The big bear decides yet again to stand in the way of American policy in the region
If one is to believe Albalad‘s “sources”, it seems Russia would consider a 50+1 President illegitimate. The fact the Mr. Putin summoned Mr. Hariri for a visit tomorrow makes this more likely.
Why is Russia doing this?
This has nothing to do with Lebanon, it is about general Russian policy. Emboldened by new oil wealth, the Russians have been charting an independent foreign policy that often stands in the way of US designs, from Kosovo to Iran and now to Lebanon.
It’s easy to misunderstand the Russian position as support for Hezbollah or Iran. But that’s not the case. Although Russia is against a 50+1, it also against a two government solution. What it seems to want is -wait for it- “a consensus President”.
Also Read:
Russia Clashes With U.S. on Mideast Policy -February 07- (Washington Post)
Related Beirut Spring post:
• In October 2005, I was mad at Russia because it didn’t want to vote for sanctions against Syria.
Hello, my name is Mustapha and I've been blogging about Lebanese society, business and politics since February 2005.
If in fact Russia is planning on being obstructionist, I suggest that Putin flex his muscles elsewhere.
You know, on a semi-unrelated note, on someone who studies and reads American and Democratic public policy all the time, if the Lebanese can elect a President through a compromise of 2/3rds with all of these MPs pretty much “agreeing,” and “compromising,” instead of “voting,” or “electing,” then that will be a very Democratic and stable reflection of the people indeed.
However, with it being still very possible that Lebanon slides into war, multiple governments, or the 50+1 vote, we will still have to wait before that optimistic note.
Balad and other Lebanese papers that quote source are most hilarious! There’s not much you can read in them that could be verified!! We should not waste time with hypothetical scenarios… 5 days and counting1 This is a damned negotiation where each side is trying to squeeze and drag the issue as long as possible. The important issue is whether the stragglers will vacate the city centre once election is done as the “Mail box” promised?
This is so sad,
Russia wants this because it doesn’t like USA, USA and france want that, China wants something else.
It is a shameful shameful shameful thing what we Lebanese are doing to ourselves.
And the point is that we will have the same problem in another 4 years when a new president is supposed to be elected again and again.
The president should be voted straight by the people, and should stop this none sense of finding a compromise.
Consider this…
How ineffectual a President chosen by the consensus of all Lebanese parties, all regional parties, and all international ones will be??
What kind of person will be accepted by everyone? Someone who doesn’t think, doesn’t speak, has no ideas, no views, no agenda, no vision!!! Basically a useless being!
How is that the best solution to our crisis? In its most practical sense, how is that the great outcome that everyone strives for? We need to look 5, 10, 15 years down the line to really see how choosing a person like this is likely to reflect on the country.
This is ridiculous. We might as well as the General Assembly of the UN to hold a vote and choose the next Lebanese President.
Lebanon is a place of extremes. There are extreme communists, extreme nationalists, extreme pro-Westerners, and extreme pro-Syrians, extreme Christians, etc.
A consensus President may be ineffectual, but at one point or another each one of these extremes needs to COMPROMISE and lose a few political battles.
If the Lebanese people had better political homogeneity and were closer to the center instead of extremes, then maybe a consensus President wouldn’t be hard to swallow.
A bunch of morons, that’s who they all are.
Lebanon is gone. Absurdity, illogical thoughts, stupidity…that’s Lebanon.
Goodbye Lebanon. Date of exit: Nov 21st.