Hezbollah "have not committed their Professionals" yet, says Labanese General

I was browsing the Beeb, as I do when at work when I noticed this article:

BBC

In it, a former Lebanese General states the following:

In a speech on Hezbollah's al-Manar television, Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, showed some readiness for a ceasefire but mostly he was defiant.

He said the "Party of God" was still strong despite claims by Israel that it had destroyed the group's infrastructure. Military analysts here agree with him.

Amin Hatate, a former Lebanese army general, believes Hezbollah can go on fighting for months.

"They are paid for such kind of guerrilla warfare. They are willing to fight. They know bridges and roads are going to be cut so each area is self-contained," he says.

There is information that indicates Hezbollah had been preparing for a possible confrontation with Israel for a while and it had been stockpiling weapons.

Timor Goksel witnessed the birth of Hezbollah in the early 1980s when he was political adviser to the UN peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon.

"What we are seeing so far are what they call 'village reserves' - that's a very interesting thing. Hezbollah have not committed their troops yet," he says.

"What is in store for the Israelis if they go deeper, and then hold on to territory for a while, is that they are going to see the real combat in south Lebanon - a very classic insurgency and it will be a very costly one because then I think Hezbollah will commit its professional troops."

I have highlited the Generals comments, so they are clear.

If Israel is finding so much resistance from "village reservists", what can we expect when they come up against the very well trained and equipped Hezbollah proper?

I do not, obviously, know how accurate this Generals claims are, but you have to think he would know something about the situation...

Interesting stuff, none the less.

The Israelis are also targetting Christian neighborhoods now so there goes the Christian support. I knew they would betray them once again.


In other news , 25 Dangerous Syrians and Kurds armed with deadly tomatoes and heads of lettuce were cut off from their Hezbollah unit who was armed with apples and Oranges attempting to resupply the unit with DU tipped Parsley stalks. The 25 men were pounded with Israeli missiles until they fell dead and the deadly vegetables posed no further threat to the Civilians of Israel.


When questioned ,General Balutz was quick to reply: "I thought they were carrying Dirty Potatoes bound for haifa. We are fighting for our lives here. These vegetables pose a threat to our very existance!"

23 farm workers die in IAF strike near Lebanon-Syria border

By Haaretz Service and News Agencies

Four Israeli missiles slammed into a refrigerated warehouse where farm workers were loading vegetables near the Lebanon-Syria border on Friday, killing at least 23 people, a Lebanese civil defense official said.

At least 17 other workers were wounded in the attack, and more were likely buried under the rubble, said Ali Yaghi, a Lebanese civil defense official at the scene. A bulldozer was brought to the site to try to uncover any survivors, he said.

Some of the workers were killed by flying rocks and shrapnel after the missiles struck, Yaghi said.

Yaghi said civilian pickup trucks were dispatched to haul the 23 bodies, as well as the wounded, to Syrian city of Homs, because roads toward hospitals in Lebanon had been cut off by Israel Air Force strikes earlier Friday. A Lebanese ambulance also carried some victims, he said.

The agricultural site was run by a Lebanese company, and employed some 60 workers. It was unclear how many were there at the time of the attack.

Vegetable Terrorists

Their "Professionals"? LOL now THAT is hilarious. They cant even back up there threats to hit Tel Aviv. Also, when is this "Phase 2" of the war suppose to begin that Hezbo leader was talking last week? Seems like the onbly phase they are getting is their @sses handed to them. Israel is only using a tiny fraction of its firepower...i wish they would take thier gloves off and pund these Muslims into submission.


Boycott MUSLIMS

Originally posted by princeofpeace
Their "Professionals"? LOL now THAT is hilarious. They cant even back up there threats to hit Tel Aviv. Also, when is this "Phase 2" of the war suppose to begin that Hezbo leader was talking last week? Seems like the onbly phase they are getting is their @sses handed to them. Israel is only using a tiny fraction of its firepower...i wish they would take thier gloves off and pund these Muslims into submission.


Boycott MUSLIMS

Yeah, you know what your talking about. I am surprised your allowed to get away with blatant atagonism and racism, but hey ho.

Hezbollah are alot better trained and equipped than you seem to think. Then again, I would be surprised, judging from your posts, that you thought at all.

No one is handing Hezbollahs arses to them in the slightest, even the IDF is readily admitting they are meeting fierce resistance and are no where near their stated aims, so I do not know where you get this load of BS from.

Ehud Olmert may claim that they have destroyed 90% of Hezbollah, but on that same day, they had a record amount of missiles hit Northern Israel. It is quite obvious to all that the IDF is far from reaching any of it's stated goals.

Stu, ignore the poster above, they’re fueled by hatred not reason, someone is getting theirs handed but it isn't who you think it is.

Let me just quote a little bit here.

JERUSALEM - Hezbollah's sophisticated anti-tank missiles are perhaps the guerrilla group's deadliest weapon in Lebanon fighting, with their ability to pierce Israel’s most advanced tanks.

Experts say this is further evidence that Israel is facing a well-equipped army in this war, not a ragtag militia.

Hezbollah has fired Russian-made Metis-M anti-tank missiles and owns European-made Milan missiles, the army confirmed on Friday.

In the last two days alone, these missiles have killed seven soldiers and damaged three Israeli-made Merkava tanks — mountains of steel that are vaunted as symbols of Israel's military might, the army said. Israeli media say most of the 44 soldiers killed in four weeks of fighting were hit by anti-tank missiles.

"They (Hezbollah guerrillas) have some of the most advanced anti-tank missiles in the world," said Yossi Kuperwasser, a senior military intelligence officer who retired earlier this summer.

"To the best of my understanding, they (Hezbollah) are as well-equipped as any standing unit in the Syrian or Iranian armies," said Eran Lerman, a retired army colonel and now director of the Israel/Middle East office of the American Jewish Committee. "This is not a rat-pack guerrilla, this is an organized militia."

Besides the anti-tank missiles, Hezbollah is also known to have a powerful rocket-propelled grenade known as the RPG29. These weapons are also smuggled through Syria, an Israeli security official said, and were previously used by Palestinian militants in Gaza to damage tanks.

Link

Israel totally underestimated Hezbollah at the start of this conflict. This war has been going on for weeks now yet every day rockets, sometimes numbering in the hundreds, hit Israeli cities, obviously what Israel is doing isn't working to damage Hezbollah. No one thought they could hit a warship but they did, so if I were you I wouldn’t presume to know the full capabilities of Hezbollah, just today they fired a missile 50 miles into Isreal.

The Israeli ground war is also not going well due to mines, IED’s, anti-tank rockets and fierce dug in resistance. Hezbollah reportedly has Iranian military members advising and offering support. If what this General say is true Israel is in for far worse. Everyone with some knowledge can see that this isn't some ragtag group, its an organized militia.

[edit on 4-8-2006 by WestPoint23]

Yeah, I am aware of PoP's general attitude, but didn't want him poisoning my thread with his hate filled garbage.

Anyhooo....

It will be interesting to see what happens when the IDF try and ramp up their offensive. Then we shall see who has what and how much...

Its really not all that surprising to me... large powerful countires have always underestimated small militias.... I.E American Revolution, Columbia, and now Lebannon.... I will be interested to see if the professionals part is true.. im more apt to believe that they might have slightly better trained individuals waiting ... but the forces the IDF are facing are more than just Village reserves in my opinion... either that or they have a much higher morale and dedication than the israeli forces do and either is hard to accept.... either way... Israel is looking at a much harder battle that I think that anticipated.... hopefully some kind of truce can be estabilished.... enough civis have died...

[edit on 5-8-2006 by Elsenorpompom]

Interesting find.

Up till now Hezbollah did not break their promises. They claimed they wouldn't be easily taken out by Israel, they claimed they would fire missiles deeper and deeper into Israel, they claimed they had some surprising weapons to use (e.g. the cruise missile, which hit the ship, a new Syrian made missile, of which Israel didn't know its existence.

Besides, lately we heard Iranian engineering and martyrs where on there way to Lebanon. I wouldn't be surprised if the claim that their professional army has not been used yet is a true claim.

It's interesting and pathetic Israel underestimated Hezbollah so badly. What once would be cleared out in one or two days became one week, two weeks, four weeks and now they'll continue their campaign untill an international intervention forces arrives.

Stopping the campaign would be catastrophic in two ways. The Israeli government would lose its support from the people. As they support their government to take out Hezbollah once and for all. A second reason is that it would discloses Israel's real strength. Their weak conscript army is useless fighting guerilla units. Their fight against Hezbollah is a perfect ‘’trial’’ for both Iran and Syria to measure Israel's real strength, should it come to an involvement of both parties now or in the future.

Maybe the lose of popularity of the israeli government and for war would be a good thing for Israël and the middle-east. Maybe they could elect a good government, that REALLY want peace. Not like Sharon the war criminal and Olmert also a war criminal. Maybe they could elect peaceful leaders and stop buying weapons instead they should buying PEACE. But with corrupt government and corporations owning both Israël and USA, it's very unlikely that peace will be ever achived, unless we take them out. (the corporations owning the governments)

Unfortunately, I think that's Utopia and can never be realized and the Zionist government don't want it as the greedy ones would have to give up too much.

Arab people should be equally treated and have the same rights as Israelis. They would have to tear down their Berlin-style walls, they would have to give Arabs the opportunity to be freely elected. They would have to allow Arabs to go where they want. They would have to give Arabs the opportunity to freely start a business. They would have to fairly divide fertile soil among Arabs and Israelis, no situation in which 95% of the fertile soil is Israeli property and the remaining 5% Arab. They would have to support Arabs to work closely together with Israelis. They would have to financially inject Arab businesses (as Israel more or less stole the soil from the Arabs) And finally give back the Syrian and Lebanese ground to its rightful owners.

Well all of this I mentioned above it not going to happen. If Israel would make a real attempt, and not only favoring themselves there would be a start for peace. Then there would be no reason for any Arabs to attack Israel. And if so, they would be in a position to count on support from other countries than the US only.
People whom say Arabs don’t want this are pathetic pessimists. The common man wants it, governments of both sides seems to think differently. Besides, it would only work if both sides really would make an effort to make it a success. Arabs have nothing to lose, Israelis do, that’s why, if no real effort on Israeli side is being taken it is likely to fail. The US could have a crucial role in it by guiding Israel in the right direction, rather than continue to yell ‘’terrorist here, terrorist there, terrorists everywhere’’.

Last, say what you want about Sharon, but I really admire him. He made the first step in the right direction by giving back soil belonging to the Arabs.

How selfish......

These "Hezbollah" know that Israel won't stop until they cease to exist, and instead of at least ceasing their attacks, they chose to "ramp it up" with more threats and the "you ain't seen nothing yet" attitude. In the meantime, they hide among civilians, even wearing civilian clothes so they can "blend in". Are these civilians stupid? If I got a Hezbollah gun emplacement below my apartment window, I think I'll 1) Move 2) Yell "get out of my yard" 3) MOVE!

Blame it on the Zionists. This soil, or "Crescent" of land has been the primary reason for all this fighting. This soil was disease-ridden, skeeter bitten marshland until the Israelis stepped in and developed it (Irrigation, etc). Now the Arabs want it back. Its kind of like this.

Arab: "That land is useless, its Marshy and smells bad"
Zionist: "Oh, wow, like, I'll live here if you don't want to".
Arab: "Okey dokey"
Zionist: Drains the swamp, builds a nice house
Arab: "Uh, nevermind, I want the land back"
Zionist: "no"
Arab: "I want to kill you now, Zionist pig"

Some speak as if Israel owes the Arabs something. I don't think so. They try to hand back some land, the Arabs destroy facilities left behind rather than reap the benefits of them. THEN, they got the nerve to move in rockets to the land given back knowing full well that is the original reason the land was occupied anyway!

Financially inject Arab businesses? Good lord. WHY? Beirut looked like it was doing alright. Maybe Lebanon should quit housing Hezbollah and others whose sole charter is to kill Israelis. Then their businesses wouldn't be ruined by an Israeli warplane.

Allow Arabs to go where they want? Yeah, I'm all for that...knowing that a good portion of them want to see me decapitated with my genitals hanging out of my mouth.

Peace in that region is a long ways off. Israel wants to exist and many Arabs DON'T want her to exist. Simple as that.

Originally posted by CreeWolf
How selfish......

These "Hezbollah" know that Israel won't stop until they cease to exist, and instead of at least ceasing their attacks, they chose to "ramp it up" with more threats and the "you ain't seen nothing yet" attitude.

Are they?

memri.org...

Hizbullah Secretary-General Nasrallah Calls on Arab Leaders to Promote Ceasefire in Meetings With U.S.

Don't forget to include Hezbollah said it would hit Tel Aviv only if Israel continues its air raids on Beirut.

Originally posted by CreeWolf
In the meantime, they hide among civilians, even wearing civilian clothes so they can "blend in". Are these civilians stupid? If I got a Hezbollah gun emplacement below my apartment window, I think I'll 1) Move 2) Yell "get out of my yard" 3) MOVE!

While I partly agree Hezbollah fighters should be wearing uniforms, I wonder what it actually would change? The majority of the killed civilians died because of Israeli air raids, not by ground gun fire. Don't you think they hide? They get together? Forgot what happened in Qana, where the invalid people came together to hide...

Originally posted by CreeWolf
Blame it on the Zionists. This soil, or "Crescent" of land has been the primary reason for all this fighting. This soil was disease-ridden, skeeter bitten marshland until the Israelis stepped in and developed it (Irrigation, etc). Now the Arabs want it back. Its kind of like this.

I don't say the Zionists are to blame solely for it, as the UN and the UK in particular are responsible for this ''dirty deal'' as well, which doesn't mean you can just take over land belonging to someone else, no matter whether it's a desert or fertile soil.

Originally posted by CreeWolf
Some speak as if Israel owes the Arabs something.

Yes they do, they should have been allowed to live in Palestine, not to create an independent state on another's soil.

Originally posted by CreeWolf
the Arabs destroy facilities left behind rather than reap the benefits of them. THEN, they got the nerve to move in rockets to the land given back knowing full well that is the original reason the land was occupied anyway!

Hmm, forgot the Zionist towns, of which Israelis were forced to withdraw from, by Sharon? They destroyed everything on that soil, their houses, companies etc.
Yes, I agree Northern Israel had been under fire by Palestinian missiles fired from Northern Lebanon, which cannot be justified in any way. Lebanon shouldn't have allowed those Palestinian militants firing missiles from their soil. I don't know the exact reason why they did allow it, might be the same reason as today, their military might not have been strong enough to do so.. However, it didn't allow or justify an Israeli occupation. Don't forget the initial reason those Palestinian militants did fire the missiles, because of the Zionist occupation of their soil. Hezbollah is a movement founded to ''remove'' Israeli forces from their land

Originally posted by CreeWolf
Financially inject Arab businesses? Good lord. WHY? Beirut looked like it was doing alright. Maybe Lebanon should quit housing Hezbollah and others whose sole charter is to kill Israelis. Then their businesses wouldn't be ruined by an Israeli warplane.

Read what I said above, Hezbollah hasn't been founded to solely kill Israelis. Besides, Israel should financially inject Palestinian business as effort to create peace in the region. To Show the Palestinians good will. After all, it was Israel that stole the Palestinian soil, not the other way around. Not entire Palestine was a desert.

Originally posted by CreeWolf
Allow Arabs to go where they want? Yeah, I'm all for that...knowing that a good portion of them want to see me decapitated with my genitals hanging out of my mouth.

As I said it should be part of a strategy to reach a peace agreement in the region. I also said it's probably an Utopia.

Originally posted by CreeWolf
Israel wants to exist and many Arabs DON'T want her to exist. Simple as that.

You define it wrongly. They don't care Israelis to exist, they don't want an Israeli state to exists.

Maybe Lebanon should quit housing Hezbollah and others whose sole charter is to kill Israelis

Hezbollahs charter does not include anything of the sort. It exists soley to defend Lebanon and they have no stated aim at destroying Israel.

I think the Israelis will find that if they, in turn, also abided by UN mandates and handed back all the land they have stolen (Gaza, West Bank, Golan Heights, Sheeba Farms) at the very least, Hezbollah would cease immediately in it's actions.

The soldiers that were taken were in the Sheeba Farms area, not in Israel and no matter wether you consider Sheeba as part of Syria or Lebanon, they certainly weren't in Israel.

I still doubt that Hezbollah proper go about in civilain attire all the time, as stated, they have reservist volunteers too. I think the pics we have seen are those men, not Hezbollah.

All the pictures I have seen of Hezbollah in combat show them in full military fatigues, body armour, the works.

After all, when your fighting in the hills and villages, would it not be prudent to wear whatever military gear you have so your better equipped?

These guys are not stupid, in fact, they are well trained and determined. For any sane person to see, the IDF themselves have come out and given Hezbollah some credit by saying they are giving them a much harder time.

BTW, where are these "professionals" hiding anyways?????

I bet they are hiding in Beruite-which is why it has been cutoff and is having ALL Hezbollah positions/homes/business's/mosques where they had men/weapons.

Yep Hezbollah, I have a song for you from an American TV-COPS!

Bad boys, bad boys, what you gonna do when they come for you (hide behind the civilians like the cowards they are) and YOU know Israel is COMING for YOU!!!




[edit on 8/5/2006 by mrmonsoon]

Originally posted by mrmonsoon

Yep Hezbollah, I have a song for you from an American TV-COPS!

Bad boys, bad boys, what you gonna do when they come for you (hide behind the civilians like the cowards they are) and YOU know Israel is COMING for YOU!!!

[edit on 8/5/2006 by mrmonsoon]

Thats providing Israel can get passed these "village reserves"