From the Washington Post comes this:
UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 2 — Lebanon’s acting foreign minister, Tarek Mitri, said Wednesday he doubts that his government would agree to invite a European-led intervention force into southern Lebanon, citing fierce opposition from Hezbollah and its key foreign backers, Syria and Iran.
Let’s see if I have this straight:
- Mr. Mitri is a high-ranking official with the official government of Lebanon. Repeat: of Lebanon.
- His country has been put into turmoil for the actions of Hezbullah, a state-less organization (although it does participate in Lebanon politics) that has hijacked the foreign policy of the official government unilaterially.
- Hezbullah’s backers are from two other sovereign nation-states OUTSIDE and INDEPENDENT of Lebanon.
Is Mr Mitri effectively saying that his government has given in to an NGO? That it is blameless in this whole mess because of Hezbullah? Is he saying that the official government is incapabile or is it unwilling to take actions to save itself or its citizens?
Yes, I understand that it is a weak government, a nascent democracy. But when it is not even willing to make the attempt to protect itself…
Help gets extended, and then rejected? In either case, they should get what they deserve if they are putting conditions on getting help.
