Is Hezbollah a terrorist organisation?

Kytro · 08-07-2006, 02:28 AM

At the risk of being called a troll, this bit of info in wiki caught my attention:

Originally Posted by Wiki

Hezbollah has denounced and forbade some acts of terror which result in killing innocent people including "tourists, or intellectuals, doctors, or professors who have nothing to do with this war," Nasrallah said in an interview with the Washington Post. [135] For example: it condemned the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center, while remaining silent on the attack on the Pentagon. [136] It denounced Armed Islamic Group massacres in Algeria, Al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya attacks on tourists in Egypt[137], and the murder of Nick Berg[138].

Hezbollah is regarded by the Lebanese[139], Iranian[140] and Syrian[141] and some other Islamic governments as a legitimate resistance, a view common in the Arab and Muslim world.[142][143]

The United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Mark Malloch Brown, contested characterisations of the Lebanese militia as a terrorist organisation in the mould of al-Qaeda[21] and stated that the United States and the international community must respect Hezbollah as a political party, not a terrorist organization [22].

This isn't a statement of support for them, rather simply lookign at the way the US government has portrayed the organisation.

Also if we take a look at the stats:

Hezbollah militants killed: 83 / 400 (Claimed by Israel)
Lebanese civillains killed: 500-800
Lebanese soliders killed: 34
Israeli civillians killed: 38
Israeli soliders killed: 58

it does not really show hezbollah as specifically going after civillians.

Of course the toll would be much higher if Isreal didn't evacuate

Donkey® · 08-07-2006, 02:29 AM

It is called a "terrorist" organization by a few countries. I don't consider them one.

archangel003 · 08-07-2006, 02:30 AM

They have an AK-47 on their flag.

/thread

Donkey® · 08-07-2006, 02:32 AM

And the Israeli flag has a religious symbol on it.

/thread

archangel003 · 08-07-2006, 02:41 AM

Originally Posted by Donkey®

And the Israeli flag has a religious symbol on it.

/thread

So does the Turkish flag, they're not a theocracy.

Thorgrim · 08-07-2006, 02:41 AM

Depends on what your definition of terrorism is...

I consider them terrorists, but I consider a lot of people terrorists

When the average person thinks of a terrorist though...I think they would not be describing the Hezbollah of the past decade

Ardentfrost · 08-07-2006, 02:43 AM

Thorgrim considers libertarians terrorists

Thorgrim · 08-07-2006, 02:45 AM

Originally Posted by Ardentfrost

Thorgrim considers libertarians terrorists

Not all of them

Donkey® · 08-07-2006, 02:55 AM

Originally Posted by archangel003

So does the Turkish flag, they're not a theocracy.

Religion and government shouldn't mix. I would prefer an AK as opposed to a religious symbol.

Thorgrim · 08-07-2006, 03:00 AM

Originally Posted by archangel003

They have an AK-47 on their flag.

/thread

Swords! Terrorists!

Lets bomb Angola and Sri Lanka!

archangel003 · 08-07-2006, 03:00 AM

Originally Posted by Donkey®

Religion and government shouldn't mix. I would prefer an AK as opposed to a religious symbol.

Because Hezbollah dosen't want an Islamic Caliphate.

You contradict yourself, sir.

motivez · 08-07-2006, 03:03 AM

Originally Posted by archangel003

Because Hezbollah dosen't want an Islamic Caliphate.

You contradict yourself, sir.

Don't we want to shape the world how we think it would be best?

I think some elements of Hezbollah are definitely terrorist in nature. Some other parts definitely are not.

There are very few countries that consider the entire organization "terrorists", and I think that's dead on.

Ardentfrost · 08-07-2006, 03:20 AM

Originally Posted by Thorgrim

Swords! Terrorists!

Lets bomb Angola and Sri Lanka!

Here's another one with a sword being held up... similar to the AK in the Hez flag

Damn Masschusetts!

Nonphixion · 08-07-2006, 06:08 AM

Our United States government finds it convenient to compartmentalize its enemies as "Terrorist Orginizations", even when they are not. This has been demonstrated greatly in the quickly-passed recent years with the claims of Sleeper Cells and Global Terror, which prompted this war, and preceedingly many unjustified acts of congress (i.e. "The Patriot Act").

We thrust these opinions upon the rest of the world -- and perception becomes reality. Hezbollah is possibly a much more noble force than our own, forgive me for saying so, but given the current state of this country it certainly seems so.

kinggovernor · 08-07-2006, 06:45 AM

Originally Posted by Nonphixion

Hezbollah is possibly a much more noble force than our own, forgive me for saying so, but given the current state of this country it certainly seems so.

I wish I could select you for human shield duty, but for some reason I can't

Renlin · 08-07-2006, 06:56 AM

Ya know whats funny?
I've met Hezbollah members before when I was in Lebanon, which was kinda weird... But they're just like everyday people, like you and me.

To my understanding they seem to fight Isreal because Isreal is still occupying some Lebanease land, and Isreal is keeping quite a number of Lebanease prisoners illegaly.
Now I'm no expert on this but I think if someone was holding my fellow Americans as prisoners, women and children included, then I'de be pretty damn pissed off too.

To answer the original question, it would really depend which side you were on, if I was living in Lebanon, I would say they werent terrorists....
But considering they blew up the U.S. embassy and killed all those Marines, then I'm gonna have to say I consider them a terrorist group.

Nonphixion · 08-07-2006, 07:11 AM

Originally Posted by kinggovernor

I wish I could select you for human shield duty, but for some reason I can't

I wouldn't mind -- if that is your mentality then obviously, I would volounteer myself for your cause kinggovernor

motivez · 08-07-2006, 09:47 AM

Originally Posted by Renlin

Ya know whats funny?
I've met Hezbollah members before when I was in Lebanon, which was kinda weird... But they're just like everyday people, like you and me.

I think there's a tendancy to dehumanize and push aside the human aspect of these groups, and really have some understanding of why they feel a need to exist and use the tactics they do.

Originally Posted by Renlin

To my understanding they seem to fight Isreal because Isreal is still occupying some Lebanease land, and Isreal is keeping quite a number of Lebanease prisoners illegaly.

Now I'm no expert on this but I think if someone was holding my fellow Americans as prisoners, women and children included, then I'de be pretty damn pissed off too.

Israel occupying land is at the root cause of the entire conflict. Even in the West Bank and Gaza they have settlements that occupy the high ground, the areas around the water, as well as inability to travel freely in those territories, etc. In Lebanon, I think it has more to do with the status of some farms than anything.

As far as prisoners, Samir Kuntar is the big fish that they'd like to have back. He has major support over there is a major bargaining chip that the Israeli's have if they'd like to do another prisoner exchange.

Originally Posted by Renlin

To answer the original question, it would really depend which side you were on, if I was living in Lebanon, I would say they werent terrorists....

But considering they blew up the U.S. embassy and killed all those Marines, then I'm gonna have to say I consider them a terrorist group.

There's plenty of people who've killed US marines that we have no problem dealing with. Look at Al Sadr in Iraq, I believe his militia was responsible for the deaths of many US servicemen, and yet we brought him into the political process as a "non-violent" member of the Iraqi government.

ballz2wallz · 08-07-2006, 09:59 AM

islam also says killing innocents is bad

of course they are going to say it. whether they actually believe it or not is a different story.

it's their definition of 'innocent' that's questionable. they also believe the sacrifice of a few for the good of the many (killing a few civilians here and there for a greater purpose) is ok

PsyPenguin · 08-07-2006, 10:10 AM

The term terrorism is useless. It is used now as a means to attempt to destroy the enemy's credibility. We dont live on a peaceful planet. You could call every violent group that disagree's with you a terrorist organization. I see nothing wrong with terrorism sometimes, thats just how some groups fight their war. Why should opposing countries and mindsets be forced to fight their wars our way? They do what works for them.