Indeed, No One Writes to The Colonel.
The Colonel, which appeared in the famous novel by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, is in our country a general. Many have stopped waiting for our general because he has stopped waiting for anyone. His authority, in the broad sense of the word, is exuded only by signs of disintegration that are no longer a secret: within the Aounist family itself, between Hezbollah and some of its supporters and partisans… in the distance that some deputies have taken from the heads of their parliamentary blocs… the dispute between the BDL and the Lebanese Association of Banks (which is more serious than what it appeared to be in the speech of BDL chief Riad Salameh)… in addition to the debate over a “political”, “technocrat” or “techno-political” government… The ability to speak clearly is very weak. Words betray the speakers.
Addressing the debt with another debt (CEDRE or similar solutions), postponing the crisis, which later falls on our heads with a stronger impact… CEDRE, for example, depends on “reforms” that no one has the power to introduce, and there are those who say that France has completely abandoned this program… There is also no government at all, and nothing suggests that it will be formed soon… The relationship crisis between Hezbollah and the so-called international community complicates every breakthrough; US sanctions are the most important but not the only sign of this crisis…
Moreover, Lebanon’s new rating reduces the likelihood of loans and aid. After every calculation, the economies, on which the Lebanese regime relies for its recovery, are not witnessing their happiest days.
Parallel internal economies and their corresponding political leaderships also serve as crisis distribution networks. Hezbollah’s Secretary-General proposes China, Iran and Assad’s Syria as a remedy!
Politically, it does not look any better: for a moment, one might think of a neo-Shihabism, or a Sudanese-style solution, whereby a short phase would emerge between the popular movement and the transitional military council. But this is impossible with the presence of Hezbollah. The party is worried about the Lebanese Army assuming any general political role. At a time of the US retreat, the world has shown concern only through a visit to Beirut by a French delegation headed by the chief of the Foreign Ministry’s department for the Middle East.
Because the crisis is comprehensive, everything seems to be collapsing. All kinds of righteous demands fall on the street, and they affect everything: environment, water, electricity, education, nationality, housing, classes, sectors, regions, families, individuals…
Democracy has ceased to absorb conflicts, not only because we are living in a time of populism, but also for two other reasons: In Lebanon, the money’s ingestion of politics has become a typical example. Democracy has become a veil for the whales of money. Very large segments of the Lebanese have begun to emerge from the tents of consensual philosophy.
National unity governments have completed the task of undermining democracy. Gebran Bassil’s provocation has already done so.
Capitalism is also not a cure because, in Lebanon, it is something else called “the ideology of money” that runs counter to the “spirit of capitalism”. The ideology of money and the accumulation of wealth are essentially a characteristic of pre-capitalist societies. The latter, on the other hand, are made through production, labor, and hard work, but also through austerity.
The ideology of money boasts of money and exposes it with indecent immorality: huge salaries for the managers of institutions, companies, and banks, and lavish weddings for their children. “Stars” are born in excess, palaces, real estate, luxury cars, stock market champions, they call them “golden boys”...
Capitalism, on the contrary, has a sense of guilt because it is also a drive to build a society and carry the banner of modernization, development and the expansion of its middle classes.
“The ideology of money” is today a global crisis, especially a crisis of ours. Its masters are described as thieves and are required to return looted funds.
Riad Salameh did not reassure us about the resulting consequences: The decrease in import financing and the failure to meet the depositors’ requests… This is happening in a “capitalist” country, which imports most of what it consumes!
The solution? A parliament session was postponed under popular pressure. The intentions of the next session are difficult to postpone: the political class seemed to deal with the revolution as if it had not taken place, by circumventing the judiciary and further undermining its independence, as well as smuggling amnesty for the corrupt under-declared amnesty for the oppressed: With this mentality, the rulers “think”.
This situation will not last long. The revolution, even if it is not suppressed, may not be able to remain peaceful. Those, who are crushed by hunger and despair, might abandon their politeness. Voices, which remain unheard, might turn into hurtful acts.
Who can ensure - after this kind of official response - that violence will not erupt against banks and the homes of politicians and the wealthy? And who guarantees that terrorist movements and organizations will not arise from frustration?
This impasse is difficult to treat. But those who caused the tragedy should better stay away from the public scene, today before tomorrow.
