to find, fix and eliminate many of the so far elusive Hezbollah targets has simply not been available to the IDF.

The Lebanese government is in part responsible for this. Several months ago the Lebanese Security Service, working in close cooperation with Hezbollah's own counter-intelligence unit, smashed an Israeli spy ring. As many as 80 Lebanese Christian, Sunni Muslim and Druze agents working for Mossad were arrested in a series of police operations.

[Hemperor]

6. guerrila tactics like this are unstoppable

You can try to suppress it sure, but as in all guerrilla wars from Napoleon in Spain to the US in Iraq, it is impossible to stop a highly motivated well orginized fighting force with conventional military means. Then again, Israel doesnt really want to stay there and make sure Hezbollah is eradicated, they just want to beat them up a bit.

[warrens]

8. They're stoppable only in one way

Total horror. And decades of occupation.

[Hemperor]

9. even then

there will still be terrorists (to use the parlance of our times) in those places... look at russia, who is still going strong in thier 50 year war on eastern european ethnic groups

[newyawker99]

10. Hi Hemperor!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Hemperor]

11. thanks

i finally got an account after lurking around for a few months.

[The Magistrate]

7. An Excellent Article, Sir

Thank you for putting it before us.