Nasrallah dares America to try to disarm Hizbullah on 24-02-2006

Source: Daily Star, 24-2-2006
BEIRUT: Hizbullah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Thursday dared the United States to come to Lebanon`s shores and try to take the resistance`s weapons. Nasrallah`s made his comments before tens of thousands of Shiites, many of them denouncing the U.S., who rallied in Beirut`s southern suburbs to protest the bombing of one of their sacred shrines in Iraq.
Nasrallah`s speech was delivered in the wake of U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice`s visit to Lebanon to promote the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1559.
Nasrallah lashed out at the U.S. administration, which he accused of seeking to disarm the resistance in order to serve "Israel`s" interests.
"America wants the resistance`s weapons? Then let America come to Lebanon`s shores and try to take them," he said.
"Let me ask Condoleezza Rice, who praises democracy, if early elections take place, or in three years, elections take place and a new majority comes in place that doesn`t support the U.S., will she remain so effusive in her praise? Or will this democracy be forced and a terrorist`s democracy?" he asked.
"Let the Lebanese decide their own affairs," added Nasrallah, addressing Rice.
Nasrallah called for toning down political rhetoric in Lebanon and holding dialogue to discuss national affairs calmly and openly.
"I am asking for calm ... and for calming the people down," Nasrallah said.
"It is imperative not to resort to the street," he added.
"People will say I am saying this because the `March 14 forces` are trying to oust the president. This is not true. I am talking about maintaining national unity."
"I say to [U.S. President George W.] Bush and the Zionists: Your schemes will fail as the nation will remain united."
Nasrallah`s speech was strongly welcomed by the crowds, who chanted "America, America is the enemy of Muslims," "Muslims, unite, unite" and ""Israel", "Israel" is the enemy of Muslims."
Hizbullah organized the protest to denounce a bomb attack on Wednesday that damaged to the golden dome on the Askariya shrine in Samarra, about 95 kilometers north of Baghdad, enraging Shiites in Iraq, where Sunni mosques were attacked in retaliation.
Nasrallah listed three benefactors of attacks in the attack: the U.S. occupation, the radical groups and Zionists in "Israel".
He said the U.S. administration wishes to stir strife between Sunnis and Shiites to give the impression that Iraq`s security and politics can only be guaranteed by the occupying forces.
While the radical groups publicly announced their plans to create division between Muslims, the Zionists, particularly the Mossad, have always existed in the North and other areas of Iraq, Nasrallah said.
He said "Israel" wishes to make aggressions and destruction a habit.
Nasrallah called for peaceful expressions of sadness and anger and urged Iraqi Shiites to refrain from launching accusations at the Sunnis.
"Division serves the interests of the U.S., "Israel" and the radical groups," he argued.
Nasrallah urged the Iraqis to be patient and united, stressing that "strife should be contained, not allowed to expand to our local scene."
"Loyalty should remain to the Prophet," Nasrallah concluded.