Sunday, June 07, 2009
Sectarian agitation always win in Lebanon
Bill Clinton once said that if there are two candidates, the one who is more optimistic will win. In Lebanon, I always say: if there are two candidates, the one who is more blatantly sectarian will win. March 14 are far more blatantly sectarian than March 8 in electoral campaigning. And March 14 had other advantages: 1) they had far more money, especially Saudi funding; 2) trickery and deception: it is fair for candidates to resort to lies and deception, and March 14 used that effectively and March 8 foolishly expressed outrage as if this is not legitimate or expected in elections; 3) Nasrallah speech about May 7th. 4) the slogans of March 14 are more crisp and effective: March 8 crowds (especially Hizbullah) tend to make long tedious speeches; 5) I make fun of the stupidity and illiteracy of mini-Hariri: but never underestimate the extent to which people like dumb and inarticulate leaders. The phenemenon of George W. Bush is not exceptional.