ANALYSIS/ PRICE OF QUIET IN LEBANON IS HEZBOLLAH IN POWER
By Zvi Bar'el - The smiles, handshakes and congratulations that followed the election
of Lebanese President Michel Suleiman yesterday were unable to erase questions
and fears over what Hezbollah has in store for the country, and the region as a
whole. That is because the lovely principle of "no victor, no vanquished," as
the emir of Qatar described the deal reached in Doha that allowed for Suleiman's
election, does not reflect reality.
Lebanon did manage to engage the
emergency brake before spiraling into civil war, and can even look forward to a
period of relative quiet. But the price is liable to be Hezbollah's long-term de
facto control of Lebanon.