With hindsight

On the 23rd of January 2007 and then two days after that Lebanon almost slid into civil war. What initiated these dangerous events was the opposition’s general strike. Many voiced their bafflement on why a “simple protest and road closure” that got a bit out of hand had such disastrous consequences.

The answer is very simple if one looks at those events with hindsight, taking in the whole picture. On that fateful day the opposition tried to rob the Lebanese of their most sacred right: their free will in expressing and acting upon their political views and believes!

Let me elaborate, a couple of days before Tuesday 23 of January the general strike was announced and –this is crucial in understanding those events- it was portrayed as a measure of the popular support that the opposition can muster.

The 14 March coalition responded by a general call to consider Tuesday a normal working day and encouraged all its supporters to make an extra effort to show that Lebanon was a country for life, work and prosperity not for strikes, paralysis and death!

In short it was a political vote of confidence; if you went to work you were siding with 14 March while staying home was a declaration of your support of Hezbollah and its allies.

Personally I promised myself to go to work, as a political statement to express my support for 14 March.

The next day the opposition closed most businesses and most importantly most roads by force, by intimidation, by burning tires and by mounting barricades of dirt and rubble –ironically brought form the building destroyed by the Israeli in the last war- on most main roads, effectively paralyzing Beirut.

Hezbollah robbed the Lebanese, those supporting it and those against it, of their ability to freely express their political choice, their freedom of expression. On that day the Lebanese people could not CHOOSE whether to go to work and support 14 March or stay home and support the opposition, they were FORCED to stay home!!

Hezbollah’s actions were similar to stopping citizens from going to voting booth on Election Day, these actions were not only anti-democratic and terrible dangerous, these actions verged on tyranny, robbing people of their free will in expressing and acting upon their political views and believes! And for me no crime is greater than that!

The road took me three hours instead of 40 minutes, but at the end I arrived to my office, proving first to myself and to all those who tried to force a choice upon me, that my free political will is and shall always remain FREE!

Back to square one!

Hezbollah and the rest of the opposition reverted to their old rhetoric: “we still have surprises up our sleeves; we will keep on increasing tension and creating new crisis, until you agree to our terms” A classic hostage situation.

Hezbollah either failed or choose not to learn from the events of those two days, in which Lebanon almost slide into civil war. They choose to turn a blind eye and continue with their escalation, threatening civil disobedience, refusing to understand that if putting Beirut under siege and paralyzing the country did not work, then civil disobedience will surly fail!!!

These tactics will not be successful; they will not accomplish any of the opposition’s goals, unless their objectives consists of bankrupting the country and pushing what is left of Lebanon’s youth to immigrate.

If Hezbollah really wanted a solution then it should agree on the international tribunal and then it will be possible to engage in a constructive dialogue and reach sensible solution. Meanwhile, Hezbollah and its allies are slowly destroying our country in defense of those who killed and are still killing Lebanese citizens.

How low has the mighty fallen

Nassrallah just reiterated his believe that the summer war is still going on against Hezbollah, repeating his promise that god’s party will be once again victorious, clearly implying that 14 March and their supporters are his enemies and he will defeat them...

Nassrallah also explained that there is no use for any multiparty dialogue, declaring beforehand that these negotiations will fail. He also explained that he does not want to meet Saad Hariri, reverting to “we still have many new “divine” surprises up our sleeves that will ensure our victory”

All in all Nassrallah speech brought nothing new, and stopped short of declaring war on 14 March. But I was pretty amazed by his assertion that every leader in the opposition represents all of them. So in this case, congratulations to all opposition members, you are now represented by none other than the great, eloquent and amazing Wiaam Wahab.

How low has the mighty fallen. I hope you are all proud, especially the Aounists among you…

What a beautiful flag!

14 February

Once more the Lebanese people show courage and resilience beyond measure. Whether you are with or against 14 March, you have to admire these Lebanese citizens who came, from all over the country with their families and friends, to mourn the death of a great man.
Explosions did not deter them; they took buses that could have exploded, like yesterday, and marched on to Rafik Hariri’s last resting place, to freedom square which is divided in two, a side for March 14 and another for March 8, just like our country.

Nevertheless, it was a beautiful day, and the crowd was very diverse, young and old, families and individuals, rich and poor, from all over Lebanon…

By now all parties should understand that each enjoys a large base of support, no one can forcefully change the delicate political balance, without plunging the country into an endless nightmare of violence.

No one can topple the government by coercion, and no one can confiscate Hezbollah weapons by force. The only way is out is through compromise, dialogue and reaching the middle ground…

Till tomorrw

The country is under attack, bringing the horrors of Iraq to our lovely Lebanon, intimidation of the most despicable kind. But no matter tomorrow I will go Down Town and celebrate life that Rafik Hariri died to bestow it upon us!

Tomorrow I will go and celebrate life, condemning all those of prefer death, destruction and endless war.

Till tomorrow, may that day starts and end bloodless, vibrant with life and peaceful!