Li-Berri-ated

Why Berri is smiling.

For a person whose name was mentioned as the chief obstacle, in Seniora’s letter to the UN, against the establishment of the international tribunal through a Lebanese consensus, Nabih Berri, our Parliament speaker, seems surprisingly relaxed.

A lot has been said about this political survivor. Trapped between Hezbollah and March 14, one of the chief beneficiaries of the Taef accord had to take sides, so he joined the Taef haters. Some say because he was threatened, some say because he’s an opportunist who wants to pluck Hezbollah’s supporters once the party of God goes bust.

The March 14 folks always tried to lure Berri back into the fold. Condy Rice once spoke of Berri’s breaking up with Hezbollah. A “very influential person in the bush administration” told Annahar’s Sarkis Naoum to keep an eye on Berri. Still, Berri wasn’t ready and stayed put in the loud March 8 chorus. Perhaps the documents the Syrians “found” and claimed contain a “CIA plan to kill Berri” has convinced him.

But now, Berri likes to believe that he paid his dues to the Syrians, and that there’s nothing more he could have done to block the Tribunal. Now he can start thinking how to move forward.

To the detriment of his “ally” Aoun, Berri now wants a “consensual” President, acceptable to both March 14 and March 8. But the question remains, will Berri get away with having the cake and eating it at the same time? Will he stay safe?