While Iran’s rulers try to contain the mass dissatisfaction over the last election by arresting opponents, protesters, and further controlling the media, in another Middle Eastern nation, Iran’s power is still holding strong. On June 7th, Lebanon held elections where the pro-western Sunni dominated bloc won a decisive victory over the pro-Iran, pro-Syria Hezbollah dominated bloc: 71 parliamentary seats to 57. While the western world breathed a sigh of relief, the truth is that Hezbollah’s participation, concession of defeat at the polls, and capture of 57 seats have brought a brutal terrorist organization into the mainstream. Currently, the armed wing of Hezbollah is regarded as the most powerful military force in Lebanon: they kidnapped Israeli soldiers, launched thousands of rockets into Israel, withstood an Israeli counterattack, and currently have tens of thousands of rockets aimed at Israel. While the elections may seem like a setback for the group, the real power of Hezbollah lies in its willingness to use force to get their way. For example, for more power in the government, Hezbollah took over half of Beirut, Lebanon’s capital, in May 2008. They only withdrew after their demands were met. While the government has been trying to persuade Hezbollah to disarm, the terrorist group has refused, saying that they are the only ones who can defend Lebanon against Israel. In other words, the Iranian-backed terrorist group will remain armed and retain its power in Lebanon.

With a firmly entrenched Hezbollah in the semi-failed state of Lebanon (central gov’t is unable to control paramilitary groups), the former head of homeland security Michael Chertoff has warned that they may surpass Al Qaeda as America’s greatest terrorist threat. The fact that Hezbollah has state sponsors, more fighters, rocket and explosives technology, international legitimacy (except for with the US and Israel), and a safe haven in Lebanon make this terrorist group light-years ahead of Al Qaeda, which is currently under siege and on the run. Hezbollah has been implicated in the bombing of a US Army barracks in Lebanon in 1983 with 200 casualties and the Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia in 1996 with 20 casualties. They have also been implicated in bombings of Jewish targets in South America. The fact that they started a war with Israel and survived is, in itself, troublesome enough to take this terrorist threat seriously. Especially when one takes into account that Hezbollah’s boss, Iran, may soon develop nuclear weapons… making the possibility of a “suicide nuclear truck bomb” a real possibility.

Instead of taking these threats seriously though, the current administration and the European Union have been trying to “talk” to Iran and Hezbollah. We all know that the president has repeated over and over his willingness to talk to Iran without preconditions… I would remind the audience that Iran sponsors terrorism, is developing nuclear weapons, captured British sailors while in Iraqi waters, has killed American soldiers in Iraq, and has threatened the destruction of Israel… In the spirit of the new willingness to talk to extremists, European Union officials held a meeting with Hezbollah officials four days ago. Inviting representatives of terrorist organizations and officials from terrorist-sponsoring states will only give them more legitimacy and in the end, more power. So while Hezbollah aims more rockets at Israel, extends its reach to the western hemisphere, and Iran develops nuclear weapons, the US and our allies are engaging in “dialogue.” The enemies of America are collaborating against us and our allies, but the real threat to our safety is a weak and naive foreign policy. Pretty speeches and starry-eyed idealism is a poor defense against nuclear bombs and missiles.

-AG