Al-Nahar, Lebanon, Originally posted in Arabic on August 1
It is all too soon to tell what our region will look like following the signing of the nuclear deal with Iran. However, a quick look at Syria and Iraq is enough to remind us of the extent of destruction and havoc Teheran is capable of wreaking in our region.
Eventually, one side or another will have to win this war – and that side will prevail for years to come. On this basis, Egypt and Saudi Arabia recently announced the signing of the “Cairo Declaration”, which establishes a joint military force and increases the economic cooperation between the two countries.
Riyadh and Cairo are determined to defeat together the Houthis in Yemen, and now, with their newly supplied American F-16 fighter jets – they are surely capable of doing so. They will then turn their attention to Syria and Iraq, in an attempt to weaken Iran and eliminate its influence in the Middle East.
But among this ocean of political turmoil experienced in our region, one country has been left overlooked: ours. Lebanon is falling into a state of despair – with no president for over a year, and growing Iranian involvement in the country’s domestic affairs.
Hizbullah has long implicated Beirut in its exterritorial fighting in Syria. After Syria and Iraq, Lebanon is next to come. In light of the recently signed Saudi-Egyptian declaration, we must remind Cairo and Riyadh that we, Lebanese, are here too. – Elias al-Dairi