The president of Lebanon has decided that UN resolutions don’t apply to Lebanon. After all, it’s not like UNSC 1701 specifically calls for the disarmament of “all armed groups in Lebanon.”
Lebanese President Emile Lahoud said Hizbullah will not disarm as long as there is a state of war between Lebanon and Israel, because the “national resistance’ weapons are Lebanon’s primary source of power.”
Lahoud was interviewed on a Cuban television show covering the seventh anniversary of Israel’ withdrawal from Southern Lebanon. “We adhere to Lebanon’s right to stay powerful until a comprehensive and just peace is achieved. When that happens, there will be no need for the resistance and its weapons” said Lahoud.
Right. Because your army isn’t supposed to protect your state from attack. After all, what are armies for?
Oh, wait. In the Middle East (except for Israel), they’re there to keep the citizenry down. I forgot.
What’s the Middle East version of “banana republic”?
Shouldn’t UNSC 1701 have had something to do with the Klingon Question? Or perhaps Photon Torpedo anti-proliferation.
What’s the Middle East version of “bananna republic”?
That’s a toughie. Syria, Egypt, Libya, et bloody cetera all have similarities to La Republica de los Banannas. Except that most Latin American caudillos were more civilized and less bloodthirsty than Arab ones are.
IOW, what Arab country is NOT a banana republic? Or, perhaps all Arab governments are simply oily governments and must be well-oiled by baksheesh in order for anything to get done.
chsw
Well oiled by baksheesh is the least of it. Corruption is virtually universal in the Third World (and is prominent in Israel, largely thanks to its excess of socialism). It’s not unknown in places like New Jersey, New York and Chicago (we won’t go into Louisiana, where it is epidemic).
People don’t like corruption but they can often work around it. It’s the tyranny, lack of rule of law, and lack of property rights, well nigh universal among Arab states, that makes them like banana republics, and it’s the murderousness that makes them worse.