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US Uncovers Revolution in Lebanon
// Backed by Syria, Iran, and Hezbollah
Yesterday the Syrian authorities categorically denied US reports of a revolution brewing in Lebanon. The day before, Washington announced that it has evidence that Iran and Syria are plotting to use the Shiite group Hezbollah to overthrow the Lebanese government. The United States claims that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is hoping to cut short an investigation into the murder in 2005 of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. At the first stage of the investigation, the United Nations commission came to the conclusion that Syrian special forces were behind the assassination.
"We are becoming more and more disturbed by the evidence that Syria, Iran, and Hezbollah are developing plans to overthrow the democratically-elected government of [Lebanese] Prime Minister Faoud Siniora," said White House press secretary Tony Snow. The statement from Washington came only a few hours after Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the radical Shiite group Hezbollah, promised to carry out a peaceful protest asking for early elections in the event that his opponents do not create a unified national government to replace Mr. Siniora's government by the middle of November.
At the current time Hezbollah, whose deputies occupy 14 of the 128 seats in the Lebanese parliament, is represented in the government by two ministers. After the summer war with Israel, however, in which Hezbollah turned back "Jewish aggression," the party's popularity rose sharply. The Shiite radicals decided to exploit that popularity to shore up their position in the structures of power. In order to gain the support of temporary allies, the group demanded that Lebanese Christians, who are currently in the opposition, also be given cabinet positions. "Our concept of a government of national unity is that it should include all of the multitudes in Lebanon. Real and serious representation, not just for show," declared Sheik Nasrallah. Until now, Mr. Siniora has refused to satisfy these demands. However, the Lebanese leader has now agreed to hold talks on the issue next week.
According to Mr. Snow, the United States is "making it clear to everybody in the region that we think that it ought to be hands off the Siniora government. Let them go about and do their business." The American media, quoting highly-placed US officials, reported that Washington really does has evidence that Syria and Iran are planning to smooth the road to power for a new coalition government that would be under their control. They are planning to achieve this aim with the help of Hezbollah, which the United States considers a terrorist group. According to one of the sources, there are signs that "more severe" attacks against the Lebanese government are in the works. The source, however, declined to give the origin of his information.
Iran and the leadership of Hezbollah did not respond to the accusations from the White House, but Damascus replied yesterday with a heated denial. "The information that is being disseminated by the American administration, according to which Syria, Iran, and the Shiite group Hezbollah are intending to destabilize the situation in Lebanon, does not accord with reality," stated a representative of the Syrian Foreign Affairs Ministry. He noted that "since withdrawing its troops from Lebanon, Syria has repeatedly called for national dialog between all political factions" in the neighboring country.
According to observers, destabilization in Lebanon would benefit Syria the most. Damascus fears that the United Nations, together with Mr. Siniora's government, will press forward with an investigation into the murder of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in Beirut on February 14, 2005. The first stage of the investigation, which is being organized by the UN, revealed that Syrian special forces, and possibly high-ranking officials in the Syrian government as well, were involved in the murder. Damascus denies all involvement in the assassination of Mr. Hariri, and it is possible that the resignation of Faoud Siniora's pro-Western cabinet could forever bury hopes of uncovering the truth. A White House representative, however, said that any attempt to sabotage the beginning of the judicial process will fail, "because the international community can create a tribunal independently of what is going on in Lebanon."
Alexander Reutov
All the Article in Russian as of Nov. 03, 2006
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