Religious War and Secular Peace

One of two ideas must be true of the Lebanese army: it is incapable of confronting Hezbollah and controlling its own land and borders, or it is unwilling to do so. The latter would implicate Lebanon as a conspirator with Hezbollah and its senseless attacks on Israel thus changing the face of the current conflict since the fight has not necessarily been with Lebanon though it is on Lebanese soil. The former would require UN intervention since Lebanon would be tacitly considered a non-nation, a no-man’s land in which security and cease fire is not possible.

Perhaps a third consideration would be that Syria still exercises substantial influence in Lebanese politics even if its own army has been withdrawn (though not removed) from the land. Regardless of circumstances, Israel has a national security problem that has been thrust upon her. Considering the influence Hezbollah has in southern Lebanon among the Lebanese people and in the Lebanese parliament, there may actually be little difference between these two, possibly three, scenarios though surely the Lebanese people would not willfully wish this misery upon themselves.

For Israel, this is old hat though it may well be getting a little too old for the Israeli people. It is irrelevant whether modern Israel is the “chosen” biblical Israelite people or if the fight is against a “Zionist” secular state and not necessarily against the “Jews”, as some have tried to argue. A nation, biblical or not, that was in the process of withdrawing from disputed territories on one border for the sake of peace has been fired upon from another border and is left with no option other than to defend itself.

If Hezbollah is, in fact, an extension of the will of the government of Lebanon (itself likely still a puppet government of Syria), does this change the face or the nature of the conflict? Would Israel then be expected to somehow adjust its approach? As it is, Israel has taken as much precaution as is strategically feasible under the circumstances to avoid unnecessary Lebanese civilian casualties while knowing that its enemy is one who hides behind the skirts of its women and the innocence of its children and does not wear the uniform of a nation’s army, leaving Israel with few military options.

In continuing debates and discussions toward a solution, it must never be forgotten or dismissed or brushed aside that Lebanese innocents are being caught in cross fire certainly by Hezbollah design (for the sake of propaganda) just as Israeli civilians are being caught in cross hairs as intentional targets, also by Hezbollah design, even as they try to maintain that their fight is only with the Israeli government and not necessarily against the Israeli people. Deliberately targeting civilian areas makes this point moot although the world seems not to take such notice.

In light of recent events in England and the revelation of what was about to transpire, the world may finally be able to see what Israel has known all along: civilian death and destruction is the whole of Islamist (though not necessarily Islamic) intent. But to what end? There is a bastardized form of religion that has attempted to hide itself behind Islam but has in fact created a whole new religion that has effectively created for the world its “third” war. It must be obvious by now that there are no border disputes involved and no legitimate governments to hold accountable though governments are directly involved.

The world is at war, and it does not seem to notice.