Lebanon

[ynnafymmi]

I always had Lebanon down as a mixed Christian,Muslim,Jewish  democracy.Why are the Lebanese allowing terrorists to fire rockets into Israel from their territory?

[ToraToraTora]

Because the slims hate Israel much more than the love anything else.

[naomi24]

Basically at the end of the Lebanese civil war Syria was in control of Lebanon and allowed Hezbollah to remain.

[ynnafymmi]

But where is the Lebanese army here,is Lebanon just another failed state out in the Middle-East?I thought Lebanon was one of the few democratic states out in that area.Rule of law,and all that?

[naomi24]

I know Hezbollah forms part of the government, ynna, but I just googled your question and the military wing is thought to be stronger than the Lebanese army.  

[Khandro]

Lebanon was once a jewel of a place on the Med. you could ski in the morning on the mountains and swim on the beaches in the afternoon. It had fine restaurants on the boulevards.

 Then the bearded ones took control & turned it into bankrupt s hole

[fripfrip]

Lebanon was a christian country until the 1970's.but they let muslims fleeing syria in and like will happen elsewhere the muslims took over.

[10ClarionSt]

My dad was in the Royal Navy in the 1930's. They sailed to various places in the Med; Cyprus; Malta; Gib; Alexandria etc. He said the nicest place out of all them was Beirut. A beautiful city surounded by lots of Cedar trees, now sadly all cut down. How times change. 

[naomi24]

I've been there.  

[Peter Pedant]

oh, why ? you kinda need to do 50 y history on that one

Mixed Christian  and Muslim, and jogging along until 1965, very liberal, rich economically sound - business mens playground of the Middle East

and someone said - lets have a civil war and someone else  said - yes lets !

and the  whole place was a bomb site by 1970. shunned, dangerous  etc

[Peter Pedant]

Clarion - that lasted until the mid 60s. Teenagers cd hitch hike ( can and did, brother and sister)

at least Egypt realised if they didnt get on top of the fundamentalists, their economy wd go bust. Luxor 1997, they lost a billion bucks from the tourists. ( oh a lot more than that, a guide told me twenty years later)

[fiveleaves]

Hezbollah is most likely a stronger military force than the actual Lebanese army

The degree to which Lebanon is a functioning state is open to question. The economic state of the country is dire

[Peter Pedant]

I thought Lebanon was one of the few democratic states out in that area.Rule of law,and all that?

it was ynna and they gave it all up.

[ynnafymmi]

Gave it all up for what Peter?A failed state?

[Peter Pedant]

they gave up being a rich business man's playground ( see Clarion above - Pearl of  the middle east etc)

in return for a civil war. General aghastment all round even at the time

( to me a bit like Afghan - the women cant speak  in the street now and there has been general ( er muted) squawking. and I think - well you let them in ! - Taliban overran the country in  7 d)

[naomi24]

It's not like Afghanistan.

[fender62]

i wonder if the uk will end up like lebanon, unfettered migration by the same religious group, with 0 background on any of them, ticking time bomb.

[ynnafymmi]

I can understand Iran(a true failed state,led by a bunch of aerosols)lobbing rockets into Israel,but Lebanon,no.Seems the only country out there not ruled by a bunch of misogynistic,homophobic Nazis is Israel.Strange days.

[Peter Pedant]

lobbing rockets into Israel,but Lebanon

failed states can fail for other reasons than " they  hate Israel"

Sudan ( dirt poor) decided to be dirt poor AND have a civil war AND split into two ( failed states) both dirt poor. Nothing to do with the middle east but nearer ( than we are).

[Gromit]

Iran have adopted Hezbollah as thier foot soldiers.   
They have them fighting proxy wars in Syria, Libya and Turkey/Kurdistan.   
They are a bit of a notch above Hamas in their capability. Isreal are making a srategic mistake in opening up another conflict on another border. Very big mistake.

But Netanyahu is a desperate failing leader, and will lead Israel down some terrible paths for his own vanity.

[Deskdiary]

Have Israel opened up another conflict?