Is Hezbollah a terrorist group? Explain.

[Flabbergasted]

Hezbollah
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hezbollah<1> (Arabic: حزب الله ḥizbu-llāh, <2> literally "party of God") is a Shi'a Islamic political and paramilitary organization based in Lebanon. It follows an Islamist Shi'a ideology developed by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, leader of the Islamic Revolution in Iran.<3> <4><5> <6> <7>

Hezbollah first emerged during the Lebanese Civil War as a militia of Shia followers of the Ayatollah Khomeini, trained, organized and funded by a contingent of Iranian Revolutionary Guards.<8> Hezbollah's three main goals are to: Eradicate what it views as Western colonialism in Lebanon, punish the Phalangists, and establish an Islamic government in Lebanon.<9>

Hezbollah is often referred to as a radical Islamic group.<10><11><12><13><14><15> It has been accused of the 1983 Beirut barracks bombing that killed over 300 American and French peacekeeping troops,<16><3> a charge that it denies. Six countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom, officially list Hezbollah or its external security arm as a terrorist organization. Most in the Arab and Muslim worlds regard Hezbollah as a legitimate resistance movement.<3>

Hezbollah has popular support in Shi'a Lebanese society<17> and has mobilized demonstrations of hundreds of thousands.<11><18><19> In addition Hezbollah receives arms, training, and financial support from Iran<20><21> and has "operated with Syria's blessing" since the end of the Civil War.<22><23> Hezbollah, which started only with a militia, has grown to an organization which has seats in the Lebanese government, a radio and a satellite television station, and programs for social development.<24> Since 1992 the organization has been headed by Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, its Secretary-General.

[Kelly Rupert]

1. I would say pretty obviously yes.

They also engage in non-military activities, and in legitimate military resistance as well. However, they have on numerous times targeted civilians. If you purposefully target civilians in hopes of forcing a political change, you are a terrorist. That is the definition of terrorism.

It was terrorism on 9/11.
It was terrorism when we "shocked and awed" the Iraqi populace.
It was terrorism when the Golden Mosque was destroyed by Sunni bombers.
It was terrorism when the IDF bulldozed refugee camps.
It was terrorism when Hezbollah fired rockets at civilian population centers.

[NYVet]

2. Have to agree with most of what you say, but need some clarification

about when you say "It was terrorism when the IDF bulldozed refugee camps."

Are you taking into account that Hamas and Hezbollah were hiding in the camp and using the civilians as a shield?

[Kelly Rupert]

5. Yes.

Bulldozing homes sends a rather unmistakable message: you are being punished for harboring terrorists. Do not allow this to happen again.

[NYVet]

8. It looks like this is where we disagree.

I would consider it self defense if the location where terrorists were striking at my family were hiding was destroyed.

Sorry for those stuck in the middle, but it is either kill or be killed and I don't want to be standing in front of St Peter unless I have done everything I can to remove a threat to myself and my family.

[eagler]

6. I think what is being implied here is that any action designed to

break the peace and livelihood of a people is terrorism. that pretty much sums it up for me.

[cali]

3. Two for the money

They're a terrorist group and a political/social services group.

Here's an example of their likely terrorist activities:

Kirchner to Press Iran at UN for Aid on Argentine Bombing Probe

By Eliana Raszewski

Sept. 24 (Bloomberg) -- Argentine President Nestor Kirchner will press Iran to cooperate in a probe of a 1994 terrorist attack in Buenos Aires when he speaks to the United Nations tomorrow, his cabinet chief said.

Kirchner, in his last address to the UN General Assembly before leaving office, will raise the issue of Iran's cooperation after Argentine prosecutors last year implicated former Iranian officials in a car bombing that killed 85 people, Cabinet Chief Alberto Fernandez said. It was the biggest attack on a Jewish target outside Israel since World War II.

``What we are asking Iran here isn't connected with politics but rather is of a judicial nature aimed at getting to the truth,'' Fernandez said today in an interview with Radio Diez.

Kirchner, whose wife Senator Cristina Fernandez is running to succeed him, has faced lobbying throughout his term by local Jewish groups to condemn Iran's failure to provide information or witnesses in the 13-year probe. Iran's top diplomat in Buenos Aires, Mohsen Baharvand, said accusations that Iran isn't cooperating would create the impression Argentina favors war against Iran, Clarin reported Sept. 21.

Argentine prosecutors last year charged former Iranian government officials with directing Lebanese militia group Hezbollah to attack the Buenos Aires Jewish Community Center on July 18, 1994, injuring 300 in addition to the 85 killed.

<snip>

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601086&sid=aWoPereITv2w&refer=latin_america

[Spazito]

4. The countries below have officially listed Hezbollah in at least some part as a terrorist organizati

Australia, Canada, Israel, Netherlands, United Kingdom, United States (info taken from the same Wiki source as OP used). It seems only a small minority of the countries of the world feel they are, interesting.

[The Stranger]

7. It formed as a resistance group to the 19-year Israeli occupation of Southern Lebanon.

Does wikipedia talk about that?

[cali]

9. And bombed a Jewish Civic Center in Argentina as a form of

resistance in 1994, killing 80+ people. Now that's resistance. Going after those Israelis wherever they are. Oops. That's right; they weren't Israelis They were going after Argentinians. Who happened to be Jews.

Yes, they were formed as a resistance group to the Israeli occupation of southern lebanon. That doesn't negate their acts of terrorism against civilians.

[The Stranger]

10. So your answer to the question is "yes," it did form in response to Israel's occupation of Lebanon.

"Going after those Lebanese wherever they are." Oops. That's right; they invaded Lebanon. They were going after the people who live in Lebanon. Who happened to be Lebanese.

When Israel invaded again last Summer, they only strengthened Hezbollah -- much to the dismay of most of the Lebanese people who have to live with them on a daily basis. And, during the invasion and bombing, Israel killed 1200 innocent Lebanese civilians.

Since you seem to equate making note of historical facts with "negating acts of terrorism against civilians," whatever do you propose to negate these acts of terrorism against innocent civilians?

[cali]

11. Twist and turn. . I never endorsed Israel's actions

against Lebanon. I condemn it. I simply demonstrated that H'zbollah may have been created in response to Israel's occupation, but they've committed acts of terror against civilians, and the attack in Argentina was particularly egregious, not even remotely related to defense or resistance, just killing jews because they were jews


Can you possibly bring yourself to condemn H'zbollah's murder of 80+ Argentinian jews, or do you prefer not to do so?

[spanone]

12. every 'enemy' is a terrorist group these days.....convenient term

[Name removed]

13. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Flabbergasted]

16. That was the point Zandor

I was actually asking the question in response to your thread about referring to Iran as a terrorist nation although later I realized this term is misleading and vague. If Hezbollah is a terrorist group than Iran is a state sponsor of terror which also applies to the US.

BTW can you work on your attitude. Personally I never attack people with insults here. If that's your thing then go over to General Discussion Politics where it gets alot more heated.

[northzax]

14. by very definition, yes

it is a non-state entity using violence against civilians to make political points. that is terrorism.

[Little Star]

15. One mans terrorist is another mans freedom fighter. n/t

[ButterflyBlood]

17. Yeah, killing Jewish civilians in Argentina is the epitome of freedom fighting...

n/t

[TahitiNut]

18. Just as much (or little) as the IRA.

:shrug:



:evilgrin:

[Beerboy]

19. I vote an unequivocal NO,

because the TV and newspapers tell me so.
And don't you dare try to say Hizb'allah would deny the Holocaust.
Hizb'allah is for the most part a charitable organization dedicated to Informing the Children, feeding the hungry, and clothing the naked, as is HAMAS; while advocating a peaceful solution within the opinion of the global community, after too many years, to the continuing Western-imposed-unpleasantness in occupied Palestine.
I believe I know most of what I need to know about Hizb'allah's non-military, PR/public front. If you need serious stuff for the 4th of July 08, you'll have to visit the arms bazaar overseas. Prices for AK's and cheap Chinese AAA missiles are rising daily.
You shouldn't give another thought to where you spend, hizb'allah is no longer an official consideration of the U.S. Dept. of State, as declared by IRI President Mahmoud Ahmadine-jihad.
The civilized world does not consider Hizb'allah to be a terrorist organization, nor Hamas.
The United States stands outside in naked judgment before the international community and has been found wanting.

[killbotfactory]

20. Hezbollah has committed terrorist acts

So has the CIA. So has Mossad. So has the British military, the FBI, KKK, and many state police agencies over the years. However, just like all those other agencies, Hezbollah is not just one united terrorist group targeting civilians like Al Qaeda. They also have a separate political wing that does things like community activism and run health clinics, while their military wing usually engages in what are generally considered standard warfare techniques. We condemned them as terrorists during the last Israeli/Lebanon war for firing rockets blindly into Israeli towns, but how much difference is there between doing that and carpet bombing entire cities like we often did in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam? It's not like they have the resources or means to manufacture "precision" bombs and missiles even if they wanted them. If we condemn them Hezbollah as terrorists, we must condemn all these other government agencies as terrorists as well.

Do you think any Muslim in the middle east doesn't see this hypocrisy and double standard? Do you think any Palestinian kid marvels at our morally superior form of warfare when they are shot down as a suspected terrorist and lay dieing? Do you think their families do? Do you think any Iraqi sees a clear moral difference between our soldiers or "military contractors" rounding up and murdering entire families suspected of aiding and abetting the enemy and a suicide bomber taking out a group of civilians? Do you think any child we've blown the limbs off with a stray cruise missile or carpet bomb thanks Allah for our more civilized form of warfare? We cannot allow our politicians to use our imaginary moral high ground as a means to perpetuate horrific war and bloodshed, and we especially must not let them do so in the name of human rights!