On the threshold of February 14, the third anniversary of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri’s assassination, certain hardline leaders of the country are trying to plunge Lebanon into a new civil war.

Earlier this week, MP Walid Jumblatt, who is a key member of the pro-government March 14 group, irresponsibly said that his camp is ready to enter into street battles with the opposition March 8 group.
In a press conference, Jumblatt addressed the March 8 group leaders, including the heads of Hezbollah and Amal, saying, “If you want chaos, we welcome chaos. If you want war, we welcome war. We have no problem with weapons and no problem with rockets, we can take the rockets from you.”
Moreover, March 14 group leader Saad Hariri, who also happens to be the son of the slain former prime minister, made similar statements this week in a television interview, saying that Lebanon has witnessed a string of assassinations since February 14, 2005 and if the country is destined for confrontation, the March 14 group is ready.
As Hariri’s comments were being broadcast, gunshots were fired near the parliament building, hitting a policeman on guard.
On Sunday, in the southern suburbs of Beirut, unknown persons tore down the placards and posters of Hezbollah leaders, wrote slogans against the group on walls, and put up pictures of Rafik Hariri.
Such actions prove that hidden hands are seeking to implement the managed chaos strategy devised by the United States to create disorder in Lebanon.
The plan was hatched to take advantage of the political vacuum caused by the impasse in the presidential election to create sectarian and political conflicts in Lebanon which would spark a civil war and allow the Zionist regime to reoccupy Lebanese territory on the border under the pretext that the area had become insecure.
Such a situation would weaken anti-Zionist groups like Hezbollah and Amal and strengthen rival groups which act in line with U.S. and Israeli policy.
In addition, the failure of Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa’s efforts to help Lebanon’s political parties reach a consensus on choosing a president has resulted in an increase in internal tension.
Moussa’s mission fell flat due to the totalitarian March 14 movement’s intransigent stance and the disagreement between the March 8 and March 14 groups over the makeup of the future cabinet.
Clearly, any rash or suspicious move would exacerbate the already tense situation and eventually lead the country into a dangerous phase in which the Lebanese nation would be the biggest loser and the winners would be the United States and Israel