US accuses Hezbollah of putting Lebanon at risk

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burns, billA senior American official on Monday denounced Hezbollah for its involvement in Syria’s civil war and said the Lebanese militant group’s actions place the future of Lebanon at risk.

The comments from Deputy Secretary of State William Burns were the first by a high-ranking visiting U.S. official since Hezbollah helped propel President Bashar Assad’s troops to victory in the strategic Syrian town of Qusair near the Lebanese border last month.

Syrian troops have been building on the victory to move against rebel-held areas elsewhere in the central province of Homs and in the country’s north.

“Despite its membership in the Lebanese government, Hezbollah has decided to put its own interests and those of its foreign backers above those of the Lebanese people,” Burns told reporters as he wrapped up a two-day visit to Lebanon.

He added that the U.S. condemned “in the strongest terms” Hezbollah’s actions in Syria and said they “place the future of Lebanon at risk.”

Fighters from the powerful Iranian-backed Shiite Lebanese party have joined Assad’s forces in their battle to crush the anti-Assad rebellion, which is dominated by Sunnis. The group was instrumental in helping Assad’s troops capture Qusair, and activists say Hezbollah members are fighting in several locations in Syria.

Assad, however, refuted those reports, saying in a recent interview that Hezbollah’s involvement was restricted to Qusair because of its proximity to Lebanon.

The group’s open participation in the war has helped fan sectarian hatreds in Lebanon and across the region.

Lebanon is grappling with rising tensions between Sunni and Shiite Muslims linked to the more than 2-year-old conflict in Syria, which has sparked deadly street fighting on several occasions in Lebanese cities between the rival sects.

Last week, sectarian tensions drew Lebanon’s weak army into the fray. Eighteen soldiers were killed in two days of fighting in the southern city of Sidon between the army and supporters of a hard-line Sunni sheik whose popularity has soared by tapping into the frustrations of many Lebanese who resent the influence Shiites have gained in government via Hezbollah.

“At a time of regional tumult and domestic uncertainty, it is deeply in the self interest of all Lebanese to exercise restraint and respect for Lebanon’s stability and security,” Burns said.

Burns also criticized a Lebanese government decision to postpone scheduled parliament elections last month, saying it undermines the faith of the Lebanese people in their own government and shakes the confidence of the international community in the country’s institutions.

Washington Post/ AP

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18 responses to “US accuses Hezbollah of putting Lebanon at risk”

  1. One thing I know! if the USA, the UK, Israel and their lackeys stay away from interfering and arming the extremists in any Country in the World, Things will be better and peace will prevail!

    USA… SHUT UP!

    1. AntiFSA Avatar
      AntiFSA

      100% true

      1. 5thDrawer Avatar
        5thDrawer

        Tell that to the chopped-up people in the Congo … I don’t think they got all the machetes from American sources. Oh. Wait. Of course that was only TRIBES. Shouldn’t interfere between tribes either. Right? Right. Let the tribes just carry on killing or kidnapping each other – like in East Lebanon, for instance. It’s natural.

        1. Igor Chingoski Avatar
          Igor Chingoski

          No. the machetes came from the UK, who are the mom of the Americans, But nobody know who is the real father :-))))

    2. Hesperian Avatar
      Hesperian

      When you have a butcher ruling you create extremists …

      1. AntiFSA Avatar
        AntiFSA

        And when you respond like that, you create stupidly.

        1. Hesperian Avatar
          Hesperian

          Air head…

          1. 5thDrawer Avatar
            5thDrawer

            Hang on Hesperian. I thought you were referencing Assad with the ‘butcher’ line.
            Was Anti correct in assuming you meant poor Obama?
            Because then I would need to point out that ‘air’ is quite valuable in it’s own way.
            (although in different compositions it can be detrimental to life – admittedly)

      2. Guest Avatar

        Is true! George Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfield, Wolfowits, Toni Blair, Queen Elizabeth of Angland, Pewee, Ronald Macdonald, Clinton who wanted to insert all cigars in women because He hated woman, Wolf Blitzer and CNN, Loni anderson She is invading the world with her boobs, Obama who wanted to kill all inhabitanst in Mexico seeding the swain flu… etc, etc all of them extremists and butchers ruling, Agrrreeee!

  2. One thing I know! if the USA, the UK, Israel and their lackeys stay away from interfering and arming the extremists in any Country in the World, Things will be better and peace will prevail!

    USA… SHUT UP!

    1. AntiFSA Avatar
      AntiFSA

      100% true

      1. 5thDrawer Avatar
        5thDrawer

        Tell that to the chopped-up people in the Congo … I don’t think they got all the machetes from American sources. Oh. Wait. Of course that was only TRIBES. Shouldn’t interfere between tribes either. Right? Right. Let the tribes just carry on killing or kidnapping each other – like in East Lebanon, for instance. It’s natural.

        1. Igor Chingoski Avatar
          Igor Chingoski

          No. the machetes came from the UK, who are the mom of the Americans, But nobody know who is the real father :-))))

    2. Hesperian Avatar
      Hesperian

      When you have a butcher ruling you create extremists …

      1. AntiFSA Avatar
        AntiFSA

        And when you respond like that, you create stupidly.

        1. Hesperian Avatar
          Hesperian

          Air head…

          1. 5thDrawer Avatar
            5thDrawer

            Hang on Hesperian. I thought you were referencing Assad with the ‘butcher’ line.
            Was Anti correct in assuming you meant poor Obama?
            Because then I would need to point out that ‘air’ is quite valuable in it’s own way.
            (although in different compositions it can be detrimental to life – admittedly)

      2. Igor Chingoski Avatar
        Igor Chingoski

        Is true! George Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfield, Wolfowits, Toni Blair, Queen Elizabeth of Angland, Pewee, Ronald Macdonald, Clinton who wanted to insert all cigars in women because He hated woman, Wolf Blitzer and CNN, Loni anderson She is invading the world with her boobs, Obama who wanted to kill all inhabitanst in Mexico seeding the swain flu… etc, etc all of them extremists and butchers ruling, Agrrreeee!

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