Lebanon: Will Hezbollah-Backed Government Be Iran Proxy?

Jennifer Rubin writes that a Hezbollah-controlled government is essentially an Iranian “conquest” of Lebanon and represents a “horrible setback” for U.S. attempts to counter growing Iranian influence in the region.  She quotes Tony Badran of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies who says that the current situation shows that the “main driver is Iran” along with Elliott Abrams who said that the U.S. may still be able to effectively back anti-Hezbollah opposition in Lebanon.  Zvi Bar’el argues the opposite, that Lebanon is not more Iranian or “Hezbollian” than it was before the crisis.  He points out the new Prime Minister Najib Mikati is not a a representative of Hezbollah, had served in the government of slain former PM Rafik Hariri, and has received foreign backing as well: “If Mikati has the support of Saudi Arabia, Syria and France, the United States will have a hard time opposing him.”