US Still Desperate to Link Hizbollah with Al-Qaeda

Despite the obvious flaws in the argument, the US is still persisting in linking Hizbollah with Al-Qaeda. The US intelligence chief John Negroponte has claimed that there is evidence of Al-Qaeda activity in Lebanon, but refused to substantiate his claim. Negroponte said in an interview with Reuters:

"It's not clear to me whether or not they've [Al-Qaeda] got a basis for successful activity in Lebanon, since the stronger Muslim sect in Lebanon is Shia. But I wouldn't rule that out. And there's been some evidence of al-Qaida activity in Lebanon."

This supposition is based on a letter apparently written by Al-Qaeda's second in command Ayman al-Zawahri to its then chief in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. It would appear that the letter itself has no evidence of any link with Hizbollah, but that is hardly likely to stop the White House from twisting the evidence to support their own warped agenda.

Interestingly, the letter also leaves one in no doubt whatsoever that Al-Qaeda (a Sunni organisation) has no time for it's Shia rivals (Iran and Hizbollah). It's only reservation in attacking Shia groups is that it would divert attention away from attacking the Americans. Al-Zawahiri merely questions the idea of opening another front at this time, but suggests that when the conditions are right they will turn their aggression on the Shia. Clearly the destruction of the Shia, including the Iranian regime, remains a long-term goal of Al-Qaeda (which perhaps explains why the Iranian government is also keen to lock-up Al-Qaeda suspects).

It is hard to believe any word that comes out of many people in the Bush administration, but particularly Negroponte. His record in Honduras speaks for itself. His support for the Contras in the fight against the Sandinistas is well documented, as was his refusal to acknowledge human rights abuses by the Honduran government. The man, like many in the Bush administration , is clearly not to be trusted. The attempts by anyone to link Hizbollah with Al-Qaeda is laughable in the extreme. But then, the extremists in the White House have a habit of turning the unbelievable into some twisted reality. Nasrallah has already publicly stated his disgust with the attacks on September 11th and there has been very little evidence that the two groups are likely to put aside their dislike for one another. But, then again, we are dealing with a deceitful administration that includes people like Negroponte. Perhaps we should not be surprised if the ridiculous notion that the two groups are in collusion continues to gain momentum amongst those in the media and those on the far-right.