tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752043102302398548.post4925675137379932689..comments2023-10-14T08:21:36.173-07:00Comments on Karl reMarks: The Cabinet of Curiosities: Is Lebanon finally abandoning consensual politics?Karl Sharrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17442368022521436709noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752043102302398548.post-66545148865838142332011-06-18T10:15:12.653-07:002011-06-18T10:15:12.653-07:00@Karl thanks for the compliment. I hope you will r...@Karl thanks for the compliment. I hope you will return to my blog and point out the points you disagree with. Your remarks here are though provoking, and I do need a lot of stimulus to wake up my sleepy cells.<br /><br />@Anonymous. your argument about Hezbollah's weapons reminds me of many arab radicals' argument about Israel. They too said that no progress could be done without the removal of one "obstacle", in their case Israel, and in your case "Hezbollah's weapons". <br />I agree with you that Hezbollah presents quite an important challenge for Lebanon (not only its weapons), the same way Israel presents an important challenge for the Middle East. The sad truth about March XVI is that it wasn't able (and I believe never will be able) to rise to that challenge, in the same way the arab radicals (PLO, Baath, Nasserits...) were never able to rise to the challenge Israel presents. <br />Lebanon has HUGE problems that have nothing to do with Hezbollah's weapons or Israel or Syria or Iran or Saudi Arabia... And unfortunately, March XIV was little interested in tackling them. I'm not sure the Free Patriotic Movement or its partners in the governing coalition are going to solve these problems either. They didn't do a good job in the earlier government and don't see why things will change in this one... We'll see.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752043102302398548.post-46047872903841181682011-06-16T07:41:18.093-07:002011-06-16T07:41:18.093-07:00I can't understand how any of u can say that 1...I can't understand how any of u can say that 14 march failed.The reason they couldn't do anything was that hizbolla has his weapons out and on the table every single time anything constructive was planned or even thought of.let's pls not kid ourselves that any intelligent,educated,motivated politician could do anything before hizbolla weapons are out of the equation.So let's all quit putting Hariri and 14 march down and maybe put more energy into finding a way of bringing equilibrium back to Lebanon by putting the weapons back where they belongAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752043102302398548.post-71397469208703592332011-06-16T02:34:10.238-07:002011-06-16T02:34:10.238-07:00'Worried', thank you very much for your co...'Worried', thank you very much for your comment. Sadly, I tend to agree with you about March 14, they've proved that they're incapable of playing this role. But perhaps out of this current predicament, both sides will be forced to change their attitude. <br />Your blog was a nice discovery, I will make sure to follow it.Karl Sharrohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17442368022521436709noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752043102302398548.post-3588283012160425462011-06-14T16:21:59.235-07:002011-06-14T16:21:59.235-07:00Very interesting post, and beautifully written. Yo...Very interesting post, and beautifully written. You pull apart the dominant interpretations of the situation quite convincingly: The Hezbollah Coup, the end of Harirism, the Syrian-influence one-sided cabinet and Syrian-influenced cabinet... <br />There's only one point I find less convincing, that of the end of consensual politics. As you rightly said, there are little chances for March XIV (that is Future Movement, the Lebanese Forces, the Kataeb, and the "independents") to restructure itself as an opposition for several reasons, most notably structural ones: <br />- March XIV is a loose alliance of very distinct political structures with differing agendas that has failed to structure itself as a governing force when it held the helm of government. So it's quite unlikely that it would achieve the same result when ousted. <br />- Even when March XIV is out of the government, Future Movement cannot be ousted from the Lebanese system of governance. I can't see how Miqati or anyone else could prevent the Hariri network from loosening its grip from the state administration and the financial sector. I remember the years when on a much smaller scale and without the help of a communal mobilisation behind him, Michel el-Murr could still control some parts of the administration even though he head lost all seats in parliament except his, and he was part of the opposition...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752043102302398548.post-48964569457588002382011-06-14T14:02:42.708-07:002011-06-14T14:02:42.708-07:00Very well said. One for AD.
JosephVery well said. One for AD.<br /><br />JosephAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com