Articles

The new chapter of Middle East crises, started with the capturing of two Israeli forces by Hezbollah militants and later their open refusal to release them, has once again triggered humanitarian crises.

Likewise the conflict history, the international community has been unable to come out with unanimous stance tabling an acceptable plan to ensure ceasefire and later resolve the conflict once for all. By contrast, they preferred to support their regional allies and being provided them all type of diplomatic support. Along with US, UK and Canada some western allied Muslims countries like Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan condemned Hezbollah, while France, Russian and Italy raised voice about the security of Lebanon.

The Islamic Republic of Iran, which using Hezbollah as an instrument of its foreign policy to teach a lesson to Israel, along with Syria supporting the action of non state actor Hezbollah. Consequently at the world level both the international actors, and regional powers have divergent approaches towards ultimate solution of the conflict.

Some analysts believe that the US is looking at it as an opportunity to sent its troops again to Lebanon, after 23 years break, when barracks bombing of the US Second Marine Division had forced the then President Ronald Reagan to call back the American troops. Certainly the redeployment would provide good chances to Washington to neutralize Iran influence in Lebanon and later use her troops against Syria. 

Amid such harsh realities, certainly the people of Lebanon want to carve out peace for themselves and coming generations. They have every right to get rig of decade long insurgency, dictates of non-state actors like Hezbollah and tyrannies of neighboring Israel. Certainly many of them might be thinking about Arab nationalism, or the much trumpeted word pan-Islamism. But they should not forget that in the past as well these two concepts caused their failures.

No one could deny that more than 50 Muslim countries exist on world map, but at the same but they never been united as their interests have always been contrasting.

Regarding Arab nationalism both the rulers and general masses of oil rich Arab countries like Saudi Arabia, UAR, Kuwait are having soft corners for the troubled Muslims across the globe. In case of crises like situation they have always extended financial assistance, send medicines and other humanitarian goods.

In case of arms conflicts some individuals may be willing participate to on behalf of the Muslims in the wars, known as Jihad in Islam. But history is evident of the fact that these countries could never been instrumental to stop the military aggression against other Muslim countries in general and Arab Muslim countries in particular.

Same is the case with the concept of Pan-Islamism, which is ideologically accepted to majority of the Muslims, but whenever their interests are fractioned with each others, they have mostly withdrawn themselves and contrary to that started to trumpet that all human beings are brothers and sisters and pledged to work for regional peace. This had been proved true during the first three Arab Israel wars, when Iran the then strong ally of the US had not supported her neighouring Gulf countries.

It had been happened again during Pakistan-India wars when Iraq and Afghanistan more closed to India had not supported Pakistan. Not long ago during the last Gulf war Turkey did the same, when she offered air bases to US allied forces to bomber neighbouring Iraq.

Going back to Middle East crises, Beirut had made a big mistake by losing a chance it got during 1982. On battle front Lebanon had been failed to stop Israel from butchering thousands innocent civilians, but after restoration of peace and normalcy, she had much time to  realize the realities and instead of attaching expectations with others quarters, it would had been to learn something from the experiences of Japan and even Pakistan and concentrate over strengthening economy and making excel in science and technology.

Japan was shattered during Second World War, when two of its main cities Hiroshima and Nagasaki for the first time in human history tasted atom bombs and thousands of its civilian population killed within seconds. However soon after the surrender before the allied forces, the people of Japan not only started reconstruction of the country but at the same time they focused over stabilization the economy. Now everybody knows that Japan has economic dominance over the entire world. Same is the case with her science and technological advancement.

Same is the case of Pakistan, whatever may be the opinion of diplomats and commoners about Pakistan, this is crystal clear that Pakistan has maintained her existence and involved in solution of bilater matters with India through negotiation. Everybody knows that India is much resourceful country having a big army, strong air force, but the minimum deterrence of her neighbor Pakistan has so many times convinced New Delhi to avoid military operations like Israel and solve the problems through diplomatic means.

This would be good for Lebanon to study both the cases and provide equal opportunities to its youth to excel in scientific technology particularly improving Information Technology sector to give boost her economy. Besides Lebanon should strengthen its regular forces which would not only stop Israel military aggressions but at the same time end foreign interference through non-state actors like Hezbollah.