July 22nd, 2008 by Sarah

Andrew Exum at Middle East Progress recommends that the U.S. continue to arm and train Lebanon’s armed forces “to serve as a viable instrument of the state,” and warns against a drastic change in policy. “The real danger here is that U.S. policy might overcorrect in one of two directions: either the United States could enter into direct negotiations with Hezbollah to undetermined ends or the United States could redouble efforts to arm Hezbollah’s internal enemies in the hopes that their domestic position will be weakened. The former option is foolish, while the latter is suicidal.”

Graeme Bannerman argues at Common Ground News Service that by restoring a governing consensus among Lebanon’s the three largest groups - Maronites, Sunnis, and Shi’a - the Doha Agreement began the process of separating the interests of the Shi’a community from that of Hezbollah. “As more and more Shi’a believe their community interests are protected by the government, and as more and more become less comfortable with Hezbollah policies, Hezbollah leadership will either begin to lose popular support or have to change their policies.”

Posted in Hezbollah, Lebanon, US foreign policy |