The Fatal Choice of Lebanon’s Christians

Since time immemorial the Christians of Lebanon had to choose between the Mamluks and the Ottomans, the Crusaders and the Muslims armies, and between the West and the East. Should they be allied with a distant Christian West or with a nearby Muslim East? On the one hand, the Western powers have been unfocused at best, or uncommitted at worst. On the other hand, the East -a chaotic amalgam of Tribes with Flags- was and remains a region in turmoil, unsure of its role and message, in a modern world.
In 1943, at the Birth of the First Republic, the Christians, were divided between forming a country under French protectorate or forging a nation with their fellow Muslim citizens. A Christian majority distrusted the Muslim factions and wanted to live separately. Only a nationalist minority placed their bet on a unified country, and an independent State was born. The first Republic collapsed in 1975, when a vicious civil war broke out.
In the 1990s, at the birth of the Second Republic, the Christians, were torn between keeping their ‘enclave’ albeit surrounded by the Syrian army,or negotiate with their fellow Muslims over some constitutional reforms. A majority still distrusted their fellow countrymen and, abhorred Syria which backed a constitutional compromise named the ‘Taif Accord’. Again, only a nationalist minority backed the new ‘entente’ that ended a decade-long civil war and ensured an equitable redistribution of power amongst the various communities. This Second Republic lived from 1995 to 2005, the date of the assassination of PM Rafic Hariri by an Iranian-Syrian cabal.
Today, the Lebanese Republic, in all of its versions is practically dead. The Christians in their near totality -save a handful of diehard nationalists who are short of a minority- have made their choice to back Iran in an open challenge to the moderate Arab countries, and to the US. But why such counter-intuitive choice that is so disastrous for Lebanon and especially for its Christians?
Fear and greed are the answers.
Fear has been the first motivation. A sentiment that is heightened by Iran’s muscle flexing throughout the Middle East. Its militias have taken over the actual power in the streets of Baghdad, Damascus and Beirut. Its proxy armies relentlessly battle with the Saudi and the UAE armed forces in Yemen, and its cronies in Gaza launch rocket attacks against Israel. In the meantime, the EU policy is one of appeasement, and Trump’s posture is yet untested under fire.
Then Greed, came to cement this Satanic choice. The Christian political class represented by the followers of President Aoun and the Lebanese Forces Party, an erstwhile staunch defender of Lebanon’s sovereignty, have been spellbound by the ascension of Iran. So, as a result, and in good mercantile form, they decided to throw their lot with the enemies of the State, who were much pleased to reward them. In practice, they traded the country’s independence in exchange for the nominal power of the Presidency and other key positions in government, as well as, the additional promise of maintaining kleptocracy as a means to enriching themselves at the expense of the State’s coffers.
One should remember that Petain was a decorated Marshal of France in World War I before becoming a Nazi collaborator in World War II, and the nominal President of the Vichy regime. The majority of the French political class followed suit, after watching the Wehrmacht legions invade a poorly defended European Continent. In France too, at such dire times, a less than a minority of nationalists, who formed the Resistance, fought a lonely battle for many years before the war of liberation.
Christian voices in Lebanon, even if in the minority today, must rise in numbers against the Iranian hegemony, and should, as they have in the past, rally fellow Muslims to their cry and form a peaceful but unwavering resistance movement. Vichy Christians in Lebanon must be exposed lest at the time of the liberation,

Since time immemorial the Christians of Lebanon had to choose between the Mamluks and the Ottomans, the Crusaders and the Muslims armies, and between the West and the East. Should they be allied with a distant Christian West or with a nearby Muslim East? On the one hand, the Western powers have been unfocused at best, or uncommitted at worst. On the other hand, the East -a chaotic amalgam of Tribes with Flags- was and remains a region in turmoil, unsure of its role and message, in a modern world.

In 1943, at the Birth of the First Republic, the Christians, were divided between forming a country under French protectorate or forging a nation with their fellow Muslim citizens. A Christian majority distrusted the Muslim factions and wanted to live separately. Only a nationalist minority placed their bet on a unified country, and an independent State was born. The first Republic collapsed in 1975, when a vicious civil war broke out.

In the 1990s, at the birth of the Second Republic, the Christians, were torn between keeping their ‘enclave’ albeit surrounded by the Syrian army,or negotiate with their fellow Muslims over some constitutional reforms. A majority still distrusted their fellow countrymen and, abhorred Syria which backed a constitutional compromise named the ‘Taif Accord’. Again, only a nationalist minority backed the new ‘entente’ that ended a decade-long civil war and ensured an equitable redistribution of power amongst the various communities. This Second Republic lived from 1995 to 2005, the date of the assassination of PM Rafic Hariri by an Iranian-Syrian cabal.

Today, the Lebanese Republic, in all of its versions is practically dead. The Christians in their near totality -save a handful of diehard nationalists who are short of a minority- have made their choice to back Iran in an open challenge to the moderate Arab countries, and to the US. But why such counter-intuitive choice that is so disastrous for Lebanon and especially for its Christians?

Fear and greed are the answers.

Fear has been the first motivation. A sentiment that is heightened by Iran’s muscle flexing throughout the Middle East. Its militias have taken over the actual power in the streets of Baghdad, Damascus and Beirut. Its proxy armies relentlessly battle with the Saudi and the UAE armed forces in Yemen, and its cronies in Gaza launch rocket attacks against Israel. In the meantime, the EU policy is one of appeasement, and Trump’s posture is yet untested under fire.

Then Greed, came to cement this Satanic choice. The Christian political class represented by the followers of President Aoun and the Lebanese Forces Party, an erstwhile staunch defender of Lebanon’s sovereignty, have been spellbound by the ascension of Iran. So, as a result, and in good mercantile form, they decided to throw their lot with the enemies of the State, who were much pleased to reward them. In practice, they traded the country’s independence in exchange for the nominal power of the Presidency and other key positions in government, as well as, the additional promise of maintaining kleptocracy as a means to enriching themselves at the expense of the State’s coffers.

One should remember that Petain was a decorated Marshal of France in World War I before becoming a Nazi collaborator in World War II, and the nominal President of the Vichy regime. The majority of the French political class followed suit, after watching the Wehrmacht legions invade a poorly defended European Continent. In France too, at such dire times, a less than a minority of nationalists, who formed the Resistance, fought a lonely battle for many years before the war of liberation.

Christian voices in Lebanon, even if in the minority today, must rise in numbers against the Iranian hegemony, and should, as they have in the past, rally fellow Muslims to their cry and form a peaceful but unwavering resistance movement. Vichy Christians in Lebanon must be exposed lest at the time of the liberation, and that day will come, their community be mistaken for one not made of proud nationalists but of abject collaborators.