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Home Regions Middle East & North Africa Lebanon

Cold truce in Lebanon

By: Manuela Paraipan
Note: This post reflects the views of the author, not those of the Foreign Policy Association. The author is an independent contributor.

There are many things to be said about the crisis Lebanon goes through. An update here.

Sami Nader said back in 2007 that there are two competing visions in Lebanon. In the past 10 days the struggle moved from the political arena to the streets. The government backed down in front of Hizballah, AMAL and their allies. Maybe because it felt it does not have enough international support. And truth be told, it doesn't.

However, March 14 managed to prove the world what AMAL and Hizballah are capable of, and that they are willing to turn the arms against their own. This was not civil disobedience as Hizballah pretends. It was an attempt of a coup d’etat. The army acted poorly. In the 12th hour it decided to fulfill its constitutional duties, and that because of the increasing international pressure. The army's role is to protect the citizens and the state from both internal and external enemies. It did not. General Michel Suleiman come up with a lame excuse that the army under his command preferred to stay neutral. Am I to understand that the army preferred to disobey the laws?! Because that is what the army did. There is a cold truce for now that, in my opinion, can go anytime to a hot conflict. I hope I am wrong.

This is a well written op-ed on Lebanon's state of affairs. If I were to draw an awareness campaign after the article, I’d emphasize the following :

“Sortir de la propagande. Assure la représentativité de la société plurielle. Assure la réforme du systeme politique. La révolution des cedres est une priorité nationale. Réinventer une opposition. Réinventer le Liban.”

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