This idea of sovereignty became ensconced as a principle of independent statehood by the treaty of Westphalia over 360 years ago. This right to statehood, sovereignty, independence and self determination has become ,ever since the American and French revolutions ,the most cherished right for a people to become their own masters, control their affairs and gain their independence and liberty. Liberation movements all over the world including those in Lebanon were ultimately successful in dismantling colonialism and creating sovereign states.
Unfortunately a few countries, Lebanon among them, have been satisfied with de jure sovereignty only. The real fundamental aspect of sovereignty for a people is to exercise its own authority without any interference from foreign powers, to combine de fact sovereignty to the legal one. When actual sovereignty is stripped away from a people then the legal one that they are left with becomes meaningless and worthless. That would be tantamount to abolishing slavery in theory alone but allowing it in practice to go on. Sadly, Lebanon is at such a state whereby even some of its most outspoken and respected political leaders admonish those who want to act as citizens of a sovereign state by proclaiming that “do you think that the Lebanese government is formed in Lebanon”? When Mr. Jumblatt made the above statement he was boasting of his ability to be pragmatic and to realize that Lebanese cabinets are not made in Lebanon but are shaped to satisfy the whims and demands of outsiders, he did not criticize the concept but implicitly accepted it, encouraged it and wanted all factions to act by this idea. Mr. Jumblatt has sure earned his new moniker Jump-a-lot. What is the purpose of having a sovereign state that is not going to exercise its sovereignty? It would be far more honorable in that case to relinquish also the de jure aspect of sovereignty and to put an end to the illusion of independence.
What is even worse is that Mr. Jumblatt is not the only Lebanese politician who does not believe in Lebanese sovereignty. Hassan Nasrallah, the secretary general of Hezbollah made it very clear last year that his allegiance and that of his militia is the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei of Iran. It is to be noted that Iran has established, funded, trained and continues to count on the loyalty of its illegal Lebanese militia that is nothing else but an extension of the Iranian Passadran. This issue of loyalty to Iran was on display last week when a top Iranian official stated clearly and unambiguously that Iran expects Hezbollah to respond to any Israeli acts against Iran. What that simply means is that Lebanon is not much besides a dispensable Iranian foreign policy tool that borders Israel. Yes, the Iranian empire has reached the Mediterranean and its troops dictate Lebanese policy. Not to be outdone by the opposition many in March 14 , the current majority coalition, are proud of their association with Saudi Arabia and keep on hinting that a Lebanese cabinet that does not enjoy the Saudi blessings will never see the light of day. One should not neglect to mention the other smaller players like Mr. Suleiman Frangieh, Talal Arslan, Syrian Social National Party and others who will never act on anything unless they get their Syrian instructions. As for the FPM they are the willing veil behind which the Hezbollah operates.
It is evident that Lebanon is a nation state whose sovereignty has been limited to the de jure sphere because the concept is of use to many factions both regional and global. Real sovereignty, the one that can benefit the actual stakeholders has been squandered, traded and abused by both major coalitions.
What is troubling is that these political leaders that have brought the country to the state of dissolution have not been recognized for what they are. The acts of trading sovereignty to outsiders borders on being an act of treachery. It is nothing short of being a Quisling. Are there any quislings in the current Lebanese political leadership or maybe more aptly are there any non quislings? You decide.
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Tags: hezbollah, independence, Jumblatt, Lebanon, sovereignty
