The Liberal Politics & Current Events Book Club discussion

As I glanced down the list of books, Brenda, I seemed to sense an anti-Israeli perspective.

You said you wanted many perspectives, but I can only see a slanted viewpoint. I'm sorry, but I'm just trying to be honest, Brenda. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Then how about Killing Mr. Lebanon by Nicholas Blanford.

or Hezbollah: The Changing Face of Terrorism in the Middle East by Judith Palmer Harik.

Or something about Hezbollah supporting Assad in Syria.

To have nothing on the assassination of Rafic Hariri by Syrian agents in a group that calls itself Friends of Lebanon seems to me a glaring omission. I would suggest trying to correct that especially.

From its blog posts it is quite obvious that this organization is broadly sympathetic to Iran/Russia/Assad. I don't think there is anything wrong with that, just maybe this perspective could be stated more explicitly in the website.

I agree. That's why it should be flat out stated and not pretend to be a group with "many perspectives."

But you seem to have no problem attacking Israel and saying nothing about Syria. In my view, this only prolongs the hatred and avoids an acceptance of Israel as a nation. Again in my view, it could be very easy if people were willing for Israel and Lebanon to accept their border and put an end to any infringement of it. Syria is entrenched in Lebanese politics. The "dangerous idea" I see is to blame Israel for everything. Eventually, a nation has to solve its own problems.

Brenda wrote: "Thanks for the input. Just to clarify the question of "many perspectives," I used the phrase in the initial post to include those perspectives outside the mainstream--apologies that this seems to h..."

There are many perspectives outside the mainstream but imho I only see on that website the one favorable to March 8/Iran/Russia/Assad so-called "Resistance axis". Why is it that when Hezbollah fought against IDF it is resistance but when Syrian rebels fight against Hezbollah intervention in Syria it is not resistance? Why is religious zionism rigorously condemned but velāyat-e faqīh praised as "participatory democracy"? btw, that nice post on "Iranian model" reads like something in People's Daily.

P.S. I do think Hezbollah is one of the most decent factions in that region esp. in its service to the poor and defense of religious minorities, and I would probably support it had I been a Lebanese citizen.