Hi
Welcome to my blog.
I will be using it quite often, all are welcome to post comments, I do NOT moderate comments, your comment is your responsibility, if it's bad it reflects who you are, and it it's good it also reflects who you are. I will be replying (hopefully) to all comments that are constructive.
About myself: I have lived in Lebanese during the pre- and post-Syrian presence era (if i can call it so!)... so yes I lived the Hariri assassination... I have left Lebanon 2 years ago...
I will try to reflect the Syrian public opinion concerning Lebanon and many other things, because such point of view is mostly absent from this forum. I will also try to close the gap between our two peoples, since we live in the same region and shares the greatest part of our history!!
I am AGAINST any annexation of Lebanon to Syria, even if the lebanese themselves decide to accept!! Still, I think both countries should make every effort to work together and try to close the gaps. I believe that Syria has a historical role to play in Lebanon. This role is mostly economical and cultural.
I'll let you discover the blog.
Regards
What I hate in Lebanon and Syria
Posted 30th May 2008 at 07:43 PM by syrian
When people usually discuss syrian-lebanese relations/problems, they inevitably come to talk about the difference between the totalitarian regime in Syria in contrast with the democratic system of Lebanon. This could not irritate me further.
I admit however that Lebanon has some democracy in the street. People are free to express their opinion (even though sometimes they risk to get shot!), to go on a strike, to criticize each and every political figure (except maybe for the sacred martyrs). But this democracy itself is not being reflected inside the political structure.
The truth is: in Syria we have one supreme leader. In Lebanon there are several.
Each political party in Lebanon has its one and only supreme leader. Each party represents a religious sect (typically, each sect has 2 parties), and each party's leader is often regarded by its activists as being chosen by God to rule. And in most cases, the leader's family is the ruling family. That is, when the leader dies, his son/brother/relative takes his place after some democratic voting that much resembles the democratic elections of the Syrian president (i.e. nearly 99% of the people say yes to the successor).
What hurts me the most is the contradiction between the democratic behaviour of the lebanese street and the feudal behaviour of the parties. Sometimes I ask myself: is it really the Lebanese people who chose and empowered this retarded political system, or have those leaders enforced themselves unto the people? Sadly, I cannot make up my mind even though I believe myself to have a strong understanding of the Lebanese political and social structures and dynamics.
The other thing that hurts me (which I have mentioned previously) is that people differentiate between Syria's "dictatorship" and Lebanon's "democracy". Both countries actually call themselves democratic. I see them both as feudalism (one is uni-feudal, the other is multi-feudal). It's only a matter of how each country runs the business.
I long to see the day when both peoples come to realize how immature they are, and actually break out of that vicious circle. Our peoples are so clever and so hard working, and they definitely deserve a much better system that works for them and takes care of them.
I invite you all to pray with me for that change to happen...
I admit however that Lebanon has some democracy in the street. People are free to express their opinion (even though sometimes they risk to get shot!), to go on a strike, to criticize each and every political figure (except maybe for the sacred martyrs). But this democracy itself is not being reflected inside the political structure.
The truth is: in Syria we have one supreme leader. In Lebanon there are several.
Each political party in Lebanon has its one and only supreme leader. Each party represents a religious sect (typically, each sect has 2 parties), and each party's leader is often regarded by its activists as being chosen by God to rule. And in most cases, the leader's family is the ruling family. That is, when the leader dies, his son/brother/relative takes his place after some democratic voting that much resembles the democratic elections of the Syrian president (i.e. nearly 99% of the people say yes to the successor).
What hurts me the most is the contradiction between the democratic behaviour of the lebanese street and the feudal behaviour of the parties. Sometimes I ask myself: is it really the Lebanese people who chose and empowered this retarded political system, or have those leaders enforced themselves unto the people? Sadly, I cannot make up my mind even though I believe myself to have a strong understanding of the Lebanese political and social structures and dynamics.
The other thing that hurts me (which I have mentioned previously) is that people differentiate between Syria's "dictatorship" and Lebanon's "democracy". Both countries actually call themselves democratic. I see them both as feudalism (one is uni-feudal, the other is multi-feudal). It's only a matter of how each country runs the business.
I long to see the day when both peoples come to realize how immature they are, and actually break out of that vicious circle. Our peoples are so clever and so hard working, and they definitely deserve a much better system that works for them and takes care of them.
I invite you all to pray with me for that change to happen...
Total Comments 3
Comments
 |  You're absolutely right. This is a pinpoint description of the Lebanese system: Multiple Supreme Leaders. But I will also argue that Syria's path to true democracy is easier than Lebanon's. In Lebanon, you not only need to defeat the President of the day, the PM of the day, and, let's face it, Nabih Berri. You also need to defeat every single entity that approved of the Taef accord. And because the Taef accord gave those leaders their supremacy, they will never give it up rationally unless the whole people unites against them. This is a two part problem for us Lebanese. First, we have to define "the whole people". Then after the first ordeal, we have to "unite" them. I'm an extremely optimist person, yet I find it hard to imagine the day I live to see unity happening. If you had asked me 2 years ago, I would have said we might get back on track in 20, 30 years maybe. After the old generation becomes impotent and the new one takes over. But now, the new generation has a whole new level of hate instilled in them, we're in for another century of possible remakes. Waynak ya Ayyoub w sabrak. |
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| |  Good post syrian. Metallica, Quote:
yet I find it hard to imagine the day I live to see unity happening
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| |  Metallica and SeekNirvana, thank you for your comments. SeekNirvana, your concept of unity can be the most practical and best option to try :D:D At the end of the day, it's only a matter of popular awareness... إذا الشعب يوماً أراد الحياة... فلا بد أن يستجيب القدر تصبحون على وطن |
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Recent Blog Entries by syrian
- What I hate in Lebanon and Syria (30th May 2008)
- The New Lebanon (22nd May 2008)
- لبيروت (15th May 2008)
- May 6: Martyrs' day (6th May 2008)
