Nasrallah and the three Lebanons

Asian Times ^ | August 3, 2006 | Sami Moubayed

[WmShirerAdmirer]

DAMASCUS - Many in the Arab world are blaming the Lebanese for being so disunited and for not rallying en masse behind Hezbollah and its secretary general, Hassan Nasrallah. These divisions are strange for those who do not know Lebanon: there are in essence three Lebanons, each with its own history, objectives, alliances and leaders.

One friend from "Sunni Lebanon" cursed Hezbollah tremendously, saying that the Shi'ite militia had ruined her life, while another from "Shi'ite Lebanon" (which makes up about 40% of the population) said Hezbollah was the greatest thing about the Arab world since emancipation from the Ottomans in 1918. A third friend, from "Christian Lebanon", said Hezbollah was not the "Party of God" as its name means in Arabic, but rather "The Party of the Devil".

Still, there are many crossovers in Lebanon, according to a recent poll by the Beirut Center for Research and Information to test the country's pulse on the war in Lebanon. This was done before Israeli warplanes on Sunday bombed the ill-fated village of Qana, killing more than 51 people (including 22 children). This single event strongly increased anti-Israeli sentiment and a genuine desire for either revenge or an immediate ceasefire.

The survey was administered among the country's Shi'ites, Sunnis, Druze and Maronite Christians. It surprisingly showed that 70.9% of all Lebanese supported Hezbollah's capture of two Israeli soldiers on July 12 that sparked the Israeli retaliation.

Because of the loud criticism of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah by Druze leader Walid Jumblatt, only 40% of the Druze community voted in favor of such operations. Christian support, because of the backing General Michel Aoun has given Nasrallah, was at 55%.

In all, the survey showed that 87% of the Lebanese

[WmShirerAdmirer]

Long, but extremely informative article which explains the foolhardiness and strange politics of the Lebanese. (see quote below that had to be supressed because of the excerpt)

"The anti-Hezbollah factions from Christian and Sunni Lebanon say Nasrallah does not have the right to dictate the fate of Lebanon as a country destined to be at war with Israel. This is said by Hariri's and Gagegea's Lebanon. They argue that Nasrallah did not have the right to capture the two Israeli soldiers, in total disregard for the Lebanese government and the people who have subsequently suffered.

They say Nasrallah is a creation of Iran and Syria, fighting their proxy war with Israel through Lebanon at the expense of the Lebanese. This war, they argue, has cost Lebanon a staggering sum of US$9 billion to date.

Hariri's voice is like the wind in the desert, Lebanon is lost.

[BigFinn]

Nasrallah as seen on Al-Manar.

[Enchante]

To all Lebanese, of whatever religion or party:

If you allow Hezbollah to wage terrorist war from your sovereign territory, then it is WAR that you get. There is an internationally recognized boundary that was setting the framework for peace, but your Hezi-Nazis have been trashing that boundary to wage terrorist war against your neighbor. Do not come whining to us when you get the war that was started from your territory - and if you now say you overwhelmingly support what the Hezi-Nazis are doing, then you have nothing to complain about except your own stupidity.

Sincerley,

The World (at least the rational part)

[A. Pole]

[...]
He could not care less for a thriving Lebanese economy, like Siniora or Hariri, and tourism to him - which has been ruined by this war - means nothing. The point is: Nasrallah probably does not suffer when he sees Beirut in blackout and in a grinding economic standstill.

To most Lebanese, the image of downtown Beirut transformed from a city abuzz with life and spirit into a ghost city spells misery and disaster. To Nasrallah, it just means the normal and expected task of combating the Israelis is under way.
[...]

This is the key passage. For some the war is a way of life, on both sides.

[WmShirerAdmirer]

Thanks for the astute and thought provoking comments and quoted passages as key. I thought this article was more informative about the reality of the mess in Lebanon than anything I've heard via MSM or from even in depth conservative media outlets like Fox. It's a shame that more people didn't read it and comment. I think the "Nasrallah" in the title put a lot of people off. Thanks again for your insights.