From a rag-tag band of guerrillas in the 1980S, the Hizbullah have become a near-professional army capable of resisting the Israelis on several fronts for prolonged periods. But they are far more than simply a military force. They are also a popular political movement in Lebanon, capable of transcending the countrys fractured communal politics, and the main providers of education and welfare services to Lebanons poorest people. It is not only for their military strength that they are massively popular with Arab and Muslim peoples everywhere and regarded with fear by Israel, the West and Arab governments alike. This volume brings together essays and features on what is perhaps the most successful non-government social, political and military movement in the world today.
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