Hezbollah: The Global Footprint of Lebanon's Party of God

by Matthew Levitt

Hezbollah: The Global Footprint of Lebanon's Party of God is the first thorough examination of HezbollahOCOs covert activities beyond LebanonOCOs borders, including its financial and logistical support networks and its criminal and terrorist operations worldwide. HezbollahOCoLebanonOCOs Party of GodOCois a multifaceted organization: It is a powerful political party in Lebanon, a Shia Islam religious and social movement, LebanonOCOs largest militia, a close ally of Iran, and a terrorist organization. Drawing on a wide range of sources, including recently declassified government documents, court records, and personal interviews with intelligence and law enforcement officials around the world, Matthew Levitt examines HezbollahOCOs beginnings, its first violent forays in Lebanon, and then its terrorist activities and criminal enterprises abroad in Europe, the Middle East, South America, Southeast Asia, Africa, and finally in North America. Levitt also describes HezbollahOCOs unit dedicated to supporting Palestinian militant groups and HezbollahOCOs involvement in training and supporting insurgents who fought US troops in post-Saddam Iraq. The book concludes with a look at HezbollahOCOs integral, ongoing role in IranOCOs shadow war with Israel and the West, including plots targeting civilians around the world. Levitt shows convincingly that HezbollahOCOs willingness to use violence at home and abroad, its global reach, and its proxy-patron relationship with the Iranian regime should be of serious concern. Hezbollah is an important book for scholars, policymakers, students, and the general public interested in international security, terrorism, international criminal organizations, and Middle East studies.

Genres: Middle East, History, Politics, Terrorism, Islam, Lebanon, Israel

428 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 1, 2013

Reviews

[Dennis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plusses: The book has a wealth of detail on the terrorist activities of Hezbollah, how they relate to the interests of Iran, and how they relate to Hezbollah's charitable activities. It also highlighted how Hezbollah acts as a criminal group and its connections to the worldwide black market and drug trade. It also explained the Bush Administration's fear of terrorists crossing the American borders and operating in the United States.

Minuses: I know that Levitt has been lauded for his flowing narrative in other reviews, but he gives up a consistent timeline in the process. Levitt does a good job of spreading out the major Hezbollah international bombings along with more mundane activities. Levitt seems to lean towards Hezbollah being the same international terrorist group that bombed the Jewish community center in Argentina and the Khobar towers in Saudi Arabia, but those bombings occurred nearly 20 years ago. Even though the timeline is problematic, the book is fully worth a read to understand the international scope of Hezbollah.

[Dirk-Heine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Occasionally reads more like an intelligence report than a story, which makes it not very easy to read every now and then, but the richness of information and how well the research is done, makes more than up for it.

[Rocio · Rating 4 out of 5]

"El factor celestial es imprescindible en cada paso que damos (...) Nuestros intentos fueron infructuosos porque para dios todavía no había llegado el momento indicado"
Un ensayo muy completo que nos muestra de manera informativa la trayectoria de este partido de dios por el mundo. Desde sus comienzos hasta los principios de los 2000. Pasa por Argentina, Tailandia, Líbano, Arabia Saudita, Estados Unidos, entre otras países.
Es una lectura que recomiendo para los interesados del tema. Por mi parte me gusto bastante. Estaba muy interesada y enganchada.
A veces me resultaba un poco pesado ya que nos muestran mucha información en pocas páginas. Se me hizo un poco largo y ya al final lo quería terminar. Te pide atención en todo momento. No es para leerlo tranquilo en un momento, si no para leerlo con papel y lápiz e ir anotando lo que te interesa.
Yo no conocía del tema, me atrapo la portada y no me pude resistir. Fue una linda experiencia. Y aprendí de Hezbolá.
El ensayo es un nuevo genero que me empezó a interesar. ¿Me recomiendan alguno?

[Mimi Wolske · Rating 3 out of 5]

Iran’s long arm reaches virtually everywhere on the globe and therefore everywhere the United States has interests, including here at home. This is a good book for everyone to read.

[Wolfgang · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good description on organisation and operations. Detailed and colorful. A good read, if you are interested in this organization.

[Jim Pomeroy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 (hey Goodreads, fix that feature please). This is a well researched book that acts as a fantastic reference guide to Hezbollah and IRGC plots and outposts dating back to the mid-1980s. However, the book too often reads as a 300+ page intel report than a gripping narrative. Also, from what I can see, there is not a depth of Arabic language sources in this. However, it is clear that the author has fantastic sourcing in several intelligence agencies ranging from the Five Eyes to the Gulf.

[Ján Kapusňak · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want to know something about Hezbollah then read this. Levitt is one of the greatest experts on Hezbollah.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating analysis. In the blizzard of information from the 24/7 news cycle we can easily forget how active and present Hezbollah is in the U.S. and the Western hemisphere in general.

[Matthew Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Felt like reading a textbook. 3 stars for the content ....

[Linda]

book tv sounded fascinating and scary

[Mills College Library]

324.25692 L6667 2013