Alberto Fernandez was on May Shidqay's Liman Yajru'* on LBC-TV (the station seems emotional in reporting the arrival of French troops. If only French colonial rule can be restored in Lebanon, or so wishes some Lebanonese advocates). I learned that Fernandez lived for 3 years in Damascus, and May Shidyaq (who does not even try to hide her prejudice toward things Syrian--Syrian, not only regime) seemed to mock that fact for some reason. 1) Fernandez was explaining why the US is opposed to Hizbullah. He mentioned Hizbullah's terrorism in the "1980s and 1970s." You heard me right. He mentioned the 1970s when Hizbullah did not even exist. But Fernandez later explained that Hizbullah's worst acts of terrorism in fact occurred during the mutasarrifate period in 19th century Lebanon. 2) Fernandez expressed astonishment (like the gambling scene in Casablanca--I have not seen it, but read about it) that only in Lebanon there is no monopoly by the state over the use of force. Oh, really, Mr. Fernandez? Let me see. The government that you represent violates the Weberian doctrine of the monopoly of the use of force in a number of countries in the region: the US supports private militias (the most criminal and thuggish) in Palestine--Dahlan gangs; the private Shi`ite and Kurdish and tribal militias in Iraq; the private militias in Afghanistan; the private militia of Hariri Inc in Lebanon (known as the Internal Security Forces); and the militias of warlords in Somalia. But then again: maybe the US is now ending its policy of arming and financing private militias in the world. And maybe the US is now discovering the justice of the Palestinian case and will soon end its support for Israel. And maybe the US is now discovering the severity of human rights violations in Saudi Arabia, and will stop selling them arms.
PS* My record of infallibility notwithstanding, the name of the program is Bikul Jur'ah and not Liman Yajur' (which was the name of a silly show on LBC TV). Thanks to the readers who corrected me.