Amin Gemayel: victory for sovereign Lebanon possible without violence

In an interview that appears in today's Le Figaro, Amin Gemayel, former president of Lebanon and father of Pierre Gemayel, who was assassinated on and buried today, was asked if he fears a new civil war in that unhappy country:

No.  The 'ingredients' for a civil war don't exist.  Hizballah doesn't want to take  up arms against other Lebanese: this would destroy the prestige it has acquired on the Arab stage.  People are not convinced by its slogans and those of its allies because their pro-Syrian game is so obvious.  This having been said, no one wants to pour oil on the fire, which is why I have appealed for calm.  We have the means to procure a victory for a sovereign Lebanon without having recourse to violence.

We shall see how long Hizballah is prepared to participate non-violently in Lebanon's politics.