Hezbollah’s New Year List…………….
“Despite all expectations, the year of 2009 wasn't the year of 'stability and firmness.' Instead, it was the year of 'dramatic transformations and surprises' per excellence, a year that changed the political map of the country and put new priorities… When the year 2009 has begun, all eyes were directed to the June 7 "fateful day," the crucial day that will be marked by the parliamentary elections that will take place all over Lebanon. Witnessing political debates and pro-election campaigns, Lebanese were forced to believe that the political map after June 7 will be different than the one before June 7. Yet, this "fateful" day didn't change anything in the Lebanese political map: the parliamentary majority and the popular majority remained the same. However, nothing will remain the same. Other dates will be "fateful" per excellence and mark the real "change."………….. ONE YEAR GOES, ANOTHER STARTS…. This is 2009, in its joyful and bad moments… 2009 has ended its mission to give the floor for another year 2010, a year that's still vague… What's hiding behind this year? The 365 upcoming days are only eligible to answer…...…” al-Manar (Hezbollah TV)
Hezbollah seems cheerful about 2009 and optimistic about 2010. It seems as cheerful as Thomas Friedman and the Saudi media were in the immediate aftermath of the Lebanese elections last June. It has good reasons to: in spite of being hugely outspent during the elections campaign, in spite of the whole Western world and most the Arab oligarchs lining up against it, in addition to Israel, Hezbollah managed to consolidate and expand its power in Lebanon. And it is better armed. At minimum, over 40% of all Lebanese are strongly loyal to the Party, and about 55% are on its side, electorally, since that is the total of the popular vote Hezbollah and its allies got. Hezbollah, with its strong local base, and with foreign (Iranian and Syrian) help, stood against a mighty coalition of foreign powers and rival Lebanese militias, and prevailed. What the New Year will bring for the “Party of God”, only three parties know: Hasan Nasrallah, American policy-makers, and Israeli strategists. Not necessarily in that order.
Oh, about that Congressional resolution aiming at tightening restrictions on its television network and closing it: it ain’t gonna work, and the few smart congressmen know it. But 2010 is an election year, a tough election year. No incumbent wants to get tea-bagged.
Cheers and Happy New Year
mhg
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