Voices from the Arab press: A Vietnamese lesson for Lebanon

China was, along with the Soviet Union, one of the most supportive countries for Vietnam in the wars of liberation from the French army and then from the American army. Lebanon must learn this important lesson from the Vietnamese politician. In Lebanon, leaders typically fall in one of two camps: either they blindly support everything and anything about Iran, America, France, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Egypt and any other country involved in Lebanese politics, or they are completely against them.

On one hand, we have people who support foreign intervention so much that they forget about the interests of their own country. On the other hand, we have those who are so militant and suspicious of foreign intervention that they are willing to see our country continue to suffer from repeated crises. Rarely do we see leaders doing both: finding a healthy and nuanced middle ground.

The Vietnamese approach was successful in three regards. First, Vietnam resisted the foreign occupation imposed upon it and ensured that political decisions were made on the basis of its own national interests, not the interests of other nations. Second, Vietnam accurately understood the balance of power and resisted the temptation to side with actors whose power was on the decline. Third, Vietnam managed to liberate itself from foreign occupation through a steadfast campaign, without allowing its military to take over civil and political life. Nothing suggests that we have learned this lesson.

Unlike Obama, Eisenhower began his term in office with a cold stance toward his allies, but ended it with a warm one. Obama’s story is recent and well known, but what is Eisenhower’s story? In an important book by the political scientist Mike Doran, titled Ike’s Gamble, Doran details this dramatic shift in Eisenhower’s foreign policy – from one alienating America’s closest allies to one seeking to appease them. When Eisenhower arrived at the White House in the early fifties, he witnessed “colonial” forces leaving the Middle East and national liberation forces emerging. He had to choose between the two camps.

He faced two problems at the time. First, the forces whose power was on the decline in the Middle East – the British, French and Israelis – were Washington’s allies. At the same time, he wanted to win President Gamal Abdel Nasser as an ally, and thus attract him to the circle of American influence and away from the Soviet sphere. The Eisenhower administration had full faith that friendship with Nasser meant his ability to influence all revolutionary forces around the world and draw them to the American camp.

Second, Eisenhower needed to ensure the steady flow of oil to Europe, which was in dire need to complete the Marshall Plan after World War II. The White House wanted to create a friendly Middle Eastern environment under Nasser’s leadership that would not cause any trouble, by approaching the revolutionary forces at the expense of the traditional forces and even weakening them if necessary.

The biggest sign of trying to win a new friend at the expense of old friends was in the Suez Crisis of 1956, when Eisenhower interfered in every way possible to stop the tripartite aggression and reach a ceasefire. (He later regretted it, when he realized that overthrowing Nasser would have saved him many troubles he later faced in the Middle East, which is why he supported Israel unwaveringly during the Six Day War of 1967.) Eisenhower’s determination to win over the new friend made him reject the pleas of British prime minister Anthony Eden to provide his country with oil. Many concessions made by the Eisenhower administration in order to win over Abdel Nasser did not work, and Eisenhower realized after years of attempts that he was making a serious political mistake and that Abdel Nasser was procrastinating and buying time, and would not be the reliable friend that Washington aspired to woo.

As India battles its second wave of COVID-19 and struggles to cope with its faltering medical infrastructure, another health crisis has begun to unfold in the country. Doctors warn of the emergence of “mucous membrane fungus,” which is also known as “black fungus” – a disease that can be fatal. This fungus is commonly found in the environment, including in soil. A number of coronavirus patients, especially those with weakened immune systems, were found to be affected by black fungus while recovering from COVID-19. In addition to the cases of the coronavirus, which are still very high, an increasing number of cases of black fungus have been identified in India, which puts more burden on the country’s faltering health system.

There are reports of thousands of people suffering from black fungus across the country, with more than 10,000 people contracting the rare disease. More than 100 people have officially died so far due to this new threat. This fungus is found in humid environments and affects the respiratory system. While healthy people are not susceptible, it does affect those who have a weakened immune system, according to the US National Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Although it is not contagious, it does attack the sinuses and lungs and can lead to symptoms ranging from facial swelling to fever, skin ulcers and black lesions in the mouth.

This rare disease begins as a skin infection in the inner cavity pockets of the face, nose, forehead, cheekbones, and between the eyes and teeth, according to Indian doctors. Then it spreads to the eyes and lungs, and even the brain. When the first wave of the coronavirus reached its climax in September of last year, the number of infections in India reached 97,000 a day. This time around, the number of cases exceeds 400,000 per day, with the number of deaths exceeding 4,000 each day.

It is clear that black fungus is a huge problem. While more than 12 Indian states have reported cases of black fungus, the western states of Gujarat and Maharashtra are the hardest hit. As India battles this double threat, the message is clear: The country will have to spend more on its health infrastructure.