If US the the "melting pot" of Western civilization, then Lebanon is the "melting pot" of Middle-Eastern politics. You've got every flavor of secularism, nationalism and extremism represented there and when you toss in the LARGE amount of political leverage that Syria and Iran (also Eqypt) like to flex through Beruit you have the potential for one HUGE f**king mess...

Israel has flirted with a more moderate approach to the Palestine issue for some time (an issue that every Arab country seems to table as a "kindred" insult to them as well); withdrawals from protested regions have taken place but it has done little more than simply embolden the Islamic extremists. What once was viewed as progress and a measure of good faith is now probably going to be used by the hawks as the mother of all mistakes and paint the peace that Sharon was trying to broker as a farce.

The problem both lies in Israel's rather heavy-handed reaction and it absolutely lies with Iran, Syria, Lebanon and Egypt "looking" the other way or actively helping when contraband for Hezbollah (and others) leaves their shores or borders to land in the hands of extremists.

It sucks: when one side gives, the other seems to take without any remorse, control or thought for co-existance.




JaTo e-Tough Guy Missouri City, TX 99 Contour SVT #143/2760 00 Corvette Coupe