In Lebanon, there is rage building against the entire political class, the politicians who for years have, through mismanagement and corruption, helped to lead Lebanon to economic ruin. Lebanon’s Debt-to-GDP ratio is the second highest in the world; the currency is cratering; unemployment has skyrocketed; young Lebanese professionals dream of emigrating. The collapse of the currency has caused many Lebanese to lose their life savings. The Gulf Arab states that once lent money to, and invested in, Lebanon, have ceased their financial support now that the country is in thrall to Hezbollah, the Shi’a terror group linked to Iran. Western states, and private parties, too, have not been investing in a country that, at any moment, could be dragged into a war with Israel by Hezbollah, a conflict that, because Hezbollah has hidden its vast arsenal of weapons, including 150,000 missiles, in civilian areas across southern Lebanon and southern Beirut, would inevitably lead to large-scale destruction of infrastructure. And the coronavirus pandemic has caused lockdowns leading to still more job losses in Lebanon, on top of those caused by decades of economic mismanagement and theft.
And now there is the blast in Beirut. It was one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history. So far there are 154 dead, with 50 missing, 5,000 wounded, 300,000 homeless, and $10-$15 billion in damages. We know now that the cause was the result of government inattention to the highly-explosive 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrates, carelessly stored pell-mell in Hangar 12 at the Port of Beirut, for six years, while many complaints were made by Port officials about the danger of an explosion, but all their warnings went unheeded by those higher up.
Now that the blast has taken place, the fury at the political class has also exploded. It began to express itself months before. Street protests have been held against the government, over economic grievances, beginning last October. Since then the non-violent protestors have been put down violently by Hezbollah, which has become the government’s protector and enforcer. That makes sense, given that Hezbollah controls the government, not only through its own members, but also through non-members who follow its instructions, including, most scandalously, the Maronite President Michel Aoun. In the wake of the blast, enraged Lebanese are now demanding that the government resign. They are erecting mock gallows for the entire political class. They spare no one. They want an end to the permanent cast of characters who have brought Lebanon down. Still the government holds on. But for how much longer?
The latest developments are here.
Major protests are expected in Beirut amid growing anger at the corruption and incompetence that appears to have paved the way for one of the biggest non-nuclear explosions the world has ever seen.
Beirut’s battered residents are demanding answers and accountability for their city’s tragedy. More than 150 people died in the blast, around 5,000 were injured and at least 60 are still missing, according to the health ministry.
“After three days of cleaning, removing rubble and licking our wounds … it is time to let our anger explode and punish them,” said Fares Halabi, a 28-year-old activist who planned to join an afternoon protest….
Mass protests last year eventually toppled the prime minister, but the system that he presided over survived almost intact, and in the face of economic pressure and the coronavirus the movement faded….
The “movement” – that is, the street protestors – “faded” not only because the coronavirus made people less willing to congregate, but because they were violently put down by Hezbollah bully-boys. Hezbollah’s role as the enforcer for the government should not be overlooked.
Lebanon’s president, Michel Aoun, vowed on Friday that all officials responsible for the explosion would be brought to justice regardless of their positions.
A preposterous claim – “all officials responsible…would be brought to justice” – that no one believes. It was met with scorn by the Lebanese public, whose contempt for Aoun is well known, and that contempt has grown mightily since the day of the blast. Of course there will be a coverup, protecting those who, at the very top, bear the most responsibility for the failure to heed the warnings from Port officials about the dangerously-stored ammonium nitrates.
Yet few in Beirut have any confidence that a government that allowed an enormous stockpile of deadly explosive to sit for years in flimsy sheds in the heart of Beirut can be trusted to investigate the accident.
In one sign of disgust with the entire political class, one of the country’s leading broadcasters, LBC, announced it would no longer broadcast any political speeches or statements by leaders about a promised probe into the catastrophe….
This defiant act by the broadcaster LBC, refusing to carry the speeches either of the President (a crook, as well as a Hezbollah puppet), or of Hezbollah leader Nasrallah, about a “promised probe into the catastrophe,” demonstrate the total mistrust felt by the Lebanese toward their leaders. It also shows the risks LBC is now willing to take, in angering the vindictive Nasrallah and his willing collaborator Michel Aoun. It’s an entirely new level of rage that Lebanon has never before experienced.
France called for an international inquiry into the catastrophe, already regarded as one of the biggest industrial accidents in history….
When Macron visited Beirut, he was swamped by Lebanese who urged him not to give aid to the Lebanese government, which protestors said would only be stolen. Only aid that can be delivered directly to the people should be sent by France, they shouted; otherwise, it would be better for Lebanon that it not be sent at all, for it would only help prop up the current intolerable government, and prolong the rule of the incompetent and corrupt politicians who had brought Lebanon, this time through their criminal negligence, to such a pass. Macron saw their anger, took their point, and called for an “international inquiry” – a clear slap in the face of the Lebanese government.
But Aoun has already rejected widespread calls for an international probe, telling a reporter he saw it as an attempt to “dilute the truth.” He also suggested that “foreign interference” may have been to blame – something many Lebanese see as laying the groundwork for powerful players to avoid justice.
Michel Aoun is the very symbol of all that is wrong with Lebanese politicians. He’s a Maronite, but does not represent Maronite interests. He’s “on the staff” of Hezbollah. He’s self-serving and corrupt, having somehow amassed, as a politician, a $90 million fortune. He’s not only a past master at enriching himself, but well practiced in the related art of nepotism, having helped his son-in-law Gebran Bassil to become Foreign Minister.
And now he has rejected the calls for an international inquiry into the Beirut blast, claiming that it would “dilute the truth.” What could he possibly mean? Why would non-Lebanese wish to “dilute the truth”? Plenty of well-placed Lebanese, of course, with Michel Aoun at the top of the list, would like to do so, and therefore he insists that any inquiry be conducted by fellow Lebanese, no doubt in Aoun’s view to be handpicked by the government, and likely to go easy on fellow members of the political class, including Michel Aoun himself.
Not content with rejecting an international inquiry, President Aoun has also claimed that the blast might have been the result of “foreign interference” – which suggests Israel might have been involved – and he reinforced the hint by claiming that the blast could have been caused by “negligence, a bomb, or a missile.” He made this claim days after everyone else, including even Hassan Nasrallah, had ruled out the possibility of a “bomb or a missile” and had concluded that “negligence” — the careless storing of the ammonium nitrates, and the equally careless storing of fireworks near those chemicals in the same hangar – explained the blast.
Let the protests begin, and keep going, gaining strength enough to face down Hezbollah enforcers, until the ruling politicians finally take the hint, and to end those protests and restore calm, without which it is impossible to govern effectively, resign as they ought to have done years ago. And leading the list of those compelled to resign should be the despicable Michel Aoun. He can piously claim, in his usual self-serving fashion, that “I have decided that it is time for me to retire. I have served my beloved country for many years, I have always done my best to remain true to our nation’s ideals and best interests. But now I have decided that it is time for new leadership in Lebanon.” What a sigh of relief will be heard across the land. They will say of Aoun, channeling Shakespeare, that “Nothing became him so much in life as his leaving the leadership of his land.” And besides, he’s not exactly sacrificing. After all, Michel Aoun still has those 90 million dollars, pocketed from sweetheart deals and government coffers, to sustain and comfort him in his retirement.
End PC says
” young Lebanese professionals dream of emigrating.”
“Everyone wants to go to countries ruled by White Europeans” because their cultural norms were superior. I don’t shrink from the word ‘superior.’” – Prof Amy Wax
Tony Naim says
White Europeans became superior following their lifting from their primitive stage of existence by Christianity. Thanks to the Catholic Church.
Wellington says
Before Christianity ever existed there were the great civilizations of ancient Greece, which invented, among so many other things, philosophy and democracy, and that of the ancient Jews, who developed the most sophisticated and subtle religion to that time and which Christianity is so beholden to.
And yet you are ready to call these two peoples living in a primitive existence? Really?
Please reconsider. Ignorance and arrogance, you know, never function as a substitute for real knowledge and where truth, subtle and complex as it invariably is, ultimately resides.
Wellington says
I would add here, Tony Naim, other great ancient civilizations like those of ancient Mesopotamia, ancient Egypt and especially ancient Rome, the last contributing so much to mankind, not only in the matter of literature, the development of the arch and other engineering feats (including the invention of cement and to date the best cement ever made and to date never duplicated), etc., but most especially by its superb legal system which, to this very day, is the most used legal system on the planet (examples being en masse in continental Europe, Latin America, et al.).
And as Roman Law should be—because the greatest legal systems of all time, as another example English Common Law, revolve around the protection of private property and not around the protection of absolute power. As Thomas Jefferson observed (and he did not think Jesus divine, nor did Benjamin Franklin, though I digress), where there is no private property there is no freedom.
And you still want to call such civilizations primitive until the appearance of the Catholic Church, of which at its best I am a great admirer though not religious at all? I am astonished.
Food for thought and all that. Your turn. I would be most interested.
Tony Naim says
Absolutely, I do agree with you, were it not for 12 Jews who spread the good news in the 4 corners of the world, Europeans would not have known Christianity. Rest assured :
I have no doubt about the integral and organic relationship between Judaism and Christianity.
As for the ancient world of Greece , the philosophies and democracies of Rome, I hardly think that throwing people to Lions as a means of entertainment or conducting orgies in palaces constitutes
Anything less than primitive.
Nothing is more arrogant or ignorant than to claim the truth to reside in the skin color of men rather than in their minds or their hearts
Nothing to reconsider there.
Wellington says
Well, thanks for your reply, Tony Naim, but I do think summing up ancient Greek and Roman civilizations as “throwing people to Lions…and conducting orgies in palaces” falls several tacos short of a full combo platter respecting an accurate and fair assessment of these two extraordinarily complex societies that added so much to the collective achievement of man.
gravenimage says
Tony, much of the basis for the West is indeed the philosophy of ancient Greece and the law of ancient Rome. Together with Christianity and its Jewish roots these sources laid the groundwork for Western civilization. It would be good for you to study this.
And Wellington was talking about culture, not skin color. Please reread his posts.
Tony Naim says
Wellington
Here is more irritation to YOU!
Rome, Greece, Mesopotamia and Egypt contributed to themselves, they did not contribute to mankind,
That entire concept of “mankind” never existed with any of these cultures, they saw themselves above the rest of others, like the person who posted about white superiority, whom you seem to agree with.
The Philosophies, sciences and arts of the past-which I never dismissed- could not have reached to you were it not for the contributions of the Catholic Church- which you seem to dismiss yourself . No matter how deep your anti-Catholic sentiment runs inside your veins- and you share that sentiment with so many others on this forum- you owe all that body of knowledge to the Church, like it or not. The least you can say is thank you, not bite the hand that fed you!!!!
gravenimage says
Tony, your idea that the great civilizations of the past have contributed nothing to mankind is mistaken. If you have benefited from agriculture, philosophy, or law, then you have indeed benefited from these civilizations.
And Aristotle made many references to man–the idea that none of these civilizations had a concept of mankind is mistaken.
And Wellington has never dismissed the importance of Christian influence in the foundations of Western civilization–nor is he in any way a white supremacist. This is just calumny. Citations?
mortimer says
Years of compromise with Hezbollah must be punished by the voters. Get a nationalistic party in power and banish Hezbollah forever from Lebanon.
HEZBOLLAH CREATED THIS DISASTER. PROSECUTE THEM, CONVICT THEM JAIL THEM, EXILE THEM.
Tony Naim says
“Hizballa created this disaster because they are allowed to “
Had the west not abandoned the Christians after Gemayel’s assassination in 1982, Hizballa would not have been the given the opportunity to become such a regional power to deal with. Even Israel is hesitant to take them on knowing it will have to be at a great cost.
The cheapest and most efficient way to contain Hizballa is for the west to reinvest in the Lebanese Christian community.
gravenimage says
Unfortunately, this was after the “civil war” in Lebanon–really, violent Jihad by those “Palestinian” Muslims who had been allowed to flood into that nation.
Gork says
While I agree with you, the chance of any sort of aid package like that getting passed is nearly zero. The cries of “racism” and “islamophobia” would be heard around the world before anyone could even write up a rough draft of a bill.
Niemoller says
Better yet, the entire corrupt, violent, perverted profession of Islamic cleric/imam/mullah should be outlawed.
Christopher Watson says
The problem is that in these ‘failed’ states there are no people who can re-start the state or civilised society. As in Venezuela there are none of the educated class left. No-one is left to revive the oil industry. I went to Beirut in 1972. It was a beautiful, rich Christian country with a stable Christian/Abab government. Eventually the same thing will happen to South Africa as happened in Zimbabwe. Most Africans and Middle Easterners are not capable of self-government.
Tony Naim says
I disagree with The entire premise of your argument. I think it is wrong. A person is similar to the hardware of a computer, their education is their software.
With the right values, norms and motivation everything is possible.
gravenimage says
Sadly, many Christian Lebanese have now fled Lebanon. We have Christian Lebanese neighbors here in the US. They are wonderful citizens–but have left Lebanon.
Christians are now an estimated 40% of the population there.
Anne Smith says
Excellent comment.
I spent many lovely times in Beirut in those days. It was such a happy place. When thousands of Muslim refugees were so kindly allowed in, their evil politics and internecine warfare became the norm. The country has been destroyed by Muslim immigration.
Unfortunately for Europe our politicians cannot see or acknowledge this.
Tony Naim says
For once, I fully agree with Mr Fitzgerald. Aoun and his family represent the degenerate mercantile mentality of Lebanese. His is not the only Maronite who sold Lebanon out for their own gain. Fortunately, those kinds of Maronites are in the minority. Aoun is so much hated by his own people, his days are numbered.
The key is western support .
I sincerely hope the US will revive its strategic vision it had for Lebanon at the time of President Reagan, Alexander Haig and Ariel Sharon.
Support Samir Geagea to replace Aoun.
Hugh Fitzgerald says
Mr. Naim, I’m glad we agree here, and hope we may agree more in the future (I was unaware that you disagreed with much of what I have written). I certainly second the motion to have Samir Geagea replace the deplorable Aoun.
Wellington says
+1
gravenimage says
This would be wonderful.
Rethmann says
Good news if he resigns, but he has to go to court as himself, he is a criminal responsible for the civil war in Lebanon, he is anti-Israel, he destabilizes the entire region, Samir Geagea is the best.
Rethmann says
since 1989 I say that Samir Geagea is the best.
Kepha says
The problem is that Lebanon is surrounded by pro-Iran Syria on three sides, and Ithna’ashariyya Shi’ites have edged out Maronites as the single largest demographic. All Christians (Maronite, Melkite, Orthodox, Protestant, Armenian, etc.) are now only 45% of the population. Hezbollocks will not go down without a fight; nor will Iran allow it to go down without a fight. Is the US up to another messy adventure in the Middle East? I doubt it.
Islamaphone says
He’s resigned.
Wellington says
Ultimately microcosm stuff here as long as Lebanon (or any nation) has Islam as any kind of major directing force.
Many problems confront mankind. Many.
But Islam can solve none of them. I always proceed from this assumption which I think a highly valid one and, to date, I know of no exception to this rule of mine where the conduct of nations is concerned.
gravenimage says
Time for Lebanon’s President Aoun to Resign
……………….
Aoun is a puppet of Hezb’allah. I *hope* his stepping down makes a difference–we’ll see…
Otis says
Yes Mr Wellington,Islam can’t solve any problem.Take the case of Somalia,one tribe,one religion many ports good flora and fauna but look that country is dysfunctional ever since the strong man Siad Barre was overthrown in the 90s.Islamic courts took the reigns giving birth to Al Shaban that notorious terrorist group.Islam hasn’t helped Somalis solve their problems in fact they now move from their country to other nations causing mayhem there.