Huge Hezbollah rally in Beirut (AFP photo)

Bolton not amused by Hezbollah's western-style protest

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US Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton gave sarcastic praise to Hezbollah for using western tactics in an attempt to bring down the Lebanese government. "Well good for them," he said referring to Hezbollah's rally of nearly one quarter of the Lebanese population in Beirut.

Christian leaders joined Hezbollah calling for the resignation of Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and his US-backed government. The largely peaceful rally was apparently based on western non-violent protests such as the Orange Revolution in the Ukraine, responsible for reversing the 2004 election victory of Russian-backed presidential candidate Viktor Yanukovych amid allegations of electoral fraud.

Hezbollah's popularity soared after it fought a brutal, thirty-four day war with Israel this summer, which leveled parts of Lebanon and killed scores of civilians. The Israeli offensive had the tacit backing of Washington, but was ultimately condemned by much of the world. Israel is presently under investigation for war crimes for using cluster bombs in Lebanese civilian areas.

Outside the UN in New York on Friday, Bolton tried to differentiate the protest in Beirut from similar, pro-western rallies. Bolton said "the point is that the government of Lebanon is democratically elected". But "so was Hamas" shot back Trish Schuh of The Muslim Weekly. Bolton then called Hezbollah a terrorist organization.

But like the western-dubbed terrorists of Hamas, Hezbollah has widespread support among its people and a large contingiency of democratically elected officials. Student protester Mohamad Dakdouk said that "Hezbollah is helping people with reconstruction, the government has done nothing," in an interview with USA Today journalist Jeffrey Stinson.


cnnX editorial

The recent rise in anti-western sentiment among Arabs in the Middle East correlates directly with a lopsided US foreign policy in the region. The US recently went so far as to veto a UN resolution condemning Israel for what all accounts appears to be the deliberate shelling of civilians (terrorism) in Gaza by Israeli forces. Though probably not official Israeli policy--it was more likely an act by a distressed tank commander than the "technical failure" alleged by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert--the result was the same.

Events like these only cement feelings of distrust and dismay toward the west among Arabs. The United States should look to other, more moderate groups in Israel and the Middle East when formulating foreign policy and vetoing UN resolutions. Catering to Israeli extremists is, and has been, detrimental to US interests, the interests of Israel, and most obviously, as demonstrated by recent events in Lebanon and Gaza, the interests of Arabs.

After Bolton bolted from the press stakeout at the UN, Trish Schuh spoke to a CNN journalist about the deeper issues. She felt that AIPAC (the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee), a highly influential lobby group influencing US foreign policy in the Middle East, may need to be exposed for promoting extremist policies. She asked CNN correspondent Richard Roth if "CNN Presents" would ever consider doing a story on AIPAC. Roth said he'd rather cover a sex scandal.


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