Nasrallah’s bad excuse
By Ahmed Al-Jarallah
Editor-in-Chief, the Arab Times
8/29/2006

AFTER the devastation of Lebanon, killing of entire families — including the aged, women and children, destruction of bridges and other infrastructure, and decimation of the Lebanese economy, Hassan Nasrallah has woken up to realize the magnitude of the crisis he has brought to his people. Like small children, who bite their fingers after committing a blunder, Nasrallah has admitted his fault saying “I would not have ordered the seizure of the two Israeli soldiers that sparked the 33-day war if I had known the Jewish state would react with such fury.”

Such men, who never think twice about committing their people and country to serve the interests of foreign countries, usually have limited freedom because they operate according to the plans and agenda of others without any consideration for the fact that the people of their own country will pay the ultimate price. If for the sake of argument we admit Nasrallah is acting alone without receiving instructions from Iran, then his recent excuse proves that he is not qualified to be a decision maker.

At the peak of Israeli aggression, Nasrallah claimed Israeli forces were planning to launch such an attack between September and November 2006. He also claimed he kidnapped the two soldiers to force Israel to launch the attack, which turned Lebanon into rubble, earlier than planned. His excuse proves that Nasrallah, the leader, who was bragging during the Israeli attack, is the same man who has admitted his dreadful miscalculation.

This also proves he is incapable of taking any well-judged political or military decision. This man had given himself the right to lead the Lebanese and force them to meet a horrible fate. If any Lebanese had dared to object he would have been blamed and accused of being a political trader and agent of Israel and the United States.

With such a crooked mentality and megalomania, Nasrallah allowed himself to destroy Lebanon and hurt the interests of Arab countries. If he knew of Israel’s plans to attack Lebanon between September and November, we wonder why Nasrallah didn’t make a public statement or wait until the Israelis made the first move. If he had done any of this the Israelis would have been considered the attackers and blamed by the whole world. In such a scenario Nasrallah would have been in the right position to defend his country.

Arab countries didn’t make any mistake when they described Hezbollah’s move an ill-calculated adventure. Now Nasrallah himself has admitted his miscalculations and spur-of-the moment decisions have led to the destruction of Lebanon and its economy. The people of Lebanon won’t forgive Nasrallah for this blunder, which may force him out of the history of that country.

Nasrallah has a last opportunity to reach safe shores by disarming his men, surrendering to the legitimate Lebanese authority and ending his ties with Tehran.
In a recent interview given by Nasrallah we sensed his desire to give up his high stand. We hope our assessment is correct and we are still able to comprehend Nasrallah’s words properly.

e-mail: ahmedjarallah@hotmail.com