Lebanon’s economic crisis is being compounded by political stalemate, corruption and Western interference, while Hezbollah’s political position has weakened because of a flailing relationship with its Christian ally, writes As’ad AbuKhalil.
The emergence of a disciplined resistance movement in Lebanon not only brought military defeat to Israel and the rise of Hezbollah, it heralded a new era of Arab assertiveness.
The role of the former senior U.S. foreign policy adviser — who just turned 100 — has been overstated in the Arab world. But that is not to exonerate his crimes.
The problem started in 1947 with their support for the Soviet-backed partition plan for Palestine. Later, in opposing Arab unity under Nasser, Arab communists placed themselves in the camp of Western imperialism.
No regime has an unlimited supply of political legitimacy. Any government, democratic or non-democratic, needs to constantly read public opinion and to try to respond to people’s minimum expectations and demands.
When Israel invaded Lebanon in 1982, the imposition as president of Bashir Gemayyel — who introduced the worst savagery seen during the country’s civil war — was one of the chief goals, writes As`ad AbuKhalil.
The repercussions of the open sectarian war sparked by the U.S. invasion of Iraq can still be felt throughout the region, says As`ad AbuKhalil, partly because of Iran’s inaction.