A Possible Middle East Solution?

by Hari Seldon

<--Hey if these two opposites can get along there is always hope for the Middle East. Image by Suganspice. She informed me that before and after the picture they were biting each other. taken. Nevertheless, their subconcious gives them away in their sleep and dreams.

The “War on Terror” has a new player, actually an old player that has restrained itself considerably—Israel. However, this restraint has led to it to respond in an unbalanced fashion. This is what I mean.

The decisions of past American administrations and other Western powers not to invest fully into Lebanon, so the moderates as such, could fully exert themselves over Hezbollah radicals who have 21 percent of the elected parliamentary seats and three cabinet postings should have been able to be squelched by other 79 percent who, at the least, wish to exist with Israel.

In other words, since the day President Eisenhower sent troops in to Lebanon, in the late 1950’s, has been our responsibility. It has been built and rebuilt twice, once considered the jewel of the Middle East, rich in history—and well educated population—but the rebuilding of Lebanon has been decimated in less than 13 days.

The infrastructure of Lebanon has once again been set back 20 years, and has created nearly 500,000 refugees according to reports by Israel for essentially a “counting coup” tactics employed by both sides—as viewed by some.

This is not to say, Israel does not have the right to defend itself, and its citizenry has been certainly victimized by Hezbollah, but only to point out that Israel, and yes, the US and the other Western powers missed an opportunity to put pressure on Hezbollah. This is in turn would have put pressure on, although indirectly, on Syria and Iran. By fully backing and arming the moderates and creating a “coalition of force," the moderates might have been able to stomp out the radical arm of the Lebanon’s government Hezbollah sooner.

Instead, this latest round of violence beget violence may have or has created more members of Hezbollah—and at the least—sympathizers. This is an unfortunate circumstance. True, as reported “willing” to set the buffer zone they are creating with “international coalition troops”—after the fact. However, this may fall on deaf ears as the tension builds with both sides shooting at each other.

Nevertheless, Israel must pay reparations for their incursion into southern Lebanon, and the bombing of Lebanon’s infrastructure. In order to have Hezbollah disarmed the coalition force to secure the borders of Israel and to deflate resentment and build peace with Lebanon with the expulsion of Hezbollah out of its government.

This may shift Hezbollah into Syria and Iran—but so be it—a nearly established democracy that has been working through the growing of a people government is certainly allowed to make mistakes. We, as in the US, certainly have—and it has been practice in various forms more than 30 years. And, Lebanon was on the brink of success until the assassination of former Prime Minister Hariri in 2005.

Nonetheless, these proud people have continued to strive for a better life and are trying to coexist despite its tolerance of Hezbollah. Hariri’s assassination should have emboldened the West to do more. On the surface has failed.

This suggestion of reparations is not a permanent solution—but to put a further death nail into the deconstruction of terrorism.

Question, should Israel pay reparations once a peace agreement has been reached?

Question, should the Lebanon expel Hezbollah and sanction the cabinet posting belong to them?

Question, should the US and the West powers put their full support into moderates so that Hezbollah can be removed?

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