The emerging legitimacy of Hizbullah: a doomsday for the Middle East

As the United States is just months away from choosing its 44th President, the world is anxiously watching. Make no mistake, our enemies are awaiting the choice as well. Both candidates talk freely of a vision in the Middle East and the threat from Al-Qaida, but neither will acknowledge that the Middle East of today is still the house of cards it was twenty years ago.

Last week, Israel reaffirmed its position on the list of countries which succumb to terrorist groups' demands. In a prisoner exchange, five Hizbullah militants - including Samir Kantar, whose release had been sought by the group since the 1985 hijacking of the Achille Lauro - were swapped for the bodies of two Israeli soldiers. Both soldiers had been dead since their capture in 2006.

Contrary to the mainstream media, the swap was a universal victory for terrorist groups. The one country that was seen as their main enemy had succumbed to their demands, releasing its most notorious Arab prisoner. Israel's actions that merely recovered two deceased soldiers have compromised the safety of one of its own. Immediately following the successful exchange, Hamas announced that "it proved Israel was no longer able to dictate terms during negotiations" and that Hamas would raise the stakes for Gilad Shalit, who is being held since his capture as well in 2006.

The ultimate dilemma Israel will face is that Lebanon is now unified by Hizbullah thanks to the inaction of the universal community. United Nations Security Council Resolution 1559, passed in 2004, called for Hizbullah's disarmament. The lack of compliance in such a situation proved fatal for Lebanon when the nation's second civil occurred. Triggered by government action banning Hizbullah's communications network (built by Iran) and the removal of the Beirut airport chief (who had allowed the group to place hidden cameras to spy on anti-Syrian politicians' travels, reportedly for assassination surveillance), the group launched its campaign. Disabling the U.S. trained army, the group forced Lebanon's parliament to negotiate before the group waged all-out war against the weak U.S.-trained Lebanese military. At the end of the "unity government" negotiations, Hizbullah walked away with Cabinet posts, an uncontested veto power, and Parliament seats.

Not a bad deal for a group that estimates over the past six months have warned is "rearming at an alarming rate." Reports suggest that the group in May had nearly 45,000 rockets, more than before the onset of the 2006 war with Israel, as well as nearly emptying villages in its southern Lebanese strongholds to send for training in Iran and Syria. The group has collected an estimated $30 billion from Iran and Syria. The group's international fundraising have been thriving in South America and have included cigarette-smuggling rings inside North Carolina. Contributing to the group's powerhouse status is that its leader, Hassan Nasrallah, is routinely celebrated as the most prominent Arab leader (over Ahmadinejad, bin Laden, Mashaal, etc.).

Hizbullah is clearly the model for international terrorism. They have successfully adapted to counter the global efforts against them, becoming an international enterprise. The group is not by any means at a weak state. Unless Israel begins to focus on its northern border, the group will continue to thrive and enjoy its hijacking of the Lebanese government, resulting in a Middle East consisting of the status quo.