WSN: Why do we keep hearing that all or most of the Shias are with Hizballah?
AA: The story that Shias are with Hizballah is far from being accurate. Iran is spending a lot of money in Lebanon, and that's why they are able to have a base of supporters, services and a social network to pay salaries. If the funds are cut today from Iran, I will show you tomorrow who will stay with Hizballah: No one.
The good thing is that not all Shias are profiting from Hizballah's services, or maybe Iran is not sending enough money. Either way, there is still a big minority that is not profiting from Iran and that is not happy with the present situation. Like other Lebanese, they have no jobs, no prospects for the future and they are afraid to express this. My job and my colleagues' job is to convince these people to come out and express their views freely and openly.
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WSN: Any positive change in the relationship between Syria and Lebanon now that President Sulayman visited President Bashar al-Assad?
AA: I don't see any change and naive are the people who think that the Syrians are going to give us anything of value. Now the headlines about the embassy exchange, but is this the main problem we have with Syria? The whole problem?
The Syrians will not make any real concession to Lebanon for the simple reason that they are scared to death by the International Tribunal, and they believe that when the facts come to the table, the decision makers of the world will decide what to do with those facts based on their respective interests. It is important for Syria to hold on to the cards they have even more firmly, in order to trade them.
I believe that the International Tribunal will do what it can to bring about all the facts that it can, but its up to the important countries of the world to decide what to do with these facts. They took Milosevic to prison because it was in the interest of these countries to do so. On the other hand, with Qaddafi, they decided to live with him and make him pay a monetary penalty.
For the Syrians, Lebanon is the main card and they will not let it go or allow it to become weaker, simply because their fate depends on it.
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WSN: What is Lebanon's main card? Why should we pay attention to whatever happens in Lebanon?
AA: I believe that Lebanon – and not because I am Lebanese – plays an important role at a global scale. We have another cold war going on, and this time it is not between West and East, capitalism and communism. This time it is between the free world and the so-called Islamists. I say so-called because I was raised as a Muslim and I know what Islam is and what Shia Islam is. These people have made the biggest forgery of a great religion and tradition.
If we cannot win the cold war in Lebanon, in a place that has a history of democracy, freedom of speech and a tradition of openness, how are we going to win it elsewhere?
It is very simple. If we win the war in Lebanon it means that we are able to win it elsewhere, while losing it in Lebanon, means that its only a matter of time until the whole region falls to these so-called Islamists. No matter how much people are disappointed by March 14, we have to keep on doing our job because what happens in Lebanon will have great consequences throughout the region.
[Interview with Ahmad Assad, leader of the Lebanese Option Gathering – LOG]
