The problem with fighting Hezbollah is that they are not a state. Even if the country they are based in crumbles around them, they will press on. The government of the country they are based is unable to reign them in. What can me done?

I propose that Southern Lebanon be ceded to Syria, the main backer of Hezbollah. This would decrease the ability of Syria to meddle in Lebanese politics. Also, although no friend of Israel, Syria does not allow terrorists based on its soil to attack Israel, because they know that the retaliation will be against Syria as a whole. Syria is stable and developed and they have a lot to lose in a war. They thus fight by proxy through Hezbollah, based in another country that Syria cares less about.

If Hezbollah becomes Syrian, it will be the responsibility of the Syrians to rein them in. Rather that Israelis or some UN force of Ghanans trying to control Hezbollah, it will be Syria, enforcing order on their own soil.

Syria will also have to rebuild southern Lebanon. As part of the deal, they would get the Golan Heights back as well, and also improved relations with the US. See very slick linked map to understand territories in question.
-- bungston, Aug 03 2006

Map of Southern Lebanon http://www.kathrync...ow_far_into_is.html
[bungston, Aug 03 2006]

Wikipedia: 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict http://en.wikipedia...el-Lebanon_conflict
Background. [jutta, Aug 03 2006]

Previous borders in that region.... http://en.wikipedia...s_Palestine_Mandate
One of many configurations.... [monojohnny, Aug 03 2006]

Jordanian reactions to proposed West Bank control http://www.merip.org/mero/mero062104.html
[theircompetitor, Aug 03 2006]

(?) Military "Aid" - who's funding the conflict? http://business.tim...129-2293610,00.html
[Frankx, Aug 07 2006]

Under this scheme, mightn't Syria continue to back guerrillas in other countries' bordering Israel in order to gain bits of their territories as well?
-- zen_tom, Aug 03 2006


[marked-for-deletion] no invention.

(just wanted to be the first)
-- Galbinus_Caeli, Aug 03 2006


I don't know. We have three categories full of "split X into Y and Z" and "Join Y and Z into X" and "Redraw the lines betreen X and Y like so" (with respect to countries). At least this one actually has some reasoning behind it.
-- jutta, Aug 03 2006


There's probably been enough meddling with borders in that region...

It might solve one problem, unfortunately probably create another one for future generations to sort out....

No bun , no fish. I just don't know...
-- monojohnny, Aug 03 2006


I reckon Switzerland should agree to move around a bit; acting as a neutral terrority and producing fine chocolates and watches for warring factions on either side of its borders.
-- monojohnny, Aug 03 2006


Perhaps we should expand all international borders to 10km and settle all those borderlands with the Swiss. Nobody could go to war with anyone else without passing through Swiss territory and getting distracted by fine chocolates.
-- Galbinus_Caeli, Aug 03 2006


This is not quite new -- this exact rationalle was tried by Israel with respect to the West Bank to be given to Jordan. Israel wanted to negotiate with Jordan rather than with the PLO. After all the West Bank was seized from Jordan.

King Hussein was too smart to get involved with this headache and always refused.

Various parties in the region benefit greatly from the conflict, Syrian power structure included. Why would they want to eliminate it?
-- theircompetitor, Aug 03 2006


Why not? I accidentally deleted my previous anno meaning to edit it.

It made me cry seeing so many children being carried lifeless out of rubble. You would think the combatants would tire of experiencing this.

I am unhappy Lebanon is being systematically destroyed justified by such a trivial excuse. I realize that there are tons of feelings and other incedents behind the excuse. I've heard, but have not verified, that Israel also has many, many UN resolutions that they have not adheared to.

I am unhappy Lebanon does not at least try to defend its own borders. I am unhappy Lebanon did not immediately arrest or try to arrest people perpetrating criminal acts.

I got a creepy crawly feeling when they verified that Hezbollah did not shoot down a manned Israeli plane, but a drone. Hmm. I know where that came from. Why THE F are we giving the Israelis these things? Money's right? hmm. Too bad we pimp our own Nat'l security. Ther'll be Plenty of buyers for the wreckage of that.

I wish I had a solution. That which [bungston] puts forth is better than what I've thought of, I think.
-- Zimmy, Aug 04 2006


That is pretty interesting about Jordan and the West Bank.
-- bungston, Aug 04 2006


Zimmy, are you seriously asking why they all don't just stop fighting? Maybe we can also ask why the Iraqis don't stop killing each other, since that would seem to be the fastest way to get US troops out? WIBNI the lion laid down with the lamb

Arrest them? I'm sorry, I think we're operating in different universes there
-- theircompetitor, Aug 04 2006


[tc], you're right. WIBNI. sigh. "but I don't know what to do"

On a Micro level, If I lobbed firebombs onto my neighbor's house, you know well enough I would face consequences. Not just from my neighbor.
-- Zimmy, Aug 07 2006


Zimmy, that would depend on how many armed friends you had to defend you from any consequences and what they were armed with.
-- DrBob, Aug 07 2006


Ummm so who would do the transfer --- the owners I guess. Why would they do that?
-- madness, Aug 08 2006



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