Sunday, May 17, 2009

Nasrallah's speech

Usually I try to analyze Hasan Nasrallah's speeches. For the life of me, I could not understand the motives behind the last speech by Nasrallah. There are many theories about it: my mother and sister liked it and thought that he answered many of his critics. Personally, I thought it was a gift to March 14: it was quickly used by Hariri Inc to engage--yet again--in the blatant sectarian anti-Sh`iite agitation that has become a staple of Saudi/Hariri propaganda. Some say that the speech would not make a difference because the sectarian lines of battle are drawn and that Sunnis would vote for Hariri Inc and that Shi`ites would vote for Hizbullah-Amal, and Druzes would vote for Jumblat, no matter what. Still: the speech I think would serve the other side. This may indicate another theory about the Hizbullah's strategy in the election: the notion that was revealed to me by an opposition figure who said that Hizbullah may not want to win. So Hizbullah may fear victory in the election more than they fear defeat. But then again: Hizbullah rarely if ever reveal their motives.