"In 2006, George Bush and the Neo-Conservatives wanted to reach the legislative elections having in their hands three heads dripping blood: the head of the resistance in Lebanon, the head of the resistance in Palestine, and the head of the regime in Syria."
"At that time the Americans were at the peak of their strength. In fact, not a power in history and in the world reached the peak the Americans reached following 2001 and 2002. The peak of the US military, security, political, information, and media power and the peak of US intimidation and ferocity was in that decade. "
"The US administration follows definite tracks or puts specific schemes and projects. When a track is toppled, it resorts to another, a third, a forth, and a fifth until an absolute end is put to the entire US-Israeli project in the region."
"The Americans and Israelis are now moving in a new track, not that of toppling regimes and establishing alternative regimes but that of demolishing and ruining states, armies, peoples, and entities; this is the track of demolishing, disintegrating, crushing, and ruining everything."
"New maps were drawn for the region following World War I and World War II. But now, on what do they want to draw a new map for the region? They want to draw it on the disjoined limbs not only of individuals but also of states, peoples, societies, and ruins. So it is not that pillars and walls would remain and we would have only to repair them and rebuild the ceiling. "
"They want us all in the region to reach a catastrophe, so that, to end this catastrophe we would accept any dictations and offer them whatever they want in return, even our eyes. It would be a social, security, political, economic, intellectual, mental, and emotional catastrophe. Even worse, the main enemy would be the savior and the rescuer after all. "
Well, the Palestinian resistance, led by Hamas, is still fighting with the mighty army of Israel instead of being crushed into elimination as desired by Israel and its patrons. How? You can question but there is no satisfactory answer because you have not seen Hamas from inside.
Same with Hezbollah in Lebanon and a number of resistance forces across the world. So there is no wonder that the leaders of such movements should be astute and farsighted with skewed organizational skills and rock-like determination.
I too had that cursory impression of Hasan Nasrallah, Hezbollah leader, before reading this captivating speech but had no idea he was such a fine strategist and visionary. This is doubtlessly the best ever speech I have come across over the past decade.
He starts with the past, eloquently summarizing the July 2006 war which Israel forced on Hezbollah in Lebanon aiming to eliminate it but had to compromise after Hezbollah was able to achieve a stalemate humiliating for Israel.
Do you think that was like any other act of Israeli aggression in the region? No, Nasrallah clarifies: that was the game-changer for the entire region at a moment when the US' most powerful ally in the region missed the golden opportunity of keeping the momentum of US' rise and dominance in the region by complementing the 'triumph' in Iraq with a crushing defeat for the resistance in Lebanon that would have opened way for dismantling the regime in Syria first and then Iran.
All along he connects the dots from geopolitical developments ranging from Hilary Clinton's speech to Obama's actions and proceeds to explain the implications of rise of ISIL in Syria and Iraq.
Neither exaggerate nor underestimate; neither be complacent and passive nor be alarmed and agitated; think calmly, discuss, analyze and plan decisively and with determination and execute with all the selflessness and courage- this is his prescription for his fellow Lebanonese and other freedom fighters.
Unlike the 'Shia fanatic' and 'sectarian' image imposed upon Nasrallah by the MSM especially after his fighters helped the Syrian regime explicitly over past few years, Nasrallah seems and wants to project his image as just the opposite. In fact, he does not need much words for that: he points to the simple fact that the largest burden of ISIL's wrath today is being brunt by the Sunni Muslims in absolute terms. Indeed the IS today poses threat not only to a sect, community or country but for the whole of West Asia and beyond.
The other point I was most impressed about his speech is his non-totalitarian approach to all issues of relevance. Rather than imposing his own vision, version or strategy, let alone his doctrine, he calls upon every Lebanonese to come forward with their own so that the best way forward can be distilled. At the same time he does not fail to make clear his own preferred way of action.
After reading this, I have concluded that there is still hope for the region that is called Middle East and there is still the scope of viewing the whole ISIL fiasco for what it is: a Syrian-Iraqi version of the Taliban, nurtured actively or passively by the West fixated at ousting Assad in Syria and not the case of extremists breeding in the deserts as depicted in the MSM. Logically, to effectively tackle the problem, a new approach is required in which ISIL and its brethren in Syria and Iraq are viewed as the vile, Wahhabi-sponsored terror-forces and not the partly justifiable result of sectarianism or whatsoever in the region.
As Narallah rightly mocks in part of the speech, the speed with which the US-led West moved to protect the Kurdish authorities in Iraq can be contrasted with the sense of detachment (and probably retaliation for Maliki-government that had foiled the US' attempt to stay in Iraq permanently) with which they were watching the slaughter of the Iraqis for weeks: Sunnis, Shias, Muslims and Kurdish alike.
The message: The West is in love with its own strategic interest but not with anyone human, not of any religion, sect or nationality. Even after all that the ISIL has done, they can tomorrow unleash a terrorist force that beheads everyone with a belief different from theirs, including the Christians, if that force helps them oust the current regimes in Syria and Iran. They may well resort to another round of altruistic bombing if that force turns towards their patrons but thousands of lives will be perished by that time with a gruesome trail of butchery available in internet.
And Nasrallah rightly asks the world: at a time when the entire west has embargoed Iran, a legitimate nation state and won't even buy its oil, who is buying the oil from ISIL multiplying their wealth by a thousand-fold? Well, such questions will never be asked in the MSM because the answer is not favorable: the very people who won't buy oil from Iran.
Since the whole speech takes over 2 hours for an ordinary reader, here I carry this excerpt focusing on the July war. But those who are patient enough and have time can read the complete speech in The Vineyard of the Saker here.
How the July 2006 War changed the course of history
Part of speech by Hasan Nasrallah, Secretary General of Hezbollah resistance group, Lebanon
Brothers and sisters! Much was said about July War. Speeches were delivered as well as lectures and lessons. Books were written and studies were put. Investigations were made and morals were drawn by friends and foes in the world and in the region as well as by us. Still this war, the events of this war, and the repercussions of this war on all levels and domains are the issue for research, investigation and discussion simply because it was not a small war or a trivial incident.
Rather it was a true war with political moral, economic, and historic dimensions and targets that transcend Lebanon and Palestine to cover the entire region and even to influence the international equation. It is enough to recall what the former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said then on July Aggression to the effect that it was the labor pain for the birth of a New Middle East. So the war had regional targets and dimensions as well as international targets and dimensions. Not much of this given was revealed prior to the war.
However, following the war, all the given was revealed from the articles which were written, the journalistic interviews which were recorded, the investigations which were made, the studies which were carried, and the memoirs which were written by presidents, leaders of states, generals, and foreign ministers. All of that provided the required given and documents especially what the Israelis said and interpreted, what the Americans said and interpreted, and what one of the senior US men of intellect told me. In fact, this is not a secret. It was written in a number of articles.
Later on, it was revealed that July War – July Aggression – was a primary chain in a series of stages which had decisive targets. In 2006, it was required via the war on Lebanon first to put an end to the resistance in Lebanon and to crush the resistance in Lebanon and not only to disarm the resistance with the persistence of the structure and the persons or this entity which may get armed again later on. No, what was put forth was not disarming or disbanding the resistance. What was required was crushing the resistance and killing its leaders and cadres and hitting its joints and resistance men and arresting the greatest number of them.
You can still remember that they were preparing a prison in one of the settlements in the north or in the middle of the Zionist entity to arrest 10000 persons. They wanted to achieve a structural change via this war which was a chain in a series which was to carry on with the end of the resistance in Lebanon. These are given and information. I am not making an analysis. Under the pretext that Syria backed the resistance and provided it with arms, rockets, and qualitative arms, the Israelis would then proceed and hit Syria what would lead to toppling the regime and the establishment of a friendly alternative which would be allied with the USA.
I want to remind you that all of that took place in 2006 following the US occupation of Iraq and the major US military presence in the region. The third chain in the series was hitting the Palestinian resistance especially in Gaza Strip. Those who mentioned this said that all of that was supposed to be achieved in 2006 and before the end of 2006. That's because partial elections were to take place in the US Congress. George Bush and the Neo Conservatives wanted to reach the legislative elections having in their hands three heads dripping blood: the head of the resistance in Lebanon, the head of the resistance in Palestine, and the head of the regime in Syria. This is according to the terminology of the Americans themselves.
Thus if we were observing the US media prior to July War, we would have noticed great exaggeration especially for Hizbullah, Hamas, Jihad, and the regime in Syria and their role in so-called "terrorism".
All of that was a kind of psychological, media, and moral preparation so that if the three heads were cut off, George Bush would tell the Americans: I cut off for you three heads of international terrorism. Thus you have nothing but to vote for me as I can guarantee the interest and the future of the United States. Following his victory in the US Congress, the following step would be preparing for the war on Iran and toppling the regime in the Islamic Republic in 2007. I am not talking for history. I rather want to stop on the targets behind this track which are in fact two:
First: The firm compact US control over the oil, gas, and energy resources in the region. Well, Iraq was in their hands. They would lay their hands on the region here, hit the resistance movements, topple the regime in Iran, and put their hands on Iran. They are already in the Gulf. The main resources of energy in the world are in this area.
Second: The true targeting of the resistance movements, of Iran, and of Syria mounts in fact to putting an end to the Palestinian cause and imposing a settlement on the Palestinians and on the Arabs with US conditions. This was the target. This track was set to achieve this goal, and the elements of this track were the direct US occupation of Iraq and previously of Afghanistan which was occupied as a reaction to the events of September 11. Second comes the Israeli war as Israel was required to hit the resistance in Lebanon, topple the regime in Syria via the war, and put an end to the resistance in Palestine so as to achieve these goals.
How was this track crippled? Who crippled it? Why was it toppled?
Thanks for the resistance in Lebanon, the legendary Lebanese steadfastness, and all those whom I lauded in my prelude. The victory of the resistance in July War toppled this track or at least crippled it.
Why? It is because of the results in the battlefield. This is what I talked about on al Qods Day, and here I am reiterating this point as we address Gaza, the resistance in Gaza, the people of Gaza, and our Palestinian brethren. The battlefield forced the Israelis to cry out when they reached a point in which they were not able to do anything. The air force was exhausted. The land force was exhausted. The sea force was canceled from the equation. Operations behind the borderlines came to be a very dangerous adventure due to the battlefield developments which took place. The Israelis reached a point where they were heading to a military catastrophe. Thus they called on the Americans to stop the war. All what was written in memoirs and all what we were told by Arab foreign ministers and leaders who partook in the talks in New York like on these days and nights assert this given.
Thus the steadfastness of Lebanon - the steadfastness of the resistance in the battlefield first, the popular steadfastness and incubation of the resistance second, and the political steadfastness third though we had a great political problem internally – forced the Americans, the Israelis, the Europeans, and the Security Council to make concessions concerning most of the conditions which they put in the first, second, and third weeks of the war to stop the aggression against Lebanon.
The result was:
First: The resistance in Lebanon remained. It was not crushed. Its structure was not hit. It was not disarmed. On the contrary, the resistance in Lebanon grew more and more whether in its structure, number, arms, and popularity, esteem, and confidence it enjoyed.
Second: The Israeli war did not reach Syria because it flopped in Lebanon. Should the Israelis have proceeded in Lebanon they would have been moving towards a catastrophe. Thus how were they to broaden the compass of the war?
Third: The war on Gaza did not take place in 2006 or it was postponed. Before the war in Lebanon, there were violent aerial operations against Gaza Strip. So at least the war against Gaza was postponed to the end of 2008. Moreover, the resistance operations against the US occupation in Iraq escalated, and consequently, the political steadfastness in Iraq, the resistance in Iraq, and the Iraqi national will led to the withdrawal of the US occupation without keeping any barracks or gaining any immunity for US soldiers and officers. Consequently, the Neo-Conservatives lost the elections and a new administration came to power. Thus this track came to an absolute end.
That does not mean that the US goals were toppled. No! We must always keep in mind that there are always fixed US goals in the region.
To achieve these goals, the US administration follows definite tracks or puts specific schemes and projects. When a track is toppled, it resorts to another, a third, a forth, and a fifth until an absolute end is put to the entire US-Israeli project in the region. Only then there will remain no project or target or track. However, as long as the US-Israeli scheme and these US targets – part of which are Israeli targets – exist, it will always search for tracks on the light of the existing capabilities, events, developments, and factors.
Well, this war flopped.
We said all of this first to usher into the main study which is the main part of tonight's speech.
Second, we want to remind of the magnitude of the political and historic victory with which July War was so that it would not be forgotten amid the current events and developments.
Lebanon, the Lebanese people, the Lebanese resistance, the state, the army, and everyone who had a true hand in this achievement and this historic victory made this great, historic, political, military, intellectual, cultural, moral, and humanistic achievement whose repercussions are still valid until our very day.
Third, we want to assert before the current and upcoming dangers and intimidation that we are all able to confront these dangers and we are able to topple any track conspiring against our region, country, countries, peoples, and sanctity. That's because in July War, when the Americans adopted this track they had all the elements of strength. I even claim that at that time the Americans were at the peak of their strength. In fact, not a power in history and in the world reached the peak the Americans reached following 2001 and 2002. The peak of the US military, security, political, information, and media power and the peak of US intimidation and ferocity was in that decade.
Second, the regional and international conditions were favorable. There were no Soviet Union, no socialist camp, and no Arab world. All of these collapsed before the USA. So the regional and international conditions were very favorable.
Those who were able to confront that track and topple it at that time are able to confront any other track and topple it. I am not talking about a specific side but rather about the sum of these sides in the region from Lebanon to Palestine to Syria to Iraq to Iran and the other sides in the region – every side according to its capacities, post, and capabilities. This is another goal from recalling all of the above.
In our viewpoint, the Israeli aggression and war taking place against Gaza Strip is part of a new track. We said that the first track was toppled. The region moved to other developments and events which we may differ in evaluating, reading, and specifying their reasons. However the entire Arab region entered a new status quo.
Well, on light on this new status quo, the Americans or the other antagonistic project drew a new track to achieve its goals which are still the same: controlling the region and the resources of oil in the region, achieving victory for the Israelis, liquidating the Palestinian cause, and imposing condition on the Palestinians and the Arabs with Israeli provisions. So they are the same targets. They did not change. From time to time, only the tracks and tactics change.
What is taking place in Gaza today is part of this new track which started before the launch of the war on Gaza. Now Gaza is a chain in a series or one of the stages of the new track which consists of two elements as in the previous decade. I said that in the previous decade there were two elements: the first element is the direct military action which led to the occupation of Iraq and the control over the Gulf region via this occupation. The second element is Israel, the Israeli army, and the Israeli war.
Following all what afflicted them and their withdrawal from Iraq and their crisis in Afghanistan, the Americans today are very much cautious of any military return to the region or at least of any military land return. Thus when they talk about US intervention in Iraq, Obama, the Secretary of State, the Secretary Defense, and the National Security officials daily say that they will not dispatch land troops or soldiers or infantry soldiers. This one way or another expresses this condition.
Well, today there are two factors exploited in this track. I will say things in their names. To all those who listen to me, please open your minds and hearts because we are all in Lebanon and the region in a stage of existential danger. Thus we will not talk about privileges, perfections, and better and more prosperous conditions. We are talking about the very existence.
Well, today there is a new track which I will talk about before going back to the two factors. The new track is more difficult and more dangerous than the previous one because it is not the track of toppling regimes and establishing alternative authorities. In such a track, when you topple a regime and bring along an alternative authority, the country remains as an entity; the state remains, the borders remain, the social structure remains or it might be harmed, and the army remains or might be harmed. The only thing that takes place is toppling an authority and bringing along an alternative authority.
The new track is not that of toppling regimes and establishing alternative regimes. It is rather the track we talked about in more than one occasion. It is the track of demolishing and ruining states, armies, peoples, and entities. We do not need evidence on what is taking place. We will go to that later. So it is the track of demolishing, disintegrating, crushing, and ruining everything.
The Americans are moving in this track along with all those who are with the Americans in the region including Israel too. They want to draw a new map for the region. However, on what is this new map to be drawn? New maps were drawn for the region following World War I and World War II. However, now on what they want to draw a new map for the region? They want to draw it on the disjoined limbs not only of individuals but also of states, peoples, societies, and ruins. So it is not that pillars and walls would remain and we would have only to repair them and rebuild the ceiling. The new map is to be drawn on baffled minds as a result of the events which are taking place and are plotted to take place in the region. Thus minds would become baffled: Where are we to go? What choices do we have? What are we to do?
The new map is to be drawn also on terrified hearts. There is a very moving scene: a helicopter in Sinjar – I don't remember now whether it is an Iraqi helicopter or an American helicopter though I believe it is an Iraqi helicopter – carrying women and children from land. Just look at their faces and eyes and recall your women and children to know on what the new map of the region is to be drawn. It is to be drawn on disjoined limbs, ruins and wrecks, baffled minds, and terrified hearts. They want us all in the region to reach a catastrophe, and to end this catastrophe we would accept any dictations. Just put an end to this catastrophe. Save us from this calamity and you will have whatever you want in return. We are even ready to offer you our eyes. It would be a social, security, political, economic, intellectual, mental, and emotional catastrophe. Even worse, the main enemy would be the savior and the rescuer after all. This is where the region would be dragged to.
Well, what are the main factors of this track?
The first factor is the Israelis. This is what I talked about when talking about the demolition and ruining taking places in Gaza. As the Palestinian brethren said, the true and factual target is hitting the resistance, disarming the resistance, putting an end to the structure of the resistance, and making the people in Gaza Strip frustrated from everything called resistance and that thus surrender. As such nothing would remain but ruin and wrecks.
The second factor is no less dangerous. It is the Takfiri current which the ISIL has become today the most prominent and evident manifestation of. ISIL is the greatest manifestation of this current.
Well, these are the factors of this new track. I will return later to this point when I talk about ISIL and the new track. However, now I want to usher to this study through this question which is the main idea in tonight's speech. Is it possible to gain victory over this new track and to defeat it? Yes! I tell the Lebanese, the Syrians, the Iraqis, the Palestinians, and all the peoples of the region: Yes, it is possible to defeat this new track as the previous track was defeated. However, this can't be achieved by wishes. This may be achieved with action supported with supplication. This requires conditions and elements and special efforts to be exerted.
(With gratitude to The Saker for publishing the whole speech.)
"At that time the Americans were at the peak of their strength. In fact, not a power in history and in the world reached the peak the Americans reached following 2001 and 2002. The peak of the US military, security, political, information, and media power and the peak of US intimidation and ferocity was in that decade. "
"The US administration follows definite tracks or puts specific schemes and projects. When a track is toppled, it resorts to another, a third, a forth, and a fifth until an absolute end is put to the entire US-Israeli project in the region."
"The Americans and Israelis are now moving in a new track, not that of toppling regimes and establishing alternative regimes but that of demolishing and ruining states, armies, peoples, and entities; this is the track of demolishing, disintegrating, crushing, and ruining everything."
"New maps were drawn for the region following World War I and World War II. But now, on what do they want to draw a new map for the region? They want to draw it on the disjoined limbs not only of individuals but also of states, peoples, societies, and ruins. So it is not that pillars and walls would remain and we would have only to repair them and rebuild the ceiling. "
"They want us all in the region to reach a catastrophe, so that, to end this catastrophe we would accept any dictations and offer them whatever they want in return, even our eyes. It would be a social, security, political, economic, intellectual, mental, and emotional catastrophe. Even worse, the main enemy would be the savior and the rescuer after all. "
-Hasan Nasrallah
Well, the Palestinian resistance, led by Hamas, is still fighting with the mighty army of Israel instead of being crushed into elimination as desired by Israel and its patrons. How? You can question but there is no satisfactory answer because you have not seen Hamas from inside.
Same with Hezbollah in Lebanon and a number of resistance forces across the world. So there is no wonder that the leaders of such movements should be astute and farsighted with skewed organizational skills and rock-like determination.
I too had that cursory impression of Hasan Nasrallah, Hezbollah leader, before reading this captivating speech but had no idea he was such a fine strategist and visionary. This is doubtlessly the best ever speech I have come across over the past decade.
He starts with the past, eloquently summarizing the July 2006 war which Israel forced on Hezbollah in Lebanon aiming to eliminate it but had to compromise after Hezbollah was able to achieve a stalemate humiliating for Israel.
Do you think that was like any other act of Israeli aggression in the region? No, Nasrallah clarifies: that was the game-changer for the entire region at a moment when the US' most powerful ally in the region missed the golden opportunity of keeping the momentum of US' rise and dominance in the region by complementing the 'triumph' in Iraq with a crushing defeat for the resistance in Lebanon that would have opened way for dismantling the regime in Syria first and then Iran.
All along he connects the dots from geopolitical developments ranging from Hilary Clinton's speech to Obama's actions and proceeds to explain the implications of rise of ISIL in Syria and Iraq.
Neither exaggerate nor underestimate; neither be complacent and passive nor be alarmed and agitated; think calmly, discuss, analyze and plan decisively and with determination and execute with all the selflessness and courage- this is his prescription for his fellow Lebanonese and other freedom fighters.
Unlike the 'Shia fanatic' and 'sectarian' image imposed upon Nasrallah by the MSM especially after his fighters helped the Syrian regime explicitly over past few years, Nasrallah seems and wants to project his image as just the opposite. In fact, he does not need much words for that: he points to the simple fact that the largest burden of ISIL's wrath today is being brunt by the Sunni Muslims in absolute terms. Indeed the IS today poses threat not only to a sect, community or country but for the whole of West Asia and beyond.
The other point I was most impressed about his speech is his non-totalitarian approach to all issues of relevance. Rather than imposing his own vision, version or strategy, let alone his doctrine, he calls upon every Lebanonese to come forward with their own so that the best way forward can be distilled. At the same time he does not fail to make clear his own preferred way of action.
After reading this, I have concluded that there is still hope for the region that is called Middle East and there is still the scope of viewing the whole ISIL fiasco for what it is: a Syrian-Iraqi version of the Taliban, nurtured actively or passively by the West fixated at ousting Assad in Syria and not the case of extremists breeding in the deserts as depicted in the MSM. Logically, to effectively tackle the problem, a new approach is required in which ISIL and its brethren in Syria and Iraq are viewed as the vile, Wahhabi-sponsored terror-forces and not the partly justifiable result of sectarianism or whatsoever in the region.
As Narallah rightly mocks in part of the speech, the speed with which the US-led West moved to protect the Kurdish authorities in Iraq can be contrasted with the sense of detachment (and probably retaliation for Maliki-government that had foiled the US' attempt to stay in Iraq permanently) with which they were watching the slaughter of the Iraqis for weeks: Sunnis, Shias, Muslims and Kurdish alike.
The message: The West is in love with its own strategic interest but not with anyone human, not of any religion, sect or nationality. Even after all that the ISIL has done, they can tomorrow unleash a terrorist force that beheads everyone with a belief different from theirs, including the Christians, if that force helps them oust the current regimes in Syria and Iran. They may well resort to another round of altruistic bombing if that force turns towards their patrons but thousands of lives will be perished by that time with a gruesome trail of butchery available in internet.
And Nasrallah rightly asks the world: at a time when the entire west has embargoed Iran, a legitimate nation state and won't even buy its oil, who is buying the oil from ISIL multiplying their wealth by a thousand-fold? Well, such questions will never be asked in the MSM because the answer is not favorable: the very people who won't buy oil from Iran.
Since the whole speech takes over 2 hours for an ordinary reader, here I carry this excerpt focusing on the July war. But those who are patient enough and have time can read the complete speech in The Vineyard of the Saker here.
How the July 2006 War changed the course of history
Part of speech by Hasan Nasrallah, Secretary General of Hezbollah resistance group, Lebanon
Brothers and sisters! Much was said about July War. Speeches were delivered as well as lectures and lessons. Books were written and studies were put. Investigations were made and morals were drawn by friends and foes in the world and in the region as well as by us. Still this war, the events of this war, and the repercussions of this war on all levels and domains are the issue for research, investigation and discussion simply because it was not a small war or a trivial incident.
Rather it was a true war with political moral, economic, and historic dimensions and targets that transcend Lebanon and Palestine to cover the entire region and even to influence the international equation. It is enough to recall what the former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said then on July Aggression to the effect that it was the labor pain for the birth of a New Middle East. So the war had regional targets and dimensions as well as international targets and dimensions. Not much of this given was revealed prior to the war.
However, following the war, all the given was revealed from the articles which were written, the journalistic interviews which were recorded, the investigations which were made, the studies which were carried, and the memoirs which were written by presidents, leaders of states, generals, and foreign ministers. All of that provided the required given and documents especially what the Israelis said and interpreted, what the Americans said and interpreted, and what one of the senior US men of intellect told me. In fact, this is not a secret. It was written in a number of articles.
Later on, it was revealed that July War – July Aggression – was a primary chain in a series of stages which had decisive targets. In 2006, it was required via the war on Lebanon first to put an end to the resistance in Lebanon and to crush the resistance in Lebanon and not only to disarm the resistance with the persistence of the structure and the persons or this entity which may get armed again later on. No, what was put forth was not disarming or disbanding the resistance. What was required was crushing the resistance and killing its leaders and cadres and hitting its joints and resistance men and arresting the greatest number of them.
You can still remember that they were preparing a prison in one of the settlements in the north or in the middle of the Zionist entity to arrest 10000 persons. They wanted to achieve a structural change via this war which was a chain in a series which was to carry on with the end of the resistance in Lebanon. These are given and information. I am not making an analysis. Under the pretext that Syria backed the resistance and provided it with arms, rockets, and qualitative arms, the Israelis would then proceed and hit Syria what would lead to toppling the regime and the establishment of a friendly alternative which would be allied with the USA.
I want to remind you that all of that took place in 2006 following the US occupation of Iraq and the major US military presence in the region. The third chain in the series was hitting the Palestinian resistance especially in Gaza Strip. Those who mentioned this said that all of that was supposed to be achieved in 2006 and before the end of 2006. That's because partial elections were to take place in the US Congress. George Bush and the Neo Conservatives wanted to reach the legislative elections having in their hands three heads dripping blood: the head of the resistance in Lebanon, the head of the resistance in Palestine, and the head of the regime in Syria. This is according to the terminology of the Americans themselves.
Thus if we were observing the US media prior to July War, we would have noticed great exaggeration especially for Hizbullah, Hamas, Jihad, and the regime in Syria and their role in so-called "terrorism".
All of that was a kind of psychological, media, and moral preparation so that if the three heads were cut off, George Bush would tell the Americans: I cut off for you three heads of international terrorism. Thus you have nothing but to vote for me as I can guarantee the interest and the future of the United States. Following his victory in the US Congress, the following step would be preparing for the war on Iran and toppling the regime in the Islamic Republic in 2007. I am not talking for history. I rather want to stop on the targets behind this track which are in fact two:
First: The firm compact US control over the oil, gas, and energy resources in the region. Well, Iraq was in their hands. They would lay their hands on the region here, hit the resistance movements, topple the regime in Iran, and put their hands on Iran. They are already in the Gulf. The main resources of energy in the world are in this area.
Second: The true targeting of the resistance movements, of Iran, and of Syria mounts in fact to putting an end to the Palestinian cause and imposing a settlement on the Palestinians and on the Arabs with US conditions. This was the target. This track was set to achieve this goal, and the elements of this track were the direct US occupation of Iraq and previously of Afghanistan which was occupied as a reaction to the events of September 11. Second comes the Israeli war as Israel was required to hit the resistance in Lebanon, topple the regime in Syria via the war, and put an end to the resistance in Palestine so as to achieve these goals.
How was this track crippled? Who crippled it? Why was it toppled?
Thanks for the resistance in Lebanon, the legendary Lebanese steadfastness, and all those whom I lauded in my prelude. The victory of the resistance in July War toppled this track or at least crippled it.
Why? It is because of the results in the battlefield. This is what I talked about on al Qods Day, and here I am reiterating this point as we address Gaza, the resistance in Gaza, the people of Gaza, and our Palestinian brethren. The battlefield forced the Israelis to cry out when they reached a point in which they were not able to do anything. The air force was exhausted. The land force was exhausted. The sea force was canceled from the equation. Operations behind the borderlines came to be a very dangerous adventure due to the battlefield developments which took place. The Israelis reached a point where they were heading to a military catastrophe. Thus they called on the Americans to stop the war. All what was written in memoirs and all what we were told by Arab foreign ministers and leaders who partook in the talks in New York like on these days and nights assert this given.
Thus the steadfastness of Lebanon - the steadfastness of the resistance in the battlefield first, the popular steadfastness and incubation of the resistance second, and the political steadfastness third though we had a great political problem internally – forced the Americans, the Israelis, the Europeans, and the Security Council to make concessions concerning most of the conditions which they put in the first, second, and third weeks of the war to stop the aggression against Lebanon.
The result was:
First: The resistance in Lebanon remained. It was not crushed. Its structure was not hit. It was not disarmed. On the contrary, the resistance in Lebanon grew more and more whether in its structure, number, arms, and popularity, esteem, and confidence it enjoyed.
Second: The Israeli war did not reach Syria because it flopped in Lebanon. Should the Israelis have proceeded in Lebanon they would have been moving towards a catastrophe. Thus how were they to broaden the compass of the war?
Third: The war on Gaza did not take place in 2006 or it was postponed. Before the war in Lebanon, there were violent aerial operations against Gaza Strip. So at least the war against Gaza was postponed to the end of 2008. Moreover, the resistance operations against the US occupation in Iraq escalated, and consequently, the political steadfastness in Iraq, the resistance in Iraq, and the Iraqi national will led to the withdrawal of the US occupation without keeping any barracks or gaining any immunity for US soldiers and officers. Consequently, the Neo-Conservatives lost the elections and a new administration came to power. Thus this track came to an absolute end.
That does not mean that the US goals were toppled. No! We must always keep in mind that there are always fixed US goals in the region.
To achieve these goals, the US administration follows definite tracks or puts specific schemes and projects. When a track is toppled, it resorts to another, a third, a forth, and a fifth until an absolute end is put to the entire US-Israeli project in the region. Only then there will remain no project or target or track. However, as long as the US-Israeli scheme and these US targets – part of which are Israeli targets – exist, it will always search for tracks on the light of the existing capabilities, events, developments, and factors.
Well, this war flopped.
We said all of this first to usher into the main study which is the main part of tonight's speech.
Second, we want to remind of the magnitude of the political and historic victory with which July War was so that it would not be forgotten amid the current events and developments.
Lebanon, the Lebanese people, the Lebanese resistance, the state, the army, and everyone who had a true hand in this achievement and this historic victory made this great, historic, political, military, intellectual, cultural, moral, and humanistic achievement whose repercussions are still valid until our very day.
Third, we want to assert before the current and upcoming dangers and intimidation that we are all able to confront these dangers and we are able to topple any track conspiring against our region, country, countries, peoples, and sanctity. That's because in July War, when the Americans adopted this track they had all the elements of strength. I even claim that at that time the Americans were at the peak of their strength. In fact, not a power in history and in the world reached the peak the Americans reached following 2001 and 2002. The peak of the US military, security, political, information, and media power and the peak of US intimidation and ferocity was in that decade.
Second, the regional and international conditions were favorable. There were no Soviet Union, no socialist camp, and no Arab world. All of these collapsed before the USA. So the regional and international conditions were very favorable.
Those who were able to confront that track and topple it at that time are able to confront any other track and topple it. I am not talking about a specific side but rather about the sum of these sides in the region from Lebanon to Palestine to Syria to Iraq to Iran and the other sides in the region – every side according to its capacities, post, and capabilities. This is another goal from recalling all of the above.
In our viewpoint, the Israeli aggression and war taking place against Gaza Strip is part of a new track. We said that the first track was toppled. The region moved to other developments and events which we may differ in evaluating, reading, and specifying their reasons. However the entire Arab region entered a new status quo.
Well, on light on this new status quo, the Americans or the other antagonistic project drew a new track to achieve its goals which are still the same: controlling the region and the resources of oil in the region, achieving victory for the Israelis, liquidating the Palestinian cause, and imposing condition on the Palestinians and the Arabs with Israeli provisions. So they are the same targets. They did not change. From time to time, only the tracks and tactics change.
What is taking place in Gaza today is part of this new track which started before the launch of the war on Gaza. Now Gaza is a chain in a series or one of the stages of the new track which consists of two elements as in the previous decade. I said that in the previous decade there were two elements: the first element is the direct military action which led to the occupation of Iraq and the control over the Gulf region via this occupation. The second element is Israel, the Israeli army, and the Israeli war.
Following all what afflicted them and their withdrawal from Iraq and their crisis in Afghanistan, the Americans today are very much cautious of any military return to the region or at least of any military land return. Thus when they talk about US intervention in Iraq, Obama, the Secretary of State, the Secretary Defense, and the National Security officials daily say that they will not dispatch land troops or soldiers or infantry soldiers. This one way or another expresses this condition.
Well, today there are two factors exploited in this track. I will say things in their names. To all those who listen to me, please open your minds and hearts because we are all in Lebanon and the region in a stage of existential danger. Thus we will not talk about privileges, perfections, and better and more prosperous conditions. We are talking about the very existence.
Well, today there is a new track which I will talk about before going back to the two factors. The new track is more difficult and more dangerous than the previous one because it is not the track of toppling regimes and establishing alternative authorities. In such a track, when you topple a regime and bring along an alternative authority, the country remains as an entity; the state remains, the borders remain, the social structure remains or it might be harmed, and the army remains or might be harmed. The only thing that takes place is toppling an authority and bringing along an alternative authority.
The new track is not that of toppling regimes and establishing alternative regimes. It is rather the track we talked about in more than one occasion. It is the track of demolishing and ruining states, armies, peoples, and entities. We do not need evidence on what is taking place. We will go to that later. So it is the track of demolishing, disintegrating, crushing, and ruining everything.
The Americans are moving in this track along with all those who are with the Americans in the region including Israel too. They want to draw a new map for the region. However, on what is this new map to be drawn? New maps were drawn for the region following World War I and World War II. However, now on what they want to draw a new map for the region? They want to draw it on the disjoined limbs not only of individuals but also of states, peoples, societies, and ruins. So it is not that pillars and walls would remain and we would have only to repair them and rebuild the ceiling. The new map is to be drawn on baffled minds as a result of the events which are taking place and are plotted to take place in the region. Thus minds would become baffled: Where are we to go? What choices do we have? What are we to do?
The new map is to be drawn also on terrified hearts. There is a very moving scene: a helicopter in Sinjar – I don't remember now whether it is an Iraqi helicopter or an American helicopter though I believe it is an Iraqi helicopter – carrying women and children from land. Just look at their faces and eyes and recall your women and children to know on what the new map of the region is to be drawn. It is to be drawn on disjoined limbs, ruins and wrecks, baffled minds, and terrified hearts. They want us all in the region to reach a catastrophe, and to end this catastrophe we would accept any dictations. Just put an end to this catastrophe. Save us from this calamity and you will have whatever you want in return. We are even ready to offer you our eyes. It would be a social, security, political, economic, intellectual, mental, and emotional catastrophe. Even worse, the main enemy would be the savior and the rescuer after all. This is where the region would be dragged to.
Well, what are the main factors of this track?
The first factor is the Israelis. This is what I talked about when talking about the demolition and ruining taking places in Gaza. As the Palestinian brethren said, the true and factual target is hitting the resistance, disarming the resistance, putting an end to the structure of the resistance, and making the people in Gaza Strip frustrated from everything called resistance and that thus surrender. As such nothing would remain but ruin and wrecks.
The second factor is no less dangerous. It is the Takfiri current which the ISIL has become today the most prominent and evident manifestation of. ISIL is the greatest manifestation of this current.
Well, these are the factors of this new track. I will return later to this point when I talk about ISIL and the new track. However, now I want to usher to this study through this question which is the main idea in tonight's speech. Is it possible to gain victory over this new track and to defeat it? Yes! I tell the Lebanese, the Syrians, the Iraqis, the Palestinians, and all the peoples of the region: Yes, it is possible to defeat this new track as the previous track was defeated. However, this can't be achieved by wishes. This may be achieved with action supported with supplication. This requires conditions and elements and special efforts to be exerted.
(With gratitude to The Saker for publishing the whole speech.)
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