Wrong Move From Bush

How The Lebanese will react to Bush’s money pledge.

President George W. Bush has just pledged $230m to Lebanon. To be sure, we are a people with a good sense of decorum, so I can’t but start by saying “thank you.” But that doesn’t mean that the step was a right one.

What Mr. Bush did was understandable. “Experts” and pundits were screaming for the last two days in his ear: “Iran is pouring money into south Lebanon. If we don’t do the same, quickly, they’ll beat us to the hearts and minds of the Lebanese.” It is perhaps the rush that prevented Mr. Bush from taking the wise course.

You see Mr. Bush, I don’t know how it works in the US, but here in the Middle East, you can’t drop bombs and aid at the same time. We all know that you were shipping high-precision bombs to the Israelis, bombs that could have been used to kill Lebanese children. We all know that America was behind postponing the ceasefire until the “objectives” of the Israelis are met. Honestly Mr. President, no matter how much money you throw at us, you can’t undo the bad press that gave you.

Still, you are correct. We do need to counter the Iranian money flow. But couldn’t you have shelved the ego just for now and passed your money via common allies? Why embarrass our politicians who have a favorable view of the US by forcing them to make their position public on whether or not they want your money?

I can see it now: Anti US forces campaigning noisily for the government to reject your haram (the opposite of hallal) money. I can already imagine Hezbollah figures shaming our leaders for taking your “tainted” money.

I am not surprised Mr. Bush. Finesse was never your thing.

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