Israel Matzav

The Obama administration abandons Lebanon to the wolves

I'm sure none of you is deluded. But just in case any of you thought that the United States would lift a finger to assist Lebanon if violence spontaneously breaks out with Hezbullah, the transcript of Secretary of State Clinton's interview with Hisham Melhem of the Lebanese newspaper an-Nahar should disabuse you of that notion.

QUESTION: What can the U.S. do in practical terms to help the Lebanese government fend off the campaign waged by Hezbollah and Syria to undermine and discredit the STL as an Israeli-American plot, now that Hezbollah is using "the multitudes" against the STL's investigators as we have seen recently.

SECRETARY CLINTON: The recent assault on Tribunal investigators, which you alluded to, should be of grave concern to all Lebanon’s friends and supporters. Strong statements were made at the UN and elsewhere condemning any actions that attempt to frustrate or undermine the Tribunal and its work. Intimidation and interference should not be tolerated.

The problem in Lebanon is not the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. The problem is that some are threatening violence in order to try to stop justice. The Special Tribunal is an independent judicial entity, established in response to a terrible time in Lebanon’s history by an agreement between the Lebanese government and the United Nations, and brought into force by a UN Security Council Resolution with wide international support. Its work is legitimate and necessary.

We should not lose sight of the fact that the Tribunal symbolizes something larger than the investigation into the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri. It represents a chance for Lebanon to begin moving beyond its long history of political violence. Tragically, Lebanese of all communities and confessions have been plagued for years by violence and threats. And yet very few have ever been held accountable for their crimes. This history is a major source of instability and the tension that people in Lebanon feel today. They deserve a return to the rule of law and justice for all – these are crucial building blocks for stability and peace in Lebanon.

QUESTION: There is concern in Lebanon and the region, that if the STL issued indictments against some Hezbollah operatives or leaders, that Hezbollah would resort to force as it did in 2008 to create new facts on the ground. What would the US do in this case?

SECRETARY CLINTON: First, it bears repeating that no one knows what the Special Tribunal is going to do, who it might indict, or when it might choose to move forward. This is an independent process. Hezbollah should know that resorting once again to violence in Lebanon runs completely counter to the interests of the Lebanese people, the interests of the region, and of the United States. They should also know that if the goal of violence is to stop the tribunal, it won’t work. And more importantly, there is simply no justification or excuse for more political violence. That is the position of the United States and it will not change.

QUESTION: There is concern in Lebanon that the country could pay a steep price if it became an arena for renewed regional and international conflicts, and that the U.S. may not appreciate fully the inherent danger in such a situation.

SECRETARY CLINTON: We know this is not the first time Lebanon has faced real challenges and rising tensions. The Lebanese people have shed too many tears and buried too many loved ones. They deserve lasting peace and an end to political violence once and for all. The United States is committed to that goal, and we will continue supporting the Lebanese Armed Forces [which have more loyalty to Hezbullah than to the government of Lebanon. CiJ] to ensure they have the capacity to protect Lebanon’s security from threats both internal and external. We also work hard to avoid actions or statements that would raise temperatures higher or inflame tensions further.

Lebanon has many friends, in addition to the United States, who are strong supporters of its sovereignty and security. We are in frequent contact with our friends and allies about how we can work together to support the Lebanese people and their elected government.

President Suleiman, of course, came to power after the Doha Agreement of 2008, and as his election showed, he has widespread support in Lebanon. He is in a position to help unify Lebanon and maintain the country’s peace and stability.

...

QUESTION: What can you tell us about persistent media reports regarding continued Syrian provisions of missiles, including scuds to Hezbollah, and joint training on these missiles in Syria?

SECRETARY CLINTON: Reports of the transfer of increasingly sophisticated weapons from Syria to Hezbollah is of serious concern to the United States and to the international community. It threatens regional security. It threatens Lebanon’s security. It destabilizes the region in a way that serves no one’s interests. Let’s not forget that Hezbollah, in 2008, did just what it swore it would never do: turn its weapons against the Lebanese people—the very people it swore to defend—and that’s something that should never be encouraged, enabled, or repeated.

We have been warning everyone, including Syria, about the dangers of miscalculation and the dangers associated with the transfer of sophisticated technologies and weaponry.

Notice how she avoids answering the first three questions and just acknowledges the problem in the fourth one. It should be clear from reading this interview that the Obama administration will not lift a finger if Hezbullah carries out a coup. Nor will it do anything about Syria 'protecting its interests' in Lebanon.

Good bye Lebanon. It's been....

By the way, on Friday, Representatives Howard Berman (D-Cal) and Nita Lowey (D-NY) lifted their holds on aid to the Lebanese Armed Forces, and the US transferred that aid on Friday afternoon. I'll talk about that in a separate post, but it doesn't change my assessment of the interview above. Lebanon has been abandoned.

Labels: Hezbullah, Lebanese Armed Forces, Obama administration's fecklessness, Special Tribunal for Lebanon, Syria

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 11:33 AM