April 1, 2010 - Now Lebanon - A dangerous standoff

Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah during a televised speech he gave on Wednesday night. (AFP photo/Al Manar TV)
For nearly 30 years, between 1976 and 2005, no story on Lebanon in the international media would be complete without informing the reader, listener or viewer that Syria was the “real power” in the country. The cliché disappeared in 2005, when, for a brief moment, the Lebanese basked in the realization that sovereignty, freedom and independence were within their grasp.

Five years on, not only have they seen that torrent of optimism reduced to a trickle, they also must now admit to the fact that the new “real” power in Lebanon is Hezbollah. Its secretary general, Hassan Nasrallah, told us as much on Wednesday night, when on prime-time television he taunted the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), created by international law to bring to justice those who killed former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and 21 others on February 14 2005, as well as those behind over a dozen other politically-motivated killings.

No other politician can grab the nation’s attention like Nasrallah, even if it is to inform us that Lebanon is once more in the grip of a resurgent Syrian-Iranian axis with Hezbollah doing its bidding. His message had something for everyone, touching as he did on the controversial US-ISF cooperation agreement, the motives of the national dialogue, relations with Syria and even the much-hyped reconciliation between Damascus and its erstwhile critic, Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblatt.

But it was the STL – the international community’s “last card” against the Resistance, as he called it – that took top billing. And, even though by Nasrallah’s own admission there have been no indictments, he nonetheless set about muddying the investigative waters.

It was a mixture of supposition (the US or Israel could have killed Hariri, and to suggest otherwise is an insult); fear (what would have happened to the region if former security chief Jamil As-Sayyed had cut a deal with the investigators after his arrest?); hurt (their dream is to distort our image); and righteous anger (let those who perjured themselves and their backers be prosecuted).

As far as he is concerned, the STL wants to “distort” Hezbollah’s image, and is riddled with “leaks” and security agents posing as investigators. Nasrallah offered every option and every scenario. It was masterful chaff from the arch survivor. He even had the chutzpah to suggest that he had lost faith in the investigation’s legal process, which is rich coming from a man who has never shied away from flouting the law to get his way.

After all the bluster, Nasrallah said he would work with the STL, but again on his own terms. “We will cooperate with the STL,” he said. “However, if the leaks continue, it is my right to take a different stance. If the false witnesses remain protected, I will take a different position. We will cooperate to push the investigation toward the right track. We will wait to see if we will continue our cooperation.”

Hezbollah’s argument is that its very essence is beyond criticism and that anything or anyone – mostly the US and its favorite son, Israel – that suggests otherwise wants to undermine or destroy it. It is a tried and tested opiate that has many willing takers.

The reality is that the STL has exposed Lebanon’s twin weaknesses. It has once again showcased Hezbollah’s ghastly arrogance, which in turn has reminded us that the rule of law in Lebanon is fragile and that the state can do little in the face of Hezbollah’s small army.

The easy option would be to let the tribunal go away quietly, especially when faced with the frightening scenarios that could unravel if the STL decides it wants to indict senior Hezbollah members. Even before Nasrallah spoke there was talk of a “political May 7” should this happen. The veiled message is clear. We don’t care what you do with your lives, but the Resistance must not be deviated from its mission. If you try to do so, we will have to remind you who the real sheriff is.

But justice is not built on easy options. As a nation we have to ask ourselves if we are ready for what could become a tense and even dangerous standoff, not only in the pursuit of justice but in upholding the very authority of the state.