Does Hizbullah Have Legs?

Dispatches from Hizbullah's continuing "victory" in Southern Lebanon:

'Hezbollah say they don't differentiate between Lebanese people,' said Sita Balhas, a mother of five in the village of Siddiqine.

'But when my son was wounded in the war, he went to one of Hezbollah's medical centre, they told him: your legs are not for Hezbollah, so we won't treat you.'

...

'The government is powerless, they don't have money. Hezbollah started the war, they should pay us compensation,' said Sita.

Hezbollah wields enormous power and control over the Shia community so it's unusual to hear criticism of Hezbollah among ordinary people, but disgruntled voices are starting to be heard occasionally.[emphasis mine]

The Christian villages in South Lebanon, of course, have long been hostile to Hizbullah. This article goes on to refer to the Christian village of Ain Ebel as a "ghost town" -- a description that has been seized on by Lebanese Forces partisans.

Hizbullah earns its loyalty by serving as the protector of the Shi'a, both financially and from the Israelis. If they cannot provide for the needs of their people in Southern Lebanon, they cannot maintain a tent camp in downtown Beirut. Now, if only the Lebanese state could flood the region with construction crews and bulldozers...