Nassrallah’s speech was full of threats, but it has a responsible side.

In his televised speech, Hassan Nassrallah, the leader of Hezbollah was explaining the position of the opposition vis a vis the Government.

Nassrallah considers that the government is run by America, not by P.M. Fouad Seniora, and it therefore lacks legitimacy.

He then prepared the ground by discrediting the March 14 group. He said that they are relying on “our brothers and friends,” in the Sunni community as a human shield against mass protests, and cautioned the Sunnis against them being used to fight other peoples’ wars.

He said that the media of March 14 is framing the situation as a struggle between Sunnis and Shiaas, but that “in reality” this is a pure political fight, between political camps that are comprised of both Muslims and Christians, and that we shouldn’t fall for the American Israeli trap of setting the Lebanese against each other because we will all lose if that happens.

He said that he doesn’t want to stage a coup, a revolution or a rebellion. He also said that he doesn’t want to change the Taef accord. All that he is after,he insists, is to exercise his constitutional, peaceful right of protest, in coordination with his allies, to reach their political objective of replacing the ruling government with one of national unity, or to conduct an early parliamentary election.

He then argues with the logic that equalizes Hezbollah’s having the veto power with Syrian/Iranian dominion. He replied that since the national unity government would have both people from March 14 and March 8, it will be able to stand up against any kind of external influence, whether it came from the Americans or from the Iranians.
He also said that this isn’t about the Hariri tribunal, and he challenged the ruling forces to “expose him” if Hezbollah voted against it in an eventual unity government.

He then asks his supporters to get psychologically prepared to take to the street, because at any moment, he can ask them to start the protests, in coordination with other opposition parties.

He then cautions them, that in the case the other camp took to the street and faced them, they shouldn’t be provoked and they should turn the left cheek in the case of verbal or physical abuse. He also cautioned them against engaging with the security forces, who are “our people, our brothers who are just taking orders”. He warned that the March 14 people and their “American masters” might plant intruders to their rallies to cause trouble, so they should keep their eyes open on those.

He gave us an idea of what he has in mind when he said (i’m paraphrasing): During Karami’s government, people were able to take to the streets in droves and nobody got hurt. If That’s their idea of dictatorship, while this government, and it’s loud threats of using the security forces to stifle your peaceful demos, is their idea of democracy and freedom, then I’m all for a dictatorship and to hell with democracy..

Al-Arabiya’s documentary about Samir Geagea is a case study in how you can successfully re-brand a previously loathed politician.

When Oliver Hirschbiegel made the movie The Downfall about the last moments in Hitler’s life, he probably predicted the vehement objections he’s going to get from some Jewish groups.
The Jews were not bothered by the historical facts portrayed in the movie, which were accurate, but they were horrified by the fact that the movie was humanizing what they saw as a monster, by giving him a recognizable face, vulnerability, emotions, and other feelings…

Similar reactions are now pouring into Al-Arabiya‘s mailbox, after it started broadcasting a series about the sufferings of Samir Geagea, a Christian wartime warlord who’s now an integral part of the independence movement, during his 11 years in an underground microscopic prison cell. (To watch the series, check the links below)

The documentary, managed by Giselle Khoury, a top Lebanese journalist whose husband was killed by the same people who killed Hariri, delves into the days of his captivity, with a focus on details and a survey of his thinking processes and how they evolved, from acrimonious wrath and vengefulness all the way to Mandela-like pacifism and forgiveness.

More than a year ago, I argued that Geagea is going to be a tough sell to Muslims, but from the reactions I’m witnessing in various entourages of Sunni Muslim housewives, Al-Arabiya is doing a heck of a Job. One woman told me: “7aram shu 2adda hazzalami, kteer nzalam, alla y2awwi” (The man has really suffered, he was wronged, may God give him strength).

You can watch the first episode here: Part 1 , Part 2 , Part 3 , Part 4