Lebanese Army Heads South

The Lebanese government has reclaimed sovereignty over its southern territory. Or, at least sent in on soldier to plant its flag.

Lebanon Soldier Kfar Kila A Lebanese Army soldier flashes the victory sign as he rides in a truck on the way to deployment in southern Lebanon, north of the port city of Sidon, southern Lebanon, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2006. Lebanese troops, backed by tanks and armored vehicles, have begun deploying south of the Litani River in line with a U.N. cease-fire plan to end fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, a senior military official said Thursday. (AP Photo/Kevin Frayer) The Lebanese army reached the country’s southern border with Israel for the first time in decades, sending a lone jeep on patrol Friday through Kfar Kila, a battered stronghold of support for Hezbollah militants. The army jeep, flying a large Lebanese flag and carrying just two soldiers in green camouflage, passed by the Fatima Gate a few yards from the border but did not stop. Kfar Kila was the last village where Israeli troops pulled out in 2000 after an 18-year occupation of the south.

On Friday, young men there hung giant yellow banners above intersections, some criticizing U.S. Mideast policy and others reading “The Great Lebanon has defeated the murderers.” Both were signed by Hezbollah.

Presumably, it was merely signed “Hezbollah” rather than signed by Hezbollah. Either way, though, I suspect we haven’t seen the last of them in those parts.

FILED UNDER: United Nations, , ,
James Joyner
About James Joyner
James Joyner is Professor and Department Head of Security Studies at Marine Corps University's Command and Staff College. He's a former Army officer and Desert Storm veteran. Views expressed here are his own. Follow James on Twitter @DrJJoyner.

Comments

  1. Corporal, come here. I have a little assignment for you. And take private Dofus with you. Try to bring the jeep back, were short on parts.

  2. Michael says:

    Headline: Hizbollah hands out cash for Lebanese war victims

    Hizbollah handed out bundles of cash on Friday to people whose homes were wrecked by Israeli bombing, consolidating the Iranian-backed group’s support among Lebanon’s Shi’ites and embarrassing the Beirut government

    “People already had faith in Hizbollah, this will strengthen their faith,” said Ayman Jaber, 27, with a wad of $12,000 in banknotes Hizbollah had given him.

    The Lebanese government has yet to launch anything similar.

    Here is what I want to know, who is the genius behind all of Hezbollah’s recent moves? I’m serious, so far almost every move they’ve made that been brilliantly calculated and executed. I doubt it’s Nasrallah, the guy at the top is hardly ever that smart. Maybe it’s not Hezbollah at all, Iran’s government has been very efficient with propaganda, maybe someone there is calling the shots. Either way, Hezbollah is walking all over Israel and the Lebanese government in making social and political gains from this conflict.

  3. Michael,

    I don’t know who their ‘Rove’ is, but having big bags of cash to hand out certainly gives you more options to put into play. Now who would have big bags of cash hanging around? Maybe somebody who doesn’t like satellite dishes.