What Would Walter Duranty Write
WWJBW
What Would Jayson Blair Write
WWDRR
What Would Dan Rather Read
Posted on 08/20/2006 12:53:12 PM PDT by nickcarraway
FATIMA HUSSEIN waited on a plastic chair next to the bombed-out remains of her Beirut apartment block.
With Hezbollah's clean-up operation of the city's blitzed southern suburbs under way, the pediatrician was hoping to salvage her medical certificate when bulldozers began shifting the rubble.
Surrounded by towering mounds of concrete and the overpowering stink of garbage, Dr Hussein was upbeat about her losses.
"It doesn't matter because everyone who has had their house destroyed … we get an amount of money from Hezbollah for one year to rent a place," she said of assistance now being offered by the Shiite political party.
When the ceasefire with Israel was declared last week, Hezbollah stepped in quickly to help people that lost property in the war.
A Hezbollah member co-ordinating the clean-up operation in Beirut, Bilal Naim, admitted the assistance was vital to gaining support from Shiites otherwise dismayed by the steep toll of the war.
"We started quickly - that gives confidence for the people," Mr Naim said in the heavily bombed neighbourhood of Haret Hreik. "We're giving about $US12,000 [$16,000] for every apartment destroyed. The money is for renting a new apartment and for buying new furniture."
The massive relief effort demonstrates the dual nature of the Islamic Hezbollah (Party of God), which apart from its military wing is a political party that operates an impressive network of social services for Lebanon's poor Shiites.
Where Hezbollah fighters were entrenched in bunkers in the rubble of Haret Hreik a week ago, civilian Hezbollah volunteers are now clearing the debris with cranes and bulldozers.
In a high school in Haret Hreik, more volunteers were taking itemised lists from people who had lost everything - from their homes to refrigerators or television sets in the bombings.
The financial assistance has clearly bought loyalty to the party from those that lost everything in the war.
"It means we don't loose hope, said Dr Hussein, who was under the impression that Hezbollah would rebuild her apartment block "even better" than it had been before.
A Hezbollah MPin a slick black suit who was touring the ruins was keen to stress that it was Hezbollah - not the Lebanese Government - that was coming to the rescue of its people.
"It's our people, it's our responsibility, our brothers and families and we can't wait to help," Hussein al-Haj Hassan said.
The party has portrayed the extreme destruction of the war as a triumph in its propaganda.
Alongside Hezbollah flags lodged in rubble like defiant signs of survival, red billboards scattered through the ruins offered sarcastic commentary on Israel's offensive. "Smart bombs? Stupid brains" read one in Arabic, criticising Israel's strikes on civilian areas. "Made in America" read another flag festooned over a heap of rubble.
While the majority of people support Hezbollah, some are more circumspect about the movement's actions in triggering the conflict.
Ali, 36, whose clothing shop was destroyed in the bombing raids, said most people had accepted Hezbollah's claim of victory in the war.
"The people are shocked but they also feel happy. What Hezbollah did, they feel it is like a victory even though [Israel] destroyed the whole region," he said.
Ali himself clearly felt differently.
"I feel sad. When you see how people died and the buildings went down on people's heads … it's very hard to rebuild when so much has been lost," he said.
See MSM. See MSM run propaganda. Run, MSM, run!
Can't wait for the oil economy to end.
Smart move, gotta hand it to 'em.
That's what comes from conducting a war upon buildings, rather than upon inhabitants.
Say what you want about the MSM, it sure is a hard sell to make the case that Hezbollah's infrastructure was completely destroyed. I know the MSM is doing it's best to prop Hezbollah up, but I don't think all this can be totally dismissed. It may be overstated, but I still believe Hezbollah is heavily engaged in this type of activity at the present.
Agreed. Paying out $$$ trillions to warlike desert tribes has resulted in some unforeseen consequences.
Smart move, gotta hand it to 'em.
Yeah? Are they going to pay to rebuild too? And whose house is intact so they can be landlords?
This coverage smells to me. It makes is sound like the solution is just to hand out checks. Logic and common sense tells me the problem is much more massive than is being described. If it is as simple as handing out $$, why did our Government have such a hard time with Katrina?
Iran rebuilds Beirut via Hezbollah with western oil money.
Maybe its just me, but I'd personally like to see just how long the lispbollah terrorists can keep this up before they go broke. They might just get a taste of what it's like being an American and supporting an enormous welfare state.
The take the money they damned well better dance to the tune.
She will just treat women. You think an Islamist would allow a male doc treat women?
WWJBW
What Would Jayson Blair Write
WWDRR
What Would Dan Rather Read
I meant from the PR standpoint--makes Hez look less the badguy. It'd be great if our enemies were reliably stupid--
Buildings are the work of the infidel. Allah commands his followers to live in mud huts.
That is a lot of money. Where are they getting it all from?
Follow the money trail.
Apparently we would be better off if we let Hizbollah rebuild New Orleans. They would kill anyone being corrupt and trying to steal.
Well now, that's a solution! At least our oil money would be put to good use - we'd get back a little of that $65 a barrel profit the sand-muzzies are making on us.
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