Hizballa's Many Achievements In Lebanon

For those who have a short memory, and think of Hizballa as some force of Good in Lebanon, let's list some of the achievements of Hizballa and their effects on Lebanon.

• April 18, 1983: Hizballa rams a van laden with explosives against the US emabssy in Beirut, destorying the building, and killing 46 Lebanese and 17 US citizens. This was a blow to Lebanon, who was recovering from a bloody Israeli invasion to root out the PLO from the country. 46 Lebanese lives were deemed and acceptable price for killing 17 Americans. End result for Lebanon: Negative



• October 23, 1983: Hizballa attacks the US Marines and French paratrooper barracks in Beirut. 241 Americans, 58 French and 8 Lebanese were killed. The Lebanese included one woman and her 4 children. As a result of the attack against the International peacekeeping force in Lebanon, the country collapsed into chaos which resulted in the death of thousands of Lebanese. End result for Lebanon: Negative



• September 20, 1984: Hizballa launched another suicide truck against the US embassy annex, killing 20 Lebanese and only two Americans. Lebanon became increasingly isolated and a symbil of international terrorism. End result for Lebanon: Negative



• June 14, 1985: Hizballa hijacks TWA flight 847 killing a US Navy diver and keeping dozens of passengers captive for weeks. This led to the increasing isolation of Lebanon, most western airlines stopped flying into Beirut and MEA was forbidden to fly into the US. End result for Lebanon: Negative



• Throughout the 80's: Hizballa kidnaps over 30 Westerners, mainly French, Americans and British. The kidnapped were journalists, teachers, a peacekeeper and an Anglican Church envoy. Some of the kidnapped were tortured to death, others died due to the poor conditions of their captivity. This further isolated Lebanon and further ruined its reputation. The AUB and BUC were emptied of all of their US staff. End result for Lebanon: Negative
  



• 18 April 1996: As a result of Hizballa shelling of Israeli positions, Israel launched a campaign it called Operation Grapes of Wrath. During the back and forth shelling, Israel hit a UN compound with artillery killing 106 Lebanese civilians who were seeking refuge in the base. Hizballah had been firing mortar rounds about 50 meters from where the civilians were. End result for Lebanon: Negative



• Throrughout the 80's and 90's, Hizballa lauched many attacks against the Israeli forces occupying Lebanon. These attacks often resulted in killing Lebanese civilians living in the "Security Zone", in addition to the Lebanese who were killed during Israeli retaliations. In the end, Hizballa managed to wear the Israelis out, and they left the Security Zone. While the so called "liberation" of South Lebanon can be seen as a positive development, leading to stability, security and prosperity for the Southern Lebanese, the same result could have been accomplished by guaranteeing the security of Israel's Northern border. Worse, as soon as Israel withdrew, Hizballa and its Syrian allies invented a new excuse for maintaining violence in Southern Lebanon. The excuse was Shebaa Farms, a territory taken by the Israelis from the Syrian army, never before contested by Lebanon, always depicted as part of the Golan heights. South Lebanon was again destined for more violence at the hand of Hizballa. End result for Lebanon: Negative
  

July 12, 2006: Hizballa launched an unprovoked cross-border attack against an Israeli patrol, killing 8 soldiers and capturing 2 others. This unleashed the worst violence seen by both the Lebanese and Israeli populations. Hundreds of Lebanese civilians dead and wounded, billions of dollars of Lebanese infrastructure destroyed, billions of dollars of business losses, a promising tourist season aborted, an ecological disaster hits the Lebanese shore. All this misery, for what purpose? End result for Lebanon: Hugely Negative


It is time for Lebanon to rid itself of this cancer that has been plaguing it for years. It is time for the Lebanese to live in peace and dignity. It is time for Lebanon to regain its full independence and not be held hostage to foreign interests. It is time for Lebanon to regain its prosperity, and its role in the Middle East.