AT LAST, A REASON FOR THE NEOCONS TO SUPPORT HEZBOLLAH:

U.S. support hurt candidate in Lebanon (Hassan M. Fattah, August 9, 2007, International Herald Tribune)

There has been talk of the Christian vote and the Armenian vote, of history and betrayal. One explanation, however, that all agree on proved crucial in this race: Gemayel's support by the Bush administration, and the implied agendas behind such support, seem to have helped doom him. [...]

But more important, U.S. support is often applied to one faction instead of institutions, causing further division rather than bringing about stability.

Arab liberals who have embraced America continue to see their influence fade in the region as more conservative and Islamist forces continue to rise, Rasheed said. Voters invariably frown on strength coming from abroad, he said; the only legitimate sources of strength any Arab politician can turn to are either tribal-based or religious-based.

"Last Sunday we saw that even if you are a former president running for a seat in Parliament, in a small area where everybody knows you, you can't make it with American support," Rasheed said.