Lebanon's election fallout
The pro-Western parties surprised everyone with a victory. Now we have to wait and see if it's really a victory.
Even more than in England or the US, politics in Lebanon is a family affair. Very tribal. A man names Hariri is expected to be the next Prime Minister. He's the billionaire scion of a family of wealth and power. He's seen his dad and other family members killed by Syria and Hizbullah. He now has a tough choice.
If he keeps his campaign promise, he'll build a coalition without Hizbullah and that group won't have veto power in the legislature. However, if he doesn't, it's civil war. Hizbullah, who would have crowed about the power of Democracy if they'd won, will destroy the country if they don't get their way -- even though they've lost.
Neo-libs in the West will push him to accommodate the terrorists, thinking they're only poor, misunderstood "militants" who really want to play nice but are being forced to be mean by those around then who just won't submit to their every whim. People who claim there's no such thing as jihad even though Hizbullah says there is, because the fools really think we don't understand Islam. Right.
The next few months are critical for Lebanon. I'm not sure what he'll do, or even what he's able to do. Hariri has a tough choice ahead of him. I just hope his security is good.
Even more than in England or the US, politics in Lebanon is a family affair. Very tribal. A man names Hariri is expected to be the next Prime Minister. He's the billionaire scion of a family of wealth and power. He's seen his dad and other family members killed by Syria and Hizbullah. He now has a tough choice.
If he keeps his campaign promise, he'll build a coalition without Hizbullah and that group won't have veto power in the legislature. However, if he doesn't, it's civil war. Hizbullah, who would have crowed about the power of Democracy if they'd won, will destroy the country if they don't get their way -- even though they've lost.
Neo-libs in the West will push him to accommodate the terrorists, thinking they're only poor, misunderstood "militants" who really want to play nice but are being forced to be mean by those around then who just won't submit to their every whim. People who claim there's no such thing as jihad even though Hizbullah says there is, because the fools really think we don't understand Islam. Right.
The next few months are critical for Lebanon. I'm not sure what he'll do, or even what he's able to do. Hariri has a tough choice ahead of him. I just hope his security is good.