
The opposition has finally made it clear that it was never happy with the Arab league’s initiative.

can the international community fix this mess?
Perhaps it was the statement of the French Foreign Minister Mr. Kouchner in Riad where he threatened to go back to the UN in case the Arab League fails, or that of the Egyptian Foreign Minister rejecting the 10-10-10 solution that the opposition craved, or maybe that of the Egyptian President in which he threatened to boycott the Arab summit in Damascus if the Arab League’s Plan fails, or the Patriarch’s Sfeir’s not-so-tacit approval of “internationalization” as the best solution remaining.
Whatever it was that got at it, the opposition didn’t let yesterday’s incident stand in the way of expressing its utter despise of the Arab League initiative, and it couldn’t care less about the “Moral damage” Mr. Mubarak threatened to cause it.
The opposition’s leader, Mr. Hassan Nassrallah declared the Arab League initiative dead and had this to say:
No one can put pressure on us, neither through threatening to internationalize the Lebanon crisis nor through rallying world support against Hizbullah
While the FPM went as far as blaming yesterday’s bombing on the international community, conspiratorially accusing the loyalists of collaborating with the outside world to nationalize the Palestinians:
The opposition’s Mouthpiece, Al-Akhbar, accused the Arab League Secretary Mr. Moussa of coming to Lebanon with a simple mission: Wash the Arabs’ hands off the Lebanese file and transfer it to the international community.
Forget the opposition’s pomp about the “will of the Lebanese people”. We all know that the matter is indeed international. The Saudi Foreign Minister had asked Syria to use its influence in Lebanon, cleverly reminding the Syrians of their boast, not so long ago, that they are today more powerful in Lebanon that they were during the occupation. (Translation: You can’t hide behind your Lebanese allies)
But perhaps what this all boils down to can be inferred from something Else in Mr. Nassrallah’s speech:
“If America launches a war against Iran, it will be the biggest folly committed by America in its history,”
Fore those who still think that the opposition’s main demands are local, maybe the above statement can help change their minds.
Hello, my name is Mustapha and I blog in The Beirut Spring about Lebanese society and politics. I started in February 2005 after the killing of P.M. Rafik Hariri.

N0O ONE THINKS THIS IS AN INTERNAL MATTER. Except Orangebutt is spinning it that way. What can people do? Break it up! At least we can have a small slice of heaven…
Hah. Big surprise. We all knew the AL initiative was stillborn from day 1.
I really find it very interesting that it is during Bush’s visit that the rhetoric b/w Iran and its allies and the US have been more agressive and use of veiled threats now have become more common. It looks as if this is a deliberate attempt by both sides to up the ante and create some kind of frenzy. On the one hand the US gets to sell billions of $$ in weapons and Iran…well gets to mobilize the public against the great satan. In the meantime, the tension is at its highest and we continue to pay the price with said threats being carried out on our soil.
It looks as if this is a deliberate attempt by both sides to up the ante and create some kind of frenzy.
Why do you say “both sides”, JAT? When has Iran ever needed a provocation? It seems to me that Iran historically turns up the heat when it’s feeling cocky.
Also, I think you have left out several “sides”. The US has not been a major player in Lebanon in over 20 years. Why do you make Lebanon’s problems sound like it’s all about a US/Iran showdown? From where I’m sitting (I’m American) it seems like the US is only reluctantly involved with Lebanon at this point in time. And the next US President is as likely to turn a blind eye to Lebanon as anything else. Which candidate do you think is going to keep Lebanon on the front burner? I don’t believe any of them would. The fact of the matter is, the US doesn’t have any stake in Lebanon, and the history between the two countries is very bad.
A pleasure to look at, go on with this! Thanks!