Norman sent me this: "You might appreciate
this from Condoleezza Rice's memoir, No Higher
Honor:
It was my last trip to Lebanon [in June 2009]. There had been so many ups and downs. But at least there was a legitimate democratic government--even if the extremists had to be tolerated within it. And though it would take a year to do so, the Lebanese would punish Hezbollah for the use of the military against their countrymen. In the 2009 elections, the "Party of God" lost badly. Hassan Nasrallah was reduced to complaining that the electoral districts had been poorly drawn. (p. 666)
As I am sure you know, the Hezbollah coalition got 54 percent of the popular vote in the 2009 election."
It was my last trip to Lebanon [in June 2009]. There had been so many ups and downs. But at least there was a legitimate democratic government--even if the extremists had to be tolerated within it. And though it would take a year to do so, the Lebanese would punish Hezbollah for the use of the military against their countrymen. In the 2009 elections, the "Party of God" lost badly. Hassan Nasrallah was reduced to complaining that the electoral districts had been poorly drawn. (p. 666)
As I am sure you know, the Hezbollah coalition got 54 percent of the popular vote in the 2009 election."
PS Hizbullah actually received (with Amal) more than 95% of the Shi`ite vote in the Lebanese sectarian electoral system. As Norman points out, Hizbullah and its allies did capture more than 50% of the popular vote. But they lost badly for expert Rice.
