Israel Matzav

Obama goes after the Hezbullah vote

Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Hussein Obama is apparently now seeking support from Hezbullah according to this report at Gateway Pundit.

Here is Obama's statement:

Hezbollah's power grab in Beirut has once more plunged that city into violence and chaos. This effort to undermine Lebanon's elected government needs to stop, and all those who have influence with Hezbollah must press them to stand down immediately. It's time to engage in diplomatic efforts to help build a new Lebanese consensus that focuses on electoral reform, an end to the current corrupt patronage system, and the development of the economy that provides for a fair distribution of services, opportunities and employment. We must support the implementation of UN Security Council Resolutions that reinforce Lebanon's sovereignty, especially resolution 1701 banning the provision of arms to Hezbollah, which is violated by Iran and Syria. As we push for this national consensus, we should continue to support the democratically elected government of Prime Minister Siniora, strengthen the Lebanese army, and insist on the disarming of Hezbollah before it drags Lebanon into another unnecessary war. As we do this, it is vital that the United States continues to work with the international community and the private sector to rebuild Lebanon and get its economy back on its feet.

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Sure enough- electoral reform- mentioned by Obama is one of Hezbollah's main objectives in gaining power over the democratically elected majority in Lebanon.
This is from the Hezbollah Memorandum of Understanding:

"Reforming and organizing Lebanese political life require the adoption of a modern electoral law (of which proportional representation may be an effective form) that guarantees the accuracy and fairness of popular representation."

Electoral reform is the only way the minority Hezbollah faction can make hold power and make it look legitimate.

Otherwise, they just look like terrorist thugs shooting up the city.

What makes Obama think that a Lebanese 'national consensus' would disarm Hezbullah? Perhaps he didn't bother to read this statement by Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora:

"Hizbullah and its allied carried out an armed coup while damaging public property," he said. "The country will not fall in the face of this coup. The people will not accept their liberty being undermined."

Siniora added that "we believed and we still do that the real danger to the country comes from the direction of Israel – our true enemy. However, the experience we are going through at this time shows that our democratic regime has fallen victims to our homeland brothers."

"We did not underestimate the resistance against Israel, but what is Hizbullah doing in Lebanon?" Siniora said. "What is it doing on the roads to the airport? Is it controlling the road to Tel Aviv by controlling these roads? Syria is our sister and Israel is the enemy."

According to Siniora, the Lebanese government never declared a war on Hizbullah.

"The government never said it wanted to disarm Hizbullah. All the ethnic groups in Lebanon are partners to this country, yet Hizbullah decided on its own what he wishes Lebanon's future to look like. Our problem with Hizbullah is that it decides on its own when we shall have war and when we shall have peace. It is the one that decides on Lebanon's future and fate. This is our major problem with Hizbullah."

The Lebanese government doesn't have a problem with Hezbullah being armed: It has a problem with those arms being used against anyone except Israel. But as usual, Obama doesn't get it. He just wants change - and the Hezbullah vote.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 1:06 AM