>>I've heard this theory floated about why Israel has come down so hard on Hezbollah. First note that the Lebananse military has not attempted to defend the country.
>>
>>Israel has seized an opportunity to strike against Hezbollah. Lebanon, unable to assert authority either governmentally or military in southern Lebanon is happy to have Israel to play the bad guys and have them take out Hezbollah. Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia are fearful of the Hezbollah for three reasons and they again, want Israel to play the bad cop and take them out:
>>- they are an unpredictable and uncontrollable sub-national group that threatens the Arab Peace Plan
>>- they are a shia group in a sunni region (Syria, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Jordan are sunni)
>>- they are being influence by a persian group (Iran) in an Arab region.
>>
>>Remeber that the Lebanese military has not tried to defend the country. The strongest language Lebanon has used is that "it required constitutionally that we defend ourselves".
>>
>>The theory is that everyone wants Hezbollah out, and they are letting it happen.
>
>Interesting. I did hear a commentator this week who said essentially this is what happened with the PLO when Israel previously invaded Lebanon. The Lebanese and Syrians wanted the PLO out of Lebanon, and let Israel do the dirty work.

The parallels are growing by the day. Israel ocuppying Southern Lebanon. Calls for a multi-national peacekeeping force.