[andyfox]

During the Old Cold War, the United States saw itself in a life and death battle against the worldwide, godless Communist menace. Almost every problem in the world was laid at the feet of the Soviet Union. Local issues and history were often ignored, and that led to a lot of disappointment later on when those factors caused results that we hadn't anticipated. Vietnam is certainly the most notable example.

In the current political debate in the media, it appears to me we are in a New Cold War. The enemy this time is terror and/or the Islamo-Facists. I heard one radio talk show host say that all the problems--in Lebanon, in Iraq, in Iran, in North Korea, in India, in Russia--are one in the same. It's all one war. World War III, according to Newt Gingrich.

If we approach problems with this attitude, we are bound to experience similar disappointments. Assuming, for example, that the actions of Hezbollah are all a result of what Syria and Iran wants done, is a mistake. Hezbollah has achieved its political success in Lebanon by transforming itself form an agent of those countries into an agent for domestic reform. This doesn't mean that Syria and Iran do not provide military and economic aid to Hezbollah, or that they have no influence. But to ignore local politics in Lebanon in planning our policies is to invite disaster.