"...In short, Hezbollah, Syria and Iran are stronger in Lebanon that any point in the last decade. In order to foster better ties with a Lebanese government that includes Hezbollah as well as the pro-Western coalition, U.S. policy makers should consider building stronger relations with ambiguous Lebanese politicians who must deal with Hezbollah as a practical matter. And Washington might have to make a thorny choice: find a way to deal with a government dominated by Hezbollah, or else cut off all ties and relations with one of the few states in the Middle East where a real battle of ideas has been joined. The dialogue in Lebanon is no less critical because of the struggle between Hezbollah, which maintains its own independent military, and those who want the state at last to exercise a real monopoly on security.
It will no doubt be awkward to find a way to forge relations with a state that has at its center a group defined as terrorist by Washington and several European countries including Britain, and which remains in a state of war with Israel, America’s closest Middle East ally. But more complex political quandaries have been resolved, and in this case the formula will probably involve Americans talking directly to independents that have close ties to Hezbollah, rather than party officials themselves...."
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
"Lebanon’s New Realities"
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When the so-called 'specialists' or 'experts' on Lebanon will realize that Hezbollah is part of the Lebanese social fabric? When will these 'experts' will realize that that the majority of Lebanese (only mercenaries feel otherwise!)consider Hezbollah as a genuine Lebanese party and that they have done what the state (government and its political forces) have failed to do, that is liberating the country and resisting Israeli onslaught? When will these people will realize that no peace with Israel will ever take place as long as the full rights of the Palestinians have not be restored, including, and at the top of the list, the right of return?
If the so-called experts will deal with the issue as postulated in the piece above that either cut relations with a country where a 'real battle of ideas' has been joined and dealing with 'ambiguous' politicians, then they are bound to repeat the mistakes of the Bush administration and those who are unconditional supporters of Israel. Meanwhile, the US is losing ground and is likely to become an irrelevant power in the area!
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