Hezbollah govt in Lebanon bad for US ties, Clinton warns

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Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton warned Tuesday that formation of a Hezbollah-dominated government in Lebanon will mean changes in the U.S. relations with the country.

The Obama administration is considering exactly how to respond to the new government forming this week in Beirut and has opened a review into its assistance programs to the country. Cuts or realignment to political, economic and military aid to Lebanon are likely if Hezbollah takes a major governmental role, officials said.

“A Hezbollah-controlled government would clearly have an impact on our bilateral relationship with Lebanon,” Clinton told reporters at the State Department. The United States deems Iranian-backed Hezbollah a terrorist organization. The U.S. has imposed sanctions against the group and its members, who U.S. officials are barred from meeting.

Clinton spoke as a Lebanese politician backed by Hezbollah, Najib Mikati, was designated to form Lebanon’s next government and lead it as prime minister.

Mikati defeated U.S.-backed Saad Hariri who was prime minister from 2009 until Hezbollah forced the unity government he led to collapse two weeks ago.

Clinton said the United States wants to see a government in Lebanon that reflects the will and independence of its people and does not represent outside interests, such as Syria and Iran.

The U.S. wants Lebanese government support for an international tribunal investigating the 2005 assassination former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Hezbollah wants to end cooperation with the tribunal that is widely expected to indict some of the group’s members for the murder.

“Our bottom lines remain as they always have been,” Clinton said. “First, we believe that justice must be pursued and impunity for murder ended. We believe in Lebanon’s sovereignty and end to outside interference. As we see what this new government does, we will judge it accordingly.”

A White House spokesman, Thomas Vietor, warned that decisions about the make-up of the emerging Lebanese government “should not be reached through coercion, intimidation, and threats of violence. Hezbollah, backed by Syria, engaged in all three to achieve its political goals.”

Vietor said the tribunal is vital for “stability, security and justice in Lebanon.”

“It is hard to imagine any government that is truly representative of all of Lebanon would abandon the effort to end the era of impunity for assassinations in the country,” he said. AP

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27 responses to “Hezbollah govt in Lebanon bad for US ties, Clinton warns”

  1. Hannibal Avatar

    Clinton you’re weird, the US just sent an ambassador to Syria. If you feel dismayed by the pressures Syria is exerting in Lebanon why the kiss and make up with them then? The whole Middle East is sitting on a sea of change and it is out of your control while you are busy at pumping Iraqi oil which is all you care about…

    1. I agree with the first part, but come on with the iraqi oil part, we get less than 5% of our oil from them. i thought u were american hannibal, if we did invade to get oil u souldnt complain we need all the advantages we can get! lol

      1. Hannibal Avatar

        I am not complaining… I want more. Personally I’d prefer if we would invade Switzerland and Monaco. I would definitely enlist. ๐Ÿ˜›

      2. Hannibal Avatar

        I am not complaining… I want more. Personally I’d prefer if we would invade Switzerland and Monaco. I would definitely enlist. ๐Ÿ˜›

  2. Clinton you’re weird, the US just sent an ambassador to Syria. If you feel dismayed by the pressures Syria is exerting in Lebanon why the kiss and make up with them then? The whole Middle East is sitting on a sea of change and it is out of your control while you are busy at pumping Iraqi oil which is all you care about…

    1. I agree with the first part, but come on with the iraqi oil part, we get less than 5% of our oil from them. i thought u were american hannibal, if we did invade to get oil u souldnt complain we need all the advantages we can get! lol

    2. I agree with the first part, but come on with the iraqi oil part, we get less than 5% of our oil from them. i thought u were american hannibal, if we did invade to get oil u souldnt complain we need all the advantages we can get! lol

      1. I am not complaining… I want more. Personally I’d prefer if we would invade Switzerland and Monaco. I would definitely enlist. ๐Ÿ˜›

  3. Lebman12 Avatar

    US Government, plus a chicken Lebanese President,you did nothing to stop Iran/Hezbollah coming to power and control Lebanon, you talk and talk and walk away, it is too late now, who gives a shit about your cutting of economic and military aid to Lebanon, there doesn’t exist a Lebanese Army, Hezbollah is getting arms 10 times more from Iran and Syria than what you were giving to Lebanese Army, soon you will be driven out of Lebanon too,

    1. Lebanese121 Avatar
      Lebanese121

      US/Saudi/Egypt= March14, so what is the problem between the Iran/HA alliance? Everyone needs friends

    2. How is it the US’s fault if jumblatt switched sides and other mp’s switched sides giving march 8 68 votes for the prime minister? how could we have prevented that?

      1. Hannibal Avatar

        It’s easy! invade Lebanon… lol

    3. Yeah they did nothing to stop Iran/Hezbollah coming to power..thats why you lebanese elected 11 of them in parliment. When Israel was tearing this country apart, you pointed to the finger at the US instead of Hezbollah. Now that Hezbollah has taken your government, you blame the US instead of Hezbollah. What’s new?

      1. I’m not against the new government or with the old one. What I am against is the fact that historically Lebanese always put the blame on an outside factor. Everybody constantly blames the US, Syria, Israel and Iran for its problems rather than realizing the bigger problem is internal.

      2. I’m not against the new government or with the old one. What I am against is the fact that historically Lebanese always put the blame on an outside factor. Everybody constantly blames the US, Syria, Israel and Iran for its problems rather than realizing the bigger problem is internal.

  4.  Avatar

    US Government, plus a chicken Lebanese President,you did nothing to stop Iran/Hezbollah coming to power and control Lebanon, you talk and talk and walk away, it is too late now, who gives a shit about your cutting of economic and military aid to Lebanon, there doesn’t exist a Lebanese Army, Hezbollah is getting arms 10 times more from Iran and Syria than what you were giving to Lebanese Army, soon you will be driven out of Lebanon too,

    1.  Avatar

      US/Saudi/Egypt= March14, so what is the problem between the Iran/HA alliance? Everyone needs friends

    2. How is it the US’s fault if jumblatt switched sides and other mp’s switched sides giving march 8 68 votes for the prime minister? how could we have prevented that?

      1. It’s easy! invade Lebanon… lol

    3. Yeah they did nothing to stop Iran/Hezbollah coming to power..thats why you lebanese elected 11 of them in parliment. When Israel was tearing this country apart, you pointed to the finger at the US instead of Hezbollah. Now that Hezbollah has taken your government, you blame the US instead of Hezbollah. What’s new?

      1. I’m not against the new government or with the old one. What I am against is the fact that historically Lebanese always put the blame on an outside factor. Everybody constantly blames the US, Syria, Israel and Iran for its problems rather than realizing the bigger problem is internal.

  5. as much as i dislike the beik I will have to agree with his comment on how “the west only issues statements”

    1. and syria iran and HA send “messages” (car bombs)!!

  6.  Avatar

    as much as i dislike the beik I will have to agree with his comment on how “the west only issues statements”

    1. and syria iran and HA send “messages” (car bombs)!!

  7. PROPHET.T Avatar

    Party switching is very common, political alliance shifting happen all the time all over the world. Why are Lebanese flipping all of a sudden? The process may not be perfect, but we should allow for this experience to be tested.
    When democratic US senator of Connecticut Lieberman switched sides, no one called for early election. He surprisingly was reelected again.
    Others like Senator Arlen Specter (D-PA) who He spent almost 30 years as a Republican and switched to the Democrats in 2009, at least in part because he thought he had a better chance of winning reelection.
    Specter didn’t even make it to the November general election, as he lost the Democratic primary to Joe Sestak.
    So why not wait until next election and let people choose whoever they want as a majority. Those who switched sides, may get punished by their eown constituency or they might prevail ,and win again.

  8. PROPHET.T Avatar

    Party switching is very common, political alliance shifting happen all the time all over the world. Why are Lebanese flipping all of a sudden? The process may not be perfect, but we should allow for this experience to be tested.
    When democratic US senator of Connecticut Lieberman switched sides, no one called for early election. He surprisingly was reelected again.
    Others like Senator Arlen Specter (D-PA) who He spent almost 30 years as a Republican and switched to the Democrats in 2009, at least in part because he thought he had a better chance of winning reelection.
    Specter didn’t even make it to the November general election, as he lost the Democratic primary to Joe Sestak.
    So why not wait until next election and let people choose whoever they want as a majority. Those who switched sides, may get punished by their eown constituency or they might prevail ,and win again.

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