Hezbollah to IMF: Keep the Money Coming
From the New York Times (h/t Carl in Jerusalem) comes this unfortunately unsurprising story of Hezbollah making preparations to insure that it can enjoy the fruits of any election victory in Lebanon, and that the EU and IMF will continue to send money once Lebanon becomes a de facto state sponsor of terrorism:
The talks this month reflected concerns here about a possible drop in international donor and investor confidence should the political alliance led by Hezbollah – considered a terrorist group by the United States and Israel – gain a majority for the first time. Many analysts believe that outcome is likely, though the race is considered too close to call.
Lebanon’s current governing majority, which has tried unsuccessfully to disarm Hezbollah, has depended on heavy financial support from the West and oil-rich Persian Gulf states, especially Saudi Arabia. In Beirut last week, Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. said future American support to Lebanon, which includes military aid, would depend on the elections’ outcome.
European governments have not issued any such veiled threats, and Western leaders have recently shown a greater willingness to engage in political dialogue with Hezbollah’s patrons, Iran and Syria. Britain’s Foreign Office said in March that it would re-establish relations with Hezbollah’s political wing.
The European Union provides about $84 million a year to Lebanon, and the International Monetary Fund provides about $114 million, aid that will be coming up for reauthorization soon.
Perhaps ironically, this story came out the same day that the U.S Treasury department identified West African Hezbollah supporters as financial supporters of terrorism and took steps to block their assets. A positive step, but if the IMF does allow fund transfers to Lebanon when Hezbollah controls the purse strings, it will be very much a matter of closing the barn door when the cow is long gone.