Lebanese Political Journal
http://lebop.blogspot.com/
SNIP
Not only are Israelis worried, but Bergman says Americans should be concerned too: “an inkling of how the group might respond can be found in the July 2007 statements of Michael McConnell, America’s director of national intelligence, expressing grave apprehension about Hezbollah sleeper cells in the United States that could go into action should the Americans cross the organization’s “red line.””
Nicholas Blanford argues,
Western intelligence agencies have long held the view that Hezbollah has global reach through networks based in Lebanese Shia communities scattered around the world.
“I know there is a debate about this, but not among those of us who have seen the intelligence material. We know Hezbollah has global reach,” a former FBI counter-terrorism officer once told the author.
Most of these cells are engaged in fundraising, but they also keep potential targets under surveillance, according to these intelligence sources. In 2002, a secret FBI briefing to the US Senate Select Committee on Intelligence concluded that while Hezbollah had the assets to conduct attacks in the US, its “extensive fundraising” activities reduced the chances of such a decision being made.
If Hezbollah brazenly attacks an American or Israeli target, there are sure to be repercussions in Lebanon, which will effect all Lebanese. However, the response might not be similar to those in Buenos Aires. Imad Mughnieh is claimed to have been involved in two other major activities:
1) recruiting non-Shia informants for his war;
2) training groups in Iraq.
Given that both Hezbollah and Iran claim Mughnieh as one of their own, they could easily harness their combined intelligence and tactical capabilities (if do not already do this - case in point, Mughnieh) to target Israeli agents within and outside of Israel, cause further chaos in Iraq, or hit the American allies in the Arabian Gulf and Egypt, which they have previously threatened.
What concerns me most is not Hezbollah’s anger about Mughnieh’s assassination, but that of Iran. How far is Iran willing to go? And how will Hezbollah assist them? Then again, these are the questions Lebanese, Israeli, and international analysts have posed all along. The only difference is that those analysts envisioning a tame, democratic Hezbollah have been proven utterly wrong.
Note: President Bush is also set to return to Jerusalem in May.
All the emperors are naked, we have a crisis in leadership in the United States, Europe and Israel. The situation’s getting worse, and I see no one willing and able to stand up for change today. As we say in Hebrew – Ein im mi ledaber. There’s no one to speak to. We Israelis are giving up hope. More are leaving on both sides, or waiting for another fullscale war.
Humanity deserves better leadership than this. Peace in our time? I wonder.
Angela Godfrey-Goldstein -Tuesday, February 19, 2008
http://www.icahd.org/eng/news.asp?menu=5&submenu=1&item=567