Witnessing
the latest round of barbaric violence against Lebanon,
many have been wondering as to why Israel has decided
to end its normally limited reactions to Hizbullah’s
aggression and to ferociously and widely escalate its
response. Many analysts and spectators have been wondering
what could happen next. Is the US initiative in the Middle
East over? Will the US and the UN be forced to cut a deal
with Syria and/or Iran to curb Hizbullah, and would such
a deal bring Syria back to Lebanon? Will Israel invade
Lebanon, again? When will this barrage of death and destruction
end?
Screening
the latest political maneuverings in the broader Middle
East region (including Iran) as well as the latest fierce
bombardment against Lebanon and the Palestinian territories,
it seems that Israel has decided to launch its own war
on terrorism. Meanwhile the Bush Administration’s
policy, supported by most Arab states, is to place the
whole world (the United Nations, the European Union, the
Arabs states, Iran and Syria as well as the Lebanese people
and government) before their responsibilities by forcing
them to take a clear and cautiously calculated stance
from the latest developments. Hence, it is without a doubt
that some of these players are being squeezed between
a rock and a hard place.
The
United Nations Security Council (UNSC) can no longer issue
fancy presidential statements and crafty resolutions with
empty slogans for fear to upset the feelings of this rogue
state or that dictator, or to avoid the veto of China
and Russia whose actions have been frustrating due to
their sympathetic sentiment towards their strategic allies
in the region i.e. Iran, Syria, and their terrorist proxies-Hamas
and Hizbullah. Thus, this escalation will impose a higher
standard of ethics and responsibility on the shoulders
of the concerned states. If they fail, they will deem
the UNSC irrelevant in today’s world order. The
same applies to the European Union.
The
Arab leaders must clearly declare their stance. Since
Israel has succeeded, so far, to portray its war on Hizbullah
and Hamas as a war on terrorism, it will be nearly impossible
for most leaders to side with the terrorists. The not
so implicit criticism of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Kuwait and
Jordan falls within this framework of understanding, but
it must be clearer.
Furthermore,
since Hizbullah and Hamas are the long arms of Iran, through
which Ahmadinejad is influencing, if not dictating, the
politics of the region through terrorist attacks and through
spreading the Shiite Islamic Revolution, which has began
in 1979 by Ayotallah Khomeini, the Arabs can no longer
sit idle for this aggression is double edged; Persians
vs. Arabs and Shiites Vs. Sunnis. Historic facts indicate
that such threat poses an Iranian clear and present danger
to the Arab Sunnis in the ME region, which have been witnessing
an overwhelming increase in Shiite population. Such demographic
change is of great danger to a region which is adopting
democratic political systems. On the other hand, Israel
poses no direct threat to any Arab state ideologically,
economically, or militarily. Therefore, it should not
be a surprise if the Saudis and their allies end up in
one way or another financing the bombs and ammunitions
being dropped in today’s battles.
As
for the US initiative in the ME, it is far from being
dead. In fact, the Israeli war has provided the US Administration
another path through which it can deal with Iran’s
nuclear program. This added dimension gives the US the
option to go on its own or through NATO away from the
UN frustrating and rather ineffective declarations and
maneuverings. This may occur through military action against
the Hizbullah-Syrian-Iranian axis, especially if these
two rogue states decided to intervene along side Hizbullah.
Otherwise, Hizbullah will eventually be crushed and defeated.
Furthermore,
the Israeli aggression has helped the US Administration
for it showed the world, Middle Easterners in particular,
the alternative to the US peaceful initiative and partnership
program. Notwithstanding, when the Director of Public
Diplomacy and MEPI affairs at the US Agency for International
Development (USAID) Mr. Walid Maalouf traveled to Egypt
and Lebanon, June 11-18, where he met with religious leaders,
influential civil society members, and students to discuss
U.S. foreign assistance, Syria and Hizbullah accused him
of being an Israeli agent and a Zionist. Today’s
aggression highlights that nothing can be further from
the truth than these allegations. Mr. Maalouf’s
visit was supported by Secretary of State Condoleezza
Rice who affirmed that “our Arab speaking diplomats
must tell America’s story, not just in translated
op-eds, but live.”[i]
It
is hard to predict the end of this crisis, but it seems
that Israel will keep escalating its aggression even after
defeating Hizbullah in order to provoke Syria and Iran
to join the fight. This will serve as a perfect justification
to bombard Iran’s nuclear facilities. Unfortunately,
a successful assault on Iran’s nuclear facilities
is the only way to end this aggression against Lebanon
and its innocent people for the road to Tehran goes through
the Southern Suburb of Beirut. This is due, regrettably,
to the fact that Hizbullah and his allies placed Lebanon’s
fate in the hand of the Iranian radical regime.
In
conclusion, it is time for the Lebanese people and government
to take a solid stance against any official or organization
that acts independently through channels outside the government
institutions, especially the cabinet, which is the executive
branch of the government. It is also time to implement
UNSCR 1559 aimed at disarming militias, deploying the
Lebanese Army in southern Lebanon, electing a new president,
and reforming Lebanon’s political and economic systems.
Furthermore, the Lebanese government must hold Hizbullah,
Iran, Syria, and Israel accountable for the deaths of
innocent people, as well as for the destruction of Lebanon’s
infrastructures by suing these culprits in the International
Court of Justice.[ii] By order form the proper authorities,
the Lebanese Central Bank must seize the accounts of Hizbullah
in order to pay retribution for all the deaths and damage
they caused to Lebanon’s infrastructure and its
people. Moreover, the Lebanese government must confiscate
all properties owned by Hizbullah and its affiliate organizations.
Last but not least, the Lebanese people must hold accountable
the officials who are responsible for this crisis. This
includes anyone who participated in supporting, planning,
and or participating in Hizbullah’s latest miscalculated
aggression, which brought Lebanon to its knees.
The
civilized world should be outraged regarding the inhumane
treatment and the suffering of the innocent Lebanese people
who are being massacred and or living in constant fear
and now disease and poverty. It is for this reason that
we support Secretary Rice’s adamant quest to reach
a comprehensive solution to the Lebanese crisis, which
will result in disarming Hizbullah and in curbing Iran
and Syria’s constant destructive intervention in
Lebanon’s internal affairs, instead of a brief ceasefire
that will maintain the troublesome status quo.
For
those who harbor ill-sentiment toward a free and democratic
Lebanon, we assure them that Syria will not return to
Lebanon; Iran’s Nuclear Facilities will be destroyed;
Hizbullah’s Jihadist movement will cease to exist;
the US initiative for a free, democratic, and sovereign
Lebanon will prevail for it is the wish and the will of
the Lebanese people.
Pierre A. Maroun
Senior Policy Advisor
American Lebanese Coalition
ALCC
727-641-9764
July
26, 2006
i]
Mr. Maalouf’s speeches and negotiations were conducted
in Arabic.
[ii] http://www.icj-cij.org/icjwww/igeneralinformation/inotice.pdf
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