fazlallah is indeeeed a good companion to the Supreme Leader of Iran. He specializes on baby-killing, lies and terror just like the Iranian government leaders.

> "What is the difference between setting out for battle knowing you will
> die after killing ten [enemies], and setting out to the field and knowing
> you will die while killing them?"

Well one difference is he got to live a long life, enjoy prestige comfort and power, and then die in his sleep of old age surrounded by friends and family.

And the young men and women who strapped on bombs at his cheerleading did not.

Seems to be a common story with this noble leaders of Islam, who all live long lives as they destroy their children and Islamic culture gains nothing in the process.

fate of all religious leaders who call upon suicide bombings, hopefuly sooner than later.there is a differance when being a kamikaze in a war and targeting civilians you forgot to mention that.
He is worse than the suicide bomber who is most of the time a poor misguided youngster. He is the one who gives him god's approval for his acts and therefor it make him responsible, yep blah balh we had some interests that might have crossed ways, he is still a Terror leader no matter what.
He is such a liberal wow, women it is okay for you to fight back you don't just have to take beatings silently so if you are strong enough it won't be wrong to hit back awsome stuff he should run for office in Vermont.
Actually I think that should be the solution to terror get rid of the rooot of the problem and target all the religious leaders who call upon Jihad

So Fadallah wasn't "Hizballah's Spiritual Leader". Big whoop. Here is a religious authority authorizing terrorist activities against civilians, a war crime if there ever was one.
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Both Baer', who's article in the TIME Magazine, was the source of the first third of this blog, and now Kenner, make a huge deal out of the idea that Fadallah wasn't Hizballah's spiritual leader. Honestly, at this point, that's a minor footnote given what is written about him in the artice above. A man who advocates killing civilians and Jihad. Indeed, hardly a supporter of the US.
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One note about the suicide-bombing issue, its not the tactic that is a problem. Killing and sacrifice is what happens during a war, whether its someone throwing themselves on a grenade, fighting to let their comrades live, or going to kill the enemy on a risky, or one-way mission.
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No, the two problems with the use of suicide bombers is that they break the barrier between civilians and combatants, disguising fighters as civilians (non-combatants), and targeting civilians. Both war crimes.

... the comments section of FP's "Argument" articles is more astute in its analysis than the actual article.

Nice article, with an analysis that goes beyond the dumb Shia = Iran & Lebanese Shia=Hezbollah. Given how piss poor much of FP's content is it's a surprise when you come across an article like this.

Thanks for this FP, an interesting article, and predictable comments.

As I read I wonder if anyone would pick-up on the CIA terror attack that killed 80 and injured 200 in a residential suburb - and missed their target. The level of hypocrisy inherent in the US's dealings with others is always staggering. I am not saying some of those the US vilifies are not worthy of attack but it is always stunning to see the pot calling the kettle black without any hint of irony. Of course the perennial desire to depict 'them' as comic book baddies has led to the usually misinterpretations. This is another example of 'America doesn't do nuance' writ large. One day the US will learn that some of its friends are not all good and some of its enemies are not all bad but more the time being the US is going to keep thinking it is superman, while going all Mr. Magoo when it comes to its own acts, and sponsorship, of terrorism.

Anyone read Woodward's book? Comments, opinions, etc....

"Sad to hear of the passing of Sayyed Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah... One of Hezbollah's giants I respect a lot."

David Kenner should count himself lucky that he does not work for CNN. The rather inocuous quote above is a tweet from a CNN foreign affairs senior editor, of 20 years service, which got her sacked. If this is the level of self sencorship required of those in the US MSM then the US does not have, and can not have, a free press. Tow the government's propaganda line or face the consequences.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/us_and_canada/10549106.stm

its not surprising to hear that U.S got ANOTHER thing wrong in the middle east. this is just another item to the long list of american scew ups in the middle east, all for the sole purpose of breast feeding baby israel. israel got it what it deserved back in 2006 by getting its butt kicked by hezbullah. ever since then they have only become stronger and have gained more influence in lebanon and in the arab world. all the israeli cry babies will complain about an article like this, yet won't hold thier own government accountable for their stupidity. in a world where israel acts the way it does, having a formidable force like hezbullah is needed. if reports are true that hezbullah has acquired SCUD missles, then we should all celebrate it. israel will be mindful of what it does. the arabs have gotten used to being killed, the israelis are little cry babies who cry when they get a paper cut

Well one difference is he got to live a long life, enjoy prestige comfort and power, and then die in his sleep of old age surrounded by friends and family.

And the young men and women who strapped on bombs at his cheerleading did not.

Seems to be a common story with this noble leaders of Islam, who all live long lives as they destroy their children and Islamic culture gains nothing in the process.

Well said! I had the exact thought after reading this article! That's a hell of a difference.. Cheers, Martin

Your logic that "he got to enjoy a long life while the young suicide bombers died" is along the same lines of "Obama gets to enjoy a long pampered life while our troops in afghanistan die" or "the pope gets to enjoy a long life while africans get AIDS from not using condoms."

He is a CLERGYMAN. In my church, the priest would always say a prayer for "our armed forces." I suppose my priest is also a hypocrit for not going out and shooting people himself and instead doing what a clergyman does, preaching?