‘Hezbollah’ Book Review: What a 1997 Report Still Gets Eerily Right About Today’s War
‘Hezbollah: Born With a Vengeance’ is a book written in 1997 by journalist Hala Jaber. She works for the Sunday Times, writing articles, then as now. She primarily writes on Middle East and Women’s issues. This book is a good overview of the objectives of the so-called Army of God.
This book is topical. Since Israel is bombing Lebanon, Iran has said it will not sign a peace deal with the United States until the Israelis stop bombing Lebanon. It is argued by both the United States and Israel that Hezbollah is run by the Iranians. The group has a long and bloody history, and they have targeted American interests.
‘Hezbollah: Born with a Vengeance’ Summary
Is the terrorist group Hezbollah funded by Iran? Do we have a global reach, with ‘sleeper cells’ everywhere, including in the United States? What does the group want and how big is it? These questions, and much more, are answered in this book.
The book lifts the shroud of secrecy that covers the Shiite Muslim militant organization. The book goes through the history of the group, and it is noted that it has been synonymous with terror since it first made global headlines with the 1983 suicide bombing that killed 241 U.S. Marines in Beirut. For the first time, Hezbollah has allowed an outsider, Hala Jaber, to talk to its fighters, leaders, and strategists, and to question them about the motives and operations behind some of the most destructive terrorist attacks in recent history.
She asks, does Hezbollah deserve its reputation? Can its role in the famous Beirut hostage crisis be justified? And what do former hostages John McCarthy, Terry Anderson, and Terry Waite now feel about their experience? She interviews them for the book. Born in the grinding poverty of the Bekaa Valley, Hezbollah – or “Party of God” has ties to Iran and exerts influence far beyond Lebanon.
Important to the motivation of the members in the group is that the fighters desire martyrdom. It is difficult to combat people who want to die. Hezbollah is, in many ways, the model organization. It is passionate, demanding of its members, and devoted to furthering an Islamic way of life. Above all, it is driven by the ultimate mandate: whatever it has done, and whatever it will do, is accomplished in the name of God. The members of the group are fundamentalists. Because they are so dogged, they are difficult to combat.
It is for this reason the Israelis want to destroy the group, and why the current war between the United States and Isreal and Iran is so intractable. The United States and Israel have firm objectives, and this group and its diehard members are a major reason why. Facing the political powder keg of rising prices, especially oil, President Trump seems unfazed.
Hala Jaber, in ‘Hezbollah: Born with a Vengeance,’ is very relevant to the news today, even though it was written almost thirty years ago. The book spends a lot of time explaining the unbelievable devotion shown by the members of Hezbollah. The shining example is the suicide bomber who went on to kill twelve Israeli soldiers in May 1995, speaks in this book, as does his wife, approvingly, of his martyrdom.
Why You Should Read This Book
You should read this book because this group is relevent to current events because of the war between the United States and Isreal and Iran. The book does a great job of explaining the goals and objectives of the fighters in the group, which is extremely important to current events.
Conclusion
It is kind of amazing that a book that was written so long ago is so relevant now, but this one is. It is important to understand the type of people who live in Lebanon (and by extension) Iran. They have been described as “crazy.” They are not. They have goals and work to achieve them. It is important to understand these goals in order to figure out a way out of the current war.
