Resistance in weakness is not possible
Resistance in weakness is not possible. Mr. Alamolhoda has stated that Lebanon was once the bride of the Middle East, known as a center of debauchery and pleasure for Arab countries. However, today’s Lebanon has become the Qibla of Muslims, a center of aspirations and dreams, an embodiment of religion, sacrifice, and selflessness in the path of God. He further asked if the people of Lebanon did not incline towards religion and did not sacrifice and resist in the way of God, would they still be dragged into bloodshed?
These points, of course, require explanations. There is no doubt that what Israel is doing to the Lebanese is a crime. However, since he brought up the topic of the bride of the Middle East, it is worth reviewing the history of Lebanon, whose Beirut was once called the Paris of the Middle East, to understand how Lebanon reached its current state. The bride of the Middle East has three hours of electricity a day, and certainly, joy has also departed from the lives of the Lebanese.
Lebanon is a rainbow of different religions, ethnicities, and cultures. Whenever these colors interacted based on peace, tolerance, and fairness, and while accepting differences, prioritized national interests, Lebanon progressed and became the apple of the eye of Arab countries. It was a country with cultural freedoms and a balance of political powers, whose economy developed, particularly relying on tourists who, of course, come not only to Lebanon but anywhere in the world for enjoyment, and not all are necessarily debauched and promiscuous.
It had educated people with reputable universities and international festivals. It was a hub for intellectuals, architects, and artists, and you could see Muslims, Christians, Jews, Druze, even Buddhists and Hindus living according to Arab, Western, and Eastern traditions. However, the roots of today’s troubles in Lebanon must be sought in the day when this model of tolerance and diversity gave way to devastating civil wars that erupted among major ethnicities and religions, killing 120,000 people and causing one million people to emigrate from the country between 1975 and 1990.
It was in the midst of this civil war that Israel seized the opportunity and attacked Lebanon under the pretext of confronting the PLO and the Palestinians residing in Lebanon, who were also involved in these civil wars. Today, it might be interesting for historians to find the main culprit of this internal disaster. However, I doubt such an investigation would be attractive to people whose lives were destroyed. They look at the lost opportunities and happy days that would have been in front of the Lebanese if that civil war hadn’t occurred.
Of course, the Lebanese tried to stand up again from the 1990s, but who doesn’t know how difficult reconstruction and reform are, especially when blood is involved? In the past five years, Lebanon’s conditions have once again deteriorated. The economic crisis of 2019 is estimated to be one of the worst economic collapses in the past two centuries worldwide.
Again, the main problem here is internal: an enemy named the failing Lebanese government, which is one step away from becoming a collapsed state like Yemen, and with chronic inefficiency and corruption, has caused national disillusionment, unable to provide basic necessities, pushing 80% of the people below the poverty line. Let’s be frank, when the indicators of power in a country are so weak, the resistance Mr. Alamolhoda refers to is also flawed.
In today’s world, the foundation of resistance is in power, not the other way around. When you are powerful, the enemy will not dare to attack. However, if you show weakness, your situation will be different. Various indicators have been identified for power, from soft cultural and diplomatic power and democratic governance to hard military and economic power. All of these should be considered together, and this is especially necessary for us Iranians. The same government studies say that the government in Iran is in a weak state, and there is a short bridge between a weak state and a collapsed state like a fragile state similar to Iraq.
Mr. Alamolhoda asked if the people of Lebanon did not incline towards religion, would they still be dragged into bloodshed? I do not know the exact answer to this question, as in the civil wars, non-believers did not stand against each other. However, I am sure that if Lebanon were a powerful and wealthy country, its elites would act based on national consensus, read national interests, and its people were prosperous and happy, Israel would not dare to look at it with hostility. With these interpretations, if I were in Mr. Alamolhoda’s place, I would do my utmost to ensure the government of doctors is reputable.
