Allies Resisting as U.S. Pushes on Hezbollah

[Rose Siding]

As rising instability in Lebanon increases tensions in the Middle East, the Bush administration is arguing with European governments over whether they should designate the Lebanon-based Shiite group Hezbollah a terrorist organization, American and European officials say.

The United States is already stepping up pressure on Iran and Syria, Hezbollah's main sponsors. The American rift with Syria deepened this week, with suspicions that Syria might have been behind the assassination of Lebanon's former prime minister in Beirut on Monday.

The disagreement over Hezbollah presents another challenge for President Bush, who will go to Europe on Sunday on a mission to fix ruptures with Europe over the Iraq war.

In the past two weeks, the officials said, France has rebuffed appeals by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and the Israeli foreign minister, Silvan Shalom, to list Hezbollah as a terrorist organization, which would prevent it from raising money in Europe through charity groups. The United States has long called Hezbollah a terrorist organization, but the French, American and European officials said, have opposed doing so, and argue that making such a designation now would be unwise, given the new turbulence in Lebanon...MORE....

http://nytimes.com/2005/02/17/international/middleeast/17diplo.html?hp&ex=1108616400&en=7095ff34aa6860a7&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[GetTheRightVote]

1. I hope the french and other europeans keep up their stance on it

:kick:

[BoogDoc7]

2. ummm...

Why ISN'T Hezbollah a terrorist group?

[aneerkoinos]

4. ummm...

Because it ain't? Why, are you saying it should be?

[ConcernedCanuk]

3. Why would any country pay attention to US claims

.
.
.

after the Iraq Deceptions?


All the duoblespeak may fool the American voters that spend more time studying their sports line-up than they do their own politics,

but certainly not fool the leaders of other countries.

Lawdy knows that the US's "coalition" would vaporize if'n all the bribes and threats were removed.

Take away the US's bombs and missiles, and whaddya got? :shrug:

one very friggen lonely country,

dat's what!