WP: U.S. considering dialogue with Hezbollah’s political wing

Share:

In an opinion article that appeared Friday in the Washington Post , columnist David Ignatius indicated that the Obama administration was considering dialogue with Hezbollah’s political wing in an effort similar to the one the U.K, implemented “during the 1990s with Sinn Fein, the legal political wing of the Irish Republican Army.

“That outreach led to breakthrough peace talks and settlement of a conflict that had been raging for more than a century,” Ignatius wrote.

“The Hezbollah issue is still being framed, in terms of policy debate. But the White House has focused on it in recent weeks because of a new National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) on Hezbollah that is nearing completion,” Ignatius wrote.

“Officials who have read draft versions of the estimate say it assesses Hezbollah in a broad context, as a political and social force in Lebanon in addition to the militia officially designated by the United States as a “foreign terrorist organization.” Like most NIEs, this one is said to contain a broad array of views, with some analysts stressing Hezbollah’s terrorist capabilities and others noting the organization’s growing political role, including its representation in the Lebanese cabinet.” Ignatius wrote.

“The political time bomb ticking away in the NIE is the question of whether the United States should seek some kind of direct or indirect engagement with Hezbollah — at least with its political wing. Officials who support this course argue that the organization is like the IRA or the PLO — with nonmilitary components that can be drawn into a dialogue. “Ignatius wrote.

“Contrarian thinking about Hezbollah was voiced publicly by John Brennan, the White House counterterrorism adviser. In May 2010, he described it as “a very interesting organization” and said the United States should try to “build up the more moderate elements.” And at a conference in August 2009, he offered this summary: “Hezbollah started out as purely a terrorist organization back in the early ’80s and has evolved significantly over time” to have members in the Lebanese parliament and cabinet.” Ignatius wrote.

“The high-level discussion of Hezbollah illustrates the ferment in U.S. thinking about a Middle East that is being transformed by democratic uprisings. Officials caution that for now, the Hezbollah question is a matter for intelligence analysts, not policymakers. The White House recognizes that it has enough to deal with already without opening a new question that would produce shock waves in Israel, Saudi Arabia and other countries.” Ignatius wrote.

“The bottom line is that after a decade of American wars in the Middle East, the Obama administration is increasingly looking for ways to talk with adversaries and draw them into a process of dialogue. The world is changing, and perhaps so should U.S. policy.” Ignatius concluded

WP

Share:

Comments

49 responses to “WP: U.S. considering dialogue with Hezbollah’s political wing”

  1. Interesting article,

    and we have people in Lebanon that wont talk to them and consider them terrorist…Life sure is funny….14 azar declares

    war on the resistance,and reports are coming from the west that they may want to start dialogue with them…Poltics

    is a headache…

    1. dont hold your breath cowboy…If they are soo confident in their political power why the weapons? they are a bottom line low class political party that amounts to nothing, they got their power from the weapons they control…without them they are nothing…what have they done for their constituency? all the schools they built where they teach their anti western , anti semite propaganda still dont amount to the destruction they reaped on Lebanon through their ill-advised wars with a far more capable ruthless enemy…HA is not worth more than the life of a single child!

  2. Interesting article,

    and we have people in Lebanon that wont talk to them and consider them terrorist…Life sure is funny….14 azar declares

    war on the resistance,and reports are coming from the west that they may want to start dialogue with them…Poltics

    is a headache…

    1. dont hold your breath cowboy…If they are soo confident in their political power why the weapons? they are a bottom line low class political party that amounts to nothing, they got their power from the weapons they control…without them they are nothing…what have they done for their constituency? all the schools they built where they teach their anti western , anti semite propaganda still dont amount to the destruction they reaped on Lebanon through their ill-advised wars with a far more capable ruthless enemy…HA is not worth more than the life of a single child!

  3. Interesting article,

    and we have people in Lebanon that wont talk to them and consider them terrorist…Life sure is funny….14 azar declares

    war on the resistance,and reports are coming from the west that they may want to start dialogue with them…Poltics

    is a headache…

    1.  Avatar
      Anonymous

      dont hold your breath cowboy…If they are soo confident in their political power why the weapons? they are a bottom line low class political party that amounts to nothing, they got their power from the weapons they control…without them they are nothing…what have they done for their constituency? all the schools they built where they teach their anti western , anti semite propaganda still dont amount to the destruction they reaped on Lebanon through their ill-advised wars with a far more capable ruthless enemy…HA is not worth more than the life of a single child!

  4. eliasfd Avatar

    Whether the world likes it or not Hezbollah is here to stay. Its becoming not just a force Militarily but also politically. The West have to get off this terrorism thinking of Hezbollah and start dealing with the organization on political level. If they all do, then many anxieties will be calmed on both sides. Lets face it if it would not be for Hezbollah Israel will be intimidating us on regular basis and dumping Palestinians at our border like never before. Who gave authority to Israel to deal with us as it sees fit. And build its nuclear arsenal with the approval of the West and they never the nuclear Profileration treaty. What would stop them someday from wiping out Lebanon from a single nuclear rocket..Has Israel taking any palestinians that resides in Lebanon and allow them back to Palestine where they belong? they want peace treaty with all middle east but yet they don’t give up any lands? or give Palestinians their rightful land back. why should Lebanon be stuck with them? The US and the West need to deal with Hezbollah seriously on political level and we can have peaceful resolution not just between them and Hezbollah but also and possibly Israel.

  5.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    Whether the world likes it or not Hezbollah is here to stay. Its becoming not just a force Militarily but also politically. The West have to get off this terrorism thinking of Hezbollah and start dealing with the organization on political level. If they all do, then many anxieties will be calmed on both sides. Lets face it if it would not be for Hezbollah Israel will be intimidating us on regular basis and dumping Palestinians at our border like never before. Who gave authority to Israel to deal with us as it sees fit. And build its nuclear arsenal with the approval of the West and they never the nuclear Profileration treaty. What would stop them someday from wiping out Lebanon from a single nuclear rocket..Has Israel taking any palestinians that resides in Lebanon and allow them back to Palestine where they belong? they want peace treaty with all middle east but yet they don’t give up any lands? or give Palestinians their rightful land back. why should Lebanon be stuck with them? The US and the West need to deal with Hezbollah seriously on political level and we can have peaceful resolution not just between them and Hezbollah but also and possibly Israel.

  6. No matter how the angle you approach it. Ha will have to let the Lebanese army defend the south and north. If you place HA above all, we will become a disfonctional state, just like a snake with two head, one will eat the other for sure…

    So please stop this non sense of defending what is undefendable in any nation. All ha support should aim and place the trust in our army first( let them integrate the army and let the goverment decide if we should go to war ). If not we will only be recognize as a satellite state of Iran…

    1. PROPHET.T Avatar
      PROPHET.T

      marc,
      To create an illusion is bad enough, but to believe your own illusions is a tragedy.
      Our Army has never been equipped to defend the nation on its own.,nor has it had the man power to do so.
      I’m not sure why you say “Ha will have to let the Lebanese army defend the south and north”. In 2006 war, both HA and the Army defended the country;Both lost fighters and soldiers doing so. No one has ever stopped the Lebanese Army from defending the nation. this is a political decision the government usually makes. Historically, the Lebanese authorities never had the guts to make that decision except in the war of 1948,which was an Arab effort to liberate Palestine. We all know that the Lebanese efforts in the 48 war was symphonic and very modest.
      We didn’t see the Lebanese army defend the country in any of the invasions of 70 ,73, 78, or 82. Israel had attacked Lebanon many times during the 50’s and 60’s, yet there was no political decision on Lebanon’s part to stand up for Israel,nor was the Army trained or educated to do so. The army never had an order to face the Israelis until 1996.96 and 2006 were the only two times that the Lebanese Army put some modest efforts to fight Israel ,considering its weaknesses.
      Lebanon has never made a decision to go to war with Israel. All wars have been initiated by Israel,since the late 40. Lebanon never invaded Israel once,but Israel has invaded Lebanon more than once,and it has always been aggressive against Lebanon.

      1. eliasfd Avatar

        I totally agree with you Prophet.

        1. well that makes 2 of you out of a thousand, I suppose you are right lol….damn hypocrites…

      2. eliasfd Avatar

        I totally agree with you Prophet.

      3. Beiruti Avatar

        And Syrias invasion in Lebanon was gentle, calm, loving and unagressive right?

        1. PROPHET.T Avatar
          PROPHET.T

          Beiruti,
          Your hatred of Syria is similar to my brother’s hatred of smoking. If a smoker complained about his toe hurting for some reason, He’d tell him that his toe must be hurting because of smoking.So both of you use the same irrational analogy to deal with what you despise.
          Syria was invited , unfortunately by the same people who later on fought it.

      4. Beiruti Avatar

        And Syrias invasion in Lebanon was gentle, calm, loving and unagressive right?

  7. No matter how the angle you approach it. Ha will have to let the Lebanese army defend the south and north. If you place HA above all, we will become a disfonctional state, just like a snake with two head, one will eat the other for sure…

    So please stop this non sense of defending what is undefendable in any nation. All ha support should aim and place the trust in our army first( let them integrate the army and let the goverment decide if we should go to war ). If not we will only be recognize as a satellite state of Iran…

  8. No matter how the angle you approach it. Ha will have to let the Lebanese army defend the south and north. If you place HA above all, we will become a disfonctional state, just like a snake with two head, one will eat the other for sure…

    So please stop this non sense of defending what is undefendable in any nation. All ha support should aim and place the trust in our army first( let them integrate the army and let the goverment decide if we should go to war ). If not we will only be recognize as a satellite state of Iran…

    1. PROPHET.T Avatar
      PROPHET.T

      marc,
      Our Army has never been equipped to defend the nation on its own.,nor has it had the man power to do so.
      I’m not sure why you say “Ha will have to let the Lebanese army defend the south and north”. In 2006 war, both HA and the Army defended the country;Both lost fighters and soldiers doing so. No one has ever stopped the Lebanese Army from defending the nation. this is a political decision the government usually makes.
      Lebanon has never made a decision to go to war with Israel. All wars have been initiated by Israel,since the late 40. Lebanon never invaded Israel once,but Israel has invaded Lebanon more than once,and it has always been aggressive against Lebanon.

      1.  Avatar
        Anonymous

        I totally agree with you Prophet.

        1.  Avatar
          Anonymous

          well that makes 2 of you out of a thousand, I suppose you are right lol….damn hypocrites…

      2.  Avatar
        Anonymous

        And Syrias invasion in Lebanon was gentle, calm, loving and unagressive right?

        1. PROPHET.T Avatar
          PROPHET.T

          Beiruti,
          Your hatred of Syria is similar to my brother’s hatred of smoking. If a smoker complained about his toe hurting for some reason, He’d tell him your toe hurts because of smoking.So both of you use the same irrational to what you despise.
          Syria was invited , unfortunately by the same people who later on fought it.

        2. PROPHET.T Avatar
          PROPHET.T

          Beiruti,
          Your hatred of Syria is similar to my brother’s hatred of smoking. If a smoker complained about his toe hurting for some reason, He’d tell him your toe hurts because of smoking.So both of you use the same irrational to what you despise.
          Syria was invited , unfortunately by the same people who later on fought it.

  9. kareemthehippy Avatar
    kareemthehippy

    Good move. I don’t like Hezbollah, but instead of wasting time with B.S. rhetoric, it’s good to go and talk and see what happens. It’ll be a good way to expose both their wrongs and rights too hehe.

  10.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    Good move. I don’t like Hezbollah, but instead of wasting time with B.S. rhetoric, it’s good to go and talk and see what happens. It’ll be a good way to expose both their wrongs and rights too hehe.

  11. youyes4u Avatar

    Whether the world likes it or not Hizbos is an organization that only believes in intimidating others by the use of Guns,when Lebanon was slightly moving forward and taking small steps to unite its nation,Hizbos suddenly have decided to eliminate and destroy all at once even their own.Come on now, who is kidding who, it’s all hog wash as we all know I don’t think a dialogue will ever take place any soon period. Off course they are here to stay as a Terr,,,,,,,,,,,,Organz……….Ouch…Lebanon is hurting does somebody care?

  12.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    Whether the world likes it or not Hizbos is an organization that only believes in intimidating others by the use of Guns,when Lebanon was slightly moving forward and taking small steps to unite its nation,Hizbos suddenly have decided to eliminate and destroy all at once even their own.Come on now, who is kidding who, it’s all hog wash as we all know I don’t think a dialogue will ever take place any soon period. Off course they are here to stay as a Terr,,,,,,,,,,,,Organz……….Ouch…Lebanon is hurting does somebody care?

  13. Hannibal Avatar

    Are you kidding me? A dialogue with Hezbollah’s political wing? The armed wing executes the will of the political wing… Is the U.S. trying to save face after it failed containing them?

    1. PROPHET.T Avatar
      PROPHET.T

      illusion works sometimes.lol

  14. Hannibal Avatar

    Are you kidding me? A dialogue with Hezbollah’s political wing? The armed wing executes the will of the political wing… Is the U.S. trying to save face after it failed containing them?

    1. PROPHET.T Avatar
      PROPHET.T

      illusion works sometimes.lol

  15. Are you kidding me? A dialogue with Hezbollah’s political wing? The armed wing executes the will of the political wing… Is the U.S. trying to save face after it failed containing them?

    1. PROPHET.T Avatar
      PROPHET.T

      illusion works sometimes.lol

  16. Their is no denying that Hezbollah exists politically and militarily. Political part, I have no problem – after all, let democracy decide if they should exist. As for the military arm, their is no need. All other Lebanese militias have given up their arms. And Israel is no longer occupying the south, Hezbollah should disarm. So, let United States have a low level dialogue with them. Maybe, this can convince Hezbollah to disarm, since everyone else in Lebanon has failed convinced them to do. Who knows, you never know what happens. We have seen it with the ANC, IRA (certain groups) and other groups to finally disarm and to partake in the political process, without their guns.

  17. Their is no denying that Hezbollah exists politically and militarily. Political part, I have no problem – after all, let democracy decide if they should exist. As for the military arm, their is no need. All other Lebanese militias have given up their arms. And Israel is no longer occupying the south, Hezbollah should disarm. So, let United States have a low level dialogue with them. Maybe, this can convince Hezbollah to disarm, since everyone else in Lebanon has failed convinced them to do. Who knows, you never know what happens. We have seen it with the ANC, IRA (certain groups) and other groups to finally disarm and to partake in the political process, without their guns.

  18.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    Their is no denying that Hezbollah exists politically and militarily. Political part, I have no problem – after all, let democracy decide if they should exist. As for the military arm, their is no need. All other Lebanese militias have given up their arms. And Israel is no longer occupying the south, Hezbollah should disarm. So, let United States have a low level dialogue with them. Maybe, this can convince Hezbollah to disarm, since everyone else in Lebanon has failed convinced them to do. Who knows, you never know what happens. We have seen it with the ANC, IRA (certain groups) and other groups to finally disarm and to partake in the political process, without their guns.

  19. Leborigine Avatar
    Leborigine

    I am no big fan of HA either, but I would put up with them only because they are Lebanese (I hope). The thing that I despise and hate is their affiliation with an enemy state, syria, who refuses to damarcate our borders and does not respect our sovereignty. Yet HA runs to damas to get approval on any decision it makes regarding its position in Lebanon. Shame!

    1. Traitors and cowards, if they could they would make Lebanon part of the “greater islamic republic”. Unfortunately for them the Lebanese christians who have been here well before they arrived will never let that happen! we will protect our culture heritage and history at all cost, dont be fooled by imposters like Aoun and friends they have sold their souls to the devil.

  20. Leborigine Avatar
    Leborigine

    I am no big fan of HA either, but I would put up with them only because they are Lebanese (I hope). The thing that I despise and hate is their affiliation with an enemy state, syria, who refuses to damarcate our borders and does not respect our sovereignty. Yet HA runs to damas to get approval on any decision it makes regarding its position in Lebanon. Shame!

    1. Traitors and cowards, if they could they would make Lebanon part of the “greater islamic republic”. Unfortunately for them the Lebanese christians who have been here well before they arrived will never let that happen! we will protect our culture heritage and history at all cost, dont be fooled by imposters like Aoun and friends they have sold their souls to the devil.

  21.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    I am no big fan of HA either, but I would put up with them only because they are Lebanese (I hope). The thing that I despise and hate is their affiliation with an enemy state, syria, who refuses to damarcate our borders and does not respect our sovereignty. Yet HA runs to damas to get approval on any decision it makes regarding its position in Lebanon. Shame!

    1.  Avatar
      Anonymous

      Traitors and cowards, if they could they would make Lebanon part of the “greater islamic republic”. Unfortunately for them the Lebanese christians who have been here well before they arrived will never let that happen! we will protect our culture heritage and history at all cost, dont be fooled by imposters like Aoun and friends they have sold their souls to the devil.

  22. Constantin7 Avatar
    Constantin7

    Although I am completely against any foreign country that deals with separately with political parties in Lebanon directly and not through the Lebanese governement (like Syria, Iran, Saudi Arabia, are doing right now), but the fact is the small state that HA has created in Lebanon and the political pressure they are exercising because of their weapons imposes the idea of dealing with them directly in order to solve any problems, and for this reason I like this idea of dialogue with HA.

    On the other hand, to respond to Prophet and his supporters who say that the Lebanese army is not equipped enough to defend Lebanon, I don’t believe this at all. Now the Lebanese army is the most equipped military force on the ground, but it is paralyzed by political power and pressure from the Shiaa, or I should say HA and Amal. I believe the army is very well equipped better than ever in its history, but when it is not allowed to be anywhere it wants to be in Lebanon because HA refuses its presence, then it is being stopped from achieving its role, when its helicopters cannot fly in the south over the shiaa villages and they are fired at by HA then it is not being allowed to exercise its role. So the army prefers not to exercise its role and be paralyzed than risk a split of the army or risk to shoot on its own citizens who are not abiding by the law, this is the grim reality in Lebanon. Add to that that HA’s allegiance to Syria and Iran because of all the free handouts they are getting from them, then it makes HA’s priorities very very doubtful, i.e. they are going to keep on kissing the foreign hand that is feeding them and arming them, rather than abide by the law and give up their arms to the Lebanese army. The logic is simple: What are HA getting from the Lebanese government or the Lebanese army to give them their arms? The answer is: nothing, so why should they give up their arms, when they are getting the money and the arms for free from Iran and Syria? Syria’s motives are clear: it wants HA to always have arms in order that we do not have stability in Lebanon and Syria keeps on playing with us and “controlling” us through the arms of HA. Iran’s motives: pressure on Irael and the US and a satellite on the mediterranean, hence the willingness of the US to deal with them directly.

    1. yup, that about sums it up again.

  23. Constantin7 Avatar
    Constantin7

    Although I am completely against any foreign country that deals with separately with political parties in Lebanon directly and not through the Lebanese governement (like Syria, Iran, Saudi Arabia, are doing right now), but the fact is the small state that HA has created in Lebanon and the political pressure they are exercising because of their weapons imposes the idea of dealing with them directly in order to solve any problems, and for this reason I like this idea of dialogue with HA.

    On the other hand, to respond to Prophet and his supporters who say that the Lebanese army is not equipped enough to defend Lebanon, I don’t believe this at all. Now the Lebanese army is the most equipped military force on the ground, but it is paralyzed by political power and pressure from the Shiaa, or I should say HA and Amal. I believe the army is very well equipped better than ever in its history, but when it is not allowed to be anywhere it wants to be in Lebanon because HA refuses its presence, then it is being stopped from achieving its role, when its helicopters cannot fly in the south over the shiaa villages and they are fired at by HA then it is not being allowed to exercise its role. So the army prefers not to exercise its role and be paralyzed than risk a split of the army or risk to shoot on its own citizens who are not abiding by the law, this is the grim reality in Lebanon. Add to that that HA’s allegiance to Syria and Iran because of all the free handouts they are getting from them, then it makes HA’s priorities very very doubtful, i.e. they are going to keep on kissing the foreign hand that is feeding them and arming them, rather than abide by the law and give up their arms to the Lebanese army. The logic is simple: What are HA getting from the Lebanese government or the Lebanese army to give them their arms? The answer is: nothing, so why should they give up their arms, when they are getting the money and the arms for free from Iran and Syria? Syria’s motives are clear: it wants HA to always have arms in order that we do not have stability in Lebanon and Syria keeps on playing with us and “controlling” us through the arms of HA. Iran’s motives: pressure on Irael and the US and a satellite on the mediterranean, hence the willingness of the US to deal with them directly.

    1. yup, that about sums it up again.

  24.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    Although I am completely against any foreign country that deals with separately with political parties in Lebanon directly and not through the Lebanese governement (like Syria, Iran, Saudi Arabia, are doing right now), but the fact is the small state that HA has created in Lebanon and the political pressure they are exercising because of their weapons imposes the idea of dealing with them directly in order to solve any problems, and for this reason I like this idea of dialogue with HA.

    On the other hand, to respond to Prophet and his supporters who say that the Lebanese army is not equipped enough to defend Lebanon, I don’t believe this at all. Now the Lebanese army is the most equipped military force on the ground, but it is paralyzed by political power and pressure from the Shiaa, or I should say HA and Amal. I believe the army is very well equipped better than ever in its history, but when it is not allowed to be anywhere it wants to be in Lebanon because HA refuses its presence, then it is being stopped from achieving its role, when its helicopters cannot fly in the south over the shiaa villages and they are fired at by HA then it is not being allowed to exercise its role. So the army prefers not to exercise its role and be paralyzed than risk a split of the army or risk to shoot on its own citizens who are not abiding by the law, this is the grim reality in Lebanon. Add to that that HA’s allegiance to Syria and Iran because of all the free handouts they are getting from them, then it makes HA’s priorities very very doubtful, i.e. they are going to keep on kissing the foreign hand that is feeding them and arming them, rather than abide by the law and give up their arms to the Lebanese army. The logic is simple: What are HA getting from the Lebanese government or the Lebanese army to give them their arms? The answer is: nothing, so why should they give up their arms, when they are getting the money and the arms for free from Iran and Syria? Syria’s motives are clear: it wants HA to always have arms in order that we do not have stability in Lebanon and Syria keeps on playing with us and “controlling” us through the arms of HA. Iran’s motives: pressure on Irael and the US and a satellite on the mediterranean, hence the willingness of the US to deal with them directly.

    1.  Avatar
      Anonymous

      yup, that about sums it up again.

Leave a Reply