More on Fadlallah

Another interesting article on Fadlallah, and what might happen now that he has died. Will the Iranians get more power in southern Lebanon?

Fadlallah Fallout

In true US fashion, a 20-year CNN veteran was fired for saying something nice about Fadlallah. Check out the Slate article on the subject.

Also h/t to Slate for this article by Foreign Policy: The Sheikh Who Got Away.

I told myself I wouldn't comment on this anymore, because it really ticks me off. The corollary to "if you criticize Israel you're an anti-Semite" is "if you compliment the wrong person you're a traitor." The Middle East is not a black and white subject. About the only thing that's black and white is Al-Qa'eda. They are bad. But as I've explained before, if the Shi'ites in Lebanon are being screwed over, and Hizbollah helps them (hospitals, security, etc.), then how can you expect the Shi'ites to join the US in condemning Hizbollah? If the Palestinians in Gaza are so ticked off at corruption in the Fatah Party that they elect Hamas because they're not corrupt, then how can the US condemn those democratic elections?

The Foreign Policy article I linked to above says:

The United States always preferred blunt instruments and simple epithets -- crude tools indeed for a complex man.

That's our problem with the entire Middle East.

RIP: Fadlallah

Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah passed away today. He was a major figure in Shi'ite religion, and lived in Lebanon. He was considered fairly modern and moderate. Fadlallah and Hizbollah helped establish hospitals and orphanages in Lebanon. Fadlallah condemned the 9-11 attacks, and even helped women's rights by explaining that Islam did not say a woman's primary job was in the home - that is defined by her marriage contract.

In the Middle East, everything is not either black or white. Oftentimes, this is hard to explain to Americans. If you mention Hizbollah or Hamas, most people will refer to them as terrorists. That's only partly true. Yes, Hizbollah and Hamas have launched horrible terror attacks and killed innocent civilians. They also have political branches, which run for office, and charity branches. It's very difficult for a Palestinian widow to condemn Hamas, when Hamas is the organization that brings her food for her children every week. Or clothes for her children every few months.

If anyone has a problem with "terror" organizations running for office, I have one word for you: Ireland. Add to that, the Fatah Party started as a terrorist organization and Yasser Arafat was a major terrorist before he became a Palestinian leader. At some point, you have to recognize that Hamas and Hizbollah are not going away and start to deal with them. It worked with Fatah.