Readings...
One other day, that looks just like yesterday except for the 15 Israeli soldiers that died and the speech of the Sayyed. I wanted to comment on couple of things but then I read this article (Thanks P.) that expressed so well some of my ideas and so much more. It is a MUST READ for anyone insterested in this conflict and any Lebanese who lacks some of the specifics or who have doubts about this conflict Shebaa, human rights, terrorism vs facts. Excellent!
Lebanon War - Question and Answer. The link is http://www.freespeech.org/fscm2/contentviewer.php?content_id=1353
You should certainly pass it around. It would be even greater if someone has the time to confirm some of the key points mentioned. In anycase, everything is referenced. Enjoy!
Otherwise, I was reading the Israeli newspapers and then I checked the forum there. I found this comment writtent by a lebanese and signed libnenye: lebanese girl. I thought it was interesting...
11 frustrating Israeli Rules:
Rule # 1: In the Middle East, it is always the Arabs that attack first, and it`s always Israel who defends itself. This is called "Retaliation".
Rule # 2: The Arabs, whether Palestinians or Lebanese, are not allowed to kill Israelis. This is called "Terrorism"
Rule # 3: Israel has the right to kill Arab civilians, this is called "Self-Defense", or these days "Collateral Damage".
Rule # 4: When Israel kills too many civilians. The Western world calls for restraint. This is called the "Reaction of the International Community".
Rule # 5: Palestinians and Lebanese do not have the right to capture Israeli military, not even a limited number, not even 1 or 2. This is called "Kidnapping".
Rule # 6: Israel has the right to capture as many Palestinians as they want (Palestinians: around 10000 to date, 300 of which are children, Lebanese: 1000s to date, being held without trial). There is no limit; there is no need for proof of guilt or trial. This is called "War on Terrorism".
Rule # 7: When you say "Hezbollah", always be sure to add "supported by Syria and Iran". this is called: "Axis of Evil"
Rule # 8: When you say "Israel", never say "supported by the USA, the UK and other European countries", for people (God forbid) might believe this is not an equal conflict. This is called "Helping our Friends".
Rule # 9: When it comes to Israel, don`t mention the words "occupied territories", "UN resolutions", "Geneva conventions". This could distress the audience and is called "Anti-Semitism".
Rule # 10: Israelis speak better English than Arabs. This is why we let them speak out as much as possible, so that they can explain rules 1 through 9. This is called "Neutral Journalism".
Rule # 11: If you don`t agree with these rules or if you favor the Arab side over the Israeli side,you must be a very dangerous anti-Semite. You may even have to make a public apology if you express your honest opinion. this is called "Democracy".
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
Monday, August 07, 2006
Aoun’s (Unplanned) Second War of Liberation?
Let’s quickly recall the political situation in Lebanon before the war, this war. Hariri was assassinated in February 2005. The international community led by the US and France and their allies in Lebanon suspected Syria to be involved in this assassination. This major incident mixed the political cards and drove new agreements between parties and broke others. The political arena was shaken and settled finally on two blocs.
The first bloc (sometime known as anti-Syrian. I prefer to call it pro-American) was the result of different political thoughts, united in their struggle against the Syrian presence. This bloc was lead by Hariri’s movement and the main druze leader Jumblatt. With the help of the Americans (and some like to say the French) they pushed Syria to pull out its troops from Lebanon as it was dictated in the UN resolution 1559.
The other bloc (known sometimes as pro-Syrian, but probably pro-resistance and anti-American are more accurate denominations), lead by Hezballah and Amal including various other smaller groups were against such pull out and especially against the way it occurred (strong American involvement applying its personal agenda and no recognition of the positive role Syria played during its presence in Lebanon).
A third entity, lead by Michel Aoun (the general and prime minister in 1989-1990 who first declared the liberation war against Syria in that same year) as he was returning from exile in France. He is considered to be the one who put the seeds that later lead to ousting the Syrians out of Lebanon. Since this pullout, he took a moderate stance against Syria. Surprisingly (not to him), he won the great majority of the Christian votes in the parliamentary elections. Nevertheless, the majority of the parliament was lead by the pro-American bloc (Hariri and co.).
The majority preferred to include the resistance in its government and exclude Michel Aoun who became the major pole of the opposition. Very soon, problems between the majority and the resistance started to erode the government. Simultaneously, Aoun and Nasrallah (Hazabllah’s leader) declared a joint agreement on the most complex political issues (including the role of the resistance and its agenda). This agreement was a major blow for the majority. Together Aoun and the anti-American bloc represented theoretically the new majority on the ground. The government obviously refused to call for new elections.
Very soon, as a result of depressive political divisions, the main political leaders started rounds of discussions as an attempt to bridge their differences. They were able with not much difficulty to agree on some easy to moderate questions (such as the international tribunal related to Hariri’s assassination, the control of Palestinian weapons outside the camps and the relations with Syria). Some progress was made on the Libanization of Shebaa farms and the need to delimit the borders around that area.
The discussions stalled on the resistance weapons issue. The last meeting was supposed to happen soon. This is where all started.
A crucial reality on the ground: the undeclared “alliance” of Aoun and the resistance was becoming much stronger (a lot of secular shiaa were adhering or supporting Aoun’s movement. In addition, Aoun and Nasrallah’s, called together for many protests, rallies and more). During the discussion on the disarmament, Aoun supported Nasrallah in his thesis of a need for a strong strategy to defend Lebanon against Israel’s potential aggressions. The pro-American bloc was not convinced of such needs and especially in the means of achieving them.
(Just as an anecdote, as we are talking about aggressions: in one of these meetings, Israel invited itself by allowing one of its fighter to break the sound barrier on top of Beirut.)
Now let’s summarize. Nasrallah backed by Aoun has a strong case. Israel’s aggressions in Lebanon are uncountable, Israel is controlling the Shebaa farms, is not accepting to release Lebanese prisoners, holds maps of mines in the South, has interests in Lebanese water and could at anytime attack Lebanon as it did in the past (the sound barrier broken is a good reminder of its bad intentions). Furthermore, together Aoun and Nasrallah represent with their allies more than 60% of the population.
Hence, if the discussions that were taking place succeeded, the only possible outcome is an agreement on an active role of the resistance in their fight against Israel, with a later solution to the weapons that resolve the resistance worries. If they don’t succeed then most probably, new elections would have been called on (otherwise, the country would have been jeopardized by massive protests). Such elections would probably allow the Aoun/Nasrallah alliance to take control of the country. This obviously would lead to an even stronger role of the resistance. In both cases, the resistance would have been, for the first time since the adoption of UN resolution 1559, (which calls for the disarmament of all militias operating in Lebanon), strengthened and officially backed by the government in place.
Such outcome would have represented a major blow for the US and obviously the worse case scenario for Israel. If we think again about these events, none of these would have been possible without Aoun (and his eventual agreement with Nasrallah). This explains the title of this article; it is certainly not to take any credit off the resistance in this battle against Israel, but it seems to me that things would have been very different and probably much worse internally if Aoun didn’t return and didn’t choose eventually to partner with Nasrallah.
The US, to my opinion, could not let this happen. After all, Lebanon was their small baby, their only (not anymore) achievement in the Middle East (whether we agreed with them or not). Lebanon’s success was on every speech the Bush administration made related to democracy and their war against terror. Having Nasrallah (even in the presence of Aoun) obtain a stronger support from the Lebanese government and eventually playing a more important role in Lebanon’s politics would not coincide with the US own vision of the Middle East (it is not about democracy-remember Hamas and the Palestinian elections). Israel can’t disagree with that.
You can imagine the scenario. A plan of war gets prepared; a military attack creates the perfect excuse. I guess you are currently following the rest in the news…
In 1989, Aoun’s (planned) liberation war against Syria, in a divided country, ended by a defeat. He got exiled and Syria and her allies controlled the country for the next decade and a half. Nevertheless, no one doubts that this war was the beginning of the end for the Syrian presence in Lebanon. Today’s one Billion dollars question is whether Aoun’s (unplanned) liberation war against Israel would have the same eventual outcome? Nothing is less sure with Israel/US if we are divided.
Now that this war was raged, would the Lebanese take their courage in both hands, rally behind their rights and keep resisting (on the grounds and politically) until these rights are achieved?
In the name of all the innocent babies that died, let it be a yes!
Let’s quickly recall the political situation in Lebanon before the war, this war. Hariri was assassinated in February 2005. The international community led by the US and France and their allies in Lebanon suspected Syria to be involved in this assassination. This major incident mixed the political cards and drove new agreements between parties and broke others. The political arena was shaken and settled finally on two blocs.
The first bloc (sometime known as anti-Syrian. I prefer to call it pro-American) was the result of different political thoughts, united in their struggle against the Syrian presence. This bloc was lead by Hariri’s movement and the main druze leader Jumblatt. With the help of the Americans (and some like to say the French) they pushed Syria to pull out its troops from Lebanon as it was dictated in the UN resolution 1559.
The other bloc (known sometimes as pro-Syrian, but probably pro-resistance and anti-American are more accurate denominations), lead by Hezballah and Amal including various other smaller groups were against such pull out and especially against the way it occurred (strong American involvement applying its personal agenda and no recognition of the positive role Syria played during its presence in Lebanon).
A third entity, lead by Michel Aoun (the general and prime minister in 1989-1990 who first declared the liberation war against Syria in that same year) as he was returning from exile in France. He is considered to be the one who put the seeds that later lead to ousting the Syrians out of Lebanon. Since this pullout, he took a moderate stance against Syria. Surprisingly (not to him), he won the great majority of the Christian votes in the parliamentary elections. Nevertheless, the majority of the parliament was lead by the pro-American bloc (Hariri and co.).
The majority preferred to include the resistance in its government and exclude Michel Aoun who became the major pole of the opposition. Very soon, problems between the majority and the resistance started to erode the government. Simultaneously, Aoun and Nasrallah (Hazabllah’s leader) declared a joint agreement on the most complex political issues (including the role of the resistance and its agenda). This agreement was a major blow for the majority. Together Aoun and the anti-American bloc represented theoretically the new majority on the ground. The government obviously refused to call for new elections.
Very soon, as a result of depressive political divisions, the main political leaders started rounds of discussions as an attempt to bridge their differences. They were able with not much difficulty to agree on some easy to moderate questions (such as the international tribunal related to Hariri’s assassination, the control of Palestinian weapons outside the camps and the relations with Syria). Some progress was made on the Libanization of Shebaa farms and the need to delimit the borders around that area.
The discussions stalled on the resistance weapons issue. The last meeting was supposed to happen soon. This is where all started.
A crucial reality on the ground: the undeclared “alliance” of Aoun and the resistance was becoming much stronger (a lot of secular shiaa were adhering or supporting Aoun’s movement. In addition, Aoun and Nasrallah’s, called together for many protests, rallies and more). During the discussion on the disarmament, Aoun supported Nasrallah in his thesis of a need for a strong strategy to defend Lebanon against Israel’s potential aggressions. The pro-American bloc was not convinced of such needs and especially in the means of achieving them.
(Just as an anecdote, as we are talking about aggressions: in one of these meetings, Israel invited itself by allowing one of its fighter to break the sound barrier on top of Beirut.)
Now let’s summarize. Nasrallah backed by Aoun has a strong case. Israel’s aggressions in Lebanon are uncountable, Israel is controlling the Shebaa farms, is not accepting to release Lebanese prisoners, holds maps of mines in the South, has interests in Lebanese water and could at anytime attack Lebanon as it did in the past (the sound barrier broken is a good reminder of its bad intentions). Furthermore, together Aoun and Nasrallah represent with their allies more than 60% of the population.
Hence, if the discussions that were taking place succeeded, the only possible outcome is an agreement on an active role of the resistance in their fight against Israel, with a later solution to the weapons that resolve the resistance worries. If they don’t succeed then most probably, new elections would have been called on (otherwise, the country would have been jeopardized by massive protests). Such elections would probably allow the Aoun/Nasrallah alliance to take control of the country. This obviously would lead to an even stronger role of the resistance. In both cases, the resistance would have been, for the first time since the adoption of UN resolution 1559, (which calls for the disarmament of all militias operating in Lebanon), strengthened and officially backed by the government in place.
Such outcome would have represented a major blow for the US and obviously the worse case scenario for Israel. If we think again about these events, none of these would have been possible without Aoun (and his eventual agreement with Nasrallah). This explains the title of this article; it is certainly not to take any credit off the resistance in this battle against Israel, but it seems to me that things would have been very different and probably much worse internally if Aoun didn’t return and didn’t choose eventually to partner with Nasrallah.
The US, to my opinion, could not let this happen. After all, Lebanon was their small baby, their only (not anymore) achievement in the Middle East (whether we agreed with them or not). Lebanon’s success was on every speech the Bush administration made related to democracy and their war against terror. Having Nasrallah (even in the presence of Aoun) obtain a stronger support from the Lebanese government and eventually playing a more important role in Lebanon’s politics would not coincide with the US own vision of the Middle East (it is not about democracy-remember Hamas and the Palestinian elections). Israel can’t disagree with that.
You can imagine the scenario. A plan of war gets prepared; a military attack creates the perfect excuse. I guess you are currently following the rest in the news…
In 1989, Aoun’s (planned) liberation war against Syria, in a divided country, ended by a defeat. He got exiled and Syria and her allies controlled the country for the next decade and a half. Nevertheless, no one doubts that this war was the beginning of the end for the Syrian presence in Lebanon. Today’s one Billion dollars question is whether Aoun’s (unplanned) liberation war against Israel would have the same eventual outcome? Nothing is less sure with Israel/US if we are divided.
Now that this war was raged, would the Lebanese take their courage in both hands, rally behind their rights and keep resisting (on the grounds and politically) until these rights are achieved?
In the name of all the innocent babies that died, let it be a yes!
Sunday, August 06, 2006
At War in … New York (bis)
Summer in New York is hot, full of tourists. On weekends, Many New Yorkers leave the city, to the beach at a driving distance. But, despite the weather and the summer vacations, New York nightlife remains untouched; except, these days, for many Lebanese…
We are indeed at least 14 hours away from Beirut (7hours flight to Europe, then 5hours flight to Beirut, you add to this a two-hours wait between flights.). To get to Tyre, you need a couple of additional driving hours south. That brings it to 17hours in total (when you add the hour of hugs and kisses at the Beirut airport.). Fortunately, the news these days fly in matter of seconds and most of us here live at Lebanon’s time…
Today, the Israeli newspapers have a major dilemma to deal with. Is “Dahiye” part of Beirut? If it is, (which it seems they would like it to be), then Nasrallah is not a man of his word. Why? Because he said the resistance will bomb Tel Aviv (Israel’s capital) if they bomb ours-Beirut. And he didn’t … yet. The way, this dilemma is pictured through their news, suggests that the Israelis seem to enjoy more the fact that Nasrallah didn’t “dare” hitting TA (yet) than the fact that TA was not hit (yet).
For those who didn’t know, Dahiye is the favorite target of Israeli planes and got its name from its location (in Arabic Dahiye means suburb).
This could have been one of the so many stories or comments that we could have discussed yesterday or the day before when we met with other Lebanese at night here in Manhattan. Our weekends are not the same anymore. How can they be? It seems like the days are meant for gathering all kind of information, articles stories and rumors. The nights are the time of truth! The meeting sounds first like a normal one; a local bar, a familiar restaurant, or somebody’s place like the old “normal” days. We order the same drink or entrée. We start eating or drinking while asking the “normal” questions. “Kifak habibi? Mnih? Mechta’lak ana?” “… Ahlaaaan!” (I just noticed another friend sitting further away) “wlek waynak ya zalame?” While we are playing the ritual, we are waiting, watching, expecting, the whisper, the word, “l’appat” which will start it all. We seem all like wolves ready to jump; we have been training all day long. It will come from where you never expected it, from the person who (you thought) cared the least about Politics. “Shefet shou sar elyoum?” (Did you see what happened today?) and that’s it. No need to ask: “where?”
The others feel relieved, it was not them who started it, not this time. They all know they would have … if the ritual lasted longer.
I always refused to have TV home. One reason is to block CNN, “The most trusted news” (as they like to call themselves -No comments) and the alike i.e. all the other US news. When I am visiting a friend, I get curious to see what they (CNN) have to say. Lately, it seems, they are presenting the “other side” to their public through a show Hollywoodly entitled “Inside Hezbollah”. Waw! Journalism at its “apogee”. Believe me; it raises any doubts about Hezbollah’s real intentions. The crucial moment comes when they show simultaneously an image of both Nasrallah and Ben Laden. They both indeed have long beards and some weird clothing. It feels like telling you… “See?” Then they show the combatants walking on an Israeli flag with their weapons. Check mate. (Are you telling me that they dared walking on Israel’s flag? These must be terrorists)
Yesterday, I received a video from Lebanon, filmed there by some friends. It is a letter and a message, from some young Lebanese resisting by living and creating, to those out there that still love them. You will find the link on this page. No comments! Oh, just one
“Hi Helena… shta’tellik. Keep the good work.”
A good friend of mine was wondering the other day, “what can we do to help? Can we do something from here or should we be there? Money is important. Find the organization that you feel most comfortable with and donate, donate, donate. You know at least one, the Red Cross, but there are many others and many are in needs. So donate! (just an advice, don’t send money to Hizballah from the US. It seems they don’t like it)
Helping on the ground is certainly the most effective thing. They need a lot of people and it is easy once there to get in touch with organizations. But many of us, will not be able to do that. Far away, we can still do many things.
1. Donate!
2. Protest. Go to protests you hear about (or organize one), try to let your voice reach those that one day will be willing or forced to hear, so that no one can say “we didn’t know…” Don’t use passive tenses in your slogans. Active tenses are used when we know the “subject”. Say it loud, because you’re not anti-Semite. You are Semite.
3. Think about ways that you can affect the status quo. There are always ways, like this video that can make it further than anyone ever hoped… Think.
4. Forward messages, links, articles. Always use trustful sources. Don’t let anyone take advantage from a small mistake to destroy a so rightful cause. Stay away from racism. Leave this for those weak, for all these Israeli forums that don’t have anything to say except wishing Israel to bomb harder.
5. Talk about it, discuss it, debate it, pass the message. Let everyone know, be reminded what Israel is doing to Lebanon. There is nothing to be ashamed of. At the opposite, you should be ashamed of being silent. They should all know: your friends, your boss, your Jewish (or Israeli) colleague and all the rest that what Israel is doing to Lebanon is terrorism and nothing else. They can be silent, they can choose not to ask you but if they do use the active tense…
I am still looking for one convincing logic that might explain why one would back the Israeli use of force; just one. Maybe the smartest defender today of the Israeli raids (outside Israel), might well be Toni Blair. (You all understood why I didn’t opt for G. Bush). In his speech, to the house of Commons he said “… just imagine 1600 roquettes falling onto Israel… imagine!” I can imagine 5000 F16 missiles falling on Lebanon, I think, I can imagine 1600 roquettes. Now, that I imagined. So what? “Israel has the right to defend itself”. He said. “It all started by Hezballah kidnapping two soldiers and this aggression should be undone.” It is difficult to comment on this, it is too easy. The resistance waited 36 hours before it sent its first roquette into Israel. In 36 hours many things happened in Lebanon. Among many other targets, Israel had already bombed the airport. I was there.
The other logic that both Israeli and American use is that Hezballah is Iran’s representative in the region and both are becoming very strong and a big threat to Israel. The glass was full. There is a UN resolution indirectly supporting these actions. When you ask them why Israel doesn’t give the prisoners and Shebaa farms back to Lebanon and take all the excuses from Hizballah. The answer is always, always, “…but then they will want more. They will not stop.” And when you answer by saying the obvious i.e. why don’t you wait till then to declare your war? Your reply will not hear back except your own echo…
Finally, for those Lebanese that are still betting on a peace treaty with Israel as the solution to our troubles, I want to tell you this story that I witnessed. I took a flight from Paris to JFK a week ago. I had an isle seat. Across the isle, one raw in front of me is sitting am 8 years old boy. He was Lebanese, flying with his mom and two younger sisters. He talked some Arabic but he was more at ease in English. He played a war game for 8 hours (no, this is not my story). I know that, because, he forgot to mute it. As we landed, he started looking from my window and he smiled to me. I smiled back. Suddenly, his face started turning yellow as we were moving slowly on the runway. He whispered two words while pointing out at the window: “An Israeli plane”. I turned at once and saw indeed an Israeli plane parking. He recognized the enemy and got scared! I was stunned that at this stage he knew their flag. Then I thought: how can you not? This, to me, is clear evidence that any hope of peace with Israel based on trust will not come during this boy’s time.
We should recognize this. And, meanwhile, we should be able to count on ourselves to get our rights!
Summer in New York is hot, full of tourists. On weekends, Many New Yorkers leave the city, to the beach at a driving distance. But, despite the weather and the summer vacations, New York nightlife remains untouched; except, these days, for many Lebanese…
We are indeed at least 14 hours away from Beirut (7hours flight to Europe, then 5hours flight to Beirut, you add to this a two-hours wait between flights.). To get to Tyre, you need a couple of additional driving hours south. That brings it to 17hours in total (when you add the hour of hugs and kisses at the Beirut airport.). Fortunately, the news these days fly in matter of seconds and most of us here live at Lebanon’s time…
Today, the Israeli newspapers have a major dilemma to deal with. Is “Dahiye” part of Beirut? If it is, (which it seems they would like it to be), then Nasrallah is not a man of his word. Why? Because he said the resistance will bomb Tel Aviv (Israel’s capital) if they bomb ours-Beirut. And he didn’t … yet. The way, this dilemma is pictured through their news, suggests that the Israelis seem to enjoy more the fact that Nasrallah didn’t “dare” hitting TA (yet) than the fact that TA was not hit (yet).
For those who didn’t know, Dahiye is the favorite target of Israeli planes and got its name from its location (in Arabic Dahiye means suburb).
This could have been one of the so many stories or comments that we could have discussed yesterday or the day before when we met with other Lebanese at night here in Manhattan. Our weekends are not the same anymore. How can they be? It seems like the days are meant for gathering all kind of information, articles stories and rumors. The nights are the time of truth! The meeting sounds first like a normal one; a local bar, a familiar restaurant, or somebody’s place like the old “normal” days. We order the same drink or entrée. We start eating or drinking while asking the “normal” questions. “Kifak habibi? Mnih? Mechta’lak ana?” “… Ahlaaaan!” (I just noticed another friend sitting further away) “wlek waynak ya zalame?” While we are playing the ritual, we are waiting, watching, expecting, the whisper, the word, “l’appat” which will start it all. We seem all like wolves ready to jump; we have been training all day long. It will come from where you never expected it, from the person who (you thought) cared the least about Politics. “Shefet shou sar elyoum?” (Did you see what happened today?) and that’s it. No need to ask: “where?”
The others feel relieved, it was not them who started it, not this time. They all know they would have … if the ritual lasted longer.
I always refused to have TV home. One reason is to block CNN, “The most trusted news” (as they like to call themselves -No comments) and the alike i.e. all the other US news. When I am visiting a friend, I get curious to see what they (CNN) have to say. Lately, it seems, they are presenting the “other side” to their public through a show Hollywoodly entitled “Inside Hezbollah”. Waw! Journalism at its “apogee”. Believe me; it raises any doubts about Hezbollah’s real intentions. The crucial moment comes when they show simultaneously an image of both Nasrallah and Ben Laden. They both indeed have long beards and some weird clothing. It feels like telling you… “See?” Then they show the combatants walking on an Israeli flag with their weapons. Check mate. (Are you telling me that they dared walking on Israel’s flag? These must be terrorists)
Yesterday, I received a video from Lebanon, filmed there by some friends. It is a letter and a message, from some young Lebanese resisting by living and creating, to those out there that still love them. You will find the link on this page. No comments! Oh, just one
“Hi Helena… shta’tellik. Keep the good work.”
A good friend of mine was wondering the other day, “what can we do to help? Can we do something from here or should we be there? Money is important. Find the organization that you feel most comfortable with and donate, donate, donate. You know at least one, the Red Cross, but there are many others and many are in needs. So donate! (just an advice, don’t send money to Hizballah from the US. It seems they don’t like it)
Helping on the ground is certainly the most effective thing. They need a lot of people and it is easy once there to get in touch with organizations. But many of us, will not be able to do that. Far away, we can still do many things.
1. Donate!
2. Protest. Go to protests you hear about (or organize one), try to let your voice reach those that one day will be willing or forced to hear, so that no one can say “we didn’t know…” Don’t use passive tenses in your slogans. Active tenses are used when we know the “subject”. Say it loud, because you’re not anti-Semite. You are Semite.
3. Think about ways that you can affect the status quo. There are always ways, like this video that can make it further than anyone ever hoped… Think.
4. Forward messages, links, articles. Always use trustful sources. Don’t let anyone take advantage from a small mistake to destroy a so rightful cause. Stay away from racism. Leave this for those weak, for all these Israeli forums that don’t have anything to say except wishing Israel to bomb harder.
5. Talk about it, discuss it, debate it, pass the message. Let everyone know, be reminded what Israel is doing to Lebanon. There is nothing to be ashamed of. At the opposite, you should be ashamed of being silent. They should all know: your friends, your boss, your Jewish (or Israeli) colleague and all the rest that what Israel is doing to Lebanon is terrorism and nothing else. They can be silent, they can choose not to ask you but if they do use the active tense…
I am still looking for one convincing logic that might explain why one would back the Israeli use of force; just one. Maybe the smartest defender today of the Israeli raids (outside Israel), might well be Toni Blair. (You all understood why I didn’t opt for G. Bush). In his speech, to the house of Commons he said “… just imagine 1600 roquettes falling onto Israel… imagine!” I can imagine 5000 F16 missiles falling on Lebanon, I think, I can imagine 1600 roquettes. Now, that I imagined. So what? “Israel has the right to defend itself”. He said. “It all started by Hezballah kidnapping two soldiers and this aggression should be undone.” It is difficult to comment on this, it is too easy. The resistance waited 36 hours before it sent its first roquette into Israel. In 36 hours many things happened in Lebanon. Among many other targets, Israel had already bombed the airport. I was there.
The other logic that both Israeli and American use is that Hezballah is Iran’s representative in the region and both are becoming very strong and a big threat to Israel. The glass was full. There is a UN resolution indirectly supporting these actions. When you ask them why Israel doesn’t give the prisoners and Shebaa farms back to Lebanon and take all the excuses from Hizballah. The answer is always, always, “…but then they will want more. They will not stop.” And when you answer by saying the obvious i.e. why don’t you wait till then to declare your war? Your reply will not hear back except your own echo…
Finally, for those Lebanese that are still betting on a peace treaty with Israel as the solution to our troubles, I want to tell you this story that I witnessed. I took a flight from Paris to JFK a week ago. I had an isle seat. Across the isle, one raw in front of me is sitting am 8 years old boy. He was Lebanese, flying with his mom and two younger sisters. He talked some Arabic but he was more at ease in English. He played a war game for 8 hours (no, this is not my story). I know that, because, he forgot to mute it. As we landed, he started looking from my window and he smiled to me. I smiled back. Suddenly, his face started turning yellow as we were moving slowly on the runway. He whispered two words while pointing out at the window: “An Israeli plane”. I turned at once and saw indeed an Israeli plane parking. He recognized the enemy and got scared! I was stunned that at this stage he knew their flag. Then I thought: how can you not? This, to me, is clear evidence that any hope of peace with Israel based on trust will not come during this boy’s time.
We should recognize this. And, meanwhile, we should be able to count on ourselves to get our rights!
Friday, August 04, 2006
At War in … New York
I left Lebanon on the 21st of July, on the 9th day. My job allows me to be away, but I still left. We live in a safer place; still, I understood that without me my parents will have to worry less about food, fuel water and electricity. I understood that this war might take longer than anyone expected. After the second day, the days started to look all alike, except the look of my father. A father who didn't know what to advice his son. Leaving meant taking the risk of driving through Damascus, meant being an easy target to an Israeli jet playing Top Gun. Staying meant stopping time, while the world is still living. I couldn’t take his look anymore. I decided to leave.
I quickly realized that time had stopped despite my being away.
My stay in Paris for few days didn’t help. When I arrived to New York, where my normal life is supposed to be, nothing looked the same. The luggage untouched, are in the middle of my living room, the AC is on but not the lights. I am already on my computer checking the news. F5 is my favorite key: refresh.
I had received emails from a couple of Israeli colleagues asking whether I made it safe (i.e. Top Gun missed my bus on that day). They meant well. I know it, I know them. But I was thinking about the time when we will meet in the hallway, when our respective smile will not mean the same thing, not anymore, not this time. He could be from Haifa, he could be one of those 87%, that at home we call Zionists enemies, those that approve this war. It shouldn’t matter, right? We’re in New York and here we’re all New Yorkers (whatever that meant).
It did to me...
My country is disfigured because some of his countrymen decided so. They had reasons (excuses) to do so. Maybe, everything can be explained even Hiroshima, but that will not change that my next visit to Lebanon will not be the same, that Beirut will be crying its South for some time.
The next day, I am in my office. The internet connection is faster than home. I am checking the news. Another American colleague is around. He came back from Israel not long time ago, before all this started. In the middle of our chat he suddenly says: “I saw on TV many Lebanese expressing their joy to the kidnapping”. He meant, “can you believe this?” I said: “I was one of them” and indeed I was.
How can’t you. By kidnapping these two soldiers, we had just achieved what we have been talking about since 2004; since the Israelis refused to release the remaining three Lebanese prisoners. We were one step closer to resolve a main issue with Israel. We were playing by the rules. But it seems the rules have changed. This last step had a more and unexpected high price. It reminded me these TV shows, where you are winning big time and suddenly you open this hidden card that asks you to give up everything you have. Some of them cry. I never understood how can they? There, it is just a game. Next time I might understand.
What is really tearful is the feeling of unfairness, of incapability facing the storm. It seems like everything is falling on you (and it was), your dreams, your plans are vanishing and you’re watching helpless. Suddenly, your hope concentrates (again) on the resistance. Not that you expect it to stop this massacre, but at least you want someone to say to the world that we exist, that it will not be a “picnic”; and it wasn’t.
One of my friends is in Lebanon, she decided to stay. She writes her daily summary on her blog. Yesterday, she said that the other headlines don’t mean to her as they do for the rest of the world. “Nad, it is the same for me here in New York.” In this city where “heat” is the breaking news. I still can’t get used to people talking in the elevators about normal subjects about other news. When someone says hi to me, with this look that shows he recognizes I am Lebanese and that my country is (again) making the news, I feel it is an invitation for me to tell my story. I don’t. I just say, “fine, indeed it is horrible, but we’re resisting.” Nobody understands my answer. I am sure many relate it to the heat.
As time goes by, I try to do some work, I mean in between two news articles or after I have submitted an answer to one of these Israeli forums, a place where people scream in writing.
One of them today wrote. “It seems we lost facing Hizballah. Olmert should accept it and stop hiding it. We lost!” It started me thinking… What are they really loosing? This guy seemed to announce the beginning of a Holocaust II, the end of the state of Israel, a nuclear missile on its way to Tel Aviv… I couldn’t stop myself from answering this guy.
I had to tell him: “Stop taking it too personally- stop this arrogance”. You might not have been able to crash the resistance. But guess what, everybody knew it. You might not have been able to stop the roquettes. But guess what, we told you from the start. If you stop killing civilians, the resistance will stop hurting your North. It is clear. It was said from the first day. You have a control on that. So stop talking about losing, when the only thing you might loose is OUR land.
I am reading these comments after the 300 roquettes sent to Northern Israel the day after Olmert announced to the world that he won the war. It made me wonder whether we should negotiate getting Tabaria.
You know what, you did loose one thing. You lost the monopole of controlling our destiny. This was few years ago. It is just hitting you...
Hassan Nasrallah is on the news… Everybody is listening in … Israel. In New York, I am hitting my F5 on tayyar.org. I was wondering whether the pilot in his F16 is doing the same … on Dahie!
I left Lebanon on the 21st of July, on the 9th day. My job allows me to be away, but I still left. We live in a safer place; still, I understood that without me my parents will have to worry less about food, fuel water and electricity. I understood that this war might take longer than anyone expected. After the second day, the days started to look all alike, except the look of my father. A father who didn't know what to advice his son. Leaving meant taking the risk of driving through Damascus, meant being an easy target to an Israeli jet playing Top Gun. Staying meant stopping time, while the world is still living. I couldn’t take his look anymore. I decided to leave.
I quickly realized that time had stopped despite my being away.
My stay in Paris for few days didn’t help. When I arrived to New York, where my normal life is supposed to be, nothing looked the same. The luggage untouched, are in the middle of my living room, the AC is on but not the lights. I am already on my computer checking the news. F5 is my favorite key: refresh.
I had received emails from a couple of Israeli colleagues asking whether I made it safe (i.e. Top Gun missed my bus on that day). They meant well. I know it, I know them. But I was thinking about the time when we will meet in the hallway, when our respective smile will not mean the same thing, not anymore, not this time. He could be from Haifa, he could be one of those 87%, that at home we call Zionists enemies, those that approve this war. It shouldn’t matter, right? We’re in New York and here we’re all New Yorkers (whatever that meant).
It did to me...
My country is disfigured because some of his countrymen decided so. They had reasons (excuses) to do so. Maybe, everything can be explained even Hiroshima, but that will not change that my next visit to Lebanon will not be the same, that Beirut will be crying its South for some time.
The next day, I am in my office. The internet connection is faster than home. I am checking the news. Another American colleague is around. He came back from Israel not long time ago, before all this started. In the middle of our chat he suddenly says: “I saw on TV many Lebanese expressing their joy to the kidnapping”. He meant, “can you believe this?” I said: “I was one of them” and indeed I was.
How can’t you. By kidnapping these two soldiers, we had just achieved what we have been talking about since 2004; since the Israelis refused to release the remaining three Lebanese prisoners. We were one step closer to resolve a main issue with Israel. We were playing by the rules. But it seems the rules have changed. This last step had a more and unexpected high price. It reminded me these TV shows, where you are winning big time and suddenly you open this hidden card that asks you to give up everything you have. Some of them cry. I never understood how can they? There, it is just a game. Next time I might understand.
What is really tearful is the feeling of unfairness, of incapability facing the storm. It seems like everything is falling on you (and it was), your dreams, your plans are vanishing and you’re watching helpless. Suddenly, your hope concentrates (again) on the resistance. Not that you expect it to stop this massacre, but at least you want someone to say to the world that we exist, that it will not be a “picnic”; and it wasn’t.
One of my friends is in Lebanon, she decided to stay. She writes her daily summary on her blog. Yesterday, she said that the other headlines don’t mean to her as they do for the rest of the world. “Nad, it is the same for me here in New York.” In this city where “heat” is the breaking news. I still can’t get used to people talking in the elevators about normal subjects about other news. When someone says hi to me, with this look that shows he recognizes I am Lebanese and that my country is (again) making the news, I feel it is an invitation for me to tell my story. I don’t. I just say, “fine, indeed it is horrible, but we’re resisting.” Nobody understands my answer. I am sure many relate it to the heat.
As time goes by, I try to do some work, I mean in between two news articles or after I have submitted an answer to one of these Israeli forums, a place where people scream in writing.
One of them today wrote. “It seems we lost facing Hizballah. Olmert should accept it and stop hiding it. We lost!” It started me thinking… What are they really loosing? This guy seemed to announce the beginning of a Holocaust II, the end of the state of Israel, a nuclear missile on its way to Tel Aviv… I couldn’t stop myself from answering this guy.
I had to tell him: “Stop taking it too personally- stop this arrogance”. You might not have been able to crash the resistance. But guess what, everybody knew it. You might not have been able to stop the roquettes. But guess what, we told you from the start. If you stop killing civilians, the resistance will stop hurting your North. It is clear. It was said from the first day. You have a control on that. So stop talking about losing, when the only thing you might loose is OUR land.
I am reading these comments after the 300 roquettes sent to Northern Israel the day after Olmert announced to the world that he won the war. It made me wonder whether we should negotiate getting Tabaria.
You know what, you did loose one thing. You lost the monopole of controlling our destiny. This was few years ago. It is just hitting you...
Hassan Nasrallah is on the news… Everybody is listening in … Israel. In New York, I am hitting my F5 on tayyar.org. I was wondering whether the pilot in his F16 is doing the same … on Dahie!
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Taboos and Objective Judgements
I just finished watching on the web a Fox news program (Fox news by the way is much worse than any Israeli newspaper I know about- I mean it by all measures) debating the ME (by debate I mean a discussion between two people or more that covers the different views out there- such debates are rare these days in the US news- everybody seem to agree.)
One of the questions that took the entire time of the show came unexpectedly and sounded so rhetorical: Is Hezbollah a terrorist organization? The answer of one guest after a lot of confusion was "no"! The host couldn't believe what he heard so he asked Levy (the other guy) why he thought it IS a terrorist organization. Not expecting the debate to be so primitive, Levy said (something like) "of course! I mean of course, they are supported by Iran and their mullahs!!!"
Aha... now we know. If you are supported by Iran, you are a terrorist organization. But actually, if you ask why Iran is on the famous axis of evil, the answer would be because they support terrorist organizations such as Hezballah (and Hamas)
hmmm... a chicken and an egg!
(the use of "such as" usually implies that there are many but for the sake of time and space we will mention one or two. In this case it has purely a propaganda effect, as these are the only two that Iran publicly supports).
So can we get to the facts?
There are many things wrong with Iran.. their regime, their ideology, some of the speeches of their new president (elected by the way more democratically than so many arabs pro US leaders). These seem to me internal problems that hopefully will be improved. What I care about, and why I assume Iran was branded part of the axis of evil, is their foreign policy. So my question is how Iran is affecting so badly our world ? what is it that Iran is doing/did that it became taboo to even ask the question or dig into it? at the risk of becoming revisionists or maybe even antisemite.
The revolution happened in 1979. Americans were taken hostages at the US embassy. The regime of Khomeini took over, like in any revolution some "cleaning" happened. 1983-4 Hezballah sees the light as a result of the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982. Iran gives it money, weapon and support especially in later years. (I am sure one can find other events that no country will like to have on its CV, please send them to me through the comments so I can update this). But more importantly, there is the nuclear weapon issue!
Now let's spend a couple of lines on it. If we check what specialists say about Iran's nuclear weapons they all agree that the Iranians are still far away (matters of years) from the weapon. Some very trusted sources believe that Iran doesn't even want to hold weapons, but aims at getting to the level where they can quickly build the weapons if they need to i.e. in a time of war. (the reason is, if they hold weapons and some nuclear terrorist attack occurs, the US can have an excuse to bomb Iran like they did in Afghanistan). By the way there is also one solution to this matter(suggested even by Syria), which is to make the entire ME area nuclear-free. Who would veto that you think?
Finally, there are these speeches containing hatred statements that the new president make publicly from time to time. It is disturbing, I agree, but they were never put in action in any way. Harmless! Iran never went and destroyed another country (like it is happening with my country or with Irak), I don't feel terrorized by Iran (not by living in the US, or if I lived in Europe or even in all Palestine).
I wish indeed things would have been different in Iran, but this is not enough to explain the propaganda of axis of evil.. Why would I care? you might ask, why do you want to defend the mullahs? Because this same propaganda is used to brand Hezbollah as a terrorist organization and makes the current war part of the so-called "war on terror". Hence, the US (and its faithful Britain) have excuses to delay the cease fire and give the time for Israel to accomplish the mission and destroy Lebanon. This is not the result of my imagination. These are speeches that we hear over and over again. Now Israel is killing Lebanese! But the machinery started long time ago with propaganda campaigns. We all prefer for Iran to be more democratic (especially the Iranians themselves, but we have to question all these scary terminologies (terrorists-axis of evil nuclear weapons) because these are not innocent names. These are campaigns to prepare the public for a future attack (as it happened with Irak and is happening today with Lebanon and maybe soon in Syria and Iran).
Now what about Syria? Replace the nuclear weapon issue with Syria's role in Lebanon and its border with Irak, and replace the mullahs by the Baath unique party. But Syria again did not destroy any country, is not a threat for the world (not that I am aware of). So the campaign included them when they stopped following orders. Obviously, there is also the Rafiq Hariri issue, yet nobody proved anything. Anyway, they belonged to the axis of evil long time before his assasination...
Finally, is really Hezballah a terrorist organization? We can argue for the "yes" if we go back to 1983. There were some kidnapping in Lebanon, attacks against the US embassy (the marines and french military count as military positions). But it is not easy to prove who did all these. Many countries (including most of European countries) don't consider them as terrorists. The first reason is that (especially since 1993 with Nasrallah) Hezballah used to always target military positions essentially inside Lebanon’s borders. In 1993 and 1996 when Israel tried to break them and started attacking civilians in Lebanon they retaliated and “roquetted” Northern Israel, similar to what is happening today. The other reason is the strong popular support for the party, their presence in the parliament (and lately even in the government).
The goal here is not explain or defend wrong-doings but to put things in perspective to discuss some taboos that most of us take for granted. Indeed, if we just focus on facts, and forget about their nice beaches their strong economy their smart engineers, their occidental look, how difficult it is to prove that Israel is a terrorist state, that is a real threat to the region. It owns nuclear weapons, it destroyed entirely two countries (more than once), killed civilians (Lebanon 14000 in 1982 - Cana in 1996 - 2006 … Palestine on daily basis), kidnapped people destroyed lands and trees built the wall of hatred. Self-defense or pure terrorism? Neither, nor. But certainly "morality is not on their side". Relatively speaking morality seems to lean towards Iran, Syria and Lebanon!
So when Israel will sound at least as bad as Iran or Syria sound to you, you might then be ready for an objective judgment!
I just finished watching on the web a Fox news program (Fox news by the way is much worse than any Israeli newspaper I know about- I mean it by all measures) debating the ME (by debate I mean a discussion between two people or more that covers the different views out there- such debates are rare these days in the US news- everybody seem to agree.)
One of the questions that took the entire time of the show came unexpectedly and sounded so rhetorical: Is Hezbollah a terrorist organization? The answer of one guest after a lot of confusion was "no"! The host couldn't believe what he heard so he asked Levy (the other guy) why he thought it IS a terrorist organization. Not expecting the debate to be so primitive, Levy said (something like) "of course! I mean of course, they are supported by Iran and their mullahs!!!"
Aha... now we know. If you are supported by Iran, you are a terrorist organization. But actually, if you ask why Iran is on the famous axis of evil, the answer would be because they support terrorist organizations such as Hezballah (and Hamas)
hmmm... a chicken and an egg!
(the use of "such as" usually implies that there are many but for the sake of time and space we will mention one or two. In this case it has purely a propaganda effect, as these are the only two that Iran publicly supports).
So can we get to the facts?
There are many things wrong with Iran.. their regime, their ideology, some of the speeches of their new president (elected by the way more democratically than so many arabs pro US leaders). These seem to me internal problems that hopefully will be improved. What I care about, and why I assume Iran was branded part of the axis of evil, is their foreign policy. So my question is how Iran is affecting so badly our world ? what is it that Iran is doing/did that it became taboo to even ask the question or dig into it? at the risk of becoming revisionists or maybe even antisemite.
The revolution happened in 1979. Americans were taken hostages at the US embassy. The regime of Khomeini took over, like in any revolution some "cleaning" happened. 1983-4 Hezballah sees the light as a result of the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982. Iran gives it money, weapon and support especially in later years. (I am sure one can find other events that no country will like to have on its CV, please send them to me through the comments so I can update this). But more importantly, there is the nuclear weapon issue!
Now let's spend a couple of lines on it. If we check what specialists say about Iran's nuclear weapons they all agree that the Iranians are still far away (matters of years) from the weapon. Some very trusted sources believe that Iran doesn't even want to hold weapons, but aims at getting to the level where they can quickly build the weapons if they need to i.e. in a time of war. (the reason is, if they hold weapons and some nuclear terrorist attack occurs, the US can have an excuse to bomb Iran like they did in Afghanistan). By the way there is also one solution to this matter(suggested even by Syria), which is to make the entire ME area nuclear-free. Who would veto that you think?
Finally, there are these speeches containing hatred statements that the new president make publicly from time to time. It is disturbing, I agree, but they were never put in action in any way. Harmless! Iran never went and destroyed another country (like it is happening with my country or with Irak), I don't feel terrorized by Iran (not by living in the US, or if I lived in Europe or even in all Palestine).
I wish indeed things would have been different in Iran, but this is not enough to explain the propaganda of axis of evil.. Why would I care? you might ask, why do you want to defend the mullahs? Because this same propaganda is used to brand Hezbollah as a terrorist organization and makes the current war part of the so-called "war on terror". Hence, the US (and its faithful Britain) have excuses to delay the cease fire and give the time for Israel to accomplish the mission and destroy Lebanon. This is not the result of my imagination. These are speeches that we hear over and over again. Now Israel is killing Lebanese! But the machinery started long time ago with propaganda campaigns. We all prefer for Iran to be more democratic (especially the Iranians themselves, but we have to question all these scary terminologies (terrorists-axis of evil nuclear weapons) because these are not innocent names. These are campaigns to prepare the public for a future attack (as it happened with Irak and is happening today with Lebanon and maybe soon in Syria and Iran).
Now what about Syria? Replace the nuclear weapon issue with Syria's role in Lebanon and its border with Irak, and replace the mullahs by the Baath unique party. But Syria again did not destroy any country, is not a threat for the world (not that I am aware of). So the campaign included them when they stopped following orders. Obviously, there is also the Rafiq Hariri issue, yet nobody proved anything. Anyway, they belonged to the axis of evil long time before his assasination...
Finally, is really Hezballah a terrorist organization? We can argue for the "yes" if we go back to 1983. There were some kidnapping in Lebanon, attacks against the US embassy (the marines and french military count as military positions). But it is not easy to prove who did all these. Many countries (including most of European countries) don't consider them as terrorists. The first reason is that (especially since 1993 with Nasrallah) Hezballah used to always target military positions essentially inside Lebanon’s borders. In 1993 and 1996 when Israel tried to break them and started attacking civilians in Lebanon they retaliated and “roquetted” Northern Israel, similar to what is happening today. The other reason is the strong popular support for the party, their presence in the parliament (and lately even in the government).
The goal here is not explain or defend wrong-doings but to put things in perspective to discuss some taboos that most of us take for granted. Indeed, if we just focus on facts, and forget about their nice beaches their strong economy their smart engineers, their occidental look, how difficult it is to prove that Israel is a terrorist state, that is a real threat to the region. It owns nuclear weapons, it destroyed entirely two countries (more than once), killed civilians (Lebanon 14000 in 1982 - Cana in 1996 - 2006 … Palestine on daily basis), kidnapped people destroyed lands and trees built the wall of hatred. Self-defense or pure terrorism? Neither, nor. But certainly "morality is not on their side". Relatively speaking morality seems to lean towards Iran, Syria and Lebanon!
So when Israel will sound at least as bad as Iran or Syria sound to you, you might then be ready for an objective judgment!
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
La Peur de Gagner...
J'ai toujours ete convaincu que le vrai colonialisme de nos jours se fait a travers l'education. Un outil plus efficace et moins evident a contrer. Beaucoup d'entre nous, Libanais, un peu partout dans le monde, (Liban inclus) actifs ou passifs en ces temps de conflits qui subissons cette guerre a travers le net, la television, le regard des autres, nos memoires et surtout notre coeur, avons recu une education occidentale des fois plus poussee que les occidentaux eux memes. La je ne parle pas (uniquement) de diplomes, mais d'education civique, philosophique et culturelle. Pour certains s'ajoute aussi l'heritage religieux originaire de Rome, Constantinople ou d'ailleurs.
Ayant donc acquis d'une facon ou d'une autre et a differents degres cette pensee occidentale, on a ete impregne aussi par ces valeurs et ces references. Notre jugement des faits, des personnes, des causes pour lesquelles on se bat, est le resultat de notre moi, et de tout un tout et donc aussi (ou surtout) de cette formation occidentale. Ceci peut consituer un atout enorme. Mais cette epee est a double tranchant.
Aujourd'hui on lit le discours de Hassan Nasrallah, precede en general par une photo de lui, grondant et en colere, portant peut etre une arme, ou on l'ecoute et le logo du manar bien present dans notre esprit se transforme en une croix gammee. On est deja partial, on est deja pret a tirer. On lit, mais on ne lit pas, on cherche plutot, la faute, l'erreur, la logique accablante qu'il ne fallait pas faire qui nous reconforte dans notre choix d'etre pseudo occidental.
Il n'est pas de mon objectif de defendre cet individu en particulier ou tout autre turbanise. Il n'en a pas besoin. Mais comme le dirait Dostoïevski a sa facon, l'idiot le plus malheureux est celui qui est conscient de son idiotie. Il m'arrive des fois en suivant les nouvelles de mettre en doute les propos d' Al Manar (porte parole de la resisitance) meme celui d'Al Jazeera en attendant la confirmation de Haaretz, alors que preuve a l'appui, quand il s'agit des bilans de cette guerre les deux premieres sources sont plus sures. Mais que faire, je suis touche de ce mal qu'est l'occidentalisation de mon jugement. (j'espere que vous avez compris que je cherie ma formation pluridisciplinaire mais je remets en cause mon reflex primaire de juger les non-occidentaux. La chose devient grave quand ceux la ne sont autres que mes concitoyens qui se battent comme ils le disent pour liberer ma nation. C'est exactement en ces mots de "comme ils le disent" que reside le vrai probleme qui explique, aussi, chez certains la peur de gagner.
On ecoute Bush on reconnait sa stupidite son ignorance et regarde de pres son bilan et on ne voit que du rouge. Mais encore, on est plus predispose a le croire que ce meme Nasrallah. (Au fait a part, ironiquement, les Israeliens qui parait-il ont apprit a prendre au serieux ces propos- pas nous).
Le dernier discours du Sayyed, (traduit en francais, voire le link d'a cote) a, a mon humble avis, atteint un niveau de nationalisme et d'integrite rarement vu dans cette region et a travers son histoire contemporaine. Certainement, comme pour chaque autre discours on pourra le tourner puis le retourner, reduire sa portee, le terroriser. Mais si on trouve le courage de se concentrer uniquement sur son contenu, ce discours offre clairement un message d'union, porteur d'espoir et de reconfort. Un message d'un grand chef libanais (fiere de son arabite et de son heritage) qui s'adresse a tous ses comptriotes libanais.
Il est du droit bien sure de tout un chacun de ne voir en ce discours qu'une autre propagande turbanisee a laquelle notre cote occidental nous immunise. Mais en faisant cela on coupe tous les ponts de communication avec une bonne partie des libanais qui - en principe - on a decide de cotoyer. Toutes ces entraides (des citoyens chanceux recevant les moins chanceux) qu'on voit sur le terrain, ce melting pot libanais sponsorise par Israel, qui nous remplissent d'espoirs ne sauront subir le choc de notre mefiance intolerante et destructrice.
Dans mon message d'hier j'essayais de defendre la these de l'union, une union derriere la resisitance en ces temps de guerre. Ce choix sonnera plus fort et plus loin s'il est fait sans cette mefiance et cette peur de l'autre. Son echos sera alors plus triomphant et plus glorifiant pour nous tous.
Certains pourront citer la revolution iranienne de 1979 (naturellement presente dans nos esprits dans ce contexte) comme example ou la gauche, plutot laique mais shiite quand meme, a laisse faire les islamistes dans leur cause commune de detroner le shah. Ils payent disent-il encore le prix de leur choix.
Mais nous oublions que notre lutte et notre milieu sont bien bien differents. Les irianiens a plus de 95% shiites, se battaient pour prendre leur destin en main, pour prendre le pouvoir. Le gagnant a impose son ideologie. Dans notre cas, on est loin de la monocouleur religieuse (les differends de nos jours entre sunnites et shiites sont encore plus importants qu'entre chretiens et musulmans, que d'ailleurs Nasrallah et bien d'autres en n'ont jamais profites), et surtout que notre lutte se concentre sur un ennemi externe bien identifie qui a merite son nom chez toutes les factions. Il est peut etre temps de faire confiance a cette resistance, rien qu'en se basant sur la facon dont elle a gere sa victoire de 2000 et de 2004.
Certains diraient que cette guerre nous a ete imposee et notre choix n'a jamais compte et ne comptera pas. D'autres ont choisi de rechercher une ladite troisieme voie (peut etre Marxiste ou encore pour etre local Kassirienne), toujours parait-il introuvable... Mais la n'est pas le point. En faisant confiance a la victoire de la resistance on ne devient pas islamiste ou pro-iranien, anti americain ou europeen. En faisant confiance a la victoire de la resistance, on opte pour nos droits pour la confiance et l'espoir. Cette victoire aujourd'hui est plus que necessaire, adoptons la comme la victoire de tout le pays, ce pays qui aujourd'hui en sa totalite souffre et meme agonise, ce pays qui en a si besoin. La victoire est porteuse de paix et d'espoirs, la defaite elle, ne saura que nous mener dans l'inconnu. N'ayons donc surtout pas peur de gagner...
J'ai toujours ete convaincu que le vrai colonialisme de nos jours se fait a travers l'education. Un outil plus efficace et moins evident a contrer. Beaucoup d'entre nous, Libanais, un peu partout dans le monde, (Liban inclus) actifs ou passifs en ces temps de conflits qui subissons cette guerre a travers le net, la television, le regard des autres, nos memoires et surtout notre coeur, avons recu une education occidentale des fois plus poussee que les occidentaux eux memes. La je ne parle pas (uniquement) de diplomes, mais d'education civique, philosophique et culturelle. Pour certains s'ajoute aussi l'heritage religieux originaire de Rome, Constantinople ou d'ailleurs.
Ayant donc acquis d'une facon ou d'une autre et a differents degres cette pensee occidentale, on a ete impregne aussi par ces valeurs et ces references. Notre jugement des faits, des personnes, des causes pour lesquelles on se bat, est le resultat de notre moi, et de tout un tout et donc aussi (ou surtout) de cette formation occidentale. Ceci peut consituer un atout enorme. Mais cette epee est a double tranchant.
Aujourd'hui on lit le discours de Hassan Nasrallah, precede en general par une photo de lui, grondant et en colere, portant peut etre une arme, ou on l'ecoute et le logo du manar bien present dans notre esprit se transforme en une croix gammee. On est deja partial, on est deja pret a tirer. On lit, mais on ne lit pas, on cherche plutot, la faute, l'erreur, la logique accablante qu'il ne fallait pas faire qui nous reconforte dans notre choix d'etre pseudo occidental.
Il n'est pas de mon objectif de defendre cet individu en particulier ou tout autre turbanise. Il n'en a pas besoin. Mais comme le dirait Dostoïevski a sa facon, l'idiot le plus malheureux est celui qui est conscient de son idiotie. Il m'arrive des fois en suivant les nouvelles de mettre en doute les propos d' Al Manar (porte parole de la resisitance) meme celui d'Al Jazeera en attendant la confirmation de Haaretz, alors que preuve a l'appui, quand il s'agit des bilans de cette guerre les deux premieres sources sont plus sures. Mais que faire, je suis touche de ce mal qu'est l'occidentalisation de mon jugement. (j'espere que vous avez compris que je cherie ma formation pluridisciplinaire mais je remets en cause mon reflex primaire de juger les non-occidentaux. La chose devient grave quand ceux la ne sont autres que mes concitoyens qui se battent comme ils le disent pour liberer ma nation. C'est exactement en ces mots de "comme ils le disent" que reside le vrai probleme qui explique, aussi, chez certains la peur de gagner.
On ecoute Bush on reconnait sa stupidite son ignorance et regarde de pres son bilan et on ne voit que du rouge. Mais encore, on est plus predispose a le croire que ce meme Nasrallah. (Au fait a part, ironiquement, les Israeliens qui parait-il ont apprit a prendre au serieux ces propos- pas nous).
Le dernier discours du Sayyed, (traduit en francais, voire le link d'a cote) a, a mon humble avis, atteint un niveau de nationalisme et d'integrite rarement vu dans cette region et a travers son histoire contemporaine. Certainement, comme pour chaque autre discours on pourra le tourner puis le retourner, reduire sa portee, le terroriser. Mais si on trouve le courage de se concentrer uniquement sur son contenu, ce discours offre clairement un message d'union, porteur d'espoir et de reconfort. Un message d'un grand chef libanais (fiere de son arabite et de son heritage) qui s'adresse a tous ses comptriotes libanais.
Il est du droit bien sure de tout un chacun de ne voir en ce discours qu'une autre propagande turbanisee a laquelle notre cote occidental nous immunise. Mais en faisant cela on coupe tous les ponts de communication avec une bonne partie des libanais qui - en principe - on a decide de cotoyer. Toutes ces entraides (des citoyens chanceux recevant les moins chanceux) qu'on voit sur le terrain, ce melting pot libanais sponsorise par Israel, qui nous remplissent d'espoirs ne sauront subir le choc de notre mefiance intolerante et destructrice.
Dans mon message d'hier j'essayais de defendre la these de l'union, une union derriere la resisitance en ces temps de guerre. Ce choix sonnera plus fort et plus loin s'il est fait sans cette mefiance et cette peur de l'autre. Son echos sera alors plus triomphant et plus glorifiant pour nous tous.
Certains pourront citer la revolution iranienne de 1979 (naturellement presente dans nos esprits dans ce contexte) comme example ou la gauche, plutot laique mais shiite quand meme, a laisse faire les islamistes dans leur cause commune de detroner le shah. Ils payent disent-il encore le prix de leur choix.
Mais nous oublions que notre lutte et notre milieu sont bien bien differents. Les irianiens a plus de 95% shiites, se battaient pour prendre leur destin en main, pour prendre le pouvoir. Le gagnant a impose son ideologie. Dans notre cas, on est loin de la monocouleur religieuse (les differends de nos jours entre sunnites et shiites sont encore plus importants qu'entre chretiens et musulmans, que d'ailleurs Nasrallah et bien d'autres en n'ont jamais profites), et surtout que notre lutte se concentre sur un ennemi externe bien identifie qui a merite son nom chez toutes les factions. Il est peut etre temps de faire confiance a cette resistance, rien qu'en se basant sur la facon dont elle a gere sa victoire de 2000 et de 2004.
Certains diraient que cette guerre nous a ete imposee et notre choix n'a jamais compte et ne comptera pas. D'autres ont choisi de rechercher une ladite troisieme voie (peut etre Marxiste ou encore pour etre local Kassirienne), toujours parait-il introuvable... Mais la n'est pas le point. En faisant confiance a la victoire de la resistance on ne devient pas islamiste ou pro-iranien, anti americain ou europeen. En faisant confiance a la victoire de la resistance, on opte pour nos droits pour la confiance et l'espoir. Cette victoire aujourd'hui est plus que necessaire, adoptons la comme la victoire de tout le pays, ce pays qui aujourd'hui en sa totalite souffre et meme agonise, ce pays qui en a si besoin. La victoire est porteuse de paix et d'espoirs, la defaite elle, ne saura que nous mener dans l'inconnu. N'ayons donc surtout pas peur de gagner...
Monday, July 31, 2006
United We Should Stand...
Now, that I started this blog, I got more curious to see other Lebanese blogs and how they are living this conflict. I was very impressed with the quality of many of them. I did not agree necessarily with their entire content, but I learned a lot.
This surfing made me even more convinced that there is some positive outcome from all this nightmare. First, these are times where people get their information right. They try to learn more about some of their "givens" and question their beliefs. This is always good. It goes for those that have put blindly their faith in the resistance but also for those that considered that the resistance had kidnapped the entire country in the name of three lebanese prisoners.
Second, it is very likely that this bloody inhuman aggression will drive a solution to the entire conflict between Lebanon and Israel.
It is healthy that we don't agree about one specific political explanation, however recognizing today how crucial it is to be united facing the Israeli danger and plot is the exact translation of wise patriotism and the real test of attachment to our country; our only hope to secure a stable future and build a real nation. The many blogs that I read expressed in a way or the other these views. Bravo!
Today, Israel is under pressure, internally (59% of Haaretz readers are asking for an immediate cease fire) and externally (even Condi asked for a cease fire before being overwritten by her boss). Israel is now thinking about the exit plan (does that remind you of another conflict in the ME?) . This exit plan wants to rely on a major success on the battlefield (i.e. breaking/weakening the resistance) .
If Israel's success is large, they will not give up maybe the Shebaa farms (or not entirely), try to keep some land, a prisoner, a symbol, as they did in 2000, to comfort their arrogance. This is bad for Lebanon, these are seeds for internal conflicts. The worse scenario. Israel then will watch us fighting (again). A fight between those that will not accept that one inch is lost to the zionists and those that care about ROI, those that talk with their heart (sometimes faith) and those that are eloquent in the money language. Iraqi shism, our own unsettled problems will be the catalysts of an ugly conflict. We would certainly be back then to "case depart" to thirty years ago...
If the resistance is not broken if no major defeat is inflicted to Lebanon, we will be able obviously to negotiate an honorable solution, which basically means getting back all our rights and preparing for a real stable future (which by the way is in Israel's benefit if reasoned with humbleness).
This leads clearly that being united behind the resistance is our best bet our only hope to live in peace. Even if the resistance is defeated, having been united will certainly minimize from its effects and will give us all the credibility needed to decide the after war steps; continuing the resistance and with which means... Those that hope for a weakening of the resistance are being emotionally driven (either are scared of another win of the islamic resistance or being so upset of the economical/humanitarian disaster that we got into) and are not considering the consequences of such defeat. They forgot that the resistance was initially created as a result of Israel's aggression in 1982 and most probably if this resistance is broken, another one, maybe more extreme will soon see the light.
The only way to break this cycle of violence is to be united. The most honorable and rewarding position...
Now, that I started this blog, I got more curious to see other Lebanese blogs and how they are living this conflict. I was very impressed with the quality of many of them. I did not agree necessarily with their entire content, but I learned a lot.
This surfing made me even more convinced that there is some positive outcome from all this nightmare. First, these are times where people get their information right. They try to learn more about some of their "givens" and question their beliefs. This is always good. It goes for those that have put blindly their faith in the resistance but also for those that considered that the resistance had kidnapped the entire country in the name of three lebanese prisoners.
Second, it is very likely that this bloody inhuman aggression will drive a solution to the entire conflict between Lebanon and Israel.
It is healthy that we don't agree about one specific political explanation, however recognizing today how crucial it is to be united facing the Israeli danger and plot is the exact translation of wise patriotism and the real test of attachment to our country; our only hope to secure a stable future and build a real nation. The many blogs that I read expressed in a way or the other these views. Bravo!
Today, Israel is under pressure, internally (59% of Haaretz readers are asking for an immediate cease fire) and externally (even Condi asked for a cease fire before being overwritten by her boss). Israel is now thinking about the exit plan (does that remind you of another conflict in the ME?) . This exit plan wants to rely on a major success on the battlefield (i.e. breaking/weakening the resistance) .
If Israel's success is large, they will not give up maybe the Shebaa farms (or not entirely), try to keep some land, a prisoner, a symbol, as they did in 2000, to comfort their arrogance. This is bad for Lebanon, these are seeds for internal conflicts. The worse scenario. Israel then will watch us fighting (again). A fight between those that will not accept that one inch is lost to the zionists and those that care about ROI, those that talk with their heart (sometimes faith) and those that are eloquent in the money language. Iraqi shism, our own unsettled problems will be the catalysts of an ugly conflict. We would certainly be back then to "case depart" to thirty years ago...
If the resistance is not broken if no major defeat is inflicted to Lebanon, we will be able obviously to negotiate an honorable solution, which basically means getting back all our rights and preparing for a real stable future (which by the way is in Israel's benefit if reasoned with humbleness).
This leads clearly that being united behind the resistance is our best bet our only hope to live in peace. Even if the resistance is defeated, having been united will certainly minimize from its effects and will give us all the credibility needed to decide the after war steps; continuing the resistance and with which means... Those that hope for a weakening of the resistance are being emotionally driven (either are scared of another win of the islamic resistance or being so upset of the economical/humanitarian disaster that we got into) and are not considering the consequences of such defeat. They forgot that the resistance was initially created as a result of Israel's aggression in 1982 and most probably if this resistance is broken, another one, maybe more extreme will soon see the light.
The only way to break this cycle of violence is to be united. The most honorable and rewarding position...
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