WASHINGTON -- The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah raging along the Lebanese border could soon hamper the U.S. fight against terrorism, according to current and former intelligence officials.
Not only does the bloodshed play into the rhetoric of al-Qaida leaders, they said, but it is straining alliances that the United States depends upon to fight terrorism. It might also align two terrorist groups that have historically feuded over religious differences -- al-Qaida and Hezbollah -- against the United States, which is seen as inseparable from Israel in the Arab world.
The underestimation of Hezbollah's fighting power also raises questions about U.S. intelligence in the region, these officials said. Hezbollah, designated by the State Department as a terrorist group, also holds positions in the Lebanese government.
A senior U.S. intelligence official, speaking on condition of anonymity, called Hezbollah "a more formidable foe" than previously thought. He said that Israeli and U.S. intelligence agencies had failed to understand the extent of Hezbollah's organization and fire power in southern Lebanon.
Bruce Hoffman, a terrorism analyst at the Rand Corp., said the strength that Hezbollah has demonstrated "has to be regarded as a setback" for the United States campaign against terrorism.
The U.S. intelligence official agreed. "It's hurting us in some ways, obviously," he said. He mentioned the increasing stress on U.S. relations with European and Arab allies over the Bush administration's support for Israel's aggressive response, the perception in the Arab world that America is indifferent to Arab loss of life, and the value of this latest conflict as a recruiting tool for al-Qaida and other terror groups.
Recasting image
President Bush sought to recast his government's image and approach yesterday during an appearance at the White House with British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
"Our top priorities in Lebanon are providing immediate humanitarian relief, achieving an end to the violence, ensuring the return of displaced persons and assisting with reconstruction," he said
But Bush did not call for an immediate cease-fire, instead choosing to promote a United Nations resolution promoting a framework "for cessation of hostilities on an urgent basis," as Bush described it, and a multinational force to stabilize the area.
