US plans to build Embassy in Hezbollah Area of Beirut

The news report by ABC News on US plans to build an embassy in a Hezbollah area of Beirut comes as part of growing US involvement in the internal affairs of Lebanon.

Here however, interesting questions arise when one puts into context this move in light of what has unfolded in Lebanon within the last year. It is evidently non-sensical for the US to build an embassy on the proposed site and these plans began way before 2006; what thus were the US strategic motives of the War on Lebanon waged by Israel in 2006? More accurately, what were the motives and interests of the US in the war on Lebanon? In what way did they use the UN Security council to achieve these goals seeing that they had detailed plans and wished to spread their tentacles to the strongholds of Hezbollah? Even more importantly, has the US foregone these motives with the defeat of the Israelis in the War?

It is clear that the proposed US Embassy was part of the overall strategy of Israel's war on Lebanon and Olmert's declarations on the 'wiping out' of Hezbollah.

Extracts from ABC Report:

The Blotter has learned that plans for a controversial new U.S. Embassy in Beirut have been put on hold indefinitely, and effectively killed, according to a U.S. State Department spokesperson.

The news came just hours after we reported the State Department had been pushing ahead with plans to build the new embassy in a part of Beirut controlled by the militant anti-American group Hezbollah, despite strong protests from the U.S. ambassador in Lebanon.

A U.S. official tells the Blotter on ABCNews.com that Ambassador Jeffrey Feltman, in a May 31, 2007 classified cable to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, registered his strong objections, saying his staff "unanimously opposes construction" of the embassy on the proposed site.




Feltman also said in the cable that his local staff would be "an easy target" for Hezbollah and that U.S. diplomats would "be under siege" during any conflict.

"It boggles the mind," says former State Department security official Tony Diebler. "Any reasonable person that looks at that site, does their homework and sees who controls the area would determine that it's a foolish, dangerous idea to build the embassy there," Diebler said in an interview to be broadcast on ABC News' "World News With Charles Gibson."

But officials say the State Department official in charge of embassy construction, Maj. Gen. Charles Williams (RET) is insisting the embassy be built on the site, which was purchased by the U.S. two years ago for more than $22 million.

In his cable to Secretary Rice, Ambassador Feltman said Gen. Williams maintained it was important to proceed with the proposed site in Baabda area of Beirut because of "the Department's relations with Congress and our global building objectives."

Gen. Williams declined requests from ABCNews.com to comment.

U.S. officials say Williams has ignored how conditions have changed in Beirut since the 2006 Israeli-Hezbollah war.

The officials say Hezbollah, not the government of Lebanon, controls the Baabda area and could sever access to the area at will.

State Department officials say they have been advised by the U.S. military that had the embassy been located at the Baabda site during the summer war, the U.S. military would have only come in once to evacuate the staff.

"Anytime Hezbollah wants to shut the place down," said former State Department security official Diebler, "they're capable of doing it and the loss of life would be tremendous."

The dispute between the U.S. Embassy in Beirut and the State Department in Washington has been simmering since late last year.

At one point, the U.S. Embassy refused to allow a State Department official from Washington, James Golden, managing director of the Emergency Projects Coordinating Office, permission to enter the country for the embassy project by denying normally standard "country clearance."

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• hezbollah
• us
• embassy
• lebanon
• usa
• america
• new
• middle
• east
• israel
• war
• summer
• halutz
• olmert
• bush
• feltman
• condi
• rice

[PadawanOsswe]

you know, americans never went into lebanon to fight you idiots! they went into lebanon in order to put your lives back together and keep the peace. but what did you do? you fought us. you didnt need to! you could have just let America,Britain,France,and Italy put your country back together! but you didnt...and your war continued until everybody lost! and now lebanon is a complete shithole! all thanks to your militias and the other imbeciles with guns.

[mingoi313]

Ohh really. Is that true?! Can you please do yourself a favour and look at the intervention of the US in Lebanon on the pretext of the Eisenhower Doctrine. After reading your post, I almost felt like the US military was part of the humanitarian military wing of the UN.

As for the civil war, the US allied itself with one party at the expense of the other, hence losing any standing as a non-biased peace broker. Go and return to the historical record, before giving us lessons dear.

[kalijasin]

So when this embassy is bombed in Beirut we will have an excuse to take out Hezbollah? It's not hard to figure out what we would want an embassy in parts of Lebanon controlled by Hezbollah.

[Aloosh12]

we dont hate the americans wtf.. they aint a terrorist organisation. we hate the government and trust me my friend u want security go have a tour in hezbollah areas and you would wana live with them.

[hussien2632]

@PadawanOsswe go to hell lebanon is our country we dont want to let you take it over we dont need your shit lebanon will never be an american country and it will never be an israel country every budy knows what you did for lebanon in 1982 you help israel but we we got there ass out ill tell you who we are we are 1982 we are the ones that sit and stand on fire for the people and for lebanon we are 1996 and 2006 we are the ones that sleep in the mouth of a dragon we are 93s we are the true promiss

[webhoster00]

Dated video.

The sunni radicals backed by the west were ousted by Christians and Hezbollah.

[xMaXiMuSx]

Inside job.

[IExposeMormonism]

find out where the 22 million came from and who owns it and you'll have a partial answer. This place is a set up to loose life and then make an excuse to attack Lebanon's people and occupy/control it.

[hen8167]

@bobhk3 you mean the khawan side of lebanon. lol

[philipdcrusader]

@Aloosh12 Who are you fooling?



[redtreepython]

look at bombs going off in the city that's nutz

[bassemdadada]

BULLLLLLLLLLSHIIITTTT, They want to build it in hadath !!!!! hadath is a 95 % christian area !!!!!!!!! its 2 min from my house

[12imams]

good luck... they dream again..! remember the last time u came there..!

[bobhk3]

there is allready an US embassy in the christian's area=peacefull area=real side of lebanon