"I just returned from Lebanon last night. There is much nervousness about what is happening and what will happen. It is all about the Hariri tribunal and its much anticipated--not by me--decision. The US Middle East Zionist policy making apparatus is up in arms: because the March 14 movement is in such disarray. Jeffrey Feltman foolishly assumed that his visit to Lebanon (in the wake of his visit to Saudi Arabia) will be sufficient to revive a corpse. Feltman even thought he was being witty when he called on the Iranian president to learn from Lebanon's "pluralism". I wonder if he dared to ask the Saudi Wahhabi king to learn from the pluralism of Lebanon too. Feltman is furious at the transformation of Walid Jumblat: one of the most skillful--and most unprincipled--politicians in Lebanon. His value is not so much in the size of his constituency which is very small, but in his abilities in political rhetoric and sloganeering. The best gift that Hizbullah has ever attained--outside of Iranian support--is the stupidity of Sa`d Hariri. This is the talk of the town. You hear Sunnnis and Shi`ites, pro-March 8 and pro-March 14 all talk about the stupidity of this lucky or unlucky man--depending on the outcome. [continued]
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I love his stream of consciousness style. Very interesting...but the politics of Lebanon are very confusing!
ReplyDeleteIt's because he covers a lot of territory in a very short time and like a water strider, dashes in one direction and then in another without sinking into any of the details along the way. He writes-off Junblat whose family goes back 500 years in Lebanese history as irresponsible and he does the same with Hariri that he paints as a simpleton without accounting for all the external and internal pressures on him. He's fun reading for the initiated but for those that aren't, it could be confusing as you said. He's basically telling you to not trouble yourself with any details behind the stories and simply take his word for it on what's about. He's great on TV interviews, very charismatic and passionate about subjects he's discussing but there too, he's impatient and has no time for detail.
ReplyDelete<span> "...like a water strider, dashes in one direction and then in another without sinking into any of the details along the way."</span>
ReplyDeleteYes!
This one made me laugh this morning:
http://angryarab.blogspot.com/2010/11/arab-leaders-and-their-wives.html
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Jumblatt seems to me to be the great survivor in Lebanese politics. Perhaps because he's "like a water strider dashes in one direction and then in another...", or maybe more like a weather-vane.
ReplyDeleteI had to look water strider up - new to me.
I had to look up the name myself. I knew what I was talking about as I had seen the insect in ponds and on PBS but I didn't know its name. It also reminds me of a skater on ice that takes long strides.
ReplyDeleteJunblatt that is forever changing is an enigma of sorts and perhaps like a weather vane, as you described him and this is because he adapts to changing times and situations like no other politician can. His current neutral position ( and voting balance of power in Parliament and the Cabinet)is helping delay or avert a civil war between Sunni and Shia.