Power Ploy

Defying public opinion in their homelands, the Saudi, Egyptian and Jordanian governments promptly condemned Hezbollah’s actions against Israel. The governments have reason for changing positions regarding Hezbollah, according to author Marc Lynch, the most important being that their leaders view the Lebanon crisis as a way to “demonstrate their value to the US,” thus stopping calls for democratization. Leaders speculate that the US could slow pushing for Arab democracy, considering that candidates hostile to the US are likely to win elections. Promoting democracy in the Arab world has been a key component in US strategy. The Lebanon crisis could carry the tragic and hidden cost of quelling any hopes for democracy throughout the region. – YaleGlobal