Lovely fellows, aren't they?

Much credit is due to Mr. Totten for venturing into the Lion's Den... no, that is far too noble a term for those vermin... into the Torture Chamber that is any place Hezbollah and its ilk control.

He does indeed paint a vivid picture of what these nutters are like.

Agreed. Very vivid. Brave guy.

We can only hope that the Lebanese will do to Hezbollah and Iran what they did to Syria - kick them out and reclaim their own land.

Let's see - gaining access to Hezbollah

1. There are dour looking security goons everywhere.
2. They get angry about using your mobile phone.
3. They want to know where you are staying.
4. They make you stand around for several minutes apparently just for the fun of it.
5. They take all comments deadly seriously even if they are obviously jokes.
6. They attempt to be obsequiously polite until you do something they don't like (i.e. 2-5 above).

Let's see, gaining access to the USA

1. There are dour looking security goons everywhere.
2. They get angry about using your mobile phone.
3. They want to know where you are staying.
4. They make you stand around for several minutes apparently just for the fun of it.
5. They take all comments deadly seriously even if they are obviously jokes.
6. They attempt to be obsequiously polite until you do something they don't like (i.e. 2-5 above).
7. They take your fingerprints
8. They take your photograph

It just goes to show - far from there being conflict between us and the terrorists, each side is doing there damndest to be like the other!

J, good points all, but I still prefer the USA.

Totten is a terrific fellow and obviously very brave. His blog is a must-read on such matters.

Pared down, what J's list means is that Hezbollah is only doing what any legitimate nation does at its borders. But Hezbollah is not a nation, and our reporter wasn't about to be allowed to stay for weeks or months, as you would upon entry into the US. Hell, they weren't even going to let him out of their sight for so much as a 5min. cigarette break. He has processed and harassed at the "border," then hounded by humorless "minders," his colleague was not allowed to take photos - had, in fact, his camera wiped by a dude with no clue about technology... If we're going to extend nation status to Hezbollah for the sake of pushing a cute analogy, I think the appropriate analog is North Korea. In which case, Totten's point stands -- assuming you buy that North Korea is a paranoid nation-sized prison cell, I mean, which seems to be a fair assumption.

US customs is distinctly unpleasant, yes - but so, in my experience, is UK customs, Japanese customs and South Korean customs. (Canadian customs is thorough but pleasant, and I have never been stopped by anyone going in or out of Germany, really.) But the point is, when you get through the checks at JFK you are then free to go about your business without huge musclemen with big guns following you around and poking you for fun. You can take pictures, go to school, visit friends, etc.

Sorry J, your analogy just doesn't work. I agree with you that the US is heavy-handed with border checks, but I really do think you're missing the overall point. The US may be in danger of becoming a police state at some date in the future, but Hezbollah is already there and has been for some time. And it's a particularly nasty one at that...

J - Actually, using your cell phone on gaining access to Hezbollah didn't seem to be a problem. In fact, the implicit threat that the detained was going to call "big brother" to bail him out of his jam intimidated the border crossers. Using the cell-phone post-gaining access was where things got messy. If you compare the post-border crossing experience, they are, of course, nothing alike.

The problem with commentary like this is that it's too cute by half. The US is not Hezbollah and was never like Hezbollah even during its most dire security crises. I can't imagine a circumstance where no member of the US government is allowed to talk to somebody.

I read comments like J and it really brings home how disconnected from reality so very many people are. He thinks the USA and Hezbollah is much of a muchness.

My fondest wish is that this chap have the misfortune to spend 10 years living under Hezbollah's control before we hear from him again in this comment section. It might be quite interesting to hear what he has to say then.

Old Jack,

Good idea.

J, is for Jack--s?

Joel Català

Very good written. It's a whole different world.