COLLEAGUES at Lebanon-based Nedaa Al-Watan newspaper were not wrong in their choice of headline, “Welcome to Khomeini Republic,” which infuriated authorities under the control of Hezbollah.
The headline is an undisputable fact in the current situation in Lebanon. The Iranian Hezb control over the government with the criteria laid down by Hassan Nasrallah for foreign policy and firm grip on all security apparatus will not allow Lebanon to take any decision, so it will be Lebanon in outlook but Iran in context.
This unusual situation would not have happened and continued if not for the strange composition of the political system with its massive lapses, which created an avenue for this chaos that Hezbollah used to take over of the decision by force. The submission of three leaders, depending on its dictation, has been transformed into what looks like political fronts for Hezbollah in sensitive locations in the country.
Actually, they are expected to protect the independence of their country and implement the Constitution in a way that will preserve its Arab identity rather than becoming spectators; while the Iranian agent issues fatwa, takes decisions and executes them. This has rendered the Council of Ministers ineffective and the ministers who are in opposition to the Hezbollah are becoming false witnesses, or at their best, silent devils.
In order to perpetrate control, Hezbollah protects corruption and practices it in different ways. The best example is what happened at Beirut Airport a few days ago by facilitating the return of those who attacked the refugee camp to Beirut after foul play in clearing their criminal record. It is impossible for anybody to pass through the airport without the knowledge of Hezbollah and the security authority did not present steps taken in coordination with Hezb.
When people expressed opposition during this scandal, Hezbollah and its ally in Al-Oun faction remained silent. This is just the tip of the iceberg. The question begging for an answer is: If the record of that criminal is cleaned, how about what Hezbollah smuggled outside Lebanon through air and seaports, as well as what it brings from Iran to Lebanon?
This fact was and still remains under international microscopic monitoring and necessary procedures are ongoing in that regard. It is not only about drying the source of funding for Hezbollah, but also forming trusteeship on Lebanon in case the State security apparatus submits to the whims of Hezbollah whose Secretary General said a few days ago: “The battle between Hussein and Yazid Bin Mu’awia is being revived.” This is a reference to the Arab coalition against terrorism led by Saudi Arabia against Iran and its followers in the region.
He added, “This is our camp, this our leader, this is our commander and this is our Hussein (referring to Iranian spiritual leader Ali Khomeini) in this battle, so there is no neutrality as you are either with Hussein or Yazid. The battle and confrontation has been revived.”
Away from denigration of all Muslims by the Iranian agent — not Shia alone, describing Khomeini as a descendant of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) is in fact a serious attack on the families of the Prophet (PBUH). This man has linked fate of his country with that of Iran, which is currently in a terrorism war with the world through its mercenaries in Yemen, Lebanon, Syria and Iraq. It does not matter to him if his country is destroyed while protecting the Mullah regime in Tehran. He does not care also if this statement infuriates other Lebanese people, Christians, Sunnis and Druze, in addition to patriotic Shiites who do not support Hezbollah and its leader.
In this speech, Nasrallah complicated the problem of Lebanon with its Arab neighbors, especially in his attack against Saudi Arabia and Arabian Gulf countries. He takes pride in such action so much that he once said his best speech was the one in which he attacked Saudi Arabia.
In this case, it is natural to tighten the financial sanction that the United States and the international community imposed on Lebanon by putting more Hezbollah affiliated institutions on the list of sanctions. The US Department of State official recently unveiled a plan to expand the list, saying more persons and institutions will be added to it. What can the Lebanese do?
Apparently, all other segments in Lebanon objected to the idea of their country being under trusteeship of terror weapon, so it will soon reach the stage of revolution which will undoubtedly transform into a civil war as long as somebody insists that the interest of his Iranian principal must take precedence over the interest of his country.
Citizens who have been patient for long will not allow their country to be sold to Hezbollah which will hand it over to the Mullah regime. This should be an interpretation of the reality for which a warning sound is being made as the national clarion called through the headline, “Welcome to Khomeini Republic”.
By Ahmed Al-Jarallah
Editor-in-Chief, the Arab Times
