Letters August 2006 2 wrongs don't make a rightIn response to Golnaz Motarassed's "Go ahead, support the bastards": Hi Golnaz. My name is Saman :O) I read your comment about Hezbollah on Iranian.com and quickly dismissed it without given it much thought. However ... It bothered me to have walked away from your writing for a cheap cup of coffee. About 2 weeks ago I returned from the Israeli/Lebanese war and for the last 3 years visited the region several times. I symphonize with the victims of both sides and like you lived in Iran as a child. Each time I've learned something more ... and more. For cheap thrill, I was even briefly detained by Hezbollah in 2005 for filming in Dahia (Southern Beirut) where they used to have bunch of offices. As a non-religious journalist, it's actually been very easy for me to see both the similarities and differences between 2 governments/groups. You listed a bunch of questions/comments, which I will gladly answer for you. This isn't about disagreeing with you ... it's a balance of how justice is viewed from the other side. Q: The actions of which party in Lebanon has caused the current situation? A: Lebanon's been invaded 7 times by Israel (way before Hezbollah). The history of this conflict is much deeper than 5 weeks and 2 solders. After Israel's withdraw (not defeat) in 2000, there were and still are about 9000 Lebanese prisoners kept in Israeli jails without trial. Terrorist or not ... these people are solders, civilians and government officials (some kept for almost 30 years) which haven't received any trial or visited by anyone. Lebanon knocked on UN and Human Watch's door and got nothing. Also ... IDF withdrew from most of Lebanon in 2000 but Shaba farms was still kept under military occupation. Hezbollah's one and only purpose is defending Lebanese land (for as long as it's occupied by a foreign force) and it's been playing this cat and mouse game (kidnapping) for years. So have the Israelis ... using the same kind of tactics. Q:They murder innocent men women and children every day whether by blowing them up in the streets of Tel Aviv, Jerusalem etc A: Besides the fact that Israel has killed by far more civilians in both Lebanon and Palestinian territories ... you're still talking about Hamas and other Palestinian activities within Israel. Hezbollah's popularity in the outside world (every where with the exception of US and Israel) is because they've never harmed civilians before. Especially Lebanese life during the 15 year bloody civil war nor. Just recently they directly targeted Israeli citizens by launching rockets into civilian territories (the senseless logic behind is ... you bomb our people and we return the favor! Apparently both sides believe this method will bring peace to the region). Hezbollah before 2006 has always targeted Israeli military. Hezbollah with the exception of playing cat and mouse games by the border in order to capture Israeli solders ... it has never gone into Israeli civilian territories and kill or kidnap people. Even the bombing of US Marine barracks was after US took sides during the civil war and got militarily involved (supporting the Lebanese Forces was no longer a "peacekeeping mission"). Hezbollah's come a long way from a ragtag team ... they are highly organized and extremely disciplined. Most importantly they are a social organization first ... then a military arm attached to it. That's why they are extremely popular in Lebanon. They've been able to complete what the Lebanese government hasn't. They have provided homes, schools, hospitals, healthcare system ... ... security!!! I know this is against your beliefs ... but it's very true from the other side. They have never had anything better. You want to defeat them? Build schools and give them running water ... not bomb their homes and electricity plants. By the way ... the Lebanese government wanted to beef up its military a few years ago by asking to purchase arms from the US... Israel and US both said no. That's why Hezbollah's the toughest monkey on the block. Q: We have to see why Israel is attacking, they didn't wake up one morning and just start attacking. A: Israel/US have rightfully been working on a plan to weaken Hezbollah for over a year now. The kidnapping of 2 solders wasn't something new. This was direct teamwork between US/Israel in order to make Iran's Shiiat ally (next to Israel) as week as possible before waiting too long. And that mission was somewhat accomplished. Imagine what Hezbollah would have done in 2 years from now? You'd see Israeli jets falling off the sky and more ships being sunk. Israel did what was best in their interest ... for short term at least. US also got what it wanted by weakening Iran's extension of power in mid-east. Q: why does Hezbollah hide behind its women and children why? A: They don't. Hezbollah are the people. Hezbollah rose from an oppressed Shiiat minority in Lebanon to what you see today. The women, men and children fight together as volunteers. That's why the civilian casualties are so high. Very much like what we witnessed in Vietnam. Hezbollah has about 3,500 full-time fighters ... now they have 10,000. They fight hard because they are determined to survive ... just like Israeli's. One small exception! 19- year old Israeli draftee has more to look forward to in life and doesn't want to be in a war than a 25 year-old experienced, volunteer Hezbollah fighter fighting all his/her life. Q:Why do they hate Israel so much? A: 7 invasions. Current occupation of Shaba Farms. 9,000 Lebanese activist, students, civilians, government officials, solders in Israeli jails. And the fact that Lebanon's madness/civil war started by Palestinian refugees whom were kicked out of their homes and refused to return back. Hezbollah doesn't have good relationship with Palestinians and want' them out of Lebanon. Trust me ... I visited Sabra and Shatila! They see it as Israel dumping its problems into Lebanon. Q: They are brainwashed to be ammunition for this disgusting organization. A: Iranian Hezbollah and Lebanese are very different. In Lebanon they don't oppress the people, which they govern (even though they control many parts of the country and stronger the regular government). Hejab is not forced neither do they follow the exact IRI model of governing. I've asked many of them before if they'd live in Iran. They wouldn't even send their families to visit Iran because they've been there and seen it many times. Perhaps it's because Lebanese are much more diverse than any other country in the mid-east. When Nassrallah speaks on TV all are glued. Why? Because he doesn't talk like a religious leader. He speaks for Dreuz, Christians, Sunni and Shiiat. As long as they say no to Israel, Hezbollah will be funded by Iran ... but it's still it's own entity and doesn't receive direct orders or approvals from Iran. What you hear from sources is mostly politically twists mainly spread for political reasons (it's a game played by West and East) ... like the link between Saddam and Al- Qaede. Hezbollah's not any more supported by Iran and Syria than Israel is by US. It's money, weapons, moral and political support. If any ... $100 million is much less than 4 billion. The rockets are in no match of nuke bombs, F-16's, F-15's, Apache, Cobra gunships. M1 Tanks and ... Q: Ask yourself honestly if it was another country not Israel and not Jews protecting themselves against the hated Hezbollah what would your reaction be? A: Flip the script by changing the names of the groups/countries you mentioned above by replacing it with Lebanon, muslims and hated Israeli's you'll have your answer. Remember 2 wrongs don't make a right. The people in the west are fighting the wrong war. It's not about "Islamic-extrimist-terrorists against free world and democracy". It's about injustice and poverty. The poor just happen to be many muslims with unjust regimes (many supported by the west) and nasty neighbors. Fight that and you've defeated Taliban, Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas, Hezbollah ... and Somalia and Sudan will be Disneyland! If our wonderful leaders took off their religious goggles, this would be clear!!! Wish you all the best :o)
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