The ramifications of the WikiLeaks disclosures continue to ripple around the world. One country that has had to scramble more than most to deal with the fallout from the massive leak of U.S. diplomatic communications is Lebanon. Not only did the cables reveal the Saudis suggesting an armed Arab force to ‘destroy’ Hezbullah, which is well represented in the current Lebanese government, but news that Lebanese Prime Minister Hariri advised American officials that they ‘must be willing to go all the way if need be’ to stop Iran’s nuclear program if diplomatic efforts fail, emerged just as he was on a historic, fence mending visit to Tehran.
Outlining how the Lebanese government is handing this uncomfortable situation, L’Orient Le Jour columnist Issa Goraieb writes in part:
Plunged into crisis by a series of press revelations that led the Party of God [Hezbullah] to launch a ferocious campaign against the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, our country is no longer alone in suffering this type of media indiscretion.
[Editor’s Note: The U.S. diplomatic cables disclosed by WikiLeaks revealed, among other things, that two years ago Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri suggested that the United States attacks Iran, and that Saudi Arabia sought to create an Arab force to ‘destroy’ Iran-friendly Hezbullah in Lebanon. Meanwhile, the U.N. tribunal investigating the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri is reportedly ready to implicate members of Hezbullah in the killing.]
The WikiLeaks affair has made a complete mockery of the American colossus, the top secret documents of which were stolen en masse from its archives, only to clog up the Web. So today, accessible to everyone, are the misjudgments that led to more than one U.S.-enabled diplomatic-military escapade.
This is a one-time occurrence and for goodness sake, Lebanon is extricating itself rather honorably from this gigantic unpacking of dirty laundry – even if Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri had to deny in Paris yesterday of having urged Washington to take severe action against Tehran. And out of the U.S. laundry basket, Hariri’s predecessor, Fuad Siniora, the opposition’s bête noire, emerges in fact as an ardent patriot, fiercely defending the country’s sovereignty and strongly opposing any definitive assimilation of Palestinian refugees living on its territory. He also seems perfectly aware of the false promises of stabilization that Damascus is so fond of making, advising his American counterparts to refrain from making any premature concessions that would very likely be free of charge.
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