Iran's Hizbollah says ready to attack US, Israel

[Irish Envy]

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran's Hizbollah, which claims links to the Lebanese group of the same name, said on Tuesday it stood ready to attack Israeli and U.S. interests worldwide.

"We have 2,000 volunteers who have registered since last year," said Iranian Hizbollah's spokesman Mojtaba Bigdeli, speaking by telephone from the central seminary city of Qom.

"They have been trained and they can become fully armed. We are ready to dispatch them to every corner of the world to jeopardise Israel and America's interests. We are only waiting for the Supreme Leader's green light to take action. If America wants to ignite World War Three ... we welcome it," he said.

Iranian religious organisations have made great public show of recruiting volunteers for "martyrdom-seeking operations" in recent years, usually threatening U.S. interests in case of any attack against the Islamic Republic's nuclear programme.

But there is no record of an Iranian volunteer from these recruitment campaigns taking part in an attack.

Iran's Hizbollah (Party of God) says it is spiritually bound to Shi'ite Muslim guerrillas in Lebanon but its command structure and funding are unclear.

Despite Iranian Hizbollah's insistence that it takes orders from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, government ministries say Hizbollah does not implement official policy. Iran's government has said it hopes for a diplomatic solution to the Israeli offensive in Lebanon.

While Iran did fund and support Lebanese Hizbollah during the 1980s, Tehran says it has not contributed troops or weapons in the latest violence. Israel says Iranian armaments have been fired against it.

Source: Reuters.com

 

[Irish Envy]

Um, this isn't going to end pretty.

 

[jiggafini19]

Get ready for $5 a gallon at the pump.

This world is just plain rotten.

 

[Óglaigh_na_hÉireann]

I don't think it's a big deal. The conflict in Israel/Lebanon has been called 'Iran's proxy war'.

Iran knows that if Hezbollah struck in the United States that it would be held fully responsible. In other words, it would be suicide.

The reason Iran is developing nuclear weapons is because nothing offers a better, stronger safety net to a regime; their only fear is that they'll lose power to internal or more likely, external forces, namely us. That's really the only thing they care about, holding onto power. It's the same situation in North Korea. They couldn't care less about their people, which could be why Iran sent unarmed waves of volunteers (some not even teenagers) to 'rush' the Iraqi machine gun positions in the Iran-Iraq war.

And for the record, oil went down $1/barrel today. The reason, I think, is because there's a lull in the conflict. From my understanding, Hezbollah hasn't launched a rocket in 24 hours, which indicates that they could be welcoming diplomacy.

 

[SuperBowlIVBaby]

Anybody need extra parking spaces? Time to make Lebanon, Syria, and Iran one BIG parking lot!

 

[irishwavend]

I love being the US, cuz we can go, "Say hello to my little friend..." Which could either mean Israel or a Nuke, whichever you choose. I am glad shit is being shaken up, though...I hate when we meddle around and nothing is being done while the bad guys keep talking and doing whatever they want. No A-Team needed for this one...I think Israel will do everything we need them to do to get this one fired up and cleaned up.

 

[Batch]

A little story passed to me - makes a lot of sense.

"A Lesson To Be Learned"


When I was in the Navy, I once witnessed a bar fight in downtown Olongapo

(Philippines) that still haunts my dreams. The fight was between a big

oafish bar bully and a rather soft-spoken, medium sized Latino sailor from

my ship.


All evening the bully had been trying to pick a fight with one of us and

had finally set his sights on this diminutive shipmate of mine... figuring

him for a safe target. When my friend refused to be goaded into a fight

the moron sucker punched him from behind on the si de of the head so hard

that blood instantly started to pour from this poor man's mutilated ear.

Everyone present was horrified and was prepared to absolutely murder this

guy, but my shipmate quickly turned on him and began to single-handed

back him towards a corner with a series of stinging jabs and upper cuts

that gave more than a hint to a youth spent boxing in a small gym in the

Bronx.


Each punch opened a cut on the bully's startled face and by the time he

had been backed completely into the corner he was blubbering for someone

to stop the fight. He invoked his split lips and chipped teeth as reasons

to stop the fight. He begged us to stop the fight because he could barely

see through the river of blood that was pouring out of his split and

swollen brows.


Nobody moved. Not one person.


The only sound in the bar was the sickening staccato sound of this
sailor's lightning fast fists making contact with new areas of the guy's

head. The only sound I have heard since that was remotely similar was

from the first Rocky film when Sylvester Stallone was punching sides of

beef in the meat locker.


Finally the bully's pleading turned to screams.... a high, almost womanly

shriek. And still the punches continued relentlessly.


Several people in the bar took a few tentative steps as though they wanted

to try to break it up at that point, but hands reached out from the crowd

and held them tight. I'm not ashamed to say that mine were two of the

hands that held someone back.


You see, in between each blow the sailor had begun chanting a soft

cadence: "Say [punch] you [punch] give [punch] up [punch]... say [punch]

you [punch] were [punch] wrong [punch]".


He had been repeating it to the bully almost from the start but we only

became aware of it when the typical barroom cheers had died down and we

began to be sickened by the sight and sound of the carnage.


This coward stood there shrieking in the corner of the bar trying futilely

to block the carefully timed punches that were cutting his head to

tatters.. right down to the skull in places. But he refused to say that he

gave up... or that he was wrong.


Even in the delirium of his beating he believed in his heart that someone

would stop the fight before he had to admit defeat. I'm sure this

strategy had served him well in the past and had allowed him to continue

on his career as a barroom bully.


Finally, in a wail of agony the coward shrieked "I give up", and we

gently backed the sailor away from him.


I'm sure you can guess why I have shared this story today.

I'm not particularly proud to have been witness to such a bloody

spe ctacle, and the sound of that bully's woman-like shrieks will haunt me

to my grave. But I learned something that evening that Israel had better

learn for itself if it is to finally be rid of at least one of its
tormentors:


This is one time an Arab aggressor must be allowed to be beaten so badly

that every civilized nation will stand in horror, wanting desperately to

step in and stop the carnage... but knowing that the fight will only truly

be over when one side gives up and finally admits defeat.

Just as every person who had ever rescued that bully from admitting defeat

helped create the cowardly brute I saw that evening in the bar, every

well-intentioned power that has ever stepped in and negotiated a ceasefire

for an Arab aggressor has helped create the monsters we see around us

today.


President Lahoud of Lebanon, a big Hezbollah supporter and a close ally of

Syria, has been shrieking non-stop to the UN Security Council for the past

two days to get them to force Israel into a cease fire.


Clearly he has been reading his autographed copy of 'Military Success for

Dummies Arab Despots' by the late Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt. Ever since

Nasser accidentally discovered the trick in '56, every subsequent Arab

leader has stuck to his tried and true formula for military success:

Instigate a war.


Once the war is well underway and you are in the process of having your

ass handed to you... get a few world powers to force your western opponent

into a cease fire.


Whatever you do, don't surrender or submit to any terms dictated by your

enemy. That would ruin everything! All you have to do is wait it out and

eventually the world will become sickened at what is being done to your

soldiers and civilian population... and will force a truce.

Once a truce has been called you can resume your intransigence (which

probably caused the conflict in the first place), and even declare victory

as your opponent leaves the field of battle.


This tactic has never failed. Not once.


In fact it worked so will for the Egyptians in 1973, that to this day they

celebrate the Yom Kippur War - a crushing defeat at the hands of Israel -

as a military victory! No kidding... it's a national holiday over there!


President Lahoud has already begun to shriek like a school girl to the

UN Security Council to "Stop the violence and arrange a cease-fire, and

then after that we'll be ready to discuss all matters."


Uh huh. Forgive me if I find that a tad hard to swallow. He allowed

Hezbollah to take over his country. He allowed the regular Lebanese

army to provide radar targeting data for the Hezbollah missile that

struck the Isra eli destroyer He has turned a blind eye while Iranian

and Syrian weapons, advisers and money have poured into his country.


And now that his country is in ruins he wants to call it a draw.


As much as it may sicken the world to stand by and watch it happen,

strong hands need to hold back the weak-hearted and let the fight

continue until one side finally admits unambiguous defeat.



"The world is a dangerous place to live

not because of the people who are evil,

but because of the people who don't do

anything about it."

-- Albert Einstein

 

[jiggafini19]

No toothpaste, no hair gel, no beverages on planes anymore. I'm on a plane one week from today.

This is an ugly world we live in.

 

[irishnd31]

No toothpaste, no hair gel, no beverages on planes anymore. I'm on a plane one week from today.

This is an ugly world we live in.

That's just carry ons isn't it?

I'm in the air on October 6th.

 

[jiggafini19]

That's just carry ons isn't it?

I'm in the air on October 6th.

There is so much confustion right now, I don't even know. No one knows what they can and cannot have.

Airports are a mess right now.

 

[KMac151993]

It is all happening because of the government and the media.......here is a small example....when you are a parent and your young child is throwing a tatrum and causing havoc the way to get them to stop is to stop showing them attention. The same is true with the world today......if the media just simply censored all of it and didn't show us everytime an American died and the video of the terrorist that did it the terrorist would stop.....right now they are winning the war and how because they have us afraid and why are we afraid because the media tells us to be. If we stopped glorifying it and cut back the coverage it wouldn't go away but it certainly would be much less.

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

It is all happening because of the government and the media.......here is a small example....when you are a parent and your young child is throwing a tatrum and causing havoc the way to get them to stop is to stop showing them attention. The same is true with the world today......if the media just simply censored all of it and didn't show us everytime an American died and the video of the terrorist that did it the terrorist would stop.....right now they are winning the war and how because they have us afraid and why are we afraid because the media tells us to be. If we stopped glorifying it and cut back the coverage it wouldn't go away but it certainly would be much less.

I have to disagree here. We are fighting an asymetrical war in Iraq and another war one against terrorists. (since the two have nothing to do with one another)

However, the tactics the terrorists use are not designed to play in our media (once in a while they are) but generally they are the same tactics used for hundreds of years when a small fighter is up against a larger one.

Nothing new is going on here...and I would even argue that the constant presence of it on the news REDUCES the FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt)

 

[KMac151993]

I have to disagree here. We are fighting an asymetrical war in Iraq and another war one against terrorists. (since the two have nothing to do with one another)

However, the tactics the terrorists use are not designed to play in our media (once in a while they are) but generally they are the same tactics used for hundreds of years when a small fighter is up against a larger one.

Nothing new is going on here...and I would even argue that the constant presence of it on the news REDUCES the FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt)

Thats why everytime people hear of some minor new event in Iraq or Isreal people rush to the gas stations....the majority of the American public are too stupid to understand what is being thrown at them and run around like a chicken with its head cut off, and big business is making a killing off of it. I think its safe to say that if there was a WWIII we would lose it because this country is no where near the same country that helped win WWII, from its leaders to its common citizens.

 

[ShivaIrish]

as quoted from Batch:

Just as every person who had ever rescued that bully from admitting defeat

helped create the cowardly brute I saw that evening in the bar, every

well-intentioned power that has ever stepped in and negotiated a ceasefire

for an Arab aggressor has helped create the monsters we see around us

today.

There is a big difference between the big bully brute and the conflicts involving many people: there are a whole lot of people who are probably quite innocent and unaware who are being killed. In fact right now, perhaps the majority of the victims?

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

Thats why everytime people hear of some minor new event in Iraq or Isreal people rush to the gas stations....the majority of the American public are too stupid to understand what is being thrown at them and run around like a chicken with its head cut off, and big business is making a killing off of it. I think its safe to say that if there was a WWIII we would lose it because this country is no where near the same country that helped win WWII, from its leaders to its common citizens.

Well, in 1939 the country was not the same as it was in 1942.

Our country is highly maleable. We react to situations. We can turn on a dime.

We are the slumbering giant.

And let's face it...no other country is ready for WW3 either. China is arming for it...but culturally no country that could fight it is ready for it.

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

as quoted from Batch:

There is a big difference between the big bully brute and the conflicts involving many people: there are a whole lot of people who are probably quite innocent and unaware who are being killed. In fact right now, perhaps the majority of the victims?

Without question on both sides of that conflict its the innocents that are suffering most...

It's beyond sad.

 

[marv81s]

there are innocents in every single war that are killed. It is war, bad things happen and it is unavoidable. You do what you can to avoid civilian deaths, but in this type of warfare it is always going to happen, because the terrorist are not wearing enemy uniforms that broadcast "HERE I AM" like what we had in every other prior war. It is high time that we and finally Israel took it to them, the terrorist. Think you all need to do some research and you'll find out just how much Saddam was involved with a few terrorist organizations, it is not broadcasted out in the media, or by this administration for some reason, just how much Saddam was involved with Al Qaeda and others in the west. Be glad we have an ocean between us and them or we would be in the same situation that Israel is in.

 

[KMac151993]

Well, in 1939 the country was not the same as it was in 1942.

Our country is highly maleable. We react to situations. We can turn on a dime.

We are the slumbering giant.

And let's face it...no other country is ready for WW3 either. China is arming for it...but culturally no country that could fight it is ready for it.

Yes, but it was a whole lot more ready and prepared and in the right mind set then the US is today.

 

[ShivaIrish]

there are innocents in every single war that are killed. It is war, bad things happen and it is unavoidable. You do what you can to avoid civilian deaths, but in this type of warfare it is always going to happen, because the terrorist are not wearing enemy uniforms that broadcast "HERE I AM" like what we had in every other prior war. It is high time that we and finally Israel took it to them, the terrorist. Think you all need to do some research and you'll find out just how much Saddam was involved with a few terrorist organizations, it is not broadcasted out in the media, or by this administration for some reason, just how much Saddam was involved with Al Qaeda and others in the west. Be glad we have an ocean between us and them or we would be in the same situation that Israel is in.

So you don't think the situation is sad, or different than the example of a single brute?

 

[ChiND]

Kmac, you are speaking out of turn here. You are a student, correct? You have not been in the 'real world' yet, correct? You have not done your research on WWII or the state of the country prior, correct? And you certainly do not understand the major challenges that general society has with religious extremism. Just as a FYI, most of the Islamic extremism could care less about OUR media coverage. They have their own media coverage which is geared toward the destruction of the infadels...anyone in Western non-Islamic society. They control their internet (clearly you have not been to Saudi Arabia or any Arabic country), their newspapers, etc.... Our media NEEDS to show this activity as we as a society must learn how to live with this. Noone [I know] is sticking their head in the sand and 'letting the terrorists win', but rather finding ways to adjust our society [minor inconveniences] not to let the terrorists win. I do not want to bash you on this, but with age and experience [generally] comes wisdom.

 

[marv81s]

it is sad sure, but it is also a reality of war. I think the story of the bully in a bar is a good analogy of what Israel has been putting up with for years. Now that they are standing up and saying enough and sticking up for themselves you have just about all the nations telling them to stop. Why? Why should they stop? What would they do in the same situation? What is a disappropiate response? War is never a good thing, and innocents will always be killed. Its always sad, but whether anyone wants to admit it or not, war is sometimes a necessary evil. And the war we are in, and Israel, is very much necessary right now.

 

[KMac151993]

Kmac, you are speaking out of turn here. You are a student, correct? You have not been in the 'real world' yet, correct? You have not done your research on WWII or the state of the country prior, correct? And you certainly do not understand the major challenges that general society has with religious extremism. Just as a FYI, most of the Islamic extremism could care less about OUR media coverage. They have their own media coverage which is geared toward the destruction of the infadels...anyone in Western non-Islamic society. They control their internet (clearly you have not been to Saudi Arabia or any Arabic country), their newspapers, etc.... Our media NEEDS to show this activity as we as a society must learn how to live with this. Noone [I know] is sticking their head in the sand and 'letting the terrorists win', but rather finding ways to adjust our society [minor inconveniences] not to let the terrorists win. I do not want to bash you on this, but with age and experience [generally] comes wisdom.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and I am not saying it is wrong because it really isn't in some ways, but just for the record I know more about the time period of 1935-1945 then probably anyone on these boards. At that time period we were also prepared for a war...right now we have national guard units as our front line military, fighting a World War right now would not bode well for us with the current status of our armed forces. And in terms of media, I am not saying that the terrorist care about our media but the whole goal of a terrorist fighting a bigger enemy is to create the sense of fear and use it as a weapon...each time we see this violence and then throw up a new color of flag for national secruity the terrorist have won without even doing anything to America itself. You said with age and experience comes wisdom.....then why did we not learn from Vietnam?

 

[marv81s]

those terrorist understand our media better than we do, and they know how to use it, more so than our own president. They know how to break the will of society pretty damn well. Look how well they have done it with the war in Iraq. 60% of america opposes the war.

 

[rontdtarchala]

Batch excellent post!

He is right though guys, they (the terrorists and those countries that harbour them) create these problems and then scream for help to then simply turn around and claim victory. Enough! I am fed up with extremism in any form....except Irish football of course!!

if this world is to survive these completely ignorant people must join with the rest of the world or face annilhation period!

 

[irishtexan]

"I think its safe to say that if there was a WWIII we would lose it because this country is no where near the same country that helped win WWII, from its leaders to its common citizens."




Has anyone posting in this forum even ever been in combat? As a former Marine who has seen death, destruction, and the power of the American military up close and personal I find it amazing that someone would think the U.S. military has a weaker spirit than we did in WWII. Unless you have seen Americans in combat personally then what basis are you justifying this from? Unless you have seen the resourcefulness and brotherhood of the American military fighting man then you honestly don't know what we are capable of. That, I am sure, can not be taught in a book. WWII was such a different war than the one we fight today. Just because millions of Americans answered the call then does not mean that millions more would today. Kmac I do agree that this country has lost sight of its true self in some scenes, but if something drastic truly happened like WWIII then never underestimate the power of the American people. Japan did and we kicked their teeth in.

 

[KMac151993]

"I think its safe to say that if there was a WWIII we would lose it because this country is no where near the same country that helped win WWII, from its leaders to its common citizens."




Has anyone posting in this forum even ever been in combat? As a former Marine who has seen death, destruction, and the power of the American military up close and personal I find it amazing that someone would think the U.S. military has a weaker spirit than we did in WWII. Unless you have seen Americans in combat personally then what basis are you justifying this from? Unless you have seen the resourcefulness and brotherhood of the American military fighting man then you honestly don't know what we are capable of. That, I am sure, can not be taught in a book. WWII was such a different war than the one we fight today. Just because millions of Americans answered the call then does not mean that millions more would today. Kmac I do agree that this country has lost sight of its true self in some scenes, but if something drastic truly happened like WWIII then never underestimate the power of the American people. Japan did and we kicked their teeth in.

That was a different breed of people, hence why they are called the "Greatest Generation" and by no means am I saying that our military is not as rough and tough as ever...just not prepared. I know people over in Iraq and I know what they do and what they go through and these are truely great and brave men, the point I was getting at is that we don't have the supplies and weapons to give these men. The men are there, even if in small numbers but the supplies and training aren't. Take for instance unarmed Humvee's....we knew before going over there what a roadside bomb would do to one without armer and how the terrorist could essentially tear one to shreads that wasn't armored and we sent them over there anyway. Those kind of vital flaws will lose you a war very quickly. I have never or will never doubt the American spirit, I just doubt if we could ever be prepared and understand how to fight a war in this day and age.

 

[irishtexan]

AH... I got you now. I think many Americans would also be amazed at the lack of tools the American military has to use. Sure we are very sophisticated but many units are using equipment that is 20+ years old. The downsizing of the American military and cuts in funding from the early 90's caught up with us when we went into Iraq. For example, the Marine Corps is the least funded branch of the military. We get 6 cents of every tax dollar spent on defense. It sucks but we make do with what we have.

 

[ChiND]

Kmac, not meaning to attack here, but the difference in the people prior to WWII is that they were coming off of the Great Depression. The Defense spending in that time (by the mid 40's) accounted for almost 40-50% of the GNP. The difference in the people of then -vs- now is that many youth have something to lose - e.g. wealth. We have become a nation that is fat and happy and should our livelihood be taken away, I am sure that you would see a much different society - a la post 9-11. You can change behaviors, but can't change human nature. We have too many couch coaches in this country that sit back behind a transparent wall of academia and do not take any action to correct injustice in this world. My prayers are for peace, but my intellect tells me that we are [unfortunately] beyond this.

Also, on the topic of Vietnam...slightly different circumstances.

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

there are innocents in every single war that are killed. It is war, bad things happen and it is unavoidable. You do what you can to avoid civilian deaths, but in this type of warfare it is always going to happen, because the terrorist are not wearing enemy uniforms that broadcast "HERE I AM" like what we had in every other prior war.

It's even worse in Lebanon. Hezbullah hides their weapons in residential zones...near schools...apartment complexes, etc.

It's sick.

It is high time that we and finally Israel took it to them, the terrorist.

Israel always has. Never mistake periods of restraint for weakness or a failure to act.

it is not broadcasted out in the media, or by this administration for some reason, just how much Saddam was involved with Al Qaeda and others in the west.

Because its not true. The links are weak at best. This administration DREAMS of a smoking gun...

Be glad we have an ocean between us and them or we would be in the same situation that Israel is in.

Not at all. Completely different situation.

Israel is in a vastly more complicated situation. They control land where Palestinian families have lived for hundreds of years... (yet the Palenstinians are denied voting rights, etc) These Palestinians live among them...and are a large population.

This is why places like Russia do not suffer from these problems. Borders can be secured. Zones can be cleared. But it's when your very problem lies within that you cannot prevent it.

Timothy McVeigh comes to mind. Imagine 1000 more men like him in the US. We would have massive problems.

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

Yes, but it was a whole lot more ready and prepared and in the right mind set then the US is today.

What are you talking about? We are INIFINITELY more prepared now than in 1941.