Reminder: Wikileaks: Jumblatt: "The tribunal is a psychological tool to rally the Sunni masses; how else can it be done?"

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 04 BEIRUT 000060

12. (S) The Saudis had come through with a USD 10 million
cash injection to Jumblatt himself three months ago, he told
us openly. Jumblatt, who employs a legion of retainers and
security personnel and is obligated by his quasi-feudal
position in Druze society not only to spread cash around but
to outdo the patronage of his Druze rivals, had nearly run
out of money in mid-late 2006. The new Saudi money, he said,
would last him for "a couple of years only." (Comment: The
revelation that Jumblatt had just received a cash lifeline
might explain a number of observations about his recent
behavior. Not only had he seemed calmer and more confident
in the last few months but bolder, assailing Hizballah in
public with allegations of involvement in Rafiq Hariri's
assassination and the attempt on Marwan Hamadeh's life.
Jumblatt told us in earlier meetings that Rafiq Hariri used
to give him about $3 million a year to keep Druse loyalty on
his side. End Comment.) Jumblatt said that he would visit
Saudi Arabia following the Prime Minister's next visit.
13. (SBU) Jumblatt is concerned about low birth rates among
Druze (whose religion severely restricts intermarriage with
other faiths) and their migration to other parts of Lebanon,
and noted that the Chouf's "theoretical" population is
150,000 but that its current population is closer to 30,000.
In an attempt to reverse the trend, Jumblatt launched, in
conjunction with the new Sheikh al-Akl (whom Jumblatt
installed over the objections of March 8 Druze) a program to
assist Druze families having more than one child, a program
made possible by his new Saudi financing.
14. (C) Jumblatt hailed as a "good trend" the denunciation of
Hamas by Muslim Brotherhood parliamentarians in Egypt for
Hamas' ties to Iran. The Brotherhood in Jordan had made a
similar statement, he said,...
15. (C) Nevertheless the specter of a Sunni-Shia conflict in
Lebanon is exerting a moderating influence in the current
crisis. Not only do the various Lebanese sides fear a return
to civil war, but Syrian Sunnis could threaten the Damascus
regime in such a case. At present, those Sunnis cannot act
as long as Arab states do nothing to help them, he added.
The only leader concerned with their fate is King Abdullah,
while by contrast, Algeria, Libya and Morocco are supporting
Asad....
18. (C) Jumblatt told us that Charles Rizk was prepared to
make important compromises to establish the tribunal,
including dropping Article 3, which makes superiors culpable
for the acts of their subordinates. Jumblatt wondered out
loud "can we drop the tribunal?" -- for a moment, he seemed
to seriously consider it -- and concluded "no, we cannot!
The tribunal is a psychological tool to rally the Sunni
masses; how else can it be done?" Asked for suggestions as
to what the international community can do to help, Jumblatt
shrugged and said simply, "There has not been enough pressure
on Syria."