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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Hezbollah has no place in Lebanon's future |
| 2007-03-04 |
| By Ramzi Al-Husseini The white glove treatment Hezbollah has been receiving from the democratically elected government has gone on too long. Hezbollah has not earned its privilege to be at the negotiating table. The shi'ite militia has worn its welcome, and their recent actions in Lebanon have proven their allegiance is not to the country they operate in. Since the withdrawal of Syria, Hezbollah's actions have become too obviously pro-Damascus, leaving most Lebanese to question their patriotism. Hezbollah's swift and steady decline What drove Hezbollah to their current state? What made Hezbollah followers outcasts in the eye of the Lebanese public? Political analysts are at odds on the specific event that was the "last straw" so to speak. Hezbollah's existence was never threatened during Syria's 29 year occupation of Lebanon, despite forcing every other militia to disband. What Hezbollah did on March 8, 2005 to pay gratitude to their Syrian allies left a bad taste in the mouths of the millions of Lebanese fighting for independence from Syria. Following the unthinkable massacre just weeks before on Valentines Day, Hezbollah instructed its supporters to plead Syria's innocence, and demonstrate that their allegiance goes beyond protecting Lebanon. A week later the real Lebanon was revealed, filling Martyrs Square with over a million freedom seeking patriots demanding that Syria leave. A month later Syria was finally gone. Hezbollah's existence was threatened the minute the last Syrian troop completed his long overdue one way trip back home. Since the end of Syria's physical presence in Lebanon, their loyalist politicians have squandered to secure a back door for their re-entry. Hezbollah's leader - Hassan Nasrallah - once widely admired by the Lebanese for his honesty and transparency, emerged as a nervous and desperate Syrian stooge who was willing to do whatever it takes to appease his leadership in Damascus. Hezbollah showed complete disregard for Lebanon when they chose to engage in a war with Israel in July 2006. The unforgivable operation was in the peak tourist season of a country finally starting to recover from a war. The tourism industry is Lebanon's cornerstone that has attracted multi-national investors and grand projects that helped revive the economy. When engaging in the July war, Nasrallah was quoted as saying he could care less about tourism. After all, Lebanon's tourism had no impact on his militia, or more importantly - Syria was no longer a benefactor. The July-August War alienated many previous Hezbollah supporters/sympathizers, and in the eyes of many Lebanese erased any prior victories of the militia because of the death and destruction that was brought on their own country. Rather than face reprimands for engaging in an unnecessary war that Lebanon clearly lost the most in, Hezbollah have continued to exercise their free will to prevent Lebanon from doing what it has become unnervingly good at - moving on. From illegal tents set up in downtown Beirut to protest the democratically elected government to illegal road blocks set up to create chaos, Hezbollah has worked relentlessly to help Syria reclaim Lebanon. The deplorable protests in January 2007 sent Lebanon back in time to its darkest of days, thankfully this time it did not last longer than a few days. How can Lebanon trust Hezbollah? As a solution is negotiated, how can anyone in Lebanon who truly cares about his country trust anyone brandishing a yellow Hezbollah flag? The militia and its leaders have time and time again proven their allegiance to Syria is stronger to that of Lebanon. While allies are important, leaders who place their allies interests above the interests of their own people are not worthy of being leaders. In fact most would consider them traitors. Hezbollah is using the most deplorable of tactics to get what it wants. What kind of message does it convey to reward their behavior? The National Unity Government is not the answer - any negotiations with Hezbollah should be for the sole purpose of their disarmament. Lebanon first needs plain and simple justice for the countless murders that have taken place over the past two years. Anyone that has the nerve to stand in the way of justice has no place in Lebanon's future. With regards to Hezbollah, the negotiations should be on a National Unity Army, not a National Unity Government. The militia may have a disguised political wing, but the events outlined above have uncloaked their entire organization as a military force, orchestrated to support Syria and Iran's demands. Hezbollah has no place in Lebanon's future, the time to disarm and disband is now. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #8 LOL, Pappy. Nice cite from Gary Larson! |
| Posted by: mac 2007-03-04 14:24 |
| #7 Lebanon's Future and Hezbollah is no "oxymoron", but does have a lot of "regular morons." |
| Posted by: whatadeal 2007-03-04 11:22 |
| #6 Syria? Lebanon? Oh you mean "Greater Israel". |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2007-03-04 11:03 |
| #5 Right, Lebanese Future sounds like an Oxymoron to me too. |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2007-03-04 11:01 |
| #4 Please someone explain the term "Lebanese future." "Welcome to Hell. Here's your accordian." |
| Posted by: Pappy 2007-03-04 10:39 |
| #3 Hezbollah has not earned its privilege to be at the negotiating table. Of course they did! They've more guns than anyone else, and a bigger, meaner patron. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2007-03-04 05:20 |
| #2 Please someone explain the term "Lebanese future." |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2007-03-04 05:16 |
| #1 Nobody has a place in Labanon's future. |
| Posted by: gromgoru 2007-03-04 03:33 |