Hezbollah Hides Among Civilians: Is It Really Breaking News?

By Michael Rule (Bio | Archive)
August 14, 2006 - 15:27 ET

President Bush spoke at the State Department this afternoon, and on MSNBC’s "The Most" the graphic on screen was very telling of how the media have covered Hezbollah as it read:

"Breaking News, President Bush: ‘Hezbollah hides behind innocent civilians.’"

It is common knowledge that one of the tactics used by terrorist organizations, including Hezbollah, is to hide among civilian populations in order to either reduce the risk of reprisal or to ensure that if there are repercussions from their attacks, that innocent civilians are killed as well. This is a deplorable tactic but hardly breaking news.