An Interesting Look at the Importance of Hezbollah and the Future of Warfare

By Douglas Farah

This interesting study by the U.S. Army's Strategic Studies Institute of the 2006 Hezbollah-Israel wars offers some important insights not only into that conflict, but why Hezbollah matters and how their actions can affect how future wars develop.

The study, first brought to public attention by the Haaretz newspaper,concludes that Hezbollah fought the war not as an "information age guerrillas," but as a prototype of a new hybrid force that also relies on conventional tactics and structures.

The report also concludes Hezbollah fought better than any other Arab force to fight with Israel.

The report is worth reading because, whether one agrees or not with everything there, it is thought-provoking. It is particularly important given Hezbollah's growing strength and reach in Latin America, because it shows that the movement has a disciplined, innovative military mind-set.

This discipline and ability to take the long view is why it is so difficult, to my thinking, to dismiss the presence of Iran and Hezbollah in Latin America.

These state and nonstate groups operating in a coordinated fashion, are are exerting a great deal effort and a considerable sum of money in troubled economic times to pursue their agenda. It is hard to believe they would do that for no return, or without an expected strategic payoff.

This combination (state-nonstate) may be an important factor in understanding how Hezbollah as developed over time to look like a more conventional force. Without state support, that would likely not be possible.

As an aside, it also maintains strong ties with other militant groups, such as Hamas and the international Muslim Brotherhood, as this remarkable photograph from the Holy Land trial exhibits show, dug out by the NEFA Foundation. My full blog is here.

TrackBack