Posted on 05/06/2018 1:42:16 PM PDT by mac_truck
Lebanon held on Sunday its first parliamentary elections in nine years, as citizens expressed cautious optimism that the country's rigid, oft-deadlocked sectarian political system could be swayed. Behind the scenes, however, one of the world's leading powers has quietly eyed the small state as a potential ground to project its power in the Middle East and into the Mediterranean. But it won't be easy.
With Syrian rebels and jihadis at bay, and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government set to further extend its comeback, Russia has pursued a cautious overture across the border into Lebanon—a $1 billion dollar arms deal, including a 15-year repayment term at zero percent interest, as the Christian Science Monitor reported. Unlike Syria, Lebanon's precarious political makeup means there are no Kremlin-backed strongmen to turn to, but a rocky balance of power that has so far left the offer on the table.
"There is certainly an attempt to expand the soft Russian power in the region. This may translate into greater military cooperation and the signing (by the Lebanese) of a defense deal brokered last year," Maya Yahya, director of the Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut, told Newsweek. "The parliamentary election results may have some impact to the extent of swaying the pendulum slightly towards a pro-Russia camp. However, given the delicate power/sectarian balance in the country, this may remain limited for now."
(Excerpt) Read more at newsweek.com ...
LOL - Globalist interventionists trying to stir up some action. They never rest.
Lebanon should be left alone, they’ve already suffered enough with their previous civil war.
What interest in Lebanon do we have to which we should fear a Russian threat? Oil? Secret bases?
The same as in Syria, none. And we no longer need Middle East oil.
After Trump deals with Iran we can tell them all to go pound their plentiful sand.
Since when does the USA have ANY influence in Lebanon?
Geographically, Hezbollah controls 75% of the country.
Politically, Hezbollah has de facto control of the government.
Let Lebanon decide. Hasn’t Lebanon had some problems with Israel staging attacks inside their borders?
Sure. That’s likely./s
It’d be lovely if they could flush Hizbollah into the sewer and get rid of the pernicious influences of Iran, Turkey, Syria and Russia within their political system. Since they’re our neighbors, it’d be especially to our advantage. But realistically?
News-Weakling is not a credible news source.
They are run by flaming liberal milquetoast homosexuals.
Russia’s interest in Syria is the same as Crimea, a warm water naval base.
That’s a mighty fine looking spread.
Can you tell us what the dishes are?
Two things I’d like to look up recipes for..
1. The fried balls in the lower right corner
2. The meat dish in the middle
FakeNewsWeek is the printed version of CNN!
Hezbollah should have been exterminated after the Beirut Marine Barracks bombing.
To quote ZZ Top: They gotta lot of nice girls there!
Hezbollah and narcoterrorism, same as usual.
Look up Hezbollah and the Sinaloa drug cartel.
Iran's President Hassan Rouhani, Russia's Vladimir Putin and Turkey's Tayyip Erdogan meet in Sochi, Russia November 22, 2017. (photo credit: SPUTNIK/MIKHAIL METZEL/KREMLIN VIA REUTERS) The Three Amigos
Hezbollah is the symptom of the civil war and foreign interference, not the cause.
I don’t particularly care for them either, but smashing up the remnants of the barely functioning government is only going to drive people further into their arms.
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