by Ghassan Kadi for The Saker Blog
“Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see” (John Lennon). Some who want to believe that Hezbollah is faultless, obviously live by this fantasy paradigm, and will disagree and attack anyone who says the contrary; irrespective of facts.
My previous article on virtually the same subject was faced by a rather fierce backlash in the commentary, http://10.16.86.131/hezbollahs-unchartered-frontier-turning-boggy/ but is this not enough reason for me to stop reporting the truth on the ground, and for this reason, among others, I feel I must continue exposing the truth of what is going on in Lebanon.
One comment “demanded” that I present a personal history, and in response, I shall provide two; one for Sami Koleib and a personal one.
Sami Koleib is not exactly the official Voltaire behind Hezbollah, but I cannot think of another writer who is closer to that station. Throughout the last couple of decades; and specifically during the hot era of the “War on Syria”, he has been an ardent supporter of Hezbollah and a very prolific writer on Al-Mayadin, Al-Akhbar, Twitter and other media.
By the way, Al-Mayadin is a splinter Arab news media network that broke away from Al-Jazeera when the mother organization turned into an anti-Syrian propaganda machine. Headed by former Al-Jazeera journalist Ghassan Bin Jiddo, the young Al-Mayadin became the voice of the Axis of Resistance. And even though it has recently received criticism for being too pro-Iranian, Al-Mayadin has maintained its position vis-à-vis the Arab Axis of Resistance.
In a recent article published on the 18th of November under that title of “Saad Hariri the Master of the Game…of Suicide”, http://180post.com/archives/tag/العقوبات-الأميركية
Koleib is making many subtle remarks that hint and indicate that Hezbollah is in hot water. Western couch activists whose vision is blinkered by acute myopia and soiled by suffering from a strong bout of conjunctivitis should stop to listen and put up or shut up.
I have never met Mr. Koleib in person, but I have been one of his fans. I admired his work so much that I translated some of it into English to pass on his amazing input to English-speaking readers.
https://intibahwakeup.blogspot.com/2016/02/the-cold-war-over-syriawill-remain-cold.html
https://intibahwakeup.blogspot.com/2014/05/putin-elevates-military-cooperation.html
https://intibahwakeup.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-russian-lion-translatedinterpreted.html
Some of the above translations were circulated and republished on different blogs.
And ever since the “War on Syria” took form, and as I was relentlessly defending Hezbollah and bringing information about it to Western readers, what stands out is a blog article titled “Know Thine Hezbollah”, an article I wrote back in 2013. https://intibahwakeup.blogspot.com/2013/09/know-thine-hezbollah.html. My focal point in this was not only on what Hezbollah was engaged in, but also on what the Axis of Resistance media wrote about it; and the work of Koleib was an indispensable and integral part of.
But to put things into the right and proper perspective, Soros-type colour revolutions like those in Syria are one thing and genuine revolutions are something else.
There was neither a revolution nor a civil war in Syria. The Western media plus its cohorts concocted it and their henchmen executed it. The same can be said about Ukraine and perhaps some other places. But the situation in Lebanon is quite different, and those who do not know this, simply do not understand Lebanon.
Everything in Lebanon calls for a revolution. There are many more than a hundred reasons to protest about. The economy is in total ruin. Basic services like water, electricity and garbage collection are almost non-existent. Unemployment and state debt are sky rocketing. Corruption is in every sector. But yet, the country is sitting on huge untapped oil/gas resources, it is very rich in fresh water, human resources, and literally millions of well-to-do expats who are potential huge investors. This is not to mention Lebanon’s amazing natural beauty, rich history and huge potential for tourism.
Lebanese people who have enjoyed a fairly high standard of living akin to that of developed countries for decades, despite a ravaging civil war that lasted from 1975 till 1989, are now wondering why is it that they have to live in abject poverty. They are blaming their political leaders, and rightfully so.
Corruption has always been an issue in Lebanon, but in the 1960’s and 70’s, things got done, albeit not up to the required standards. Now, the trail of corruption is no longer hidden. Contractors get paid, they pay their bribes to officials, but the work does not get done at all. The corruption has reached breaking point.
Those living outside Lebanon and looking at its politics look at it with a monochromatic vision of black and white. Depending on their political inclinations and which side they favour, they only see two opposing dipoles; the 8th of March coalition (ie Hezbollah and supporters) and the 14th of March coalition (ie Hariri and supporters). And even though the latter has morphed hugely since its inception and lost many of its founding members, there remain the remnants of an anti-Hezbollah coalition in Lebanon. Surely, one would expect that the recent turn of events is giving them momentum.
Undoubtedly, the West is capitalizing on this group to make the street anger more untenable for Hezbollah, but the issues fueling the anger are not the work of the enemies of Lebanon. The revolution is genuine. It’s causes are legitimate. It is real. This is why it is so easy for nefarious agents to tap right into it. And as this is already happening, and as the local and legitimate revolution is quickly turning Lebanon once again into an arena for international score settling, it is in Hezbollah’s interest to resolve the conflict as quickly as possible and as domestically as feasible.
Surely, after their abysmal defeat in Syria at the hands of the Syrian Army aided by Russia, Syria’s friends; including Hezbollah, the enemies of the Axis of Resistance would be looking at all ways possible to hit back, and there seems to be no better soft underbelly than the existing and legitimate anger in the streets of Lebanon.
What makes this anger most promising for these enemies is the fact that it is endorsed even by certain sectors within the Shiite household, ie Hezbollah’s heartland.
This should not be hard to understand. Actually, rarely do adversaries receive such a gift on a silver platter; their own enemy surrounded by local enemies and in-house dissent.
It is rather sad and unfortunate to see the Saudis, the Gulfies and the West gloating about the recent uprising in Lebanon. But the turn of events and the street anger has turned them into apparent winners.
I cannot speak of what is going on in Iran. I have no idea about what is happening there. If I were to believe the mainstream media, I would conclude that the days of the status quo are numbered. But we have witnessed this scenario before and we know that what is reported does not necessarily reflect the truth. From the outside looking in, we do not know the percentage of Iranians who are actually and genuinely opposed to their government. But what I do know for certain is that there is an overwhelming majority of Lebanese who are anti-government and who see it as an extension of Hezbollah and blame Hezbollah for turning a blind eye to corruption and being complicit to it. Right or wrong in their views, this is what their perception is.
Nasrallah has been accused of hubris by his opponents for many years, but now, some of his ardent allies, including the pillar himself, the Voltaire, Mr. Koleib, are hinting that he is looking confused, caught off guard and cornered (see Koleib’s article above).
If anything, my previous articles are those of a person who is not only deeply concerned about the future of Hezbollah, but doing so with a heavy bleeding heart to see that all the achievements, all the blood spilt, all the sacrifices, may all go to waste because of a short-sighted political miscalculation.
According to Koleib, “During the first few days of the uprising, Nasrallah announced his list of “no’s”, the most prominent of which was a “no” to forcefully topple the regime, “no” to force the government into resignation, and “no” to blocking roads”. In a subtle way, Koleib is indicating that even though President Aoun is still standing, the other redlines have all been crossed. The Hariri Government resigned, and roads are getting blocked on daily basis and Nasrallah has been thus far unable to do anything about it.
The black and white, tunnel-visioned crowd, who don’t know much about Hezbollah other than reading about its military achievements, have no idea at all that Nasrallah has never ever been challenged before, never backed down before, never made any concessions to his opponents, never seemed confused and uncertain about which way to go.
According to the same above-mentioned Koleib article, he sees that Hariri may be named to form the new cabinet, but he is currently playing the most dangerous game in his political life. Koleib is asking the question, “…will Hariri be permitted to play the role of a hero in which he regains all the international and regional Gulf-based support and thereby establishing a substantial local support base that will enable him to dictate his terms and return Hezbollah to the position of defense rather than attack?”
He later adds:” We are currently facing the following equation: Either that Hariri wins the bargain and manages to push all others to give concessions that will specifically make Hezbollah weaker, or that Hezbollah and its allies will move from the position of offence after being in the defensive, or that the crisis will continue..(for as long as God wishes)”.
So once again, especially for those whose vision is blurred by bias and lack of knowledge, the uprising in Lebanon is not about a choice between resisting Israel or to kowtow to its terms. It is not about loyalty to that Axis of Resistance. It is about people wanting justice and the restoration of their rights and dignity. And, they see that whoever stands in their way is unjust (to say the least). By turning a blind eye to criminal corruption, by being perceived as complicit, by challenging the uprising, it is most unfortunate, most unwise, that Hezbollah has put itself, in the eyes of the overwhelming Lebanese populace, as belonging to a particular basket; the infamous basket of the oppressors. Hezbollah must do everything possible within its power, and this is not the military prowess that we are talking about herein, but its power of good will and wise demeanour, to present in the most affirmative and convincing manner that it does not belong to this basket. This must include an admission of past mistakes and an undertaking never to repeat them again. The angry protestors will not settle for anything less if they accept to settle at all on such terms. Their voice is so strong it can no longer be ignored or sidelined.
It pains me to see the enemies of Hezbollah gleeful about seeing it wedged in this position, but Hezbollah cannot get out of this rut by being in denial. Hezbollah’s history is that of a liberator; not an oppressor; and it must restore its image. Its rightful place is in the basket of liberators.
I feared the worst when I read the headline, but your points are well made, but I have a limited knowledge of Lebanon and cannot form any definite position. However, I will comment of the problems and power of a Popular Front.
A coalition the elect, those that share the same values, general ideologies, a progressive front are matters of convenience, I do not like them politically because they put abstract ideas ahead of people. A popular front is a different beast. Some problem is outstanding, I would suggest that in Lebanon’s recent history of impoverishment linked to sectarian political oppositions set up during the French occupation, and then continuing under their own steam, both good and bad, disunited the country and served it up as weak target to other players.
I see rightly or wrongly that this general condition was the base for Hezbollah’s rise. Inside a welfare basis, outside a popular front. For that to succeed the critical element is unity of the nation and that means getting into bed with the best elements of the worst kind.
It works, but it has to constantly adjust, and those adjustments are painful and will only be made after the problems overwhelm the main solution, which is Hezbollah’s position at the moment.
Without suggesting that the core of Hezbollah is corrupt (it may be, but I do not think so), nor the membership (some will be) and some close allies (a good few I suspect) and the main partner now resigned moist definitely. It means that the unity in essence has been achieved as a national sentiment, and now that moves on its own.
“But what I do know for certain is that there is an overwhelming majority of Lebanese who are anti-government and who see it as an extension of Hezbollah and blame Hezbollah for turning a blind eye to corruption and being complicit to it. Right or wrong in their views, this is what their perception is.”
The perception is correct the success of the Popular Front has lead to a popular unity on a different plane, and Hezbollah needs to move its position, which many of its members would support and lead the way in imprisoning the corrupt elements within its own coalition, at the risk of leaving Lebanon disunited at the top in order to become even stronger as part of the bottom.
No doubt elements of color revolutions will be part of the current uprising, Hezbollah is well placed working at the bottom to find and eliminate them politically.
The viewpoint is a general one, many movements take too long or a become so enmeshed they are wedded to the very problem they worked against and will go down with it. The result is not pretty, the base is cut loose but unable to replace the government, so the worst elements of the government repress them. That is how colour revolution work they unite not the people, but the worst powerful and traitorous elements in the ruling class who are simply bought by foreign powers (IMF, USA, EU whatever).
What we see in Lebanon is the politics of the world. The necessity of Popular Fronts, that they only work in resolving particular things, and when resolve that front needs to dissolve and another formed, the front is the political manifestation the organizations such Hezbollah its conduits, the risk for a conduit is it becomes welded and blocked.
Unless Hezbollah moves decisively with the people, which I think it will, but there are no instant solutions then things will work themselves out. I would suggest a serious purge, followed by a seizure of Government with only the best quality allies, an social purge of the criminally corrupt, and then a new election cycle. The reason I can suggest that is that all big changes resemble one another, 1917 comes to mind. All big changes carry risks, but history also progresses by experience and so the risks diminish with the wisdom gained.
Thank you for this article.
Lebanon is the most complex of all ME societies. The one source I tend to trust for some insights into this miasma is usually Robert Fisk. Last month he wrote several articles on the subject of this article. He documents the actions of Hezbollah. He also waits for Hezbollah to do the right thing, as if the only hope in Lebanon is a course correction from these heroes whose initial first actions were wrong and whose leader’s first words have not been the correct words.
Clearly, the street is angry and there is no sense of reform coming. The stabilizing force could be Hezbollah, but so far Nasrallah has not led the way.
https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/lebanon-beirut-protests-whatsapp-tax-hezbollah-michel-aoun-a9170716.html
https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/iraq-protests-lebanon-egypt-sisi-middle-east-revolution-a9178991.html
False accusations of ‘corruption’ are like false accusations of ‘antisemitism’-simply propaganda tropes used by the Empire to slander and destroy their victims. Coming from the most corrupt society on Earth, with the most corrupt and lying ‘elites’ it takes real chutzpah.
Agree, accusations of corruption are – unfortunately – too often used to do a colour revolution. Where on Earth is there a country that does not have corruption? I took Nasr.’s position to be not so much against protests, as against creating chaos, which would no doubt result from over-throwing the govt. (Saw an interview with some protest leader in L., who was calling for a ‘technocratic govt.’ Somehow, I smell a rat here.) Remember, the empire does not have to invade country – it is enough to create chaos and then the empire can just insert its people/goals to take over. There is nothing easier than to destabilize a country – how many times do we have to watch the same film finally to understand the plot? But that is also the tragedy of these places… they need effective reform, but it is impossible, because any attempt is usurped by outside forces for their own benefit.
Sounds like living here in California
I think that I can sympethize with anyone in any country disgusted with corruption and inaction. I know that I certainly am with the U.S. government. I do not have much understanding of what is taking place with Lebanon, Nesralah, and Hezbollah, so I can’t comment on that specifically.
I have to speak what I believe is the truth here and I commend the Saker for giving Mr. Ghassan Kadi a place to voice his articles.
Just to state something about myself….I am not a fan of anyone, but I support or disapprove of actions and deeds. If Hizbollah or Russia do anything I believe is good for peace and prosperity then I will support that action, if they do anything wrong, I will criticize it, etc.
Now to my comment…
The “Shia Crescent” is so filled to the brim with corruption that it is causing the septic tanks in Lebanon and Iraq to overflow. Just like Ghassan, I do not know the situation in Iran. Each country has its own situation, from small groups of people who are just angry at simple price hikes (maybe the situation in Iran) to more than 300 people being killed on the streets of Baghdad and the Southern Iraqi provinces.
Many elements of the alt-media and its readers are in for a surprise because they are becoming blinded by their “predjuice” (/‘prɛdʒʊdɪs/ – preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience), similar to that of the Western mainstream media.
The Western mainstream media’s Boogeymen are Russia, China, Iran et al.
While the Alt-media is starting to use their Boogeyman, the Western-Zionist alliance, like salt in every dish.
I have written time and again, that one of the main factors for the weakening of the Syrian Arab Republic, which made it an easy target to be raped by outside forces starting in 2011, was its amazing levels of corruption. Prior to 2011, I have never experienced a place where i had to pay bribes as much as I did in Syria.
Basically, Russia saved Syria from its own past corruption and they did it in their own interest and national security, and all credit to the Russians for making this decision……
….and you want Russians to fully trust Arab and Iranian governments ?? …. this is an easy question to answer as an unbiased Arab: not until they get their sht / act together.
Trust me, you cannot sustain an “axis of resistance” or any kind of resistance to absolutely anything for that matter without getting your sht together.
The world of war and politics is a messy and often dirty place. Be wary of any group of people who cannot handle criticism and think with their emotions.
“Prior to 2011, I have never experienced a place where i had to pay bribes as much as I did in Syria.”
look at Assad laughing at Gaddafi when he warns other Arab leaders could be next…
Gaddafi speech in Syria (2008) warns arab leader they will be next after Saddam Hussein was hanged
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cpiPFkL0QY
this is a must see for all – 4 minutes of absolute truth
People get pissed off at bribes, but hardly take a moment to see how it all starts.
Say you’re a govt employee… Been there for 10 yrs without a raise or got something paltry. The govt does not have the means, but cannot raise prices on services as that would lead to a revolt. They have no other means of resourcing it because tax collection etc is not great because the economy is not expanding.
So, there’s a wink and a nod whereby the govt thinks it can shift the blame to the individual and not every client is going to a victim of the bribe. Win – Win. Short term. Long term – Cancer.
To me, that’s the long and short of it.
Hi Ghassan – thanks for interesting article – yes, to say Nasrallah is caught off-guard on blogs such as Saker’s is to take a chance to be thrown to the lions !! But if it is indeed this way – what’s going to be the outcome ?
Ann, I cannot tell what the outcome will be, but what I do know is that offering constructive criticism and advice is something that loyal friends ought to do. I hope that Hezbollah will find a proper resolution
I enjoy reading Ghassan’s articles, but on these particular events, somehow I find he’s views not broad enough to fit the big picture. I prefer Ramin Mazaheri’s explanation much more on this topic.
Saker should note that readers of this blog much prefer Ramin’s take on these events than this author’s.
I got news for the hooligans and rioters; Hezbollah won’t do the dirty work of overthrowing the status quo for you. Hezbollah is not stupid enough to abandon its friends (corrupt or not) and the Lebanese Shias are certainly not stupid enough to turn against Hezbollah.
Sorry Nasser, I much much prefer Ghassan’s logic than Ramin’s. You shouldn’t assume what others think.
Respectfully, I didn’t assume anything; but simply stated what the comments section already shows. In fact, this author begins the second paragraph with: “My previous article on virtually the same subject was faced by a rather fierce backlash in the commentary,…”. You are of course entitled to your opinion but I would image most readers don’t come to this blog to read the same sentiments as expressed in publications like Al Arabiya or Asharq al Awsat.
Dear Ghassan,
thank you for your two contributions to this site.
I never studied the influence Hezbollah has on the legislative, judicial and executive levels inside Lebanon. With my limited insight, I do not recall that Hezbollah usurped the responsibility of policing and judging the Lebanese people. Instead, I think that Hezbollah considers itself to be responsible for the foreign security mostly, such that peaceful civil live in Lebanon is/stays possible. If my view is correct, venting anger on Hezbollah would mean that Hezbollah were to become legislator, police and judge in response: a benevolent dictator at best, but dictator nonetheless. I doubt that the Lebanese people want this.
With regards to corruption, it always needs three sides. The bribe takers, the bribers and the blind. Whoever is angry about corruption in the country or its institutions should make sure he/she is not going to pay bribes ever. Stop telling excuses and start acting rightfully. That would solve the issue pretty much.
‘Comparisons are odious’ are words of hundreds of years, but what do they mean ? They reek of the lower not attaining the higher, or as Shakespeare famously wrote : Lilies that fester smell far worse than weeds.
Besides, wisdom and truth are as broad as the universe, how many varying, valuable perspectives that allows !
Revolution, the central principle to Ghassan Kadi’s article on Hezbollah, meaning “people of God,” is about freedom of the human spirit. The fight for the realization, the right for, the attainment of spiritual and cultural freedom as instigator of reversal of conditions.
Essentially this principle has to stand by itself, without props, without backup from political or personal agendas, These are the structural fabric, and nothing but an empty suit without revolution in its true sense.