Family security matters, an American security website, ran a question and answer piece with Tony Nissi, a Lebanese March14 advocate who coordinates the International Lebanese Committee for UNSCR 1559, on the state of the Cedar Revolution and what Americans can do to help. I found the piece a good refresher for the Lebanese and non-Lebanese alike.
Hello, my name is Mustapha and I've been blogging about Lebanese society, business and politics since February 2005.
Sorry Mustapha… I can’t agree with this very naive version of the facts. It is too superficial to truly represent the powers at play.
I understand the intent of creating a “Lebanon for dummies” article. But really, I think they could have come up with something with a little more depth.
Sami,
I see your point, and I have a suggestion.
lebanese “insider” readers like yourself should point on in the specific weaknesses or generalizations that Mr. Nissi proposes.
This way, the post will be have a real educational value for Lebanon newbies..
Shu?
He’s a funny cat that Tony:
“Lebanon is a major front in the ongoing war between the free world and the Jihadists. And if this front here in Lebanon were to collapse, the terrorism that is here could easily spread to all the world.”
“My best friends Pierre and Gebran”
“I know better than others how to fight terrorism”….
Lebanese style tefchikh.
He surely did not expect a lebanese like Mustapha to digg really deep and get his interview. hehehhe
Kamachneik ya fonass!!!!
Thanks Mus. Point taken.
Here are a few points that amuzed me:
“America must know who the terrorists are in Lebanon: Hezbollah and its allies such al Qaeda, Hamas, and the various Palestinian Jihadist terrorists.”
Interesting grouping of Hezbollah with Al Qaeda. Nissi is obviously not aware of Hezbollah’s social work in the Shia community. If you only go to the Hermel and the Baalbak area, let alone south Lebanon, all the schools and medical centers have seen tremendous contributions from Hezbollah. This is something that cannot be easily set aside and focus entirely on their military wing. Hezbollah is an institution which must be reckoned with and worked with. Grouping them with Al Qaeda is really intending to say that they must be annihilated. Is it reasonable to do so? How about building a trust relationship and working together towards achieving a win-win? Why do Lebanese have to adopt a “cowboy” attitude towards dealing with each other?
“Consequently, all money sent by the United States to help the Lebanese government ends up in the hands of those terrorist organizations.”
So he’s saying that the terrorists are taking all the money. uhum… right. How about the concept of corruption that has been plaguing the same government that has been in power since the beginning of the 1990s. It’s like the Canada blaming the corruption scandal of the liberal party on the Quebec separatists.
“The strength of the military lies with the young generation of officers and soldiers, still ready to die for Lebanon and to fight Lebanon‘s real enemies.”
What a powerful statement…. not! So he’s saying that the entire senior leadership of the army is loyal to Syria? This sounds more like propaganda than a reasoned analysis.
I don’t really think this article is targeted for Lebanese at all,but only for americans. Interesting style he is using, like saying key words that would ring for the american public that would galvanize them. Israelis use the same strategy i guess,
Ow well, I guess if u need the support, and dirty is the only way …. you play dirty!
Mus,
Please, please, please. This group has advocated that Bush refuse to relinquish the presidency at the expiration of his term. I wonder if Lahoud would agree?
I highly doubt Lebanon that needs to make friends among the right-wing Christian Zionists. Even the Israelis find this group troublesome in the extreme. In addition, they are same people that would make holidays to NYC and DC more difficult for some international travellers.
Any time you find the name Frank Gaffney, run away and hide.
i’ve got to say, i was pretty underwhelmed by the interview too. particularly this bit:
On March 14, 2005, 1.5-million Lebanese took to the streets demanding freedom and pure democracy without waiting for the weak government in Beirut to ask for help. It was from this demonstration that the 14th of March movement was born, and in the spirit of that, the Americans went to the United Nations to produce what would become U.N. Security Council Resolution 1559.
1559 was, of course, passed in september 2004 — something nissi must know, as general coordinator of the 1559 committee. oversimplification to the point of rearranging history is frankly patronizing — and of course, ultimately counterproductive. sigh.
Hey Mr. Clean, did you hear your master barking garbage a couple of days ago? (Isn’t Israel a key word that you keep using urselves too to galvanize your sheeps, or what about Amghika al chaytanou el akbagh?)
My computer screen gets dirty when you write!!!