Bush says Hezbollah suffered defeat in West Asia conflict

Washington, Aug 15 (UNI) United States President George Bush has said Hezbollah militants in Lebanon suffered defeat in their month-long conflict with Israel Speaking at the end of a day of meetings with his top defence and foreign policy advisors yesterday, first at the Pentagon and then the State Department just hours after a fragile cease-fire went into effect, Bush said, ''Hezbollah attacked Israel, Hezbollah started the crisis and Hezbollah suffered defeat in this crisis.'' Bush said the fighting had dealt a blow to Hezbollah, because it would no longer be able to operate freely in southern Lebanon, since Lebanese forces will be taking control of the area with the support of a ''robust'' international force according to the terms set by the UN Security Council and agreed to by the governments of Lebanon and Israel.

Even though Hezbollah is claiming victory in the war, Bush said time will prove the Lebanese-based militants were the losers. He said the people of Lebanon will one day realize that Hezbollah put them in jeopardy with little or no concern for their welfare.

Bush said, ''Hezbollah of course has got a fantastic propaganda machine and they are claiming victories. But, how can you claim victory when at one time you were a state within a state, safe within southern Lebanon and now you are going to be replaced by the Lebanese army and an international force?'' He said the conflict in Lebanon is part of a broader struggle between freedom and terror and stressed the need to break the link between Hezbollah and its backers in Syria and Iran. He added that Hezbollah has been emboldened by its state sponsors and noted that Iran is also helping arm militants in Iraq.

The President said the region now stands ''at a pivotal moment in history'' and the recent fighting showed the determination of extremists to prevent ''modern societies from emerging'' in West Asia.

''Yet millions of people in Lebanon, Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere are equally determined to live in peace and freedom.

They have tired of the false promises and grand illusions of radical extremists,'' he said, adding that people rejected their ''hateful vision'' in favour of a better future. ''We're determined to help them achieve that dream,'' he added.

Bush said the current challenge is to help young democracies in the region such as Lebanon, Iraq and Afghanistan, overcome their vulnerability to terrorists and their sponsors. ''One vulnerability is that many of the new democratic governments in the region have not yet established effective control over all their territory.'' He said his administration has a clear message to those opposed to the spread of democracy in the region. ''America will stay on the offense against al-Qaida. Iran must stop its support for terror. And the leaders of these armed groups must make a choice. If they want to participate in the political life of their country, they must disarm. Elected leaders cannot have one foot in the camp of democracy and one foot in the camp of terror,'' he said.

Meanwhile, White House press secretary Tony Snow said the cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah is a victory for diplomacy.

Speaking to reporters in Washington soon after the cease-fire took effect yesterday, Snow said both parties appear to be respecting the agreed-upon cessation of hostilities.

''We have had statements coming out that indicate that people say that they're not going to abide by it, but so far they have.

No rockets fired by Hezbollah today. And we hope that everybody will stay true to the cease-fire.'' Snow said the August 11 UN Security Council resolution calling for an end to the violence reflects the diplomatic goals of President Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to support the Lebanese government in its efforts to extend its sovereign control over the entire territory of Lebanon and to put an end to Hezbollah aggression.

The UN Security Council resolution passed last week calls for an embargo on the supply of arms to Hezbollah. And while it speaks of the need for an international force in southern Lebanon, it does not address the issue of security on the northern Lebanese border.

Snow told reporters he did not want to prejudge what action the Security Council might ultimately take. All the same, he said, something must be done to prevent the influx of weapons into Lebanon.

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