An opportunity for Lebanon

For too long, the Hezbollah has been allowed to mobilize itself a formidable army within Lebanon. It has come to the point
that Hezbollah is a country within a country. Not only does it have an army, but it has a TV station, its own schools and health facilities. It has political representation including partnership in the governing coalition. It virtually controls the entire
south of Lebanon, all thanks to Iran and Syria. But to repay its generous donors, Hezbollah does their dirty work, hijacking Lebanon
in the process. To substantially weaken this organization or eliminate it entirely will mean that Lebanese finally will be masters
in their own house.

It is inconceivable to think that a country can accept a private army within its borders. And yet, Hezbollah has been given a free hand
to create a private army. It boasts a cache of 10,000-12,000 short and mid-term rockets in addition to RPGs, anti-aircraft and anti-tank weaponry. Some of its
missiles are feared to have a range that could strike Tel Aviv. We have already seen that they have missiles that could strike Haifa, some 40 km from the
Lebanese border. An organization with such firepower could, without a doubt, mount a coup inside the country. The katyushas pointing at Israel could be turned
on the Lebanese army itself.

Such a situation is not entirely hypothetical. The Lebanese government while intent to disarm Hezbollah, is fearful of that organization. Government officials have argued that anyeffort to disarm Hezbollah will mount to civil war in the country. This probably explains why in the wake of Rafik Hariri’s assassination when anti-Syrian sentiments were high, it was the pro-Syrian Hezbollah that was untouched. On the contrary, Hezbollah ended up being a political partner in Lebanon’s government.

But what is the alternative to disarming Hezbollah? Is enslavement by Syria and Iran a preferable scenario to civil war? Perhaps it is, if it means saving lives. But civil war is unlikely. The Lebanese can be assured that they will receive full Israeli and even international support for ridding the country of Hezbollah’s private army. Moreover, they can be assured that an alliance with Israel and the West will yield greater benefits to Lebanon than that with Syria and Iran.

Now is the time for the Lebanese army to disarm Hezbollah. Under the guise of Israeli air, sea and ground attack, the Lebanese army can join the combat without claiming to be an ally of Israel. It can argue that it is doing so in the interest of exerting its sovereignty. Furthermore, the Lebanese government can firmly say that it will no longer allow Syria and Iran’s mercenaries to wage a war within its borders. Lebanon has a unique opportunity to finally free itself of Iran’s grasp and gain its freedom. It can no longer claim that it cannot control Hezbollah when Israel is giving it the capability to do so.

Hezbollah is one of the last links Lebanon has to Syria and Iran. It must free itself of this link and declare Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah to be a traitor to his country. The question is: are Lebanon’s leaders sincere about being a sovereign state free of Syrian influence? How Lebanon reacts towards Hezbollah may well test that sincerity.