This is going to be short and straight to the point.
Some Arab countries, notably those who happen to float on oil, have decided to throw expulsion threats at the Lebanese living there if anything happens to their nationals in Lebanon.
It started with Qatar and now Kuwait seems to be following suit. Some Khalijis were even using a hashtag on Twitter recently to get the Lebanese out of their island. They make us feel so loved. “Let the Lebanese out of our countries – they abuse our riches and don’t give anything back in return” was some of what was said.
As if they can manage to run a country to begin with. But that’s another issue altogether.
These countries seem to forget that when their lovely nationals were busy terrorizing it up over at Nahr el Bared, killing our people and army, we didn’t throw threats at them. Sure, you could say we don’t have that leverage. But I’m fairly certain that even if the Lebanese state had the means to buy a national football team, build climatized football stadium and have an income average of more than $100,000, we wouldn’t be as narrow minded, stupid and downright xenophobic as to throw such threats around.
A French national was also kidnapped recently in Lebanon. You don’t see the French state crying like a 5 year old girl over it. On the contrary, they keep their calm together and work towards a diplomatic solution. Simply put, they don’t turn into a PMSing mess.
Why’s that? Because they know that one person doesn’t sum up the whole nation. I’m not sure you’re familiar with that concept though. I’m not also sure you’re familiar with the economic repercussions of the threats you’re throwing around. You think the Lebanese people will suffer for getting expelled out of your country? Perhaps for a short while. But they will manage to find jobs elsewhere – they always do. On the other hand, when your companies become short on workers, will your overly-indulgent nationals accept to work extra hours?
I hardly think so.
Will this be read and reach its respective audience? Obviously not. But sometimes, one has to vent and let it out against those silly countries that some Lebanese want us to love. A place that doesn’t welcome me when the going gets tough is not a place I’d want to be – not one bit.
Conclusion of the recent days: Those Arab countries can only flex their muscles against the countries that they deem lesser than them. When it comes to biceps flexing for the “greater” causes, you see them cower away like the irrelevance that they truly are. I salute you for your riches.
PS: Oil doesn’t last forever.
A Separate State of Mind | A Blog by Elie Fares 
While I agree with the general sentiment, to claim that we *wouldn’t* be as narrow-minded and racist (making an amalgam between a nation and its individual people) were the tables turned is quite far fetched.
I’d actually argue we (the Lebanese) *already* are as racist and narrow-minded if not more.
You seem to forget the reason this came about in the first place?
We (i use the ‘we’ very loosely) decided to kidnap individuals of certain nationalities because we don’t agree with their governments’ stance on the events in Syria.
house of glass -> rocks etc…
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You are equating what some fraction of the Lebanese people are doing – a meaningless fraction at best – with the actions of a state. And that’s where the comparison is unfounded.
You’re suggesting that just because we have narrow-minded people who kidnap people based on their nationalities, we will have a state that does exactly what Qatar is doing. And I don’t think that is true simply because by the time we have that leverage, those people would have become irrelevant themselves.
Therefore, the glass house thing doesn’t apply.
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I just wonder why the army cracks down on those gunmen and kidnappers in Tripoli? I don’t understand why the police or army simply “lay down the law”. Can anyone explain this to me please? In the states if i put the music a bit too high, I would a cop car at my door in less then 5 min saying I am disturbing the peace. In Lebanon people are shooting at each other and the army just sits back and watch.
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Because the gunmen belong to this politician’s people or that.
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Business is business my friend. I also have a love hate relationship with the khaleej. I was born and raised there, where my dad selflessly served their country for his entire life, except the very day his contract ended the family had to pack and leave. This is not a relationship situation, the khalij is a place to make our money, save it, and then leave to a more “civilized” country like the US or denmark.
Trust me not one person whether indian, french or egyptian remotely likes khaleejis, you just gotta take their shit while you make the big bucks and we’re as replaceable as the indians who clean there.
Stay smart, do like those restaurant owners downtown who smile to them when they walk in, and then hand them a different food menu with double the prices when they sit.
Does it mean they’re savage uncivilized people we shouldn’t talk to, of course not, just that their dictators have no dignity, the trend in the ME
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Your story is similar to that of many Lebanese who go there. And even many of whom I spoke to about this said the same thing: we go there to make money so we can spend it elsewhere.
It’s the byproduct of their cultures. But even the business is business argument to possibly explain what they’re doing is unacceptable. A few months back, a Qatari was arrested for crimes he committed in Lebanon at the airport. Qatar threw the same threats in order to have him released. Is that acceptable?
Perhaps the fact that we don’t have that same leverage puts us on a high horse. But I think what they’re doing is unacceptable because so many other “better” countries haven’t done it.
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One person’s idiocy can cause the entire population to be tagged for life..
I would’ve loved to say all what’s going in my mind and confirm everything you’re saying but I live in one of these countries and I’m afraid if I do so I’ll find me kicked out before I even know it..
So just for the record.. Way to go.. I salute you..
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Put simply… Arabs are not our brothers, they don’t respect us and they don’t care about us.
we are not part of their culture ( even thou we adopted many shitty social trends from them) we are not them and they are not us.
they don’t need us any more but we still need them ( sadly)
the Arabs have done this to us time and time again. and did we learn … No
do we do anything about it ? We Can’t.
So what’s the solution?
mmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Good luck sorting that out…
We gave up our heritage so that they like us … but I suppose nothing is enough to please those Idiots .
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