Monday, June 06, 2005

Welcome to Lebanese Politics: Those who pin their hopes on the principleness of any Lebanese political (i.e. sectarian) party, will be disappointed. On one stage yesterday, and on one electoral list, stood candidates representing Jumblat's Party, Hizbullah, and the Lebanese Forces militia, Hariri's group, among others. All on one stage. For a fistful of parliamentary seats, they are willing to hold hands with their bitter enemies, to claim that old wounds have healed, to pretend that all is well between them, and then--once they win their seats--they will begin plotting against one another. This is the Lebanese game of politics. I was reading that Gen. Michel `Awn may be forming a list in the north with `Abdul-Majid Ar-Rafi`i (former member of the Pan-Arab Command of the Ba`th Party of Saddam). That is not surprising. Saddam and `Awn were close allies in the late 1980s. Yet, all in Lebanon chant slogans about "freedom" and "democracy" without knowing the implications of those words. Just like Bush. Just like Bush. Bush was today yet again singing the praises of the Hummus Revolution in Lebanon. Does that mean that he was bragging about the victory of Hizbullah in the South?