U.S. Seeks to Weaken Hezbollah’s Grip on Lebanon Amid Israeli Offensive

[Social Media]

 

The Biden administration is taking advantage of the current Israeli offensive against Hezbollah to push for a new Lebanese president, hoping to curb the militant group’s long-standing political dominance. According to U.S. and Arab officials, this move marks an opportunity to address Lebanon’s political stalemate, which has left the country without a president since Michel Aoun’s term ended in 2022.

 

Secretary of State Antony Blinken has reached out to leaders in Qatar, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia, urging their support for electing a new Lebanese president. The push is part of a broader U.S. initiative to weaken Hezbollah's influence in Lebanon, a group that has entrenched itself not only as a militant organization but also as a powerful political party. Amos Hochstein, a senior White House official, has emphasized to Arab officials that the Israeli strikes on Hezbollah provide a chance to potentially resolve Lebanon's political deadlock.

 

“We want to see Lebanon break the grip that Hezbollah has had on the country—more than a grip, break the stranglehold that Hezbollah has had on the country and remove Hezbollah veto over a president,” State Department spokesman Matt Miller said.

 

The U.S. effort to sideline Hezbollah comes after years of frustration over Lebanon's ineffective government, where political reforms have been stymied by entrenched elites. Lebanon’s power-sharing system, established during the French occupation after World War I, divides power among its major religious groups—Sunni Muslims, Shia Muslims, Christians, and Druze. Despite previous U.S.-backed efforts, the country's fractured political landscape has hindered meaningful change.

 

Saudi Arabia, which historically played a significant role in Lebanon’s political and economic affairs, has backed the U.S. initiative. The plan’s success, however, depends on key Lebanese figures, including Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri. Both have voiced support for electing a new president but remain closely tied to Hezbollah, especially in the context of cease-fire negotiations.

 

While the U.S. sees a new president as essential to forming a stable and empowered government, Hezbollah’s leadership opposes any political shift amid ongoing conflict. Naim Qassem, Hezbollah’s Deputy Secretary-General, rejected calls for a political rearrangement while the war with Israel continues.

 

Electing a new president is a complex process in Lebanon, where the president is chosen by a 128-member parliament. Without Hezbollah’s support, it remains unclear how political factions can unite to elect a leader. Several Arab nations, including Egypt and Qatar, have expressed skepticism about the U.S. approach. They argue that attempting to sideline Hezbollah, particularly during a time of crisis, could reignite sectarian violence in a country still scarred by its civil war, which ended in 1990.

 

Egypt, in particular, has voiced concern that intervening in Lebanon’s political affairs now could lead to the kind of internecine fighting that devastated the country during the civil war. Lebanese political analysts warn that any leader seen as rising to power due to Israeli and U.S. actions risks being discredited. Robert Ford, a former U.S. ambassador to Syria and Algeria, noted, “The more a new Lebanese president is seen to have come to office on the coattails of Israeli military actions with American support, the more discredited I think he will be among many Lebanese.”

 

The absence of a president has worsened Lebanon's economic crisis, which the World Bank describes as one of the worst globally in the past 150 years. Since 2019, Lebanon's currency has plummeted by 97% against the U.S. dollar, leaving public sector salaries nearly worthless and hollowing out government institutions. Parliament hasn’t convened since May, and the caretaker government has been unable to address the country’s economic collapse, which has plunged millions into poverty. In the midst of the current war, Lebanon remains in a political and economic vacuum, with Hezbollah maintaining greater strength than the national army despite limited U.S. military aid.

 

Based on a report from WSJ 2024-10-12

 

 

 

[Neeranam]

Could someone explain what Lebanon leadership has got to do do with a country on the other side of the world? 

Wasn't Hezbollah created because the US forces occupied Lebanon in 1982?

[Bkk Brian]

2 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

Could someone explain what Lebanon leadership has got to do do with a country on the other side of the world? 

Wasn't Hezbollah created because the US forces occupied Lebanon in 1982?

Ask Hezbollah the terrorist state within a state

[Neeranam]

According to Chatgpt

 

 

Hezbollah was formed in the early 1980s in response to the U.S. and Israeli occupation of Lebanon. The group emerged as a militant organization advocating for the resistance against foreign intervention and the expulsion of Israeli forces following the 1982 invasion. Additionally, it sought to empower the marginalized Shiite community, addressing their socio-political grievances. Influenced by Iranian support, Hezbollah aimed to unify various factions against perceived Western and Israeli aggressions, positioning itself as a defender of Lebanese sovereignty.

[Bkk Brian]

3 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

According to Chatgpt

 

 

Hezbollah was formed in the early 1980s in response to the U.S. and Israeli occupation of Lebanon. The group emerged as a militant organization advocating for the resistance against foreign intervention and the expulsion of Israeli forces following the 1982 invasion. Additionally, it sought to empower the marginalized Shiite community, addressing their socio-political grievances. Influenced by Iranian support, Hezbollah aimed to unify various factions against perceived Western and Israeli aggressions, positioning itself as a defender of Lebanese sovereignty.

yes they are terrorists what more do you want to know? You are of course anti terrorist right?

[soalbundy]

2 hours ago, Bkk Brian said:

yes they are terrorists what more do you want to know? You are of course anti terrorist right?

Now just watch the CIA make things worse.

[Bkk Brian]

8 minutes ago, soalbundy said:

Now just watch the CIA make things worse.

Sounds like you'd prefer the terrorist's to rein

[soalbundy]

3 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

Sounds like you'd prefer the terrorist's to rein

It seems to me that the CIA has been the inadvertent midwife to several terrorist groups through plain ignorance.

[Bkk Brian]

Just now, soalbundy said:

It seems to me that the CIA has been the inadvertent midwife to several terrorist groups through plain ignorance.

What is clear is that you'd rather criticize the CIA rather than the Iran financed terrorist groups that want America and the west destroyed

[ThaiFelix]

3 hours ago, Bkk Brian said:

yes they are terrorists what more do you want to know? You are of course anti terrorist right?

They oppose US interests so of course they are terrorists?  Isn't that how it works?

[Bkk Brian]

1 minute ago, ThaiFelix said:

They oppose US interests so of course they are terrorists?  Isn't that how it works?

Designated as a terrorist organization by a large portion of the international community. That's how it works

[ThaiFelix]

Just now, Bkk Brian said:

Designated as a terrorist organization by a large portion of the international community. That's how it works

Oh like the UN 124 to 14 telling Israel to give up it illegal occupation but not only totally ignoring it but rather telling the rest of the world they are wrong?

 

[Bkk Brian]

Just now, ThaiFelix said:

Oh like the UN 124 to 14 telling Israel to give up it illegal occupation but not only totally ignoring it but rather telling the rest of the world they are wrong?

 

No that's you deflecting from Hezbollah

[ThaiFelix]

3 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

Designated as a terrorist organization by a large portion of the international community. That's how it works

Please provide a reliable source.

[Neeranam]

3 minutes ago, ThaiFelix said:

They oppose US interests so of course they are terrorists?  Isn't that how it works?

Exactly, one man's terrorist is another's freedom fighter. 

The classification of certain groups as "terrorist" often reflects the historical context shaped by colonial powers and their influence over various regions. For instance, groups like Hezbollah in Lebanon can be viewed through the lens of their resistance against foreign intervention and exploitation. Many of these organizations emerge in response to the socio-political chaos created by colonial legacies, where local populations struggle against oppression and fight for sovereignty.

When colonial powers exploit resources and manipulate political structures, they create conditions that can lead to conflict and insurgency. In such contexts, the actions of groups resisting these forces may be labeled as terrorism, often overlooking the underlying grievances and struggles for self-determination. This narrative serves to delegitimize their causes, framing them as threats rather than as responses to oppression. Consequently, the designation of terrorism is frequently influenced by political agendas rather than an objective assessment of the groups’ motives or actions.

[ThaiFelix]

22 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

Sounds like you'd prefer the terrorist's to rein

Which ones?  The IDF?

[Neeranam]

1 minute ago, ThaiFelix said:

Please provide a reliable source.

And not the Times of Israel 🙂 

[Bkk Brian]

1 minute ago, ThaiFelix said:

Which ones?  The IDF?

The group is designated as a terrorist organisation by Western states, Israel and Gulf Arab states.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-67307858

[Bkk Brian]

2 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

And not the Times of Israel 🙂 

Why?

https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/times-of-israel/

[soalbundy]

2 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

What is clear is that you'd rather criticize the CIA rather than the Iran financed terrorist groups that want America and the west destroyed

A lot of the trouble with Iran stems from British and American interference starting with the inauguration of the Schah by the UK, now it's too late to shut Pandora's box. There are laws of causality which are always valid and they sometimes go back hundreds of years. The effects of the UK trading opium with China and then starting a war with them when they started to fight back against the addictions this was causing  still resonate with the Chinese to this day.

[ThaiFelix]

36 minutes ago, soalbundy said:

Now just watch the CIA make things worse.

Why dont they just declare Lebanon has WMD's, it worked last time even though nobody on this planet believed it and they still cant be found??

[Bkk Brian]

1 minute ago, soalbundy said:

A lot of the trouble with Iran stems from British and American interference starting with the inauguration of the Schah by the UK, now it's too late to shut Pandora's box. There are laws of causality which are always valid and they sometimes go back hundreds of years. The effects of the UK trading opium with China and then starting a war with them when they started to fight back against the addictions this was causing  still resonate with the Chinese to this day.

Historical deflection and defense of the Axis of Evil

[Social Media]

Troll post removed @ThaiFelix along with a comment on moderation

 

Topic here is:

 

U.S. Seeks to Weaken Hezbollah’s Grip on Lebanon Amid Israeli Offensive

[Patong2021]

3 hours ago, Neeranam said:

Could someone explain what Lebanon leadership has got to do do with a country on the other side of the world? 

Wasn't Hezbollah created because the US forces occupied Lebanon in 1982?

 

No.  Hezbollah was not created by because of  your false claim that US forces occupied Lebanon in 1982.

The USA participated in a  multinational peacekeeping force. It was authorized by the UN. The 

Multinational Force in Lebanon (MNF)  was sent to  West Beirut  to serve as a bufffer between Israel and the  armed units of the PLO.  The Multinational Force assisted the Lebanese Armed Forces in evacuating the PLO, Syrian forces and other foreign combatants involved in Lebanon's civil war. There were 4 members on the MNF: USA, France, UK and Italy.

The MNF also helped provide  support and training to the Lebanese Armed Forces.

 

Hezbollah was sponsored by Iran and is a Shia muslim organization. It's primary purpose is to destroy Israel and to further the doctrine of Shia Islam. It does not represent the  majority of Lebanese and is in fact a proxy occupying force that see its interests linked to Iran and Syria.

 

Are you now going to deny the Iranian control or the Syrian occupation of Lebanon that was the core factor Hezbollah's founding?

[Nick Carter icp]

8 minutes ago, ThaiFelix said:

Delete

 

 

 Delete

[Neeranam]

11 minutes ago, Patong2021 said:

 

No.  Hezbollah was not created by because of  your false claim that US forces occupied Lebanon in 1982.

The USA participated in a  multinational peacekeeping force. It was authorized by the UN. The 

Multinational Force in Lebanon (MNF)  was sent to  West Beirut  to serve as a bufffer between Israel and the  armed units of the PLO.  The Multinational Force assisted the Lebanese Armed Forces in evacuating the PLO, Syrian forces and other foreign combatants involved in Lebanon's civil war. There were 4 members on the MNF: USA, France, UK and Italy.

The MNF also helped provide  support and training to the Lebanese Armed Forces.

 

Hezbollah was sponsored by Iran and is a Shia muslim organization. It's primary purpose is to destroy Israel and to further the doctrine of Shia Islam. It does not represent the  majority of Lebanese and is in fact a proxy occupying force that see its interests linked to Iran and Syria.

 

Are you now going to deny the Iranian control or the Syrian occupation of Lebanon that was the core factor Hezbollah's founding?

While the U.S. presence was officially framed as peacekeeping, many Lebanese viewed it as an occupation, especially given the military actions and the broader geopolitical implications.

 

Hezbollah did receive some support from Iran and has Shia ideology, but its origins were  a response to the perceived failures of the Lebanese state and the ongoing violence from various factions, including Israel’s invasions.

 

It's primary purpose is most certainly not to destroy Israel. It is a defender of Lebanon and the Shia community.

[Bkk Brian]

9 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

While the U.S. presence was officially framed as peacekeeping, many Lebanese viewed it as an occupation, especially given the military actions and the broader geopolitical implications.

 

Hezbollah did receive some support from Iran and has Shia ideology, but its origins were  a response to the perceived failures of the Lebanese state and the ongoing violence from various factions, including Israel’s invasions.

 

It's primary purpose is most certainly not to destroy Israel. It is a defender of Lebanon and the Shia community.

It's primary purpose is most certainly not to destroy Israel

 

False

 

Hezbollah articulated its ideology in a 1985 manifesto published during the Lebanese Civil War, which outlined the group's key goals: the expulsion of Western influences, the destruction of Israel, allegiance to Iran's supreme leader, and the establishment of an Iran-influenced Islamist government

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hezbollah

 

Keep defending the indefensible 

[malibukid]

the old U.S. play book create chaos that backfires.

[herfiehandbag]

Hezbollah is a "totally owned" proxy for Iran. They will not relinquish their hold on Lebanon, no matter how many Presidents are elected, and how many power sharing deals are negotiated between the Christians and various Muslim sects. They are the power, Lebanese government forces are inadequate and impotent, Iran says, Lebanon does. Anyone who thinks that Hezbollah's grip on Lebanon (or HAMAS's on Gaza for that matter) can be weakened by political or diplomatic means is living in a fools paradise!

 

Hezbollah (which means Iran) will have to be driven out if anything is to change.

 

 

[Patong2021]

11 hours ago, Neeranam said:

While the U.S. presence was officially framed as peacekeeping, many Lebanese viewed it as an occupation, especially given the military actions and the broader geopolitical implications.

 

Hezbollah did receive some support from Iran and has Shia ideology, but its origins were  a response to the perceived failures of the Lebanese state and the ongoing violence from various factions, including Israel’s invasions.

 

It's primary purpose is most certainly not to destroy Israel. It is a defender of Lebanon and the Shia community.

 

You claim that there was a US occupation. When confronted with the intentional falsehood you offer the excuse that "many Lebanese viewed it as an occupation".  That's a cheap cop out of making a false claim.  What is many? The real occupation was in the invasion by Syria. That was the occupation.  Not a word from you on that.

 

Hezbollah is a Shia Islam group. It draws little if any support from the Sunni muslims, the Christians, the Druze and the estimated 1.5 million Syrian refugees who fled the mass murder in Syria effected by Assad, Iran and Hezbollah. On the contrary, a strong argument  can be made that an overwhelming majority of Lebanese residents want the removal of Hezbollah and its state within a state structure.

 

Hezbollah is unwelcome in the north of Lebanon where the Christians have fought to keep them out. They occupy the southern parts of Israel seizing farms and villages and using them for ammo storage, missile and artillery launch sites and staging areas for attacks on Israel. This area was previously a Sunni, Christian and Druze populated region. The non Shia residents were driven out by Hezbollah because they did not agree to the Hezbollah use of the land to wage war on Israel. It is Hezbollah that is the occupying force.

 

Hezbolah was the instrument that propped up the Assad regime and participated in the mass murder of 500,000 Syrians. Why are you defending Hezbollah? Is the killing of Israelis so appealing that you will ignore what happened to the Syrian non combatants, many of whom were  killed with poison gas dropped by helicopters?