Tags
21st Century Neo-Feudalism, Hezbollah, Lebanon, Moscow-Tehran, Totalitarian Theater of Realpolitik, UAE
The State Security Circuit of the Federal Supreme Court on Monday handed out varying jail terms to seven people for setting up a UAE cell of the banned Hezbollah group.
Three defendants were sentenced to life in jail, two got 15-year jail terms and two others were sentenced to 10 years in prison.
The court chaired by Judge Falah Al Hajiri also sentenced leader of Egypt’s banned Muslim Brotherhood group Esam Al Din Al Erian to five years in jail, in absentia.
According to political commentator with Russia’s Kommersant publishing house Sergei Strokan, there now exists a “Russia, Iran, Hezbollah military triangle” in Syria.
In a telephone interview with Al-Monitor, Strokan said, “Hezbollah can do some things that Russia can’t afford to do itself,” as putting “Russian boots on the ground [in Syria] is a subject of heated debate [within Russia].”
Rizk, Ali. “The Russian, Iranian, Hezbollah military triangle.” November 2, 2015.
Hezbollah can and has done more than put “boots on the ground” for Bashar al-Assad in Syria with the blessing of Moscow and Tehran.
Read the headlines (along with BackChannels):
USA Today – “Lebanon chooses a president supported by Hezbollah” – November 1, 2016.
The National Interest – “Lebanon’s New Hezbollah-Led Political Order” – October 31, 2016.
“Hezbollah-Led Political Order”?
Try again: Moscow-Tehran.
BackChannels knows the public, generally speaking, “sees” ISIL, not “Assad OR The Terrorists” AKA “Assad vs The Terrorist“.
And the public may read about Hezbollah in Lebanon with the shadow of the Ayatollah moving about in the background, but it may take more work to grasp how Moscow works with Tehran to elevate Hezbollah’s influence in Lebanon while channeling its fighters into action in Syria.
Again, on general terms, the KGB Era catch-all “Active Measures” may preoccupy wonks — enthused amateurs and professionals in intelligence and foreign affairs — while barely signaling up through the background clamor set by the entertainment and sports industries. As much — specifically, public ignorance of the mechanisms involved in the KGB-style sustaining of “political absolutism” (try using that one down at the bar) by way of a totalitarian approach to a political theater of realpolitik — moves this chatter into more specialized but also open circles.
Related Reference
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