Cold War Heats up between U.S. and Hizbullah
A war of words is heating up between Hizbullah and Washington, with allegations and counter-allegations flying between the two foes as the crisis in Syria takes its toll on the Shiite group.
The cold war between Iranian- and Syrian-backed Hizbullah and the United States runs back decades.
But with political upheaval in the Arab world at a peak, tensions between the two are skyrocketing.
"This year was not the first time Hizbullah has exposed intelligence networks, whether working for the United States or others, and the United States criminal case against Hizbullah goes back months," said Paul Salem, head of the Beirut-based Carnegie Middle East Center.
"But there's no doubt that, given what's happening in Syria along with the U.S. withdrawal from Iraq ... we're in a phase of high tension in which everyone's raising the pressure on their opponent."
The feud began to deepen earlier this year, when Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah accused the Central Intelligence Agency of planting spies within his party's ranks.
Nasrallah's announcement in June, which the party hailed as a "victory" over the United States, marked the first acknowledgment of infiltration by the movement founded in 1982.
The United States filed a criminal lawsuit against a string of Lebanese financial institutions with alleged ties to Hizbullah on the grounds they were complicit in a massive scheme to funnel hundreds of millions of dollars.
U.S. federal authorities say the companies were part of a scheme to launder hundreds of millions of dollars in profits from narcotics dealing and other criminal activities in order to fund Hizbullah's activities.
But Hizbullah has staunchly denied the charges, with the group's second in command, Sheikh Naim Qassem, accusing Washington this week of waging a smear campaign against a Shiite Muslim group which, he said, would never follow a path "prohibited by religion."
Hizbullah upped the stakes by accusing the "terrorist" United States of being behind twin bombings in the Syrian capital on Friday which left 44 dead, according to officials.
"These bombings which resulted in the death and injury of dozens of people, mainly women and children, are the specialty of the United States, the mother of terrorism," read a statement released by the movement Friday.
It said the timing of the bombings, which ripped through two security service offices in the Syrian capital, clearly signaled they were a "cowardly, bloody act of revenge" over the U.S. "defeat" in Iraq.
Analysts say the crisis in Syria has dealt a blow to Hizbullah which must now face the possibility of a future without a key regional ally.
And as power structures shift in the Middle East, experts say Western pressure on the Lebanese movement will continue to mount as the group risks losing the support provided by the regime of embattled Syrian President Bashar Assad.
"The latest U.S. accusations against Hizbullah are ... part of a wider campaign against the Syria-Iran-Hizbullah axis," said Amal Saad-Ghorayeb, author of the forthcoming "The Iran Connection: Understanding the Alliance with Syria, Hizbullah and Hamas."
"We're only going to see more of these accusations," Saad-Ghorayeb told Agence France Presse
"The United States is aware that ... Hizbullah has already lost some support in the region because of Syria, so now's the time to tarnish its reputation, to move from labeling the group as terrorist to actually criminalizing it."
24 December 2011, 12:34
26
As though a terrorist organization could be a party in rhetoric of foreign diplomacy... The U.S. doesn't respond to Hizbullah's thugs.
24 December 2011, 15:05
106
"The United States is aware that ... Hizbullah has already lost some support in the region because of Syria"
- who ever said that is an idiot
24 December 2011, 15:44
13
The most imoortant thing is keeping Lebanon far from the regional bickering. we want to leave in peace
24 December 2011, 16:46
62
This whole thing is crap. US and Israel want Bashar to stay, he is their security as far as israel's border with Syria and they know he can be bought and would abandon his allies for the right price....
24 December 2011, 17:36
110
The Hezz don't need the US to tarnish its reputation. They raped Beirut and killed Lebanese. They are doing plenty to tarnish themselves. Let them pay for electricity and stop bankrupting the country.
24 December 2011, 18:38
18
Syria will see a lot of hardship and destruction on a daily basis, that will end up with tis regime going down and Bashar having a worse fate than that of saddam and gadhafi....
24 December 2011, 20:56
71
Naharnet net why you don't ban the so-called Shab...I never read anything constructive or respectful..Someone needs to teach this creature how to behave like a human….
Naharnet for once do something decent by banning this violent despicable hater….
25 December 2011, 00:10
14
Hizb is good for israel, maintains stability in southern lebanon i.e goos gaurding, similar to the syrian regime in golan. This is the real reason the west is so hesitant in using military to remove bashar, any idiot who thinks otherwise is mistaken: the syrian abu cha7ata army would not hold for 24 hours if Nato wants to bomb it. Even hasan nasrala himself said that Nato is hesitant cause they are worried about israel therefore Israel-Syrian regime-hizbustan are all good for each other. The real suprise in all this is the SYRIAN PEOPLE who just won't stop! and are giving everyone of this diabolic trinity a nightmare.
25 December 2011, 00:12
15
HABAL AMEL, where is the support for Hizbustan in the streets of Egypt/syria/morocoo/tunisia?!!? wake up and smell the coffee!! the sunis are ten to one she3a, quit your dreams, hasoon only represents brainwashed sector of his sect which would shrink versus time.
25 December 2011, 03:55
11
The US gave Iraq to the Shiites, and I don't know why Hizbullah would call it a "defeat". The middle East is being played, and the good people of Lebanon must understand that the US can not appease all the different factions in Lebanon at the same time. The fault remains uniquely Lebanese so long as Lebanese politics is divided. I strongly believe the Lebanese people just want to live in peace.
As long as Lebanon is divided, Lebanon will remain weak, its people subject to manipulation by those who do not share your interests.
Lebanon's biggest problem, and, in turn, Israel's biggest nightmare, are the some 500,000.00 Palestinians living in Lebanon with impunity. Turn the table around and throw a monkey ranch in their plans. Coordinate and demand the deportation of the Palestinians from Lebanese soil, make it the UN's, Arab League's, and/or the West's problem, and, how about this, make peace with Israel, and lets see how would the West and/or those who are mead
25 December 2011, 07:09
23
Iraq is definately heading to a big civil war, so saying the US gave it to iran is wrong.
Syria seems to be going the same direction.
hizbushaitan has definately lost any credibility it had gained in 2006, and their actions since then has pushed everone away from them. they are now considered as a major threat in the region and terrorists.
if anyone has doubts about that, just go back to the speeches of nasrallah and their effect on the GCC who do not accept new residencies for lebanese anymore.
please guys stop the BS and see things the way they are. if this group is not going to realize where they are really and give their weapons to the army, then they will cost us the country.
25 December 2011, 13:36
61
the filthy zionist information war department is halucinating about civil war in iran. they also halucinate that our glorious resistance is good for them (now that's a very strong halucination). they halucinate about displacing palestinians from lebanon and making peace. also, one of them tried to talk to me, halucinating that i will respond.
25 December 2011, 14:23
13
Jabalhmel The "Zionist" ready to pay for a brain transplant you should make, ASAP
Your I.Q is same as a chimp will cause you headaches.
Reading your repeated comments i'm more convinced that you are the bad outcome of using a 2nd hand condom.
This reminds me a joke.
A couple enjoyed an excellent meal in a restaurant and the waiter's service was extraordinaire. but they didn't tip him.
On their way out the waiter called them and gave them a condom.
Why a condom the couple asked?
For the reason we do not want too many of your kind....
Same should have been given to your parents, hoping that there will be not too many of your kind.
25 December 2011, 22:01
10
Ya ahbal!
You're the one halucinating my dear... stop eating those wild mushrooms that grow deep down in dahie's sewer...they're no good for you...
25 December 2011, 23:41
11
LOL, Hzb el Kzb & Erhab is coming to an end and its supporters are running around like chickens with their head cut off. They are in disbelief that their reign of terror is slipping away. Why else would they waste their time spewing their lies and propaganda on this forum?
There is no question that the link between Hzb El Kzb and Erhab and Iran el Shaitan is collapsing, the only question that remains is what awful and unimaginable acts they will commit before they take their last breath and soon thereafter expire forever.
This is really the best Christmas ever. Tyrants fall so decent people can live peaceful and productive lives :)
