Druze plead for U.S. help in Lebanon

Druze Lebanese, under fire from Hezbollah fighters, pleaded with the United States for an emergency airlift of weapons over the weekend, illustrating growing fears among Christians, Sunni Arabs and Druze that the hard-line Shi’ite militia was preparing to take over the entire country.

“The government, the prime minister and the democratic forces are in grave danger and being attacked by Hezbollah forces. They’ve taken Beirut. They’ve burned the newspaper and closed the television,” a Lebanese source close to the biggest party in Lebanon’s parliament told The Washington Times.

“If you lose Lebanon, you lose the Middle East. If the U.S. does nothing, this sends a chilling message to the rest of the region.”

Druze leaders based in the mountains near Beirut requested U.S. aid over the weekend, according to documents and e-mails obtained by The Times.

Druze officers said they had “enough men” but were short of supplies and equipment to fight Hezbollah.

In one e-mail to U.S. officials, the group asked for 600 AK-47 assault rifles, 100 sniper rifles, hand grenades and other weapons.

“If you can drop the goods by air during the night to the village of Kfar Nabrakh as soon as possible, because Hezbollah is already one village from the Mukhtara coming from Jezzine area, the sooner the better, the battles are getting heavy around Barouk area as there are many Hezbollah casualties not reported by the media,” a Druze officer said Sunday night in an e-mail. His name was redacted for fear of retribution or death.

The supplies, however, never came. The fighting ended with a hastily arranged cease-fire in which Lebanese army troops moved into the Druze area.

Yesterday, new fighting was reported elsewhere.

President Bush said he would discuss the Lebanon crisis during his visit to the region beginning today.

“It is critical that the international community come together to assist the Lebanese people in their hour of need,” Mr. Bush said. “The international community will not allow the Iranian and Syrian regimes, via their proxies, to return Lebanon to foreign domination and control.

“I strongly condemn Hezbollah’s recent efforts to use violence and intimidation to bend the government and people of Lebanon to their will.”

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Hezbollah fighters “should not be in the streets.”

“There is a legitimate government of Lebanon, and we are working with others to support and sustain it,” Miss Rice said.

The attacks by Hezbollah to overthrow pro-democratic groups in Lebanon this past week have pushed more moderate leaders, including Prime Minister Fuad Siniora, into a corner, officials in the country said.

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