Hezbollah has been linked to a series of terrorist attacks against the United States, Israel, and other targets for the past three decades – including a series of kidnappings of Westerns in Lebanon in the 1980s, the suicide truck bombing that killed more than 200 U.S. Marines in 1983; the 1985 hijacking of TWA flight that resulted in the death of a U.S. Navy seaman; TWO attacks in Argentina – and this doesn’t even mention its July 2006 raid on a border post in northern Israel as well as numerous violent acts against Lebanese civilians and credible ties to militias and other elements involved in Iraq’s internal conflicts. That doesn’t mention the recent NIE on terrorism that cited Hezbollah’s capacities to strike globally. Yes, they are also a force in Lebanese society, and yes, the Shi’a are under-represented. But to applaud or assent to the movement’s actions this past week seems not only muddle-headed but also setting a dangerous precedent.

2. “Hamas was actually the elected government in the Palestinian authority, and it is now known that Fatah was actually attempting to overthrow the Hamas government with the support of the US, Israel, and Egypt.”

Yes, Hamas was elected to the Palestinian Legislative Council and formed a government headed by the prime minister, but it used violence to oust the legitimate Palestinian Authority security forces, controlled by President Abbas. It is hard to dispute that Hamas used force in an attempt to change the agreed-upon rules of the game and structures set into place. It’s not right wing to call what Hamas did a coup – Palestinians called it this, as well as countries in the region.

I understand that we are supposed to automatically be scared of Hezbollah; but why? I know conventional wisdom is that Hezbollah is the “A team” of global terrorists, but I again ask why? The only act of global terrorism that Hezbollah is even accused of is the bombings in Argentina, and the evidence provided in that is slim and very questionable.

How come the analysis of the situation in Lebanon never touches the real issues that are causing the upheaval in Lebanon? Take for example that the Shi’a population in Lebanon is the majority, yet are denied appropriate representation in the Lebanese government. That reconstruction money and other aid that has been supplied to Lebenon after the Israeli invasion has been slow (if at all) to go to the south where the most damage was felt.

Even your assertion concerning the violent takeover of the Gaza Strip by Hamas was skewed. Hamas was actually the elected government in the Palestinian authority, and it is now known that Fatah was actually attempting to overthrow the Hamas government with the support of the US, Israel, and Egypt. It was not Hamas that led a coup, but Fatah. Fatah lost and Gaza is now paying the price.

In no way do I want to defend all the actions of Hamas and Hezbollah, but I feel that we in the United States are too quick to say Hamas and Hezbollah are evil and so all actions taken by them are inherently bad.

There are a lot of issues taking place in that troubled region, and we are little served by shallow analysis that only offers a rehash of poor reporting.