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 ...
A funny thing is happening along the way to our assumptions. You go figure that out since you know everything.
If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.
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Should Iran suffer a setback in the region, why wouldn't Russia move in. If they don't, Iran becomes Russia's competitor.
Western influence is likely managed through proxies, in this case Saudi Arabia whose hand is up the Lebonese Prime Minister's back.
Politically, Hezbollah has de facto control of the government.
Lebanon has a sectarian form of government, which means Hezbollah will always be forced to share power with the Sunni and Christian factions.
Only through power sharing alliances can one faction control things, and right now it looks like the Hezbollah/Christian alliance has won a majority of seats.
Prime Minister Hairri will likely remain however, as that position is reserved for Sunnis.
What did they win?
Israel, our greatest Middle East Ally, is located on Lebanon’s southern boarder. Israel is the only country that could stop an Russia/Iranian conquest of the Petrodollar Middle East.
I was married to one although born in Brasil
Mercurial is thy name
Thanks Faithhopecharity. Question for you: I am a firm believer in the 7 year “covenant of death” (Isaiah 28:15) that Israel signs, what scriptures lead you to believe that there will be 3.5 years of peace?
The US under both Obama and Trump has been pushing for a pipeline across Syria from Qatar. Lebanon is a potential port for the pipeline thus I suppose the US will now start bombing everyone in Lebanon who opposes the pipeline just as we did with Syria.
Hi. I’m not any kind of know- it - all when it comes to prophecy. And I certainly can’t set any times for future events. There are some who believe that Israel will be ( yet again !) tricked into another false peace ( by another anti- Christ or satanic figure) - and that he will abrogate , break this faksebpeqce after 3.5 years ( ushering in the “great tribulation” of another 3.5 year period). The verses cited include Daniel 9:26-27 , Revelation 13:11-18, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-10, Matthew 24:15. There are others who see this “great trib” as extending over the full 7 years without the false peace ( but that seems to overlook these verses-?). I hope this is helpful - You decide! I’m not smart or prescient enough to tell you for certain. Best, fhc
We only bombed ISIS until turddip Assad used chemical weapons...and it was very limited.
That is the reality - unmanipulated by Russian Pravda.
I’m not convinced that Assad used chemical weapons.
Predtctjng that the Jewish people will be targeted by Satanic evils - is and always has been among the world’s safest predictions. Alas. For all their human short- comings, God uses them to carry His Divine message - so evil people will never stop attacking, maligning, killing them. ( Christians, being grafted into the Jewish people, only expands evil’s target from millions to billions of additional people. But I believe we will persevere and that evil will eventually be defeated. The schedule? I study it but don’t claim to know just when.
Ahhh....The Amish...
I’m thinking that the Iranian-backed groups aligned with Hezbollah did it. I say this because:
1. Some of Saddam Hussein’s chemical weapons are known to have been moved to Iran.
2. Hezbollah groups have previously obtained old stores of Iraqi chemical weapons.
3. Iran has a lot to gain from using the USA as a proxy to depose Assad.
4. The Assad regime was previously certified as having destroyed their stocks of chemical weapons and chemical weapon precursors.
It would have been more accurate if I had said that Hezbollah has a de facto veto over any policy or legislation that might harm the interests of Hezbollah or Iran.
For instance, over the last two decades, several attempts have been made to disarm or to limit the military power of Hezbollah. All such efforts have failed.
Bottom Line - the guys with the most guns usually win most of the political arguments.
Re: “You go figure that out since you know everything.”
I don’t understand your Comment.
Why, pray tell, does it always have to be the US vs. Russia? Might there be times when our interests coincide?
Israel is always picking on the Arabs. That’s why the Israelis have 99.99% of the land in the Middle East. Or at least that’s how you see it. Russia needs to be in Lebanon so putin can extend the neo-soviet empire, another thing the putinista pukes approve of, an expressionistic putin empire.
You may not know it, Shanover, but the putinista pukes prefer putin’s empire-building to US Marines. They consider putin the world savior, an expansion of autocracy and the Russian gangster state is all they care about.
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