Lebanon, the new Israel

The destruction of Lebanon, even in areas sympathetic to Hezbollah, is very depressing.

One thing I think a lot people are missing is the fact that any time anyone in the middle east starts to show success under free markets, something always happens to bring them down. I have a theory that the whole Palestine/Israel conflict is really about the irritation that Israel causes by being so successful at providing for their citizens without oil. Let's face it. After Israelis, Palestinians are the most despised people in the Middle East. If Israel disappeared tomorrow, hardly anyone would pay the Palestinians notice. Totalitarian states keep the conflict going because they do not like the example that a free Israel provides.

This is why Lebanon is the center of a new conflict. Lebanon has always been much more advanced than other states. They have a rich history and a very progressive culture. Recently, Lebanon had made strides to return to this greatness. I read a story not long ago about how Lebanon was the "place to go" in the Middle East for Arabs. Allowed to go on much longer, Syrians and Iranians might one day ask themselves why not us? Why can't Damascus be like Beirut? Why can't Iranian schools be like Lebanese schools? And it's painfully obvious when the Lebanese do it without all the natural resources of the other states.

No star will ever be allowed to shine as long as totalitarian leaders are a majority in the Middle East. They simply will not allow their populations to ever think that the average Arab's trouble is due to anything other than "Jews".