Surprise, U.N. stabs Lebanon in the Back (again)

Beirut- The United States is pushing for a strong U.N. resolution condemning Syria and Hezbollah for their actions in violence-torn Lebanon, but diplomats said on Wednesday there would be broad resistance to tough measures.

Broad resistance? Why? Isn’t it plain and obvious what is happening in Lebanaon? People are dying because of Iran’s takeover attempt!

State Department spokesman Tom Casey said consultations were ongoing with U.N. Security Council members over how to tackle the worst spate of violence since the 1975-90 civil war, which the United States has blamed on Hezbollah and its backers Syria and Iran.

"At this point, it is not entirely clear what kind of action might come out of those discussions but certainly it is important for the Council to be able to speak strongly on this issue," said Casey, who declined to provide details.

"This is something that is of great concern to many Council members and we will be working closely to see what we can come up with," he added.

At least 81 people have been killed since violence broke out on May 7 following Lebanon's cabinet decisions against Hezbollah that prompted the Iranian and Syrian-backed movement to blockade the airport and run a civil disobedience campaign.

Hang on there a second. This is not a “civil disobedience campaign” This is murder. But the “opposition” seems to believe in pre-meditated murder. For a long time I have strongly suspected that the opposition is behind the assignations of the Pro-Lebanese. (Everyone else wants to call them Anti-Syrian, they aren’t. They are Pro-Lebanese!) When I heard of the spy camera trained on the runway at the airport, my suspicions increased ten-fold.

One option is to push for a strong, Chapter 7 U.N. Security Council resolution which would tag Hezbollah a terrorist group. However, a more likely scenario would be a non-legally binding presidential statement which would be easier to get.

Diplomats said a legally binding Chapter 7 resolution was very unlikely to get through the Council, and veto-wielding members such as Russia would never agree to it.

Got that Lebanon? Russia doesn’t want you to have a stable, free society. No, they are more interested in giving Iran and Syria the cover to kill your friends and family.

"We should be pragmatic at this stage," said one European diplomat when asked what the United Nations should do.

"We feel that the priority should be to take the high ground in Lebanon and put all our support towards ongoing Arab mediation and giving that wide international support," said the diplomat, who asked not to be named as he did not wish to antagonize the United States by his comments.

A high-level Arab League delegation began a mediation mission in Beirut on Wednesday to defuse tension between the U.S.-backed governing coalition and Hezbollah.

Arab mediation? Are you kidding me? We know who turned the guns on whom. Those blood thirsty gunman shouldn’t be ‘mediated’ with. They should be arrested for murder.

DIVISIONS

One diplomatic source said other options being considered by the United States included expanding the role of U.N. peacekeepers and there also was talk of a no-fly zone over Syria as a means of putting pressure on Damascus. U.S. officials declined comment on these issues.

"These are not new ideas," said a Western diplomat of an expanded U.N. peacekeeper role. "Whether they are realistic ideas is another question."

Divisions between the United States and other countries over how to handle the latest crisis emerged on Monday in a conference call between ministers and officials from France, Italy, Germany, the United States, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Egypt and others.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice wanted the participants to sign onto a toughly worded statement which specifically mentioned Hezbollah's role in the latest violence. Ultimately, a blander version was agreed on.

The draft, obtained by Reuters, said the participants joined the Lebanese people in "rejecting the pursuit of politics at gunpoint by Hezbollah and its allies, who resorted to violence to protect their state-within-a-state."

"Having turned its weapons on Lebanese civilians, Hezbollah has belied its 'resistance' credentials, specious as they were, and broken its promise never to use its arms against its fellow citizens," said the draft.

The final document never referred to Hezbollah and instead was more measured, welcoming the Arab League initiative and expressing support for Lebanese constitutional institutions.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack declined comment on the draft and said such documents were always subject to negotiation.

"They would look different if we wrote them up by ourselves, but that is not how it is. It is a multilateral statement ... nonetheless, it is a strong statement," he told Reuters.

So the final document never referred to those with the guns, killing.
What good is the U.N.?