Muslims For A Safe America

The Bush Administration and Congress support Israeli efforts to destroy Hezbollah in Lebanon. Therefore, for four weeks in Summer 2006, the U.S. government opposed a ceasefire, on the grounds that a ceasefire before the destruction of Hezbollah would leave Hezbollah capable of fighting Israel in the future. Furthermore, the Bush Administration actively supported Israel by rushing bombs to Israel after Israel began its air campaign against targets in Lebanon.

Hezbollah was formed in 1982 to challenge Israel’s occupation of southern Lebanon. After an 18-year occupation, Israel withdrew from southern Lebanon in 2000, but Hezbollah has continued to seek (1) Israeli withdrawal from the disputed Shebaa Farms region, (2) disclosure by Israel of the locations of live landmines that Israel left in southern Lebanon, and (3) release by Israel of prisoners.

In July 2006, Hezbollah attacked Israeli soldiers in Israel, killing three soldiers, wounding two soldiers, and capturing two Israeli soldiers, with the intention of using them as a bargaining chip. Israel responded by attacking Hezbollah targets and civilian infrastructure in Lebanon, in order to destroy Hezbollah and prevent Hezbollah from attacking Israel again. Hezbollah responded to the Israeli bombing campaign by launching rockets into Israel. Hundreds of Lebanese civilians have been killed by Israeli bombs, and almost 50 Israeli civilians have been killed by Hezbollah rockets.

Hezbollah says it wants Israel to be replaced by a Palestinian state where Muslims, Christians, and Jews have equality. Hezbollah, which has seats in the Lebanese parliament and ministers in the Lebanese government, says it seeks to use democratic means to establish an Islamic state in Lebanon.

Arguments By Those Who Believe The War Is Making America Safer

1. The destruction of Hezbollah would be a blow against all jihadists, because Hezbollah is part of a global jihadist movement which includes Al Qaeda (which has targeted America). Furthermore, the U.S. believes that Al Qaeda officials met with Hezbollah officials, and that Hezbollah gave Al Qaeda some explosives training, in the 1990s.

2. Hezbollah was hostile to America in the 1980s. The U.S. believes Hezbollah (which opposed American intervention in the Lebanese civil war) was responsible for killing 241 U.S. soldiers in a bombing in Lebanon in 1983, and for killing 17 Americans in the bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Lebanon in 1983. In the 1980s, Hezbollah also kidnapped 18 Americans in the Middle East, and killed the CIA station chief.

3. America must fight all jihadists, even if they don’t pose a threat to the U.S., because America must help its allies (like Israel) in their wars, if America wants them to help with America’s war against Al Qaeda.

4. There is no risk of the war expanding and drawing American troops in. Even if Israel accidentally strikes Syria, Syria will not enter the war, because its military is weak. Furthermore, Iran doesn’t want to fight Israel now, because Iran wants to be able to continue its nuclear program. So the war will remain limited to Hezbollah and Israel.

5. The deaths of Muslim civilians in Lebanon will not harm America. The Muslim masses will blame Hezbollah (not America) for those deaths, because Hezbollah started this crisis by kidnapping Israeli soldiers, and because Hezbollah puts Muslim civilians at risk by placing its command and control centers, weapons stockpiles, and missile sites in civilian areas, knowing that Israel will attack those areas. Furthermore, Al Qaeda would try to attack the U.S., even if the U.S. had demanded an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon.

6. The destruction of Hezbollah would weaken Iran (which sponsors Hezbollah), and prevent Iran from expanding its influence in the region. The destruction of Hezbollah would also eliminate an obstacle to a future Israeli or American attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

7. America must do whatever is in Israel’s best interests, because Israel is America’s best ally in the Middle East.

Arguments By Those Who Believe The War Is Not Making America Safer

1. The global jihadist movement did not attack America on 9/11. Neither did Hezbollah. Al Qaeda attacked America. Shia Hezbollah is a rival of Sunni Al Qaeda, which is America’s real enemy. Hezbollah criticized Al Qaeda’s 9/11 attacks on America. Hezbollah does want an Islamic government to come to power through elections in Lebanon, but it does not share Al Qaeda’s goal of driving America out of the Muslim world and establishing an Islamic state in all lands that were ever under Muslim rule. So the destruction of Hezbollah doesn’t help America.

2. Hezbollah poses no present-day threat to America. Hezbollah has not targeted Americans in the Middle East since the 1980s. Hezbollah has never targeted Americans outside the Middle East. The FBI says there is no evidence that Hezbollah seeks to attack targets in America. (Hezbollah has raised funds in the U.S., but not for operations against American targets.)

3. Hezbollah threatens Israel, but not America. By taking sides in other people’s wars, America unnecessarily makes more enemies, making us less safe.

4. If the war expands, American troops could be drawn in. Israel is bombing Lebanese targets not far from the Syria-Lebanon border. If a bomb accidentally hits Syrian territory, Syria will enter the war. Iran and Syria have a mutual defense pact, so Iran will be drawn in. Then the U.S. may be drawn in.

5. The deaths of Muslim civilians in Lebanon have increased anti-American feeling in the Muslim world, because Muslims blame America for arming Israel and preventing a ceasefire. This makes it easier for Al Qaeda to raise funds, from those who might otherwise have been hesitant, and recruit agents to attack American targets.

6. By staying in the fight against powerful Israel, Hezbollah has strengthened its position in the Muslim world, among Sunnis and Shias. Hezbollah’s increased popularity strengthens its ally, the Iranian government, and anti-American Shia forces in Iraq.

7. The war is hurting America’s relations with the Muslim world. America would have many good allies, in addition to Israel, in the Middle East if America made an even-handed attempt to help all parties in the Middle East resolve their grievances.

NOTE: During the war, two-thirds of Americans believed that the United States should not have favored either Israel or Hezbollah.