A reader responds

Regarding the conflict in the Middle East:

If Hezbollah is acting outside of Lebanese law, then Lebanon is responsible for getting them under control since they are on their soil. If not, the Israelis can not be faulted for acting.

If Hezbollah is acting with the concurrence of Lebanon, then it is an act of war and the Israelis are still justified in acting.

The UN and some of the press can not seem to figure that out.

I agree with this assessment with one potential caveat: Perhaps Lebanon lacks the power to do anything about Hezbollah. In a large sense, the Lebanese government is responsible, but the reports I read indicate that the government is weak- both politically and militarily. Perhaps too weak to do much about Hezbollah's strongholds in the south.

I want to stress that I think of this as a potential caveat. Hezbollah is involved in the Lebanese government. How much distinction there is between the political and militant wing of Hezbollah (rather like in Northern Ireland) is somewhat unknown to me.

If there is complicity, then that certainly does change the nature of some of the arguments I've made about Israeli military action- I would have to revisit the issue at that point.

I have to plead a little ignorance here.

GP