Why did Hariri return to Lebanon?

[phk]

Why did Hariri return to Lebanon?

Sat, 10 May 2008 10:48:13

Leader of Lebanese pro-government bloc Saad Hariri returned to Beirut just few days before a controversial decision by Fuad Siniora's cabinet to outlaw a Hezbollah's communication network and sack Beirut Airport's security chief.

Citing sources in the US State Department, Hezbollah run TV channel al-Manar reported that Hariri was determined to elect a president for the country with or without the opposition's endorsement.

He was ready to go ahead with his decision even if he had to face oppositions from his own allies in the March 14 bloc.

Hariri, backed by Saudi Arabia, had asked the United States to take several steps before he went on with his plan. He asked Washington to deploy its forces along the border with Syria in order to send a warning to Damascus and issue a harshly worded statement against the so-called Syrian nuclear program.

The White House was also asked to condemn "Syria's meddling in Lebanon and Iraq" and to speed up the process of a tribunal to be held to investigate the Killing in Beirut of former Lebanese Premier Rafiq Hariri.

Based on the plot, the tribunal was to condemn Syria for "its involvement in the assassination".

To proceed with his plots, Hariri sent a delegation of March 14 figures, including 11 Shia politicians, to convey the message that there are elements among the Shia community that are against Hezbollah and with the US support it is possible to defeat the resistance group.

Hariri assured Washington that Lebanese security forces were ready to contribute to his plans, provided that they were trained by the US and Jordan, and fully equipped by Washington and Riyadh.

Lebanese security forces were then trained under the supervision of an ex-US diplomat in Beirut.

What Hariri ignored to consider was the fact that Hezbollah has a strong base among the Lebanese nation, regardless of the country's religious diversity.

While the Saudi and US backed media were portraying the crisis as a Shia-Sunni conflict, many Sunni clerics have announced their support for the resistance that has been protecting them against Israeli threats.

It is interesting that al-Qaeda has reportedly called on its operatives to help "their Sunni brothers" in Lebanon and prevent "the influence of Iran."

Is it just a coincidence that al-Qaeda number 2 Ayman al-Zawahiri echoed Washington's allegations against Iran and accused the Islamic Republic of involvement in violence in Iraq?

Does the White House forget its pre-war rhetoric based on which the country was determined to eliminate the threat posed by al-Qaeda?

It seems that the US and al-Qaeda stand on the same side in the so-called American orchestrated "war on terror".