[Ayal Rosenthal]

While I don’t agree with her visit, the reality of the situation is that she does not carry much, if any, weight in the region. Her actions, in and of themselves, impact the situation a minimal amount. Iran, as Hezbollah’s wallet, is the main external influencer on the group and Syria (while it controls the weapons flow from Iran) does not effect the long-term policy/strategy of the group. Syria can harm the group, but it can’t force its will upon it.

Only Nasrallah, through his seemingly messianic followers, can choose to end the Lebanese paralysis and the risk of civil war and, unfortunately, he does not seem interested in changing the status quo.

Now if Nasrallah wasn’t there..... :-)

[originalbuckeye]

I know and you know and we all know she doesn’t carry much weight. But the terrorists don’t know that and her overtures, pretending that she is the emissary from the United States, give them newfound confidence. As Christopher Hitchens said ‘I always think it’s a good idea to let the enemy know exactly when you plan on giving up’. The enemy knows that if she and her comrades gain control of the White House in 2008, the terrorists will be again given free reign to do whatever they want with no consequences.