THE ESCALATING MILITARY CONFRONTATION IN SOUTH LEBANON. 

The National Alliance of Lebanese Americans (NALA) condemns the latest outbreak of violence in South Lebanon, originating with the assassination of Sheik Abbas Musawi, and culminating in full fledged military confrontation. NALA is particularly opposed to the anti-American threats emanating from Hizbullah and its supporters. 

Nonetheless, these events come as no surprise. For years NALA has cautioned the U.S. Government against such a potentiality. The Bush Administration was warned that, if left unchecked, the occupation of Lebanon and the free reign of terrorist organizations under the direction of the occupiers would eventually become the most destabilizing factor in the region. The Bush Administration should have possessed the necessary insight to foresee that this "Leopard" was not going to change its spots.  

Instead of supporting the Lebanese in their efforts to prevent a terrorist take over of Lebanon, The U.S. and the West, preoccupied by the short term goals of obtaining Syria's support against Iraq and securing the release of the hostages, have aided the growth of such groups. The Lebanese were the front-line defenders against international terrorism. The short sightedness of the U.S. Administration and other Western Governments have in effect eliminated that front line, move the confrontation to a higher and more dangerous level. 

Many of the Lebanese who fought the terrorist conquest and their syrian and Iranian sponsors were killed or exiled. The others were subdued by the grim realization that the West whose interests were the prime targets were in fact nurturing their growth. It was a U.S. sponsored plan that brought most of Lebanon under direct Syrian occupation in 1990, violently eliminating the Lebanese resistance and overruling the will of the popular majority. 

Since then the Syrian surrogate "Government" has allowed Hizbullah and other terrorist organizations an unprecedented level of freedom to intensify their activities unopposed. With Iranian support these terrorist groups are now franchising into Algeria, Sudan, and other places in an effort to expand their recruiting and operating  capacity and minimize their vulnerability. 

The NALA has always advocated that the withdrawal of foreign forces from Lebanon, the dissolution of their surrogate armed bands and the re-establishment of a strong democratic central Lebanese Government is a necessary prelude to any lasting peace and stability in the region. The recent events proves the validity of our advocacy. 

This issue had been tabled in the interest of the peace process, out of fear that the subject would antagonize Syria out of the process. However, at this juncture, avoiding the subject any longer would guarantee not only an immature end of the peace process but probably the beginning of highly destructive war that could quickly spin out of control. 

The longer the present state of lawlessness is allowed to remain, the more states like Syria and Iran will utilize Lebanese territory to foster and nurture an international killing machine, which would continue to destabilize and menace the region and the world.