U.S. and Shi`ite Politics in Lebanon. So you all must have heard about this incident with the U.S. embassy delegation in South Lebanon. Several remarks: notice that all Western news accounts referred to the protesters as "Hizbullah supporters". How did they know that? Did they interview them one-by-one? I saw the footage on Lebanese media and none referred to them as "Hizbullah supporters". The purpose behind the identification of the crowd as "Hizbullah supporters" is: 1) to delegitimize the protesters in Western eyes; 2) to pretend that protest against U.S. policies is confined to Hamas and Hizbullah in the Middle East region; 3) and to promote a distinction between the people of South Lebanon and Hizbullah when public opinion surveys and elections indicate that Amal-Hizbullah (and Amal is the very junior partner here) command the support of at least 95% of Shi`ites in Lebanon--whether you like it or not. The other thing that got my attention was this: U.S. efforts at promoting and cultivating Shi`ites alternatives to Hizbullah are rather comical. This is like the hosting of Ahmad Al-As`ad (representative of what remained of Al-As`ad feudal family, and who 25 years ago complained to me that his father (former speaker, Kamil Al-As`ad) spoiled his education because he never would make up his mind whether his son would become a "za`im" or not--the father and son are now on non-speaking terms) by the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies (which holds views to the right of Meir Kahane). But what was amusing is that Ms. Sison was visiting this `Abdullah Bitar (who belongs to Ahmad Al-As`ad's group which has a support among Shi`ites equals to much less than the margin of error of every poll on the subject), who after the flight of the delegation from his house earlier today made a statement to the LBC-TV. He said that he only meets with the Americans to pressure them to pressure "the Israeli enemy." It was not reported whether he chanted to the crowd that song by Sha`ban `Abdur-Rahim titled "I hate Israel." You read this story and learn of the brilliance of U.S. Middle East policy what you knew not before.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
U.S. and Shi`ite Politics in Lebanon. So you all must have heard about this incident with the U.S. embassy delegation in South Lebanon. Several remarks: notice that all Western news accounts referred to the protesters as "Hizbullah supporters". How did they know that? Did they interview them one-by-one? I saw the footage on Lebanese media and none referred to them as "Hizbullah supporters". The purpose behind the identification of the crowd as "Hizbullah supporters" is: 1) to delegitimize the protesters in Western eyes; 2) to pretend that protest against U.S. policies is confined to Hamas and Hizbullah in the Middle East region; 3) and to promote a distinction between the people of South Lebanon and Hizbullah when public opinion surveys and elections indicate that Amal-Hizbullah (and Amal is the very junior partner here) command the support of at least 95% of Shi`ites in Lebanon--whether you like it or not. The other thing that got my attention was this: U.S. efforts at promoting and cultivating Shi`ites alternatives to Hizbullah are rather comical. This is like the hosting of Ahmad Al-As`ad (representative of what remained of Al-As`ad feudal family, and who 25 years ago complained to me that his father (former speaker, Kamil Al-As`ad) spoiled his education because he never would make up his mind whether his son would become a "za`im" or not--the father and son are now on non-speaking terms) by the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies (which holds views to the right of Meir Kahane). But what was amusing is that Ms. Sison was visiting this `Abdullah Bitar (who belongs to Ahmad Al-As`ad's group which has a support among Shi`ites equals to much less than the margin of error of every poll on the subject), who after the flight of the delegation from his house earlier today made a statement to the LBC-TV. He said that he only meets with the Americans to pressure them to pressure "the Israeli enemy." It was not reported whether he chanted to the crowd that song by Sha`ban `Abdur-Rahim titled "I hate Israel." You read this story and learn of the brilliance of U.S. Middle East policy what you knew not before.
