Axis At Work?

From IBD:
Posted 7/13/2006

Middle East: Why now? The world needs to ask that question and not just make the usual pleas for "restraint." It's unlikely that Hezbollah, created by Iran and allied with Syria, attacked Israel on a mere whim.

We don't claim to provide a definitive answer here, but one thing is clear enough. Hezbollah's decision to resume its war on the Jewish state suits the purposes of the Mideast's leading terror states.

For Iran, the violence could not have been better timed. United Nations Security Council members were starting to sound almost serious about sanctioning the Iranian mullahs for their rogue nuclear program. Now, key players in Europe are shifting their attention — critical, of course — to Israel.

Almost as if on cue from Tehran, the European Union complained Thursday that Israel was using "disproportionate" force in its attacks on Lebanese territory after Hezbollah's killing and kidnapping of Israeli troops. This statement came before Hezbollah escalated the fighting with a rocket attack on Haifa. But if past wars are any guide, Europe's verbal sniping will continue as long as Israel makes a robust effort to defend itself.

Iran had a particular reason to welcome a war this week. It had until Wednesday to comply with an international demand that it halt uranium enrichment. The deadline passed without being honored. Now along comes a war that is likely to strain the already fragile unity of the coalition trying to keep Iran's nuclear ambitions in check. The sense of crisis provoked by the fighting also will encourage everyone involved (even the U.S.) to put the Iranian business on hold. Tehran will buy more time. How convenient.

Syria also has something to gain from the conflict, especially if Israel feels compelled to leave it alone. It has issues of its own with the Western powers, stemming from its sheltering of extremists such as Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal and its suspected part in the assassination of Rafik Hariri, Lebanon's former prime minister.
With much of the world waking up to its role as a terrorist sponsor, Syria could profit from inattention and moral confusion. It may get both from war if Israel once again gets blamed.

As we said, there's more than one possible answer to the "why now?" question. But even if Iran and Syria didn't order up this war, they should be held responsible for letting it continue. After all, Hezbollah's weapons and other means don't just fall from the sky. As with any army, someone has to arm it, feed it and pay its bills.
Iran created Hezbollah in 1982 to extend the Ayatollah Khomeini's Islamic revolution and is its main patron, believed to fund Hezbollah to the tune of $100 million a year, maybe more.

Along with Syria, Iran could decisively pressure Hezbollah to end the Lebanon crisis by ceasing attacks and returning the kidnapped Israelis. Hezbollah really answers to no one else. Certainly the Lebanese government, which includes some Hezbollah politicians, is too weak and compromised to bring the group to heel.

But Iran and Syria won't do the right thing unless pressured.

That's where we fear most of the world will fall short. The White House this week had the right idea in publicly blaming Iran and Syria for the war. But nations in the Mideast axis of terror need more than just Washington's stern words. They need to face the threat of diplomatic and economic isolation, and possibly force.

Instead, they may well get away with a mere scolding while Israel, as usual, bears the brunt of international scorn.