Disaster in Lebanon seen as ‘opportunity’ by U.S. & Israel

The world looked on in shock as a massive explosion ripped through the Beirut port on Aug. 4 killing hundreds, wounding thousands and displacing hundreds of thousands. This comes during the COVID-19 pandemic, and just months after the Lebanese economy collapsed, leaving half the population in poverty. The UN is now warning of a humanitarian crisis. What the people of Lebanon need now is solidarity and an immediate and massive aid effort, proportionate to the damage done, and given to all without political strings. But where the people see humanitarian crisis, imperialism sees opportunity. Just as billionaires in the U.S. saw the COVID-19 pandemic as a chance to make ever more profits, the U.S. government sees suffering in Lebanon as an opportunity to manipulate this terrible tragedy to increase its own leverage in the country at the expense of Lebanese sovereignty and to the advantage of Israel. On Aug 4, 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate exploded on Beirut’s port. The blast, so powerful it was heard and felt in Cyprus, left a 141-foot-deep crater. The death toll so far is 200, including Syrian nationals who worked at the port; 6,000 have been injured, and 300,000 made homeless by the blast. The explosion demolished some of the wealthiest, mostly Christian neighborhoods in Achrafieh, along with three hospitals. It blasted out windows and doors throughout the city. It destroyed the entire country’s grain supply, stored nearby and closed the Beirut port, which is so necessary for Lebanon’s economic survival. Gross government negligence The highly combustible ammonium nitrate, which can be used for fertilizer or explosives, had been stored at the port for more than six years, since it was unloaded from a disabled cargo ship. Numerous officials at the port, in in the trade, finance and other ministries, in the judicial system and elsewhere knew of the situation, yet none sought a solution for disposing of this highly flammable substance. This gross and criminal neglect has enraged the Lebanese people not only against the government, but against the whole ruling establishment. Even before the horrific explosion wreaked so much devastation, Lebanon was in crisis. For years, under Lebanon’s sectarian and patronage-based political system, the one percent looted the government’s coffers while adhering to an IMF plan charging workers and the poor ever-higher taxes. This economic Ponzi scheme fell apart in October, after the government had became so dysfunctional that it couldn’t even provide 24-hour electricity, tap water or pick up the garbage. The collapse of the economy sunk into poverty fully half the population, including Syrian and Palestinian refugees. Even before the explosion, millions were jobless, with some reduced to stealing food to feed their children, and borrowing from banks to pay rent. Enraged protests It is no wonder that after the explosion the reaction of the Lebanese people was pure rage at the government and the political elite that ran it as their private fund. Furious demonstrators have poured into Martyrs Square daily since Aug. 8, sometimes 10,000 strong, fighting pitched battles when police tried to disperse or contain them. The day after the blasts, a popular WhatsApp message was in wide circulation: “Today, we mourn. Tomorrow, we clean. The day after, we hang them.” Many from all political spectrums were seen in demonstrations holding nooses. The protests had a level of anger against the government and the country’s leaders not seen before in Lebanon. Read the full article: https://www.liberationnews.org/disaster-in-lebanon-seen-as-opportunity-by-u-s-israel/