Notes of the Lebanese crisis *2

The political crisis was triggered by the policies of US imperialism, and the role of the present government in it.

The US sees Lebanon's so called Cedar Revolution as its only policy success in the region. With its occupation of Iraq descending into disaster, its failure to overthrown the Hamas government in the Gaza Strip and growing popular discontent in Egypt threatening its key Arab ally, the US are desperate to hold on to its gains in Lebanon.

Part of this strategy was to induce Israel into destroying the resistance, as embodied by Hizbollah, in the summer of 2006. The US was hoping that the Lebanese government would fill the vacuum left by a defeated Hizbollah. Their war failed to achieve any of its objectives. Instead a mass outpouring of popular support carried the resistance to victory.

The question of arms held by the resistance are crucial. The US and France want all oppostion to Israel crushed and are attempting to use the Lebanese government to succeed where the Israelis failed. This strategy relied on the government, and its myriad of “security companies” to de-claw the resistance.

Last Thursday Hizbollah and its supporters routed these private security agencies in under 4 hours.

At every turn the government has created this crisis, now they are losing control over events. It is weak, but very nasty.