How do you Get a Tired Man to Fight?

I just watched March 14’s event and listened to what they’re planning to do in reaction to the Alhassan murder. Here are my thoughts and reaction.

From headless chickens, to calm planners

Gone is the panicky and reactive tone and gone is the focus on the person of Najib Mikati. That last one is important and it makes all the difference to me. The focus on Mikati was wrong-headed and had more to do with Sunni politics and personal pride than strategic thinking. I’m glad they now realised that the focus should be on toppling the government and what it stands for, not the destruction and discrediting of the man heading it.

Unified front

There was speculation that some components of March 14 (notably Amin Gemayel) will succumb to the sirene call of “stability” and leave the gathering towards a position closer to that of Jumblat and Mikati. That didn’t happen. They presented a perfectly united and determined front.

Clear plan and objectives

The grouping now sounds more like an adult playing the game of politics than a child who is screaming “life is unfair”.

False choice

After I watched that event, I found myself adopting March 14’s point of view that this government has to go.

They turned me around. I had drifted to the centrist and stability camp, fearing the impetuousness of Hariri and holding my nose at Nadim Koteich’s senseless and irresponsible sensationalism[1] . It took time, but I’m now coming around the idea that the choice between chaos without a government and stability with a flawed government is a false choice. It is one that is based on fearmongering and the appeasement of a killing machine that wants to rule by intimidation.

So how do you get a tired man to fight? You present a plan and you communicate calm, resolve and unity. Today March 14’s leaders achieved all of that.

In Syria, some “moderates” and “stability” advocates believe that living under the tyranny of Assad — despite the fact that he’s bombing his own people with airplanes and heavy artillery — is better than what they have right now. They have decided to surrender to their killer because they believe they have no better alternatives. In Lebanon we now have a better alternative.

Footnote:

[1] I’m referring here to his role as main inciter for crowds to attack the Serail. I have no qualms against his journalistic work and I’m actually a fan of his DNA show.