Warriors of God

September 12, 2011
Veteran Middle East correspondent Blanford (Killing Mr. Lebanon) draws on his 17 years covering Lebanon for this detailed and timely account of the rise of the Lebanese resistance group. The 1978 occupation of southern Lebanon by Israel spawned a “new movement” among the Shia underclass to confront the Israelis: Hezbollah, or the Party of God. Supported by Iran, protected by Syria, and led since 1992 by the charismatic Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah exploited its role as “the dominant force fighting the Israelis” to become today the dominant political and military actor in Lebanon. Relying primarily on his extensive reporting from the front lines of the fighting in south Lebanon and interviews with officials and fighters, the author pieces together an intriguing picture of Hezbollah as a political, social, and militant group. The book is generally evenhanded, but Blanford seems to go a bit easy on some of Hezbollah’s more dubious practices. When the group ambushed an Israeli patrol, sparking another round of violence, Blanford is quick to accept their claim that they were “not looking for a serious confrontation.” And despite the thousands of rockets Hezbollah fired into Israel in 2006, the author characterizes Hezbollah’s posture as defensive. Otherwise, Blanford offers a smart, comprehensive, and valuable look inside the workings of perhaps “the most powerful nonstate military organization in the world.”

October 1, 2011
A comprehensive assessment of Hezbollah's military capability. Christian Science Monitor Beirut correspondent Blanford (Killing Mr. Lebanon: The Assassination of Rafik Hariri and its Impact on the Middle East, 2006, etc.) provides a detailed account of the origins and development of the irregular military force called Hezbollah, which calls itself Lebanon's "national resistance," but is under at least partial strategic direction of Iran and its Revolutionary Guard. Documenting a different kind of capability than that usually associated with terrorist groups, Blanford argues that Iran has spent billions on Hezbollah to expand its own deterrence posture and retaliatory options. It is a capability Ariel Sharon's former security advisor Giora Eiland says "we cannot defeat" without defining Lebanon as Israel's enemy. In the area south of Beirut, different generations of weapons systems have been developed and tested since the 1980s, and elicited counter efforts by Israel as a proxy for Western technology. After each round of open war, Hezbollah has been re-equipped after drawing the technological and military lessons from what preceded. Blanford argues that present capabilities, maintained in violation of UN disarmament resolutions, are more advanced than ever. New types of missiles and anti-aircraft systems have been deployed since 2006, made possible by treaties with Syria and Iran from 2005. There is also Hezbollah's increasing political involvement in Lebanon, especially now that the organization has been implicated in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. An experienced journalist adds essential background and depth to the daily news from the region.

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

May 1, 2011

The Beirut correspondent of the London Times and Christian Science Monitor, Blanford has been called the leading expert on Hezbollah--by 60 Minutes, no less, so I guess I have to believe it. Expect an eye-popping account; Blanford had access to the militant Shia organization's insiders.

Copyright 2011 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2011
By resisting Israeli occupation of portions of Lebanon after the 1982 ouster of the Palestine Liberation Organization from West Beirut, Hezbollah has capitalized on the rising appeal of an Islamic revolution throughout the Middle East. Blanford spent 16 years covering Hezbollah, gaining exceptional access that allowed him to witness battles, carnage, strategizing, and the triumphs and setbacks of this highly secretive, non-state resistance group. He recounts the long history of ethnic and religious tensions in the region and skillfully tells the larger geopolitical story through individual lives. Blanford chronicles the recruitment, training, and culture of Hezbollah, including the celebration of martyrs with billboards and commemorations. The vast social-welfare network Hezbollah provides to members and local citizens endears it to people caught in its battle with Israel. Blanford draws on interviews and his own harrowing experience in battle zones and prison to detail the resistance movement's evolution. With fierce commitment and increasingly sophisticated military tactics and propaganda, Hezbollah forced Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon in 2000. A riveting read for those seeking understanding of some dynamics of the Middle East conflict.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)