Not being Lebanese
It is not surprising when Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc MP Nawwar al-Sahili declares, “He who thinks of disarming the resistance is not Lebanese.” The Resistance after all is his – albeit shaky – platform. But such hollow sloganeering will only elicit groans from the majority of Lebanese who are bored with (not to mention wise to) Hezbollah’s nationalist mantra.
Why shouldn’t wanting a private army, funded by Iran and supported by Syria, whose mandate and activities the Lebanese government is unable to control, and which, should the balloon go up, is primed to play its part in a regional conflict that will only bring more death, destruction and misery on Lebanon, be un-Lebanese?
We would like to remind Mr. Sahili that his beloved Resistance led Lebanon into war in 2006, and last month broke its promise to the Lebanese people and invaded west Beirut in a bid to bring down the government. Both incidents led to the deaths of innocent civilians. Is this being “Lebanese?”
We could go on, but reminding our readers of the un-Lebanese behavior demonstrated by Hezbollah and its allies at the expense of the Lebanese people – such as the downtown sit-in, the cabinet walkouts, and the general strikes – and the consequences of this behavior – the brain drain, the missed foreign investment opportunities, and declining international confidence – would be as tired and repetitive as Sahili’s well-worn tune.
Let us not also forget that most, if not all, of the murderous violence – be it by the bullet or the bomb – of the last three and a half years has been aimed at the Majority bloc, its supporters and those servants of the state who wished to advance democracy, justice and sovereignty, while the opposition, and Hezbollah in particular, did its best to thwart the UN tribunal to investigate the killings. Is this being “Lebanese?”
And now we hear rumors of opposition-run death squads, “targeting majority supporters and officials on the ground.” Evidence is still sketchy, but we should not be surprised if there are elements within the opposition that are unhappy with the Doha Agreement and wish to see it fall into an abyss of renewed civil conflict. For such behavior is the leitmotif of Lebanon’s current breed of opposition.
Let’s call a spade a spade. Mr. Sahili will never admit, publicly at least, that the Resistance is a largely foreign instrument whose existence is the key hindrance to Lebanon’s national, political and economic growth and the biggest threat to Lebanese national security.
So let us remind Mr. Sahili that being “Lebanese” is more than just about supporting a militia with an opaque agenda. It is about one state, one government, one army. It is about secure borders, fair representation through the ballot box and a strong judicial system. It is about creating a strong economy and a functioning public sector with better schools, hospitals, roads and security. It is about a nation.