I think the only difference between what Taliban did in Afghanistan in the 1990s and what Hezbollah did in Lebanon is the time and place.

International stances are divided, and most are "faint." The fingers of accusation are primarily pointed at Iran, whose sole "true" friends are those like-minded groups that fear its intentions and mounting influence.

I am not here to talk about Al Qaeda, Hamas, or al Sadr's militias. In light of the situation in Lebanon, I cannot but analyze Hezbollah's coup against its country and people. Hezbollah used weapons, resorted to force, and even threatened to cut off the hands of its opponents.

Hezbollah's intentions and Iranian agenda are now unveiled.

Syria, happy with its new ally Qatar, has referred to the developments in Lebanon as a "domestic matter," while Hezbollah has placed Syrian flags and photos of the Syrian president on the roofs of buildings, in burnt streets, and on roads closed by its coup against the country and its citizens.

Hezbollah is turning the houses of Beirut into ruin and its streets into a breeding ground for heavily armed militias. Hezbollah is turning Beirut into an arena where accounts can be settled in such a way that serves the interests of countries it cares about - not Lebanon's.

The true face of Hezbollah has finally been revealed. Its "ideological" mask has been lifted too. Bearing a Syrian Iranian face, this mask has concealed long years of blackmail. Hezbollah's justifications and so-called "resistance" against the enemy have collapsed. The militant movement's enemy appeared to be Lebanese after it spread destruction and leveled threats of chopping off heads.

Now is the right time to devise a mechanism to disarm Hezbollah as per the US Security Council resolutions 1559 and 1701. The time has come for such a move, especially that the movement has directed its weapons at the Lebanese, has turned against the government and the people, and started settling accounts with its fellow countrymen, invading national institutions, and taking the capital hostage.

Nasrallah has long alleged that his party's policy achieves the objectives of a strong, free, and independent Lebanon. Yet, such allegations are no longer tenable. So is his claim that his strength is dedicated to the protection of Lebanon from an external - not an internal - enemy. Is the Lebanon invaded by weapons the one Nasrallah wants and champions, after he held its capital hostage, silenced its media, and shut down its schools and universities? Did he not claim that his weapons would not be directed at the Lebanese but at the Israeli enemy? Has Lebanon turned into the enemy of his party? By spreading terror and taking the country hostage, does he not give others a legitimate justification to defend themselves? Does he not set the scene for a civil war, in which the primary loser would be Hezbollah and the Lebanese people?

Hezbollah is losing. It announced civil disobedience and is losing. It burned tires and shut down the airport and is losing. It directed its weapons at the inside and shut off homes... and it is losing. Why? It is because the world gave Hezbollah the chance to disarm as per the Security Council resolutions, which call for the disarmament of any "militia" outside the State and the law.

With its actions, Hassan Nasrallah's "militia" will turn Lebanon into another Iraq, thereby leaving Beirut prey to insecurity and instability and ensuring the proliferation of Al Qaeda, Fateh al Islam, and their likes.

The Hezbollah-led opposition in Lebanon resembles an internal current linked to the interests of countries with their own agendas and strategies. The opposition is turning Lebanon into a scapegoat that draws the world's attention to the practices of these countries. Therefore, the regional conflict is widening, deflecting the world's attention away from these countries' agendas and their stand against international legitimacy.

Lebanon is on the verge of new tensions, and a civil sectarian war is looming. Jihadi websites have called for the victory of Sunnis in Lebanon against what they dubbed the Shiite revolution and Hezbollah coup.

The causes of the civil war circulate among the Lebanese people of different confessions, now that Hezbollah has brought forth the war's justifications. The statements by Lebanese officials do not promise any imminent short-term détente even if things have temporarily calmed down, as Speaker Nabih Berri abstains from slamming the practices that threaten the government and the people.

There is a pressing need to establish an Arab or international protection force to restore security and stability in Lebanon and help the State extend its control over all its institutions and decisions. Lebanon needs support so that it can build a strong State capable of protecting the people as well as its government and civil institutions. Lebanon needs a stance that would restore power to the government, a stance that would stand up against Syrian and Iranian practices.

Picture: The true face of Hezbollah ( its Hassan Nasrallah's L) has finally been revealed. Its "ideological" mask has been lifted too. Bearing a Syrian( Syria's president Bashar Assad R) Iranian ( Iran's president Ahmadinejad C ) face

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