Is Hassan Nasrallah popular among Muslims or Christians?
DC: I talked to a Sunni economist, educated at the London School of Economics, who calls Nasrallah a demi-god. “The right man for the right moment” is how he characterized him. His sentiment, shared by many, is that Nasrallah never makes a promise he doesn’t keep, and that he’s incorruptible. This distinguishes him from the rest of the power elites in Lebanon, many of whom are ex-warlords who keep recycling back into power. These guys live like rock stars. On the Christian side you have a huge number, the supporters of Michel Aoun, who are the main allies of Hezbollah. They don’t seem at all threatened by the rise in Shia influence and don’t think it will mean an end to girls wearing bikinis on the beach. This is about power, not religion. OM: What are the main foreign forces that directly or indirectly influence Lebanese politics? DC: Lebanon is a very small country of about 4 million, the size of a middling city, and it has long been manipulated by powerful outside forces. For Lebane
