/pol/ - International /Pol/itics & /Bant/er

The story of the Lebanese Shi'a is an incredible underdog narrative

Lebanon is unique because its demographics are split almost exactly 3 ways between Christians, Sunnis, and Shi'ites
Shi'ites are concentrated in the South and Beqaa valley regions of Lebanon. During and after the French colonial era, they were the poorest and marginalized people often ignored in national spending and looked down upon by the Sunni and Christian elites.

After Lebanon became independent, there was a formal agreement called The National Pact of 1943. This reserves certain top-level roles to split power amongst the 3 religious groups. The President of Lebanon is always a Christian, and the Prime Minister is always a Sunni, but Shi'a are reserved a lower role, The Speaker of Parliament. This demonstrates the contempt and superiority the Sunnis and Christians had towards the Shi'ites.

The Shi'a majority regions continued to be underserved and poorer. This was, until they mobilized to form organizations which would allow them to help themselves, since their country wouldn't help them. The Amal Movement was the first. It provided important services, built infrastructure, and made something of the southern regions. With the help of the newly established Islamic Republic of Iran, a new organization came to power, Hezbollah, which surpassed Amal. Unlike the Jewish propaganda narrative, Hezbollah is not simply "a terrorist organization". It is the dominant political faction of Shi'ite Lebanon. It formed a Militia and real economic capabilities so strong, that it eventually surpassed the rest of Lebanon entirely. Hezbollah's military wing is substantially more powerful than the Lebanese Armed Forces, the official state army. It has its own internal workings and operation, and doesn't answer to the UN or any western powers.

This is why Lebanese Sunnis and Christians hate Hezbollah. Their eternal contempt and superiority complex brewed a homegrown revolution and the establishment of a self-determining power. They call it "A state within a state" and want it dismantled, but they can't dismantle Hezbollah, because It is the new Lebanon, and the decadent Sunni and Christian elites can't do anything about it