Unpleasant facts of life

Submitted by Peter J. Herz (Taiwan), Mar 22, 2005 at 09:11

At present, the largest single demographic in Lebanon is Ithna'ashariyya Shi'ite Muslims, and the sad fact of life on the ground is that their political organizations are Hizbullah and Amal. If the USA approves of a political settlement in Lebanon to replace Syrian occupation, then it needs to open the door to those most distasteful groups.

However, I cannot help but note that Bush added the words, "if they lay down their arms". This will be tough for a group like Hizbullah, which has lived by the gun, and we may well see a new Lebanese civil war between the Shi'ites and the other two-thirds of the country.

As for Robert Jackson's comment, I regret to note that the Bill of Rights has become a suicide past for the society and culture that framed it.

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