From BBC
Cabinet condemns Hezbollah ‘coup’
Lebanon’s cabinet has said the seizure of most of western Beirut by the Shia group Hezbollah was “a bloody coup”.
The Western-backed governing coalition said it was aimed at increasing Iran’s influence and restoring that of Syria. [emphasis mine -ed.]
This is far from good news. Lebanon has long been oppressed by Syria, and Iran would use her as a launching pad for its attempts to wipe Israel from the globe.
Roger Hardy offers background info at BBC.
In the current context, what is under way is not just a battle for control of one small country, but a wider regional battle between pro-Western and anti-Western forces.
Put starkly, Iran and Syria would regard the containment of Hezbollah as an unacceptable victory for the US and its allies.
Victory for Hezbollah, on the other hand, would be seen in Washington, Paris, Riyadh and Cairo as handing over Lebanon to Iran.
The West must give the government of Lebanon the support it needs to fend off this attack. The consequences of failure are immense and ugly. If one thinks the specter of a nuclear Iran is unnerving, then how about a nuclear Iran perched on Israel’s doorstep with easy access to the Mediterranean?
Filed under: Islam, Middle East, Politics, Terrorism | Tagged: Beirut, Civil War, Hezbollah, Iran, Israel, Lebanon, Shia, Sunni, Syria
