McCain...Meerab, Qureitem

Ali Rizk

John McCain is the extreme right wing American Senator.

John Mccain sang "bomb... bomb...bomb Iran" when he was the Republican presidential candidate in the last elections.

John Mccain has been perhaps the loudest voice in Washington calling for the arming of the Syrian opposition.

John Mccain described the Obama administration's policy towards Syria as shameful.(shameful in not doing more to ouster Bashar Al-Assad).
This Republican Senator visited Lebanon, opening it with a meeting with his right wing, anti-Syrian, Lebanese ally: the Head of the Lebanese Forces Samir Geagea. After this meeting McCain spoke of the "need to secure a buffer zone for the Free Syrian Army and the Syrian opposition to organize their operations, train and treat the wounded ."

McCain also met the other staunch anti Syrian officials like former premier and member of the future movement Fouad Siniora .But the way in which McCain began his visit deserves a pause and sheds light on the position of the Lebanese figures with whom he met at first . When an extreme right wing senator holds his first meeting with Geagea and then calls for the establishment of a buffer zone, this shows how some Lebanese (especially Geagea) are viewed by Syria's enemies (and "Israel's" allies) as people who can assist in the project which aims to get rid of the resistance leadership in Damascus.
Indeed, experts in Washington who asked not to be named say McCain's meetings are a display of "the right wing alliance" with some Lebanese. These same experts also said that the Lebanese officials who met McCain are his "natural allies".(Indeed McCain would not have made such statements from Lebanon were it not for the presence of these "natural allies").

So, McCain holding these meetings at this time in the Syrian crisis does raise significant questions about the role of the "natural allies" of the "anti Syrian Lebanese club" in the plots of McCain and his allies in "Israel" and in the Persian Gulf. The voices from Washington also say that McCain's visit comes in order to "enhance the position of the Lebanese opposition" and to further "enhance the trust between the two sides".

So, does McCain, who has been strongly lobbying the Obama administration to take a more confrontational approach against Bashar al-Assad , see in Lebanon people who can help in pushing his agenda forward especially after this agenda faced significant setbacks with the Russian and Chinese stances?

Are some members of the Lebanese opposition clearly part of this right wing, pro "Israeli" agenda?

Unfortunately, the US Senator's visit actually reveals the depth of some Lebanese officials involvement in a right wing "Israeli" agenda. (It should be noted here McCain's close friendship with the Zionist US Senator Joseph Lieberman who is known for his loyalty towards Israel, and who actually paid a visit to North Lebanon in May).

Some March 14 officials are, hence, part of a right wing agenda which is considered even more extreme than the stance of the Obama administration! (recall that McCain and the other right wingers on Capitol Hill are lobbying the administration). It can be summarized as the right wing Lebanese anti-Syrian club from Meerab to Qureitem (similar to the anti Syrian club from Riyadh to Doha).

This puts significant pressure on the Lebanese government which has been doing its best to disassociate itself from the situation in Syria. If Lebanon's political landscape gives more room for an anti Syrian agenda this could also spell significant danger for Lebanon itself from many different angles. Up until now Bashar al-Assad has focused his criticism on the Gulf countries but similar visits and comments from the likes of McCain, coupled with increased infiltration and attacks on the borders and especially the Northern frontier, could open the road to possible Syrian retaliation measures especially as Syrian officials have complained of anti Syrian elements in Lebanon and have called on the government to take sterner measures on the border areas.
Syria has shown that it will do whatever it takes to hunt down terrorists wherever they may be and recent events on Lebanese border area's are testimonial to this.

What is most dangerous of all however is that transforming Lebanon into a major base against the Syrian government gives rise to terrorists, outlaws and groups who will be under nobody's control and the recent events in the northern region of Akkar serve as a strong warning.
The Lebanese government is hence called upon to be vigilant and take strong measures to show that it will continue with its policy of disassociation. The "Lebanese anti Syrian club" which clearly is not putting "Lebanon first" on its agenda is threatening to blow this policy away and to blow Lebanon away with it. For the likes of Mccain this would be a dream come true.
River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian  
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