General Petraeus’ Visit To Lebanon. Protocol Or More?

The American General who arguably turned the situation around for the Americans in Iraq is now visiting Beirut. How significant is his visit?

President Sleiman gives a reserved handshake (AP)

General Petraeus’ visit to Beirut can be just a matter of procedure. The man is set soon to be the head of the US Central Command, the arm of the military that is responsible for U.S. operations and troops in the Middle East and Central Asia, a region to which Lebanon belongs.

Yet the surprise visit is also likely to raise speculations. After all, wasn’t General David Petraeus the man who oversaw the putting down of the Sadr Militia in Iraq? Thanks to Gen. Petraeus, the Iraqi Hezbollah-wannabe finally decided to lay down its weapons and become a purely political movement. Isn’t this the future America sees for Hezbollah too? 

Moreover, Does Mr. Petraeus’ visit have anything to do with Mr. Saad Hariri’s surprise visit to Iraq last month, in which he met with high officials?

In a sense, what General Petraeus represents is the anti-Iran-Syria-Hezbollah-Hamas’ narrative of an America stumbling goofily in the Middle East. He is anathema to the forces of “rejection” in the region and is likely to provoke a wave of ad-hominem attacks from Hezbollah-friendly media.

To the extent Hezbollah fears facing the destiny of the Sadr militias, the venom in covering the General’s visit will be high. If on the other hands Assafir and Al-Akhbar left the man alone, we will then know for sure that the visit was just one of protocol.