[TIME] Andrew Lee Butters - Hizbullah has maneuvered behind the scenes to rig the composition of the new Lebanese Cabinet in its favor. First, it demanded veto power over all decisions, but eventually accepted a compromise formula that left the ruling coalition without a large enough majority to make big decisions on its own. Hizbullah also pushed for control of Lebanon's telecommunications system, which would give it added operational security from Israeli intelligence. The Lebanese government's caving in to Hizbullah and Syria will have its consequences: most importantly it's a message to those who put their trust in the U.S. and political reform that guns are still more powerful than votes.
2009-11-11 06:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive