Hezbollah has collapsed Lebanon’s government and has issued an ultimatum to Prime Minister Saad Hariri: Withdraw support for the U.N. Special Tribunal or be replaced. The terrorist group is fearful of the repercussions it faces from its impending indictment for killing former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri and is holding Lebanon hostage.
The U.N. Special Tribunal has issued its sealed indictment that is believed to accuse high-level members of Hezbollah of carrying out the 2005 assassination, including the cousin of Imad Mughniyeh. One report suggests that the tribunal will state that Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamanei ordered the murder and the Syrian regime was complicit in it. It will be six to ten weeks before arrest warrants are issued, but Hezbollah and its Iranian and Syrian sponsors are taking pre-emptive action.
Hezbollah withdrew from the government, bringing about its collapse and is demanding that Hariri no longer be prime minister. To form the next government, a bloc must have at least 65 members of parliament supporting it. Hezbollah currently has 57 and Hariri has 60 but Druze leader Walid Jumblatt has announced his support for Hezbollah, potentially tipping the balance in favor of the Shiite terrorist group.
His support for Hezbollah can be owed a desire to be on the winning side. He used to be fiercely anti-Hezbollah and a major opponent of Syria and Iran, but changed his tune in 2008 after Hezbollah made him a “hostage” in Beirut when clashes erupted. “Tell Sayeed Hassan Nasrallah I lost the battle and he wins. So let’s sit and talk to reach a compromise. All that I ask is your protection,” he said.
Jumblatt originally supported the U.N. tribunal but now says his “party will stand firm in support of Syria and the resistance [Hezbollah].” His other statements show that his position is based in a fear of Hezbollah. He said supporting Hariri for prime minister would have “catastrophic consequences” because “Hariri’s regional and international backers only resort to statements, while his opponents turn to all manners of military and popular pressure.”
Prime Minister Hariri now faces a predicament. His refusal to back down could cause Hezbollah to seize the country and engulf Lebanon in civil conflict. Already, grenades have been thrown at the offices of a Christian-led party aligned with Hezbollah and other acts of violence have happened. In 2008, Hezbollah took over half the country when the Lebanese government tried to dismantle its communication network and remove one of its spies as the security chief of the Beirut airport. Last week, the group practiced taking over Beirut and nearby airports and harbors.
The Syrians murdered Walid Jumblatt's father, Kamal, back in the mid 70s. Now the Druze leader is making common cause with them. Either he is an incredibly forgiving soul, or he's an unscrupulous pragmatist. Why do I suspect it's the latter?
Either way, let us derive an important lesson here: a couple of years ago, the so-called "Cedar Revolution" had us all momentarily giddy about Lebanon's future. My how things can turn on a dime, particularly with a neophyte in the White House who unwittingly ended the isolation of an outlaw regime (Syria) while getting absolutely nothing in return.
It's almost like the Israeli assassinates of Hamas in Dubai. LOL
You mean Mahmoud al-Mabhouh who murdered two Israeli soldiers in cold blood in the Negev Desert. In both killings, he desecrated the soldiers' bodies and photographed himself stomping triumphantly on them.
When he wasn't murdering Israelis he was active with Hamas by financing and planning suicide bombings to murder Israeli children. Not to mention that he trafficked huge amounts of rockets and sophisticated weaponry into Gaza, which have been used to devastate Israel since the start of the second intifada in 2000. Just before his assassination he was getting cozy with the extremist Quds Force (part of Iran's Revolutionary Guard).
What a tragedy we lost Mahmoud al-Mabhouh!
LEBANON'S future has never been bright . Ronald Reagan in the White House could do nothing . Jumblats a coward , and unprincipled at that . Lebanon is still technically at war with Israel , NEVER has been a freind , and has either been of proxy of the Palestinians, Syria , Hisbolla or Iran.Dont expect ANYONE in the Whitehouse to change the status quo of Lebanon. The Cedar Revolution, and its ultimate result were totally predictable.Trouble is most Lebanese support Hisbola ,Syria or both , and most have and do consider Israel their enemy .A fact lost on this Administration as well a Bush and Clinton and Reagan .
Anarchy rules in Lebanon and those with the most guns win. What a cowardly state that allows a group of thugs (Hizbullah) to veto every move and then when they threaten violence this coward Jumblats sides with them. He is only loosely called a leader; more like a follower and self-protector in the face of adversity. Maybe the Druze should replace him with a woman in an abiya. What a cowardly act to sell out to the highest bidder; or should I say biggest gun.
When the going gets tough he will most likely change sides and see that choosing thugs over diplomats ain't the right choice.
A damn shame that Lebanon should become another fundamentalist state tagging along with the thugs in Iran and Syria.
I thought the Lebanese had more guts than to allow themselves into becoming just a puppet of their immoral neighbours.
Former United States president Bill Clinton on Tuesday told the media that the Russian immigrant population in Israel is an obstacle to peace with Palestinians, sparking a furious response from Israel’s main immigrant party, Yisrael Beiteinu. Of course, Avigdor Lieberman, the Israeli foreign minister and founder of Yisrael Beiteinu, is from Moldova. And of course, he's pissed. What we are reaping here with Hezbolla, who are Iran's proxy terrorists is a failure of foreign policy that began with the Carter Administration and was reinforced during the Clinton Administration.
Oh, yeah, Reagan did wonders there. And so did the Bushies. Looks like Snipe's up to his old tricks again. . . .
yea,yea, yea , USMC it's all the Democrats fault . Man where's your "off button " .In the meantime genius, then what happened with the Two Bush and Reagan Admins ? The only thing you understand about the ME ., is your Democrat derangement syndrome .
Oh, yeah, Reagan did wonders there. And so did the Bushies. Looks like Snipe's up to his old tricks again. . .