2007: Mitt Romney said Hezbollah-style healthcare would be good for America

Yes, THAT Hezbollah. What Hezbollah did was essentially provide government health care for the people of southern Lebanon, which Mitt thought was a great idea.

Crooks & Liars (H/R Robert W) Romney: “Did you notice in Lebanon, what Hezbollah did? Lebanon became a democracy some time ago and while their government was getting underway, terror group Hezbollah went into southern Lebanon and provided health clinics to some of the people there, and schools. And they built their support there by having done so. That kind of diplomacy is something that would help America become stronger around the world and help people understand that our interest is an interest towards modernity and goodness and freedom for all people in the world. And so, I want to see America carry out that kind of health diplomacy...”

I guess that means FREE female genital mutilation, rehab for flogging victims, pre-natal care for 4 wives, burials for honor-killed women…

H/T atlasshrugs2000 & barenakedislam

Hezbollah chief in rare public address in Lebanon, claiming his militant group is acquiring more weapons and getting stronger every day.

BEIRUT (AP) -- The leader of Lebanon's Hezbollah group made a rare public appearance at a Beirut rally on Tuesday to mark the Shiite holy day of Ashoura, claiming his militant group is acquiring more weapons and getting stronger every day.

Sheik Hassan Nasrallah said Hezbollah was "here to stay" and would never compromise on its weapons.

Hezbollah's weapons are a contentious issue in Lebanon. The militant group insists it needs to maintain its powerful arsenal to ward off any threat from Israel but the weapons also make Hezbollah the most potent military force in Lebanon - far stronger than even the national army.

"We are increasing in numbers and in weapons ... and for those who are betting that our weapons are rusting, we say that our weapons are being renewed," Nasrallah added.

Nasrallah has rarely been seen in public since his Shiite Muslim group battled Israel in a monthlong war in 2006, fearing Israeli assassination. Since then, he has communicated with his followers and gives news conference mostly via satellite link.

But on Tuesday, the black-turbaned Nasrallah was seen walking through a throng of people in a southern Shiite stronghold in Beirut and then greeted crowds from the podium.

"I wanted to be with you for few minutes ... to renew our pledge and for the world to hear us," Nasrallah said.

His public appearance, he said, was a message to those who believe they can "threaten us," he added, as many in the crowds shouted "Death to America" and "Death to Israel."

He then left the podium, smiling and telling tens of thousands of supporters he will reappear in few minutes on a giant screen for a longer speech. "See you in few minutes ... don't go away," he joked to his followers before he left.

Nasrallah's appearance is meant to portray confidence at a time of upheaval in the Middle East and particularly in Syria, which along with Iran is Hezbollah's backer.

Syrians and Arabs around the region have in recent years elevated Nasrallah to the status of a nationalist hero after his guerrillas' 2006 war with Israel.

Since the Syrian uprising, however, Syrians have unleashed their anger at Hezbollah over its blunt support for the regime of President Bashar Assad. Some protesters in Syria have set fire to the yellow flag of Hezbollah and pictures of Nasrallah.

Nasrallah reiterated his support for Assad's regime Tuesday, accusing the United States of seeking to destroy Syria "to make up for its defeat in Iraq."

Ashoura is one of the holiest days of the Muslim Shiite calendar. It marks the anniversary of the death in the seventh century of the Prophet Muhammad's grandson Imam Hussein. His death in a battle outside of the Iraqi city of Karbala sealed Islam's historical Sunni-Shiite split, which still bedevils the Middle East.

Hezbollah captured a number of US spies in Lebanon recently, current and former US officials say

BreakingNews: - AP http://t.co/728Ei9tY

WASHINGTON (AP) — The CIA’s operations in Lebanon have been badly damaged after Hezbollah identified and captured a number of U.S. spies recently, current and former U.S. officials told The Associated Press. The intelligence debacle is particularly troubling because the CIA saw it coming.

Hezbollah’s longtime leader, Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, boasted on television in June that he had rooted out at least two CIA spies who had infiltrated the ranks of Hezbollah, which the U.S. considers a terrorist group closely allied with Iran. Though the U.S. Embassy in Lebanon officially denied the accusation, current and former officials concede that it happened and the damage has spread even further.

In recent months, CIA officials have secretly been scrambling to protect their remaining spies — foreign assets or agents working for the agency — before Hezbollah can find them.

To be sure, some deaths are to be expected in shadowy spy wars. It’s an extremely risky business and people get killed. But the damage to the agency’s spy network in Lebanon has been greater than usual, several former and current U.S. officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about security matters.
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Hezbollah moves missiles from Syria to Lebanon, fearing fall of Assad regime

Hezbollah has used trucks to move hundreds of long-range Iranian-produced missiles from Syria to bases in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley, Le Figaro reports.

By Barak Ravid

In recent weeks, Hezbollah has moved hundreds of missiles from storage sites in Syria to bases in eastern Lebanon, the French newspaper Le Figaro reported on Saturday.

According to the report, Hezbollah moved the missiles due to the concern that the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad will fall and that a new Syrian government will cut off ties with Hezbollah.

	Hezbollah fighters preparing to launch Katyusha rockets.
	Photo by: AP

The report quoted a "Western expert" as saying that intelligence agencies have monitored the movement of trucks from the Syrian border to Lebanon's Bekaa Valley. The trucks contained long-range Iranian-produced Zilzal, Fajr 3 and Fajr 4 missiles.

Hezbollah had been storing these missiles in depots in Syria. Some of the depots are secured by Hezbollah personnel while others are located on Syrian military bases.

According to the report, the movement of the missiles has been problematic, particularly due to concerns that Israel and other nations are monitoring the trucks with spy satellites.

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