The Whole World Loves Lebanon

So far, we had every corner of the world speaking about Lebanon and what they “hope” and “wish”. Even the Pope of Rome himself intervened in the Presidential Elections, and nothing so far.

Hezbollah’s secretary general Hassan Nasrallah said this year that the Seniora government would have collapsed if it weren’t for the international community supporting the government. Hezbollah’s main channel, al-Manar, still refers to the government as illegitimate. Hezbollah’s strength comes from Iran’s funding and their humiliating victory over the Israelis (specially in expelling the Israeli from the South in 2000 and the severe damage over the Israeli Ground Forces in Southern Lebanon during the July War). The fact Hezbollah emerged more powerful than ever after the July war made them unstoppable. Iran’s gigantic funding of Hezbollah’s welfare nods and services over the Shiites (largest Sect in Lebanon) assured the Opposition that Hezbollah are in Lebanon to stay. Iran remains funding Hezbollah, and Nasrallah’s moderate views regarding co-existence has echoed vast throughout Lebanon (unlike Tfayli’s reign of terror). Bottom line is, Iran plays a drastic role in financing Hezbollah and allows them to provide services to the people of the South, education, hospitals, schools, corporations (Jihad el Maamari and al-Manar), and others.

Syria is one of the accused in assassinating Rafiq el Harriri in Lebanon. They remain meddling when they can, and they issue contradictory statements such as Bashar el Assad’s several speeches last year: “We will not intervene in Lebanon, but the government shall crumble down.” In fact, the mere historical event of Assad celebrating the end of July War and the humiliation of the Israeli Army in Southern Lebanon as his own victory showed how much he considers his role in Lebanon to be active. Syria of course remains the liasson also between Hezbollah and Iran. As a matter of fact, Syria preaches its war with Israel via Lebanon (while secretly undergoing meetings in Washington and attempting to look a nation of peace) as its own. Assad was receiving congratulations in the House of Parliament in Damascus as the man who defeated Olmert, even though not one bullet came from Syria towards Israel, rather whenever during the July War a missile struck Syrian borders, Assad directly jumped saying: “it was on Lebanese ground and I dare them to hit Syria”.

Well, in less than a month of the July War breaking out, Israeli planes hovered above the Syria’s presidential palace (literally above Assad’s head). This year, the region was charged with adrenaline rush when Syria accused Israel of raiding targets on its sovereign land, and Israeli planes breaching Syria towards Syria’s Northern Borders (which also pushed Turkey to complain as well). I find it amusing that none of that fuss occurs when that happened two days ago when 10 Israeli planes flew from Southern Lebanese borders till Hermel (Northern Lebanon). Syria still has plenty of cards to play, and it uses Lebanon to embarrass Egypt and Jordan that they too should be fighting Israel (but not sure if through Lebanese grounds or not). Moreover, as escalations occur in the region, the Syrian people are repressed more whereby opposition is accused of being Zionist agents (something we witnessed in Lebanon). Syria of courses claims they want a stable Lebanon but a government of their own taste, and currently they are annoyed by the current anti-Syrian government (to the extreme) an with the fact that the government are trying to shoot down el Baathi regime through the International Tribunal and International Community.

Then we have our brethren neighbors: Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. Each claim they support democracy in Lebanon and condemn any action to shoot down the Seniora government. None of them acknowledge democracy in their own countries. Saudi Arabia’s corrupt regime oppressed the people (and emphasis on the women’s side) and corruption brought recruits to freakish terrorist organizations such as al-Qa’eda and its cancerous networks. Moubarak and King Abdullah II are more corrupt as ever, with Egypt and Jordan ranking respectively as second and third in the US administration’s financing and funding, while sustaining Moubarak as President has pushed the Muslim Brotherhood and Islamist activists to become the majority in Egypt. Now, our “democratic” Moubarak is preparing his son to take over. Moubarak speaks of democracy while he imprisoned his presidential rival. He has the vulgarity to speak about democracy. Of course, he didn’t take any drastic measures to stop Israel from bombing Lebanon last year, in fact, he oppressed any solidarity campaign in Egypt that was launched in solidarity to Lebanon. He didn’t condemn how Rice was celebrating the “New Middle East”, and of course he didn’t attack his financers how they were sending more arms to Israel. He even refused to expel the Israeli ambassador. His logic was: “we will send them donations and ambulances.” What a help…

Probably the most interesting of course is the United States, where you would have George Bush telling the Government to proceed with the 50% plus one logic, whereby exploding the entire nation into fire. The government have been so far meticulous regarding that issue and preferred to avoid the riots. Of course, Bush supports dictatorship leaders such as Moubarak and Abdullah II. Of course, to hell with the people, as long as his foreign policy is working perfectly. More to the point, Bush claims he wants Lebanon to be free from Syrian hegemony while he gave Israel the green light to take its time in Lebanon during the July war, and sending laser guided missiles to the IDF to “accurately” hit Hezbollah… instead they killed 1300 civilian and mutilated 5000 others. Bush was perfectly silent about the cluster bombs and Israel’s use of banned weaponry. Moreover, the US still hope to push the government to agree in selling a diplomatic / economical package of canceling Lebanon’s debt in return of giving the Palestinians the Lebanese nationality.

If all of these countries love us so much, as far as the Vatican agreeing on Michel Suleiman, why don’t they really help the country by doing the simplest issue: cancelling all the debts located on our country and get Israel to repay for damages done over here (and not only July War, but all the previous wars on Lebanese civilians).

MFL