Cardboard Cut

Now Lebanon in reaction to the Syrian prime Minister calling March 14 a “cardboard structure”:

Ottari should, for the record, remember that March 14 represents the overwhelming majority of the Lebanese people who believe in freedom, sovereignty and independence. The so-called cardboard March 14 alliance was formed in the aftermath of the murder of former PM Rafik Hariri, an act of political terror in which Damascus is still the main suspect.

I was watching a talk show yesterday about this issue, and the Syrian guy was freaking out about how seriously the Lebanese have taken Ottari’s comment. He was at pains to let us brush it as insignificant, insisting that this shouldn’t get in the way of a good relationship between the two countries.

What we’re facing here is a Syrian mentality that hasn’t yet fully accepted Lebanon’s independence. It’s an all-or-nothing attitude where the Lebanese are either at war with or slaves to Syria. If Mr. Hariri decided to do business with Syria as equal partners, they will find that it’s now appropriate again to make “demands” and speak at us with condescension.

Unfortunately, we’re going to have to remind them, again and again, that post 2005 is not the same as pre-2005.