Analysis: New manifesto reveals a more sophisticated, confident Hizbullah

[Mosby]

Hizbullah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah this week announced the publication of a new political manifesto, outlining the goals of his movement. The document is the successor to Hizbullah's first manifesto, published in 1985, and many regional analysts have hailed it as reflecting the group's "Lebanonization."

This term is intended to mean that the new manifesto represents the abandonment of the movement's core Shi'a Islamist outlook, and its acceptance of a new role as an influential player in Lebanese domestic politics. However, this view is excessively optimistic. The new manifesto reveals that Hizbullah's strategic goals are unchanged.

snip

The new manifesto suggests that Hizbullah circa 2009 is a far more confident and comfortable player in Lebanon than it was in its earlier years. The reason for this, however, is not because the Shi'a Islamist movement has adapted itself to prevailing Lebanese realities. It is because Hizbullah has successfully imposed itself upon these realities, and hence may now proceed at its own pace.

snip

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1259243066099

[MannyGoldstein]

1. Just Don't Post The Actual Manifesto On DU

Whenever I post paragraphs from the actual Hamas Charter on DU, they get taken down. DU seems to have an unwritten rule about posting actual living documents from actual political groups if it makes some folks uncomfortable.

From the linked article, it's fascinating that two versions of the Manifesto were published: one in Arabic, and one in English which, strangely, leaves out most of the "let's drive the Jews from Jerusalem" stuff.