U.S. Hopes to Rival Hezbollah With Rebuilding Effort

[Emit]

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-usmideast17aug17,1,7685307.story?coll=la-headlines-world

U.S. Hopes to Rival Hezbollah With Rebuilding Effort
Administration officials say quick action is needed in response to the militant group's reconstruction plans.
By Paul Richter
Times Staff Writer

August 17, 2006

WASHINGTON — The Bush administration is scrambling to assemble a plan to help rebuild Lebanon, hoping that by competing with Hezbollah for the public's favor it can undo the damage the war has inflicted on its image and goals for the Middle East.

Administration officials fear that unless they move quickly to demonstrate U.S. commitment, the Lebanese will turn more fully to the militant group, which has begun rolling out an ambitious reconstruction program that Washington believes is bankrolled by Iran.

American officials also believe that the administration must restore its influence to keep a newly assertive Syria from undermining U.S.-supported reformers in Lebanon.

A major rebuilding investment would put the United States in the position of subsidizing both the Israeli munitions that caused the damage and the reconstruction work that will repair it. Such a proposal could meet with resistance from Congress, but administration officials said that the need for action was urgent.

~snip~

U.S. officials and private experts agree that the administration faces an uphill effort trying to outdo Hezbollah, which has a broad local base, well-developed social service programs and the confidence of many Lebanese.

"Hezbollah is deeply integrated into Lebanese society," said Jon Alterman, a former State Department official who is head of Middle East studies at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.

"We're coming in when there's a sense that we stood by the destruction of Lebanon by an ally, with U.S. weapons, and didn't complain. So we may be too late."

[maxsolomon]

1. too friggin late karen hughes

plan should have been in place before you gave the IDF the go ahead.

jesus this govt. is a clusterfuck.

[hogwyld]

2. Of course we can spend the money

Since our national infrastructure is perfect, and our education is top notch, everyone has health care, and there is no starvation or suffering here.

[Hand]

3. "Hezbollah: At least it's not FEMA."

Thanx again, Jon Stewart! :toast: :rofl:

[NNN0LHI]

4. Hezbollah cash flows to Beirut’s homeless

http://www.khaleejtimes.ae/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2006/August/middleeast_August501.xml§ion=middleeast


BEIRUT - Hezbollah handed out sums of $12,000 in cash on Friday to families whose homes were destroyed by Israeli air strikes in southern Beirut, drawing praise from the homeless who say the government has long ignored them. more...

[bluerum]

5. The US - feeling the need to compete like this with Hezbollah.

Our country has truly lost its way - and its marbles.

Thousands were killed and displaced there - and people are being killed every minute in Iraq. So what do we do - arguably once the most powerful nation in the world? We engage in an international pissing contest with organizations like this.

How distracted. How off course. How demented. How supremely cowboy-esque.

[OrangeCountyDemocrat]

6. Report: Hezbollah To Help Rebuild New Orleans

As reported on last night's Daily Show. :-)