Hezbollahistan

Pro-government Christian Lebanese leader Samir Geagea called it rightly with this statement taken from Ynet News.

"The armed and bloody coup which is being implemented aims to return Syria to Lebanon and extend Iran's reach to the Mediterranean," it said in a statement read by Christian leader Samir Geagea.

Think Geagea has it wrong? Take a good look at this picture.

A Hezbollah gunman poses in front of a poster of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad he put up after taking over an office of the Future group loyal to Saad al-Hariri Majority leader, in the Rass al-Naba'a area in Beirut May 9, 2008. Hezbollah gunmen took control of large areas of Beirut on Friday in a third day of fighting between the pro-Iranian group and fighters loyal to the U.S.- backed governing coalition.
REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir (LEBANON)

Now just for a minute imagine you are a Hezbollah miltia member. You have just fought a street battle and overtaken a Sunni Lebanese pro-government office. And lordy, you just happen to have a picture of your buddy Baby Assad of Syria in your back pocket to put up. I mean, really what Hezbollah miltia man worth his salt ever leaves home without a picture of Baby Assad of Syria? Not Nasrallah, your leader, but Baby Assad.

And let’s say you’re a purist and don’t want to believe Syria is backing and promoting Hezbollah’s adventures in Beirut there is always this interesting report in Ha’aretz:

Hezbollah took control of Muslim west Beirut on Friday, tightening its grip on the city in a major blow to the U.S.-backed government.
(…)

About 100 Hezbollah gunmen in identical camouflage uniforms wearing baseball caps and black flak jackets marched down the Muslim sector's main commercial Hamra Street and took up positions on corners and sidewalks. They stopped the few cars braving the empty streets and checked their trunks.

Dozens of fighters from the Syrian Social Nationalist Party, a Hezbollah ally, also appeared in the streets off Hamra, some masked and carrying rocket-propelled grenade launchers.

So if Syria isn’t backing and bankrolling Hezbollah’s coup 2 points to ponder. Firstly, then why are Syria fighters from the SSNP doing actively fighting along side Hezbollah? Secondly, why is Hezbollah actively only taking on the Sunni, the smallest and weakest of the pro-Lebanese government movements while giving Druze and Christian neighborhoods a wide berth?

I’ll give you a hint. Syrian needed the Lebanese to float its own economy. The Syrian economy has tanked big time since Syria got the boot from Lebanon’s borders. If Hezbollah were to actively take on all opposition then civil war will descend on Lebanon in full force. A Lebanon confessionally divided and warring Lebanon is of no economic use to Syria who consider Lebanon as theirs to plunder.