Kanook – Tlingit Nation

September 27th, 2010

Over the past 30-days the lines are once again being drawn in the dirt of Lebanon between the
forces ruling the country, and as before the people of Lebanon have become the bystanders
watching as their troubled land descends into chaos. They look on with fearful eyes dreading the
upcoming conflict that will rip their country apart with another Civil War, brought about by
outside International forces beyond their control.
It has been the prayer of many that they would never again experience the strife they have seen
since the late 1960s and the close of the internal war that all but destroyed their ancient land, now
once again they sit by their radio’s and TV’s listening and watching as their leaders do political
battle over the events of February 14th, 2005.
On Friday last, the President of Lebanon Michel Suleiman stood at the 65th Session of the
United Nations General Assembly in NYC and asked for support for his country in restoring the
credibility in his government in staying away from politicization in the investigation of the Feb
14th event. He reaffirmed that the request made by the Government of the Republic of Lebanon
for the UN to establish a tribunal of an international character to try all those who are “alleged”
responsible for the event. This request, made on December 13th, 2005, nine months and twenty-
nine days after the death of its former PM and 22 other individuals was granted and the Special
Tribunal for Lebanon (“STL”) became a reality on May 30th, 2007 some 2 years-3 months and 16
days after February 14th, 2005.
The request in 2005 by the government showed the world one thing, and one thing only – “the
country of Lebanon did not have a solid government”, and unfortunately it still does not have a
firm hand on workings of the land – their house is in shambles with no solution in sight! To
support this fact one can only point to the words of the President last Friday who said that
“Lebanon cannot survive without the International Community”. Speaking to the fact that, “we
need the International Community more than ever to make our voice heard”! He then went on to
mimic the comments of the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in stating that the Lebanese
“have identical needs in safeguarding national unity in Lebanon to avoid Lebanon being used as
an arena for Arab conflicts”.
 His closing statement brought up the fact this his country needed to return to the “Rule of
Law”, which many have said walked away from Lebanon when they or/and the International
Community did not enforce when a resolution introduced and accepted by concerned parties by
the UN called for the disarming of all militias in Lebanon. When the disarming was not applied
to all except the established entities of the Lebanese government, anarchy put its big foot onto the
soil of Lebanon, and has setup housekeeping.
By permitting the Hezbollah maintain its armed presence within the borders of Lebanon as a
prominent militia, the upcoming conflict would manifest itself in time. Even if the sitting
government, which includes elected members of the Hezbollah, is able to once again able to bring
about a political ceasefire the conflict is sitting behind the horizon waiting for a spark.
News articles scream out that the International Community is working hard to eliminate the
present political crisis in Lebanon, now being driven by Syria and Saudi Arabia with the
information being spread about by Lebanon’s Information Minister Tareq Mitri. Banner
headlines have him remarking, “Saudi Arabia and Syria have reminded all the Lebanese political
forces that they still see themselves as guarantors of stability and strongly encourage them to put
an end to their inflammatory rhetoric and to calm down!”
The stated fear of these two Middle Eastern countries is that Lebanon is headed again to the
sectarian violence similar to the one that brought Lebanon close to a Civil War in May 2008.
Today we see President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, as a heavy-duty supporter of the Hezbollah
talking with Prime Minister Saad Hariri last Wednesday (Sept 22nd) on the latest developments of
the situation. During the evening of the same day, the Saudi ambassador to Lebanon whose
country supports the Prime Minister, met with the Hezbollah delegation.
All the parties share the concern that if the STL issues the rumored indictments against certain
Hezbollah members a violent Sunni-Shi’ite conflict will bring the country into another fierce
Civil War, and as things stand now these indictments, if they are issued, will happen maybe
around the end of the year. And the majority of neutral officials, on both sides of the fence are
beyond hope that the Saudi-Syrian understanding can hold the situation neutral and stop the
feared eruption between the two elements after the issuance of the indictments.
Hezbollah has from the bully-pulpit of fear shouted words that Israel was behind the Feb 14 th,
and now screams with swords being banished that if “any” of their members are called before the
STL for “any” reason that all hell will break loose, and in between taking a breath are doing
everything within their power to discredit the STL. Sheikh Naim Qassem, the Shiite movement’s
deputy chief told the world via the Kuwaiti daily “Al-Rai” that the Hezbollah had not uttered its
“last word” and was giving time for Saudi efforts to “redress the wrongful course” of the STL
process. During his interview last Thursday (Sept 23rd) he once again said, “we are in a test
period and in light of the results of Saudi mediation we will take a clear-cut position on the
tribunal.” Going on to state that the Hezbollah stands behind it accusation that Israel is behind
the events of Feb 14th, 2005.
Now the agreement that both parties worked on that established the function of the STL has
been throw aside by the Hezbollah, proving the facts laid on the table that the Hezbollah was
using the UN to further their agenda, which albeit they might have stated publicly, honest
cooperation with Israel, is as far from the truth as anyone can imagine, with their original goal
being the elimination of the State of Israel from the face of the map of the Middle East.
The people of Lebanon, all religions and factions are once again being held hostage by
sectarian forces that will never agree, regardless of the status of Israel. Granted with Israel gone
the much sought after rule of Salah ad-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyub or Salidin will again rule the Middle
East, at least that is the wish of “Hassan Nasrallah” the self-styled “secretary-general of the
party”, who obtained the bulk of his education in Iraq with the radical Shi’ite cleric Muhammad
Baqir al-Sadr.
Under the “Rule of Law”, in our modern civilization a person or cause is held innocent until
proven guilty, under today’s society in Lebanon the Hezbollah will not give the “Rule of Law” its
due process, which in all aspects gives the opinion that they are not as innocent as they would
have their neighbors believe. Right or wrong in order for Lebanon to function as a nation
operating under the “Rule of Law” – Hezbollah must step aside and let the process continue,
trusting in the evidence and accusations against them to be proven wrong and that they are
innocent of any wrongdoing on Feb 14th, 2005.
Even Israel who stands accused of killing a high-level terrorist leader simple states in its non-
defense, “prove it!” Another little item, if Iran, Syria and the Hezbollah really believe that Israel
will standby and put up with the bluster, threats or bully-pulpit sermons they must be living in a
dream land, equal to that of Alice and her world of rabbits. Eventually the State of Israel, which
seems to have dug itself a pretty big hole in the opinion of the free world - and forget the Islamic
world they hatred for the Jews is a strong and bitter as it ever has been, will react to the bluster
and/or minor excursions into their national territory. The Hezbollah and their backers in Syria
stand about as much success as measured to “slim and none”, when it comes to doing actual
battle with the heavily armed State of Israel. Israel today is simply standing down letting the
political battle to the north of them play out a bit more, and if the games that Hezbollah and the
government are orchestrating spill over onto their borders or even close the resulting conflict will
once again send Lebanon into chaos, making its recovery far into the future – if ever!
 What no one seems to understand is that the State of Israel is prepared for War, and even if it
comes down to another Masada so be it, for the Jews of Ancient Palestine will not surrender or
give up peacefully. Along with their refusal to bow to the hatred of the Islamic radical clerics
they will render the Middle East unlivable for centuries, personally I don’t believe this is a bluster
or threat but just a simple fact!
It comes down to the simple fact that their neighbors to the north, split as they are, have got to
assume the responsibility of their actions. In other words, they cannot continue with out stretched
arms walk, run or crawl to the International Community asking for it to solve their problems, they
have to buck up and face them either solving them or cease to exist as a member of the council of
nations – either way a difficult future to face.
Last Saturday published statements made by the USA Secretary of State assured that the USA
will support the Lebanese government and its army, despite the rhetoric spewing forth from the
halls of the United States legislature that any support of same would be used against Israel – this
is said to have been told to President Michel Sleiman on the 24th (Friday) when Hillary Clinton
met with him in NYC. Now whether this can be taken as a statement of fact or more political BS
is another matter, whereas the political climate in Israel’s past protector is in much disarray as in
Lebanon – it maybe that stupidity is attracted to stupidity, only God knows and understands!
Why the President of Lebanon thinks that International Opinion or pressure will change the
circumstances in his country is beyond me, take Israel for instance they have the entire Western
World leaning on them on the way they are handling the Palestinian situation, of which they pay
no attention to the pressure. Yesterday (26th) the ten-month settlement construction moratorium
expired and event that has been anticipated with increasing interest since the two sides involved
have been sitting here and there to discuss their differences. The Palestinian’s have been
threatening to walk from the “peace talks” if the Israeli’s did not extend the moratorium with the
West leaning heavily on Israel to extend, not to my surprise they did not extend the process, and
guess what the Palestinians gave the Israeli’s another week before they leave the peace table.
Societies around the world should know by now (along with the Lebanese) that International
Opinion means little to the people who live under the blazing sun and walk the harsh landscape of
the Middle East, just about as much as they value an individual’s life. The will politely listen to
this or that, thank the envoys and go back home or after the rich and famous from the West leave
the room and get back to the business of running their domain. Keep in mind that these people
have a history of not getting along. It doesn’t matter if they’re Christians, Jews or Islamic they
love to drive their thundering horses across the desert sand with banners waving in the wind,
rifles held high and scimitar’s attached to their bodies, with their eyes fired up as the next battle
line is but a few yards away.
As mentioned the lines in the sandstone in Lebanon are getting deeper and more defined, with
the Phalange Party condemning Hezbollah and its allies’ of increasing the tensions in-country by
refusing to shut their yaps and let calm and common sense rule the day. All I can say, Lebanon is
no different than any other country when its comes to politicians and their army’s, they will twist,
turn and shatter most plans of peace in less time than it takes to set a dinner setting at some high-
level affair put on the by the Queen. All the while smiling for the press and kissing the hind-end
of some prince or whatever who controls the purse strings behind the scenes, especially in the
land of sand and oil.
One side of the equation in Lebanon is calling for protecting its constitution (such as it is,
modeled after a French mandate) and “all” international resolutions, while the other side is doing
it damndest to tear both sets of rules asunder, creating a set of rules and laws not unlike the US
Congress does where everyone else must live by the laws, except the creators.
The one side is calling for the government to take precautionary measures to increase the
security and prepare the Lebanese military, creating an apparatus that will prohibit any future
strife and unrest. Well guess what folks, it is a little late for this type of response, when it was
possible a couple of years ago to pull the thorn from ones foot, it has drilled further into their feet
and has gone past the point of abscess morphing into a bloody wound threatening to bleed the life
out of the country. In my humble opinion the time has come to cut and run, or grit one’s teeth
and tough out the situation by whatever means are necessary – and make the leaders of each side
ride their thundering steeds in the front lines and not hide behind some fancy curtain of
diplomatic immunity in some far off land – place them squarely on the line with the oppositions
armaments firing point blank at their ideas and concepts of internal or external peace in the
region.
I don’t think we or I can expect this type of war anymore, if it were the norm we’d find US
leaders riding their horses into battle in Iraq or Afghanistan, seems there would be less wars if the
ones who called for them were actually the ones in the front lines and not their grandchildren
fighting the battles – get a grip, honor of this kind left our society with King Arthur.