Lebanese Dog Attacks Neighbor

---by Micheal

The mideast trouble has become one of nations fighting non-nations. Hamas and Hezbollah and Iraqi sectarian death squads are not nations. Yet, they field armies as if they were nations. They sometimes build some schools and hospitals for the locals, as if they were nations. But they're not nations. When the bullets and rockets fly, they really don't care if the locals' homes are bombed and jobs destroyed. They've proven that repeatedly.

These non-nation groups live like parasites within someone else's feeble "nation" state, but these groups have no citizens, no commerce, no infrastructure to worry about. This leaves none of the customary leverage which diplomacy has relied upon to coax nations into behaving themselves. Treaties and accords mean nothing when one of the parties has nothing to lose.

While shadowy non-nation militant groups have no reason to restrain themselves, their "host" nations do. It's the host nation's citizens, businesses and bridges that kick whacked. Host nations should not excused culpability any more than the owner of a vicious dog is excused when it attacks someone. "Hey, I didn't bite the girl, Rocko did." No one accepts that excuse. If a nation, weak or otherwise, adopts a vicious "pet" within their borders, they become responsible for its attacks.

If Lebanon is too weak to control its savage dog, or too weak to stop malicious neighbors from prodding their dog to attack, the nation of Lebanon is still responsible. It's not "unfair" that Lebanese citizens and infrastructure suffer. The Lebanese government thought it was just fine to harbor Hezbollah as a pet. They're now paying the price, just like any other homeowner would if their dog attacked someone.

If Lebanon is too weak to control that dog, then they'll just have to accept allowing Animal Control onto their property to put Rocko down. It's absurd to complain that Animal Control is trespassing.

Vicious breeds do not make acceptable pets. Property owners are held responsible.