Ok, people HEZBOLLAH IS NOT HAMAS!!!! The American media has done a good job of conflating the two, turning a political party with a guerilla army (like the Cuban revolutionaries) into a terrorist group like Hamas. Heszbolla is an elected party (I love when we get all sentimental about spreading democracy, but then start sanctioning groups that get democratically elected [and let's not forget the assassinations a la Salvador Allende!]). Anyway, Hezbollah has never targeted the US, and they do not send people on suicide missions to blow up busses. They are elected officials in Lebanon. They provide the people of Southern Lebanon with clean water, medical services, schooling, and other social services that the Lebanese government is incapable of doing. They also ran the Israelis out of Lebanon (the only army to ever succeed in doing such). And let's not get indignant about the two Israeli soldiers that were kidnapped. The Israelis were carrying out targeted assassinations and kidnappings the whole time Hezbollah and Hamas were abiding by a ceasefire. Then, Israel finally provokes Hezbollah into kidnapping in retaliation (it was not out of the blue), and Israel gets the excuse it has wanted for years to invade Lebanon again. Here's the truth, Israel’s ego got hurt when Hezbollah ran them out, and Israel has been devising an invasion plan for years. Bush gave Israel unilateral support and promised to "help defend Israel" no matter what. So this is why all the punditry is working at getting you to believe that Hezbollah is a terrorist group, that they irrationally kidnapped two soldiers without provocation (mind you Israel was kidnapping civilians!), and that Israel has the right to "defend" herself.

You see the only thing that puts Israel in the place of defense right now is the arbitrary placement of the timeline of events starting at the kidnapping of Israeli soldiers. If you move it back a few months, one will find that Israel has been provoking the whole time *with the purpose of getting Hezbollah to react*. Israel’s attack was preemptive and in violation of International Law.

Now go back briefly to the comment about Bush unilaterally defending Israel. You see, it makes an easy practice ground for attacking Iran, among other reasons


In short:

Hezbollah is not a terrorist group like Hamas or Al-queda, the are a political party that defends lebanon with the use of military force.

Hezbollah did not kidnap Isreali soldiers without provocation.

Isreal's attack was preemptive and planned in advance.

US supports the war for many reasons, and thus is waging a propaganda war against Hezbollah and justifying Isreal's actions.

Oh, one more thing, the wife of one of the kidnapped soldiers does not support war! (but we have no problem using him as a propaganda tool!)