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Most Americans in Lebanon Are Hezbollah Supporters
debbieschlussel.com ^ | July 18, 2006 | Debbie Schlussel

Posted on 07/18/2006 10:58:12 AM PDT by BigFinn

One thing is lost in all the press coverage of the whining Americans who went to Lebanon of their own accord and now want us to pick up the tab to get them out.

THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS IN LEBANON ARE HEZBOLLAH SUPPORTERS.

Most of them are Shiite Muslims, many of whom hold dual U.S. and Lebanese citizenship. Many are anchor babies born here to Muslims in the U.S. illegally. Some are illegal aliens who became citizens through rubber-stamping Citizenship and Immigration Services (and its INS predecessor) coupled with political pressure by spineless politicians.

Of the 25,000 American citizens and green-card holders in Lebanon, at least 7,000 are from Dearborn, Michigan, the heart of Islamic America, and especially Shia Islam. These 7,000 are mostly Shi'ite Muslims who openly and strongly support Hezbollah. Ditto for many of the rest of the 25,000 that are there.

Many of the 7,000 plus Detroiters in Lebanon are active in Dearborn's Bint Jbeil cultural center (the Lebanese American Heritage Club also features mostly Hezbollah fans). Bint Jbeil is a Hezbollah-dominated city in the South of Lebanon, a frequent destination of Hezbollah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, who is very at home there. Bint Jbeil is a frequent source of shellings on Northern Israel.

Bint Jbeil natives now living in our country so strongly support Hezbollah that they got Republican Congressman Joe Knollenberg (and his then top staffer, Paul Welday) and then-U.S. Senator Spencer Abraham to give Hezbollah forces in Southern about $86 million of our tax money, no strings.

Given this information, and the fact that several Shi'ite Muslim Lebanese U.S. citizens from Dearborn have been indicted and/or convicted of laundering money to Hezbollah, is it a good idea to rush to bring 25,000 such persons back to the U.S. at a time when Hezbollah is at war against our strongest U.S. ally? Does the fact, that Hezbollah numerous times--and especially now--has announced veiled and not-so-veiled intentions to attack Americans on U.S. soil, make the case to quickly bring these terror-sympathizing Americans back to U.S. soil? Many are individuals whose activity should have mandated prosecution and jail-time. But they are free because a spineless U.S. Attorney, Stephen Murphy III, and equally weak federal law enforcement chiefs of Michigan FBI and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) who pander to them.

These are people who hold U.S. citizenship but support a group that murdered over 300 U.S. Marines and civilians, some through torture; a group that is part of the Al-Qaeda network; a group that is training insurgent terrorists against our troops in Iraq and giving them IEDs to blow them up; a group that worked with Qaeda to bomb the Khobar Towers. Americans who support this group are not American. They merely possess the proper paperwork.

And they are very dangerous. One of them, Lola Elzein--a student at the University of Michigan-Dearborn and an officer of the Hezbollah-supporting Arab American PAC--threatened my life and that of my family members because I've written about the group's Detroit-area's extremist Hezbollah sympathizers. Hezbollah's violence has already arrived in America, and we don't need to pay to transport 25,000 of its sympathizers back to our shores.

Wile the government has announced it will charge these individuals for the expensive transport out of Lebanon to Cyprus back to the U.S., they feds say they will accept IOUs for that transport. Think we'll get the money back? Just ask the Katrina aid administrators.

Do you want your tax dollars to subsidize Hezbollah supporters' return to America? Are these the kind of U.S. citizens we badly need back in our country at this time?

Should Hezbollah supporters be transported on a ship named for one of the most heroic events in U.S. history, the U.S.S Iwo Jima? Should U.S. tax dollars fund the charter of commercial ships to transport the rest of these terror-sympathizers?

The instant answer from all freedom-loving Americans to these questions should be a loud "NO."

These people went to Hezbollah-dominated Lebanon of their own accord. And they were safe there because they support the terrorist group. Now, their fortune has changed. Tough.

It is not the responsibility of U.S. taxpayers to rescue terrorist-supporters who voluntarily went to a dangerous area . . . just because their whines are loud and annoying.

We are picking up the tab for this unfortunate rescue. U.S. funds used to rescue terrorist-sympathizers--YOUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK.

So is America too slow to get these undesirable U.S. citizens out of Lebanon? On the contrary, not slow enough.


TOPICS: Editorial; Israel
KEYWORDS: aliens; debbieschlussel; expats; hezbollah; hezbullies; illegalimmigrants; immigration; israel; mohammedanism072006; schlussel; sympathizers
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To: roses of sharon

Did anyone else hear Tony Snow say during today's press conference that it is the LAW passed by Congress that anyone who is evacuated from a war zone has to reimburse the government for the costs incurred during the rescue? Tony Snow said they are just following the law.


61 posted on 07/18/2006 12:01:53 PM PDT by Merry
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To: DJ MacWoW

Na, they won't, the MSM runs this country, as a matter of fact, they run the world.


62 posted on 07/18/2006 12:02:51 PM PDT by roses of sharon
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To: Merry

Congress will scramble to change the law, what ever the MSM wants, they get.


63 posted on 07/18/2006 12:04:01 PM PDT by roses of sharon
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To: Strategerist
Strikes me as another raving perpetually indignant lunatic.

In other words, she's one of us! A typical FReeper! ;-)

64 posted on 07/18/2006 12:08:56 PM PDT by AppleButter
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To: dawn53

Exactly. Here's the truth from one of those "dual" citizens. When I became a US citizen, as far as the US is concerned, I am only a US citizen. Since the Lebanese government allows for dual citizenship, I am a dual citizen in the eyes of the Lebanese government. While I love Lebanon a whole lot of people who are there, I swore an oath to be loyal to the United States. The only problem Debbie and other Freepers have with me is that I come from Lebanon (vs any other immigrant group). Before anyone starts questioning the patriotism of naturalized US citizens, ask yourself the question about what kind of can of worms this might open. After all, I am more loyal to America than most 90% of the liberals. I for one want us to win the war on terror, unlike the New York Times, and most of the Democrat party!


65 posted on 07/18/2006 12:09:29 PM PDT by winner3000
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To: winner3000

If they come here, we will record biometric data on them, photo and fingerprints. Knowing that should deter the worst, and we may actually catch some wanted bad actors that way.


66 posted on 07/18/2006 12:15:03 PM PDT by ClaireSolt (.)
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To: roses of sharon
Na, they won't, the MSM runs this country, as a matter of fact, they run the world.

I don't know. It's been announced officially.

Embassy of the United States: Beirut - Lebanon: US Citizen Services

67 posted on 07/18/2006 12:15:16 PM PDT by DJ MacWoW (If you think you know what's coming next....You don't know Jack.)
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To: dawn53
While it is true the US requires someone who is naturalized to renounce his foreign citizenship, there are a number of ways to gain dual citizenship:

1) You are born in the US to foreign parents. You are a citizen of the US and your parents' country (jus soli).

2) You are born outside the US but at least one of your parents is a US citizen.

3) You become a naturalized American citizen, but the other country doesn't recognize your relinquishment of citizenship in that country. Just because your husband doesn't consider himself Canadian, the government of Canada might still consider him Canadian. Therefore he does have dual citizenship according to Canada, if not the US.

4) A person can be naturalized in the US but regain his or her foreign citizenship. The US does not automatically yank American citizenship status. They have the right to, but at this time do not.

Finally, there could be many people who have US citizen children and/or who are resident aliens who use the term "dual citizen" colloquially, meaning that they are residents of the US, but not citizens. Also, this number is being tossed around by the MSM, but perhaps it is a bit inflated to give the talking heads an impressive sounding number to gush and wring their hands about. I also heard the number 5000 tossed about which seems to represent the number of Americans who actually are seeking to get out of Lebanon.
68 posted on 07/18/2006 12:24:18 PM PDT by GatorGirl
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To: winner3000

There are many Lebanese like you. My US. government professor in college was a Lebanese immigrant. He LOVED this country. He loved it so much he ran for office and served many terms in the State Legislature as a good conservative. His son is a salt of the earth country boy. Just as American as anyone.

But then again this is a rural area in a Red rural state...Not Dearborn MI.

On the other hand, we did have muslims with Al Queda ties to Bin Laden in the local college town....

Guess you can have all kinds of folks anywhere...


69 posted on 07/18/2006 12:29:46 PM PDT by Help!
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To: BigFinn

I surmised as much yesterday in another thread.
Seems obvious.


70 posted on 07/18/2006 12:34:09 PM PDT by UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide (Give Them Liberty Or Give Them Death! - IT'S ISLAM, STUPID! - Islam Delenda Est! - Rumble thee forth)
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To: HarmlessLovableFuzzball
I will state this bluntly- most Arab Americans are not really Americans.

Actually most Arab Americans are Christians.

71 posted on 07/18/2006 12:41:17 PM PDT by usurper (Spelling or grammatical errors in this post can be attributed to the LA City School System)
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To: DJ MacWoW
Senate is the process now of waving that law.

Reid, Pelosi, calling this a mini Katrina.

LOL, the MSM/DNC do run this country.
72 posted on 07/18/2006 12:45:39 PM PDT by roses of sharon
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To: Brilliant

Fox News announced a bit ago that there are only about 7,000 Americans that want to evacuate. The rest want to stay on. Maybe "those" are the supporters?

LLS


73 posted on 07/18/2006 12:51:19 PM PDT by LibLieSlayer (Preserve America... kill terrorists... destroy dims!)
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To: N. Theknow

"Bulldozer fodder."

Oh - I'm sorry. I thought you said you wanted to be EXCAVATED.


74 posted on 07/18/2006 12:54:13 PM PDT by geopyg (If the carrot doesn't work, use the stick. Don't wish for peace, pray for Victory.)
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To: Agent Smith
I was wondering the same thing. I have 1 coworker and 1 doctor vacationing this month in Leb. They are both stuck now. Both are Catholic and naturalized US citizens there visiting family. I get the feeling that their situation is not the most common.
75 posted on 07/18/2006 12:56:31 PM PDT by Unassuaged (I have shocking data relevant to the conversation!)
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To: HarmlessLovableFuzzball; jveritas

Maybe you'd like to spout that racist claptrap in the parking lot of St. George Cathedral, Wichita, KS sometime.

Most Arab Americans are Christian Arabs whose ancestors held out against the jihad since the 7th century, but who got sick of it and came here for a better life. Most of them are fabulously loyal to this country, and some have served with distinction in every war this country has fought since WW I.

FReeper jveritas who is doing such splendid work translating captured Iraqi documents is an Arab American and has probably done more to help with the war on terror than you, me and our entire extended families to the seventh degree combined.

Pedal your crap elsewhere.

Sorry if I sound peeved, but my bishop and metropolitan and a few of my favorite priests are Arab Americans and I take offense on their behalf.


76 posted on 07/18/2006 1:10:56 PM PDT by The_Reader_David (And when they behead your own people in the wars which are to come, then you will know. . .)
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To: Agent Smith

Summertime and the living is easy. You're on welfare in the US, have a job in the underground economy, and love to visit the old homeland when schools' out.


77 posted on 07/18/2006 1:14:54 PM PDT by OldFriend (I Pledge Allegiance to the Flag.....and My Heart to the Soldier Who Protects It.)
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To: BigFinn

One of my coworkers (a recently naturalized American, from India) ask me how there could be 25,000 Americans in Lebanon. I couldn't answer him.

I was certain that most of them couldn't be good people, but I couldn't begin to account for the numbers. While I don't know anything about this source, this explanation certainly rings true. That is, it's hard to come up with any other explanation.

I wish our government could just leave them there, and let Israel know that a bit of collateral would be OK.


78 posted on 07/18/2006 1:19:07 PM PDT by 3niner
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To: BigFinn
Do Hezbollah operatives in the U.S. pose a greater risk of committing terrorist attacks in the U.S.? Hezbollah has a significant international presence with thousands of operatives located throughout the world, to include the U.S.

Since 9/11, Hezbollah has been listed along with Al-Qaeda and Hamas as posing the most serious threat to the U.S. However, unlike Al-Qaeda, who is intent on carrying out attacks in the U.S., Hezbollah and Hamas have been viewed as less likely to do so. The U.S. represents a significant source of fundraising for Hezbollah and Hamas. In that context, Hezbollah and Hamas have not wanted to risk diminishing or losing their fundraising capabilities by alienating their U.S. supporters by carrying out terrorist acts in the U.S. In keeping with that strategy, they did not want to draw the attention to their activities in the U.S. that a terrorist act would generate.

Law enforcement and intelligence services are well aware of the Hezbollah presence and fundraising initiatives in the U.S. Since early 2002, there have been numerous criminal cases successfully prosecuted in the U.S. involving Hezbollah operatives and sympathizers. An internet search under “Hezbollah fundraising” delineates a number of media reports of such cases. The compelling question for law enforcement and intelligence services today is…will the fundraising strategy or mindset give way to a retaliatory posture which thereby would escalate the threat level in the U.S. and make us more susceptible to a domestic attack by Hezbollah? I defer to my former law enforcement and intelligence colleagues to answer this vexing question.

As we well know, Hezbollah is a radical Shia group that was formed in Lebanon. It is dedicated to the creation of an Iranian style Islamic republic in Lebanon. Hezbollah is anti-West and anti-Israel. It is closely aligned to Iran. Iran provides Hezbollah with substantial amounts of financial, training, weapons, explosives political, diplomatic and organizational aid. Syria also provides Hezbollah with support. Somewhere between one fifth to one half of Hezbollah’s operating budget comes from Iran and Syria. Other sources of funding include charitable organizations, individual donations, legitimate business, and illegitimate businesses such as illegal arms dealers, cigarette smuggling, currency and product counterfeiting, credit card fraud, product theft, operating illegal telephone exchanges, and drug trafficking.

Hezbollah primarily generates funding in the U.S. through a variety of criminal activities. They operate in close knit cell structures that seem more identifiable with organized crime than terrorism. The front line cell members not only raise money for Hezbollah, but they keep large portions of their illicit gains and tend to live more elaborate life styles. These operatives are not consistent with the typical terrorist ideologists. That’s why these operatives tend to be more identifiable with organized crime than terrorism. A core group of Hezbollah members are identifiable as ideologists and are more consistent with jihadists. Hezbollah cells in the U.S. are proficient in operating small businesses and using these businesses to sell legitimate and counterfeit goods. They conduct a variety of business and credit card scams, and have made considerable profits perpetrating cigarette smuggling schemes. Hezbollah cells are adept at invoicing schemes, import/export schemes and money laundering through structured deposits.

One of the most noteworthy criminal cases involving a Hezbollah cell in the U.S. was known as “Operation Smokescreen”, a cigarette smuggling, bank fraud and money laundering case. This case originated in North Carolina. Ultimately, 25 individuals were convicted to include Mohamad Youssef Hammoud, the main subject and cell leader. Hammoud was convicted of charges to include providing material support to a terrorist organization (Hezbollah). As a consequence, he was sentenced to imprisonment for a term of 155 years.

Law enforcement is currently assessing a business scheme involving Hezbollah cells in multiple jurisdictions in the U.S. The scheme may or may not involve criminal activity but invariably results in generating funds for Hezbollah. Schemes like this are reason for Hezbollah to continue its current track in the U.S. However, emerging developments in Lebanon concerning Hezbollah could trigger violent responses by Hezbollah operatives throughout the world, to include the U.S. http://counterterrorismblog.org/2006/07/hezbollahfundraising_or_securi.php

79 posted on 07/18/2006 1:28:40 PM PDT by anglian
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To: HarmlessLovableFuzzball

I will state this bluntly - I am half lebanese and southern by the grace of God. Baptist too thank God. - you are ignorant.


80 posted on 07/18/2006 1:29:13 PM PDT by JackDanielsOldNo7 (On guard until the seal is broken)
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