Does Hizbullah get to stay "special"?

Is Syria likely to completely withdraw its armed forces from Lebanon in the near future?

Syria is definitely feeling pressure from the popular uprising that started to stir after the murder of former prime minister Rafik Hariri. But Syria's departure is only part of Lebanon's complicated political liberation process. There is another looming question: What will happen to Hizbullah's (Shiite) armed forces, a paramilitary movement of resistance to Israel?

So far, the growing opposition to Syria's occupation of Lebanon includes most Sunnites, as well as virtually all Christians and Druzes. The Shiite community is still hesitant about joining the opposition.

The Shiites are the largest religious sect in Lebanon and the most organized politically. They have two quasi- political parties, Amal and Hizbullah; the latter is the stronger and more militant. Hizbullah is a "state within a state" in Lebanon. It is represented in the parliament; it has a wide infrastructure of social services; and above all, it has a militia that has refused to demilitarize after the end of the civil war in 1989. All other militias have disbanded in compliance with the Ta'if peace accord.

In the 1990s , Hizbullah, gained popularity through its effective resistance to the Israeli occupation of south Lebanon. After Israel withdrew from Lebanon in 2000, Hizbullah was expected to integrate its forces into the Lebanese army and focus on political and social services. But Hizbullah refused to do so, calling itself a force of resistance not only for Lebanon, but for the region.

Hizbullah's unusual freedom of military action in Lebanon is surprising, given the disarming of all other militia after civil war ended and Israel withdrew from south Lebanon. So is there a relationship between the Syrian occupation and the unique "militia permit" that Hizbullahenjoys? Some Lebanese speculate that Syria has supported the Hizbullah militia because Syria's occupation of Lebanon can be justified as long as there is a "security alert" in the country.

Iran also supports Hizbullah's militia, both financially and ideologically. Hizbullah has served Syria and Iran as a Lebanese front of resistance against Israel. Both Syria and Iran have legitimate claims against Israel's occupation of Palestinian land and Syria's Golan Heights . However, Hizbullah's defense of the Palestinians, and the Golan has been at the expense of Lebanese unity and sovereignty. Syria has indirectly fueled sectarian politics in Lebanon by keeping the Hizbullah militia alive.

Many Lebanese would argue that both Syria and Hizbullah protected Lebanon at critical moments in the recent past. But they would hasten to add that the new political realities require the Lebanese state to assume the full responsibility of running the country and to resume a monopoly on the use of force.

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