From this week’s Newsweek:
[Lebanese Druze leader] Jumblatt is a survivor, and if you want to know the way the treacherous political winds are blowing, he’s a good man to keep an eye on. He knew that the Syrians murdered his father in 1977, but he worked closely with Damascus anyway throughout much of the Lebanon war, fighting bloody battles mainly against Lebanese Christians. A year and a half ago, Jumblatt’s was one of the most bitter voices raised against the unpopular U.S. invasion of Iraq. When a dozen rockets hit the Baghdad hotel where Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz was staying in November 2003, Jumblatt said he wished they’d killed “this virus wreaking corruption in the Arab land of Iraq.” (Jumblatt’s visa to the United States was pulled after that.)
Now Jumblatt has been in indirect contact with Wolfowitz, and says he re-grets some of his previous rhetoric. Wolfowitz, who always preached the spread of democracy as part of a grand American design for the Middle East, told Lebanese television he’s not holding a grudge. Jumblatt, he said, has “shown a lot of courage.”
MEANWHILE: Speaking of Animal Farm (see title), Bashar continues his pathetic fight for survivial.
Paul Wolfowitz is a mensch. ‘Nuff said.
Everywhere Wolfowitz is involved good things happen. Indonesia, the Philippines, South Korea, Afghanistan, Iraq and on and on…..If it were a just world he’d have a trophy case full of peace prizes. He’s had good teachers and mentors. If people like Jumblatt continue to swallow some pride and listen to the man, good things will follow.
I’m sorry, but I don’t trust Jumblatt as far as I could throw him. I think he’s very shrewd and it’s smart at this time to be on the side of democracy. Just like yesterday it was smart to be on the side of violent fascism.
On a related topic,
I just heard a CNN report from Lebanon that Hizballah is planning a pro-Syrian demonstration in Lebanon on Tuesday.
An extremely high or low turnout will be very telling of where the average Lebanese citizen stands, and of the degree of danger that lies ahead. I hope their thirst for freedom outweighs their hatred of Israel.
And ditto Tiger Hawk on Wolfie’s menschlachkeit (yiddish for “mensch-ness”)
Kynna – I agree that Jumblatt can’t be “trusted,” in the sense that he is not certain to support positions that you or I would support. It is because of his “untrustworthiness,” if you will, that it is telling that he is talking like a democrat.
According to the morning news, Syria is going ahead with the staged withdrawal into the Bekaa valley. Fine. Much easier than chasing them over the countryside tank by tank…
What’s the cost of being Iran’s puppet? Isn’t Assad facing more abuse and trouble from his dad’s cohorts? Do you really think Assad sits on the throne in full control? Or is he being manipulated by those who hope to pull their hands out of his ass when he’s shot out from under? Then, they get to fight among themselves AND KEEP CONTROL? Beware watching the magician! The idea is to confuse you. So rabbits come out of hats.
In my book, Assad’s already lost control. The real worry is what will his dad’s cohorts do? Dad’s not around to punish them for using his kid as bait.
Leave it to the arabs to try and sell ya a moth eating rug. And, to get people of the world to believe that Assad is a singular problem. When, in fact, he’s just a sock puppet.
The real story is on the mixed troops movement. Debka says Iran has come in, along the entire line from Lebanon’s Bekka Valley; through the Golan. Where the Iranians have taken control. And, the game is “early warning systems” that have been put into place.
Now, Syrians and Iranians, while speaking similar languages, still differ in sounds, as you’d get between Italians and French. All this stuff is untested, basically. The front is designed to work when ordered to do so. Against tested troops. So that if there’s warfare ahead, the advantage is ours.
And, on the ground? Hmm. Saddam’s WMD’s, shifted and moved? Buried? Beats me. I dunno. Hollywood forgot to test this subject in any movie. I watch. But I feel I’m ill informed.
kynna, “I’m sorry, but I don’t trust Jumblatt as far as I could throw him.” Well said! My “if” was more of a wish than anything else. But perhaps there is hope. I saw Jumblatt on t.v. today and he is a man of very small stature. Born into such a great family, with great resources, one wonders why he wasn’t fed more. If he had been beefed up properly at an early age, perhaps many of Lebanon’s current problems would be less.