Confederate Yankee posts an interesting statement originating from Hezbollah in Lebanon, and looks at what it might mean.

“Hizbollah is not a tool of Iran, it is a Lebanese project that implements the demands of Lebanese,” Kassem said in an interview in the Hizbollah-controlled southern suburb of Beirut.

“Iran is a big country with real capabilities and can defend itself if it is exposed to American danger.”

He believes that 1) “Hezbollah has reason to believe that a conflict between Iran and Israel is a near term possibility.” And 2) “Hezbollah believes that the conflict will be of sufficient magnitude that a potentially debilitating counterstrike would pose a serious threat to their operations.” This could certainly be the case. Every day it seems like conflict with Iran is more likely to break out. Hezbollah, with its infinite ties to Iran, would be in the know.

But the part that is more interesting to me is how Hezbollah has had to change, at least outwardly, in order to cope with the times. Last year’s Cedar Revolution was a nationalist independence movement that forced Syria to withdraw its troops from the country. These demonstrators and their leaders wanted Lebanon to be free of foreign influence. Given Hezbollah’s cooperation with Syria and Iran, its entire existence now hedges upon its ability to be perceived as Lebanese, instead of the pawn of outside forces.

Just look at how Kassem stresses the Lebanese-ness of Hezbollah. Despite the obvious farsity of this assertion — the guy must have taken vicodin to relax when he said it — the fact that Hezbollah is has to defend itself shows the kind of situation its in. There is a ton of domestic and international pressure for it to disarm. The only way it will keep its weapons is by selling itself as authentially Lebanese and defending Lebanese interests.

No one really buys it though. Hezbollah’s leader, Hasssan Nasrallah, is always making trips to Iran to hold talks with its top leaders. I don’t know whether it’s to get plans from the master state, or to just get away from the wife’s nagging. I’d be more willing to bet it’s the former. I’m not sure if he even has a wife, but just imagine what kind of woman she would have to be to marry him!