Hezbollah: Party of God - Assignment Example

Hezbollah: Party of God The Hezbollah is a political organization currently based in Lebanon. Although this group started out as a violent terrorist group, their actions have become more moderate in the recent years, while keeping their underlying religious foundation (Harik, 2005, 12-13). All members of the Hezbollah believe deeply in the Koran’s literal interpretation. They also believe that their actions are sanctioned by the religion of Islam and God himself. As such, these actions include aggression and waging war against the groups they consider as usurpers of Muslim lands – including the United States and Israel (Harik, 2005). Specifically, Hezbollah gained its reputation for their bloody battles against invading Israeli occupational forces, during which they employed guerrilla warfare and martyr-based attacks. Organizational and developmental history of the Hezbollah The Hezbollah began in 1982 as a response to the Israeli invasion of Lebanon. As their name literally translates to “Party of God”, they had deep religious motivations for starting the organization, though their direct actions may have seemed more political initially. During this time, Lebanon was controlled by Shia politics that had risen since the country’s liberation from France in 1943 (Norton, 2009, 21). At the outset, Israeli forces were welcomed into Lebanon to assist in forcing the Palestinians out of the southern part of the nation. However, when the Palestinians were successfully removed from the area, and Israeli occupation forces refused to leave the country in the following months, the Hezbollah viewed their actions as a direct threat to the Muslim way of life, as well as, an infringement on the Lebanese people independence. The founding members of Hezbollah were offended by the way the Israelis took ownership of their land. They were also not happy about the economic oppression the Israelis imposed on the native Shiites. Furthermore, the Hezbollah believed that these offenses required swift and violent action. This initiated the conflict between the nascent group and the Israeli forces, followed quickly by the involvement of other countries. To this end, in the first few years of the group’s infancy, the Hezbollah released a manifesto listing their objectives as the removal of Israeli occupation forces from Lebanon and the overall obliteration of Israeli forces from all nations. In this manifesto, they also described their desire to be free from all Western political or military involvement, as well. They viewed most of the Western nations as being allies to the Zionist movement (Jaber, 1997, 24). Jaber stated, “Israel’s invasion of Lebanon was closely preceded by the Iranian Revolution of 1979, one of the most significant events in modern times for Shia Muslims” (Jaber, 1997, 13). In many ways, the conflict in Iran mirrored the conflict in Lebanon. When Iran’s monarchy was overthrown in 1979 and replaced with the Islamic Republic of Iran, with Ayatollah Khomeini as the leader, Khomeini became a leader and a role model for Islamic revolution throughout the area. Movements such as Hezbollah and Hamas were by no means unique in the Middle East; they demonstrated the scope and strength of the Islamic wave, as well as, the potential for violence within the radical margins. Location of operations Initially, the majority of the terrorist attacks occurred on Lebanese ground, specifically targeted at the Israeli occupation sites in the South of Lebanon and just outside the Lebanese border. These attacks were notably violent, blending guerrilla warfare, long-range missile attacks, and suicide bombings. Hezbollah was the first terrorist organization to use “suicide bombings” and the first to fully grasp the power in the angry lower class. As Hezbollah expanded, their attacks did as well, eventually reaching as far as American airline flights and Buenos Aires in 1992. Finance and support sources The Hezbollah is backed by Iran financially and Syria politically. Although important to the success of Hezbollah, this support also is detrimental at times for the organization due to the violent and controversial reputation of these nations. In 2011, after much resistance, the violence in Syria was classified as a civil war by the United Nations, attracting humanitarian efforts across the globe (Kaufman 2012). In June of 2012, violence from Syria leaked into Lebanon, leaving 12 dead and a series of “rocket-bombs” exploding across the city of Tripoli. As an attempt to deflect the negative image associated with the violence in Iran and Syria, Hezbollah claims publicly that their finance is from Muslims inside Lebanon. Motivations, ideology and purpose At their start, Ayatollah Khomeini inspired Hezbollah, whose forces were trained by a sector of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. The resistance began as only a small militia determined to protect Lebanon from Zionist rule, but quickly picked up speed as locals resounded with the cause. As children, most people in the area had learned how the Palestinians were uprooted during the founding of Israel. Additionally, many of the early Hezbollah participants had received training from the Palestinian-run military camps in Lebanon (Jaber, 1997, 45). Understandably, anti-Zionist sentiment ran high, especially in the smaller villages, which were reliant on the Lebanese government for economic assistance. The initial conflict was brutal and affected the resistance forces, as well as, the civilians living in Lebanon. As violence mounted, the occupying Israeli forces intensified their harsh rule in the area, further intensifying the conflict and the anger on both sides (CNN, Inside Hezbollah (Documentary), 2012). Additionally, there was a drastic impact on the economy of South Lebanon, as many of the villagers relied on the sale of fruit and vegetables to survive and these crops were wiped out. Without the aid from the Lebanese government, many locals struggled to clothe and house their families, watching as their crops rotted, unable to get their goods to market. Feeling the anger growing in the villages, Israeli occupation forces began running raids on villages suspected of harboring resistance fighters, frequently destroying the livelihood of the families living there (Jaber, 1997, 47). These actions further stressed the lower class, inspiring youth to join the Hezbollah forces. The Hezbollah, on their part, welcomed these men, and took advantage of their despair, sending them to dangerous or even deadly missions against the Israeli forces (Nasrallah, 2012). As such, the tiny core of activists quickly turned into massive swells of angry Lebanese. Pictures of Ayatollah Khomeini began appearing in the villages as a symbol of hope, illustrating the pressure the Lebanese were putting on the Israelis and the anger that was harbored in many of the villages. As the Hezbollah grew, their presence became well known, and by 1985, the Hezbollah officially announced its presence as a national political group in Lebanon (Norton, 2009, 67-8). Israel quickly responded to the birth of Hezbollah. This included the assassination of religion officials suspected of being associated with the group, including known Hezbollah leader Ragheb Harb, who had been known for facilitating the spread of Hezbollah propaganda to the North as well as masterminding several Hezbollah attacks against Israelis. After his death, the Hezbollah began to send human Shiite fighters to Israeli targets as the first “suicide bombers”. These attacks frightened the Israelis and intensified the conflict much further (Jaber, 1997, 48). Reports indicated that the Israelis desecrated copies of the Quran, ruined stock holds of grain and destroyed village buildings. Since the use of dogs was seen as unsanitary in Islamic culture, the Israelis frequently utilized dogs in their raids (Norton, 2009, 68). As violence mounted, many American lives were lost in the conflict. This incited anger amongst the Western forces. The Hezbollah initially denied any involvement in the car and truck bombings that took many American lives (Harik, 2005, 45-9). However, despite Hezbollah’s denial, it was no secret that the group used similar tactics against the Israeli forces. Within months, the Western countries labeled Hezbollah as a purely terrorist organization. Proponents of Hezbollah were outraged, claiming that members simply wanted to live free of the rule of the Israelis ("CIA Outsmarted by Hezbollah", 2011). Eventually, it was determined that Hezbollah had captured 30 different CIA agents, some of whom had been working undercover with the terrorist organization ("CIA Outsmarted by Hezbollah", 2011). Once it was clear that Western forces were involved, Hezbollah leaders restated their initial claim that they simply wanted to live free of Israeli rule, further stating that it was, in fact, the West who was fueling the civil war and that Hezbollah and Israeli forces simply wanted dialogue. Adversaries of the Hezbollah The number one enemy of the Hezbollah was Israel, specifically the Israeli forces that were occupying their lands and villages. They tried their very best to employ guerrilla warfare and martyr-based attacks against the Israeli forces to drive them from Lebanon. Israel was seen as an outside group that came to ruin Islam and their way of life. Most Hezbollah members did not like the Israelis ownership of their land. In addition, they expressed grievances about the economic oppression the Israelis imposed on the native Shiites. The second enemy of the Hezbollah is the United States. They see the US as the chief ally of the Zionist regime, supporting them in everything they do. They also see the US as a country that wants to rule the whole world and instill the western democracy, which they saw as immoral. By extension, other adversaries of Hezbollah include several other Western countries that are allies of Israel and the United States. Hezbollah believed that these offenses required swift and violent action, which then initiated the conflict between the nascent group and the Israeli force, as well as, the involvement of other countries. Location of attacks and the tactics employed by the Hezbollah More often than not, Hezbollah launched their attacks from their territories in Lebanon. They utilized a three-stage approach to thwart counter-terrorism measures. The first stage of attack included fire ambushes, roadside bombs, and demolition charges intended to intimidate the Israeli forces (Azani, 2009, 33-4). The second stage of attack included direct attacks aimed at the destruction of the South Lebanon Army, forcing Israel to invest in more troops further up the state. These attacks, when shown on television, also inspired confidence in the movement and embarrassed the Israelis. Finally, the third stage of attack was the direct attack on the Israeli occupation forces. However, this third stage of attack fell victim to counter-terrorism measures. Hezbollah found that the Israelis were able to use footage of early failures to sway public opinion and embarrass the organization. In addition, Hezbollah was weak to infiltration, both by Israelis and later, by CIA officials. Hezbollah relied on recruiting young, poor men from Shiite regions, and due to their use of martyr-based missions, they were always in need of new recruits. Therefore, it was quite risky to track those coming in to the organization and nearly impossible to complete a background check of any sort on new recruits. As such, infiltration was a constant threat. Despite their strong political and religious motives, effective counter-terrorism measures also included negotiations. Though violent, Hezbollah, as an organization, did not seek violence without cause. Instead, they sought the goal of political and religious freedom and were conducive to any means of reaching that goal (Ghaddar, 2009). This is reflected in the new stance of the organization and their more moderate approach to politics and religion in the absence of Israeli occupational forces in Lebanon. Hezbollah used the social and societal structure at the time to their advantage, offering economic assistance to families in distress in exchange for a tour of duty with the Hezbollah military (Azani, 2009, 40-1). Since many of the Lebanese were struggling financially due to the civil war, Hezbollah never had a shortage of willing young men with little to lose. Since its inception, Hezbollah also utilized medical infrastructure to promote Shiites within their spheres of control. Between 1985 and 1987, Hezbollah utilized Iranian financial assistance to create two hospitals within Lebanon as well as several smaller medical and dental structures. Members of Hezbollah and their families received services at an extreme discount, further motivating locals to work the Hezbollah as the Israelis tried to suppress the area economically (Azani, 2009, 45). Finally, the prevalence of Islam in the Lebanese culture allowed for Hezbollah to create a culture where soldiers felt honored to fight and even die for their cause. Like many other Islamic, nationalist groups at the time, Hezbollah drew on traditional religious beliefs to create unity within armies. Historically a religious organization, the role of the Islam faith in the organization ensured that every soldier was willing – and honored – to die for their cause. In addition, religion was a clear divider between Hezbollah soldiers and Western or Zionist soldiers, creating a clear “outsider” mentality within the organization, values that are still seen within Hezbollah today. Antiterrorist options against Hezbollah During their violent resistance period, few measures were effective against the Hezbollah’s aggressive martyr-based attacks. As a protective measure, Israeli forces used rocket-launcher tracking technology against the Hezbollah with varying success. However, the Hezbollah remained elusive and dangerous. Many of their attacks were surprisingly simple, often simply opening gunfire at an unexpected location and time; however, each attack was part of a carefully planned agenda. The Israelis were able to use footage of videos produced by Hezbollah to try to influence public judgment on the war they are waging on the organization. In addition, Israeli and other Western intelligence tried to infiltrate the Hezbollah. They entered as new recruits. Projected future of the Hezbollah Throughout the attacks, it was the Israelis, however, who continued to escalate the violence while Hezbollah routinely simply responded to attacks and attempted to protect their lands (Cordesman, 2007). It is still rather unclear what the Israelis hoped to gain from several of the battles beyond simply the death of Hezbollah members, and Hezbollah used the lack of organization in the Israelis as an advantage. Many experts cite this difference between the organizations as the reason for Hezbollah’s victory (Cordesman, 2007, 90). However, despite all these, there is a definite future for this group. After the Israeli occupation forces were removed from Lebanese territory in 1990, Hezbollah transitioned from a revolutionary group into a political one while still maintaining their political and religious beliefs. Although initially focused on Jihad, martyrdom and religious exclusion, now, the Hezbollah also includes work in the Islamic cultural sphere (Alagha, 2011, 17). As a part of this work, and contrary to their violent beginnings, the Hezbollah has publicly announced their intent on working towards attaining long lasting peace in the region, despite being shunned by the United Nations (Nasrallah, 2012). As part of the effort to transition to a broad project identity, the Hezbollah released a revised manifesto in 2009. This manifesto classified organizations and individuals into two categories: either Hezbollah (The Party of God) or Hizb-al-Shaytan (The Party of the Devil) (Alagha, 2011, 4), renewing the organization’s early feelings of fighting against oppression. Hezbollah members believe that these moral beliefs and their religious and political exclusion are in accordance with the overall social justice of Lebanon. Scholars have described the Hezbollah’s current political views as anti-Zionist, anti-imperialistic, Islamic socialism, which, despite being in marked contrast to prevalent Western beliefs, is a non-violent stance (Alagha, 2011,7). Currently, the Hezbollah is based in Lebanon and controls 7% of the Lebanese Cabinet and 10% of the Lebanese Parliament. To improve their image across Lebanon, the Hezbollah initiated public service efforts across the region aimed at civilizing the quality of life lived by local Lebanese citizens. Pulling from their roots, and remembering life in the villages under Israeli rule, the members Hezbollah understand the importance of bettering the region and the role public service efforts will have on maintaining control in the region. Currently, the Hezbollah runs hospitals, schools, and periodicals to better their communities. To this end, the Hezbollah also initiated public displays, such as burning tires, to symbolize a sign of warfare transitioning to a sign of peace, intended to reassure the public. However, skepticism remains. In 2011, a Lebanese bank was accused of laundering money for the Hezbollah (CNN, Hezbollah Scheme Uncovered, 2011) including millions of dollars in drug profits – up to $260,000 a day. Additionally, Israel has a vested interest in portraying the Hezbollah as a purely terrorist organization, even going to far as to launch a smear campaign across the Middle East (Israel leading smear campaign against Hezbollah , 2012). Israel claims that Hezbollah intends to remilitarize themselves Iran’s financial support and Syria’s help, creating a new, violent “defender of Lebanon” and acting violently against Israel (Azani, 2009, 56). Hezbollah does not deny that there are strategically stockpiling weapons, including mid-range missiles with the capability of reaching the whole of Israel (Azani, 2009). The continued militarization of Hezbollah is extremely controversial. In 1990, at the end of the Lebanese Civil War and the expulsion of the Israeli occupational forces, the Taif Agreement required the dissolution of every Lebanese and non-Lebanese militia within Lebanon. Hezbollah claims that they are an exception to that agreement, citing a special arrangement with Syria, who was in control of Lebanon at the time. Additionally, Hezbollah does not dispute their continued control of the Shiite areas in Southern Lebanon. Now, most Lebanese are friendly to travelers and the violence has remained at a minimum. Nevertheless, it is important for travelers – either tourists or business travelers – to stay safe by monitoring the independent presses while in the region and to have a guide while in certain areas. Particularly dangerous areas include the Israeli borders and any remaining Palestinian refugee camps inside Lebanon. Additionally, as with travelling to any potentially dangerous region, travelers should stay connected to their embassies on arrival. Despite the controversy, the future for the Hezbollah looks promising. Although still sometimes seen as a violent organization, the Hezbollah’s beliefs are beginning to sway towards the moderate and are becoming accepted by a large population of Lebanese and even some Western nations (Harik, 2005, 156). Their current leader, Nasrallah, says that he is hopeful for the future, and even interested in open dialogue between the Hezbollah and the Israeli forces. In my view, the future of the group is uncertain. This is because of the current Arab spring happening in the Arab world. Many governments and regimes are replaced at an alarming rate. There is also a looming showdown or war between Israel and the western allies against Iran and Syria, which have always been supportive of the Hezbollah. If these governments are replaced with more radical ones, then Hezbollah might get more support. However, the opponent would represent the downfall of the group unless they change their tactic and the way they look at the world. Security management solutions and countermeasures As a manager with the mandate of securing potential target that my team has an interest in, there are terrorist countermeasures or security strategies that would be used to protect the organization, as well as, all the employees. However, before all these, it is crucial to analyze the past and see which security measures have passed or fail. Undoubtedly, a sizeable number of counter-terrorism measures have failed, and appear to be ineffectual. Numerous conflicts have spilt over into neighboring countries as conflicts keep on dragging for many years or decades without viable solutions. Countries or entities involved in these fights against terrorism incur huge costs regarding money, opportunity, and lives. This only means that it is time for people to use new approaches. However, the first reaction is always to counter fire with fire when hit with enemy fire. This is often the case despite there being no success in using force. The main challenge would be to come up with counter-terrorism measures that will deal efficiently with the terror without affecting the neighboring countries or its citizens. While most counter-terrorist measures on the table have been military, diplomacy, reform, or negotiation should be given a chance in the first place. The use of force and military or police will only fuel the conflict. There is always a chance that there will be oppression or abuse of power. While there are loads of ways to deal with terror or armed conflicts, it is crucial to note that a tactic may work in one situation and not the other. There is no denying terrorism has become a worldwide problem and crucial high-profile matter. It involves uncertainty, communal fear, as well as high prices. As a result, it is significant to look into all possible solutions before picking on the best that would suit the situation. While others may call for pre-emptive strikes on sovereign states, infringing human rights or civil liberties, others will need assassinations, interfering with the internal affairs of a country or employing coercive and hard-line policies. However, caution should be taken because some options are impractical despite sounding plausible. Terrorism, as well as, security management solutions has always been in line with movements that are self-determined or nationalist. Here, injustices and inequities are rooted in colonial or historical events. Before picking on a solution, It is needed to understand that violence in some countries stems from people wanting to alter the regime to that which is less authoritarian. In Latin America, for example, many terrorist groups strive to share the region’s wealth more equitably than what they think is being done. This is the same in a number of Islamic countries. A number of these groups want to justify their ambitions by aligning themselves to a patronizing ideology. Members of these groups and communities that support them tend to have lost hope, and therefore resort to terrorist activities. This is why the emergence of leaders such as Osama bin Laden and Ayatollah Khomeini is seen as a venue for change to be brought in these communities. Peace and prosperity lies, not in revolution or terrorism, but gradual evolution. Numerous countries or entities have tries changing the whole process but to no veil. What most of these terrorist groups want is a state that represents the importance of everyone in their regions, as well as, non-involvement of foreigners. One of the approaches to deal with terrorism is to view groups such as Islamic extremists from their own perspective. It would be possible to identify what they are struggling for and what they feel like. By doing this, it will pinpoint the main issues and paths that will cultivate reforms, hence removing aggressive or repressive regimes. This will enable to support the whole ambitions and aspirations of these groups who are otherwise angry and bitter. References Alagha, J. (2011). Hizbullah's identity construction. Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press. Azani, E. (2009). Hezbollah : the story of the party of God : from revolution to institutionalization. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. CNN (Producer) (2012). Inside Hezbollah (Documentary). Retrieved from http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2d2ay_inside-hezbollah-1-of-2_people CNN (Producer) (2011). Hezbollah Scheme Uncovered, (video file). Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdp_2Vf5taY Cordesman, A. H. (2007). Lessons of the 2006 Israeli-Hezbollah war. Washington, D.C.: CSIS Press. Ghaddar, H. (2009). Put off life for the sake of Hezbollah retrieved from http://www.nowlebanon.com/NewsArchiveDetails.aspx?ID=110841#ixzz20O42RXlD Kaufman, S. (2012). Sanctions Important for Ending Syrian Violence, Geithner Says. Retrieved from http://iipdigital.usembassy.gov/st/english/article/2012/06/201206066925.html#axzz20O5C81pr Harik, J. P. (2005). Hezbollah:The Changing Face of Terrorism. London: I.B.Tauris Publishers. Jaber, H. (1997). Hezbollah: Born With a Vengeance . New York: Columbia Univ Press. MaarefTV (2012). Nasrallah: Hezbollah able to strike anywhere in Israel, (video file). Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Gp4VtG6lL0 Norton, A. R. (2009). Hezbollah:A Short History. New Jersey: Princeton University Press. PressTVGlobalNews (2012). Israel leading smear campaign against Hezbollah, (video file). Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBCIuarITzY TheYoungTurks (2011). CIA Outsmarted by Hezbollah, (video file). Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5rxXXHJAz0 Read More