Irony of the Sort

Impartiality is a principle of justice holding that decisions should be based on objective criteria, rather than on the basis of bias, prejudice, or preferring the benefit to one party over another for improper reasons. Lebanon’s inability to solve its crisis is due to improbable reforms and an impossible revolution, not precluding an intangible independent and impartial judiciary that extends to the military courts. Wonder why?

The following is a brief expose of the factors , interests, and influences at play in the minds and hearts of each of the 6.9 million Lebanese within Lebanon.

Dominant Powers

The United States, Russia, Israel, Saudi Arabia, GCC States, Iran, Turkey; and Syria, influence on Lebanon's social-economic scene.

Religions

The Maronite Catholic; Eastern Orthodox; Melkite Catholic; Chaldean Catholic; Syriac Catholic, Armenian Catholic; Armenian Orthodox; Protestant; Sunni; Shi'ite; Alawite; Jewish; and Druze, hierarchies and traditions.

Fraternal Organisations

The District Grand Lodge of Lebanon under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Scotland; and The Free and Accepted Masons of DC in Lebanon under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia, impetus.

Parties

Although most Lebanese Political Parties maintain that they are secular, the major political parties in Lebanon are loosely representative of a certain faith community. In 2005, the political scene is strongly polarized with most active political parties belonging to either the 8th and 14th of March alliances. Since then, this division has become less and less significant as coalition governments became the norm. The following is the list of political parties within the two alliances and beyond.

March 8 Alliance (35 bodies)

Free Patriotic Movement; Amal Movement; Hezbollah; Marada Movement; Syrian Social Nationalist Party; Armenian Revolutionary Federation; Dignity Movement; Lebanese Democratic Party; Union Party; Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party; Popular Nasserite Organization; Islamic Charitable Projects Association; Arab Democratic Party; Movement of Independent Nasserites - al-Murabitoun; Worker's League; Solidarity Party; Popular Bloc or Skaff Bloc; People's Movement; Lebanese Republican Party; Christian Democratic Party; Nasserite Unification Movement; Islamic Labor Front; Lebanese Unification Movement; Lebanese Popular Congress; Promise Party or National Secular Democratic Party; Federation of Popular Leagues and Committees; Socialist Arab Union; Union of Muslim Ulama; Democratic Nasserite Movement; Lebanese Arab Struggle Movement; Alawite Youth Movement; Lebanese Democratic Youth Union; Islamic Unification Movement; Akkar Popular Assembly; and National Youth Party.

March 14 Alliance (17 bodies)

Future Movement; Lebanese Forces; Progressive Socialist Party; Kataeb Party (Lebanese Phalange Party); Independence Movement; National Liberal Party; National Bloc Party; Islamic Group; Democratic Left; Democratic Renewal; Social Democrat Hunchakian Party; Armenian Democratic Liberal Party – Ramgavar; Free Lebanese Armenian Movement; Free Shiite Movement; Lebanese Peace Party; Muahedeen Group; and Syriac Union Party.

Other Parties in Lebanon (60 bodies)

Shuraya Party; ; Azm Movement; National Dialogue Party; Lebanese National Bloc; Lebanese Communist Party; Citizens in a State; Sabaa Party; Green Party of Lebanon; Party of Lebanon; KAFEH! Movement; Taghyir Movement; Hizb ut-Tahrir; Socialist Arab Lebanon Vanguard Party; The Phoenician Party (Lebanese Phoenician Party); United Lebanese League; Movement of Lebanese Nationalism; also known as Guardians of the Cedars; Aramean Democratic Organisation; Democratic Socialist Party; Phoenician Party; Islamic Gathering Movement; Lebanese Democratic Movement; Lebanese Movement; Lebanese Option Gathering; Lebanese People's Front; Liberty Front (also Lebanese Forces Resistance; Lebanese Christian Resistance); Al-Hizb al-Jumhury al-Mustakel; Najjadeh Party; National Progressive Movement; The United Phoenician Party (also International Lebanese United Phoenician Party); National Labor Movement; Islamic Jihad Movement (Lebanon); New Lebanese Movement; The Independents; Republican Reform Party; Arab Socialist Party; Lebanese Labor Party; Democratic Labor Party; Democratic Secular Party; Lebanese Ecology Party; Popular Democratic Party; Party of Socialist Revolution; Free Alternative; National Party; Lebanese Arab Movement; Lebanese National League; Lebanese Resistance Brigades; Nasserite Nationalist Organisation; Justice and Development movement; Cedars Movement; Organization of Communist Action; Revolutionary Communist Group; Leftist Assembly for Change; Civil society Movement; Southern Christian Assembly; Kurdish Democratic Party; Razkari Party; Lebanese secular Movement; Guardians of the Cedars; Regressive Isolationist Party; and the Islamic Amal Movement.

Defunct Parties (7 bodies)

Lebanese Resistance Movement (Tanzim); Lebanese Youth Movement (MKG); Constitutional Bloc Party; The Great Lebanese Labor Party; Deprived Movement; Arab Nationalists Movement; and Social Democratic Youth.

Government

Three powers of government are at play, its legislative power making the laws; executive power carrying out enforcing the laws; and judicial power interpreting laws, judging whether they apply. All thus far proving to be but tools for sidestepping if not breaking the laws, defeat of values, and abuse of power.

Banks

The 13 top tier, 22 locally incorporated, and 10 foreign banks of Lebanon could be understood as the interest group with the most influence on Lebanon's economic policy. They are organically linked to political leadership not merely as allies, but as partners. According to a recent study, four out of the top 10 banks have more than 70 percent of their shares attributed to crony capital. If the uprising is against Lebanon's ruling oligarchy, then few deserve the title of oligarch better than the bankers.

Society

The hierarchy and values differ between traditional families in Lebanon and the families that have lived in cities (or internationally) for many years. However, family cohesion and solidarity is considered to be crucially important to the Lebanese regardless of their family configuration. In collectivist cultures such as Lebanon, the family is seen as the basic unit of society, a unified singularity.

The predominant culture is fundamentally conservative and exhibits a great deal of respect for traditions, drawing on many Arab customs. Long-standing Islamic and Christian traditions remain deeply ingrained in social norms and expectations. However, many practices and lifestyles also reflect European influences.

Lebanese Diaspora

The Lebanese diaspora consists of approximately 8.6 - 14 million, both Lebanese-born living abroad and those born-abroad of Lebanese descent. The majority of the Lebanese in the diaspora are Christians, disproportionately so in the Americas where the vast majority reside.

Throughout its history, the Lebanese diaspora used the Lebanese identity to create strong networks to help its members out to develop productive and profitable activities. Over the course of time, immigration has indeed yielded Lebanese "commercial networks" throughout the world. Thus, the trust of foreign depositors is inextricably linked to the expectation weighing on the Lebanese society as a whole.

Got the big picture? Can you spot a way out of the current sort?

Food for thought!