Hezbollah's Nasrallah walks a tight rope

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Their official position remained firmly in favor of the Syrian government, but they nevertheless called on their Syrian allies to institute serious political and economic reforms, and at one point tried to play the mediator between the Syrian street, opposition and government.

That did not work because as far as the anti-regime street goes, Hezbollah is not an honest broker, having clearly taken sides with Syrian officialdom "because of its support for the Lebanese resistance".

As the crisis in Syria unfolds, Nasrallah will have to walk a tightrope, maintaining an alliance with his traditional friends but, meanwhile, reaching out to other segments of society.

For years, political cunning, as far as he was concerned, was needed only for the complex game of Lebanese politics. He didn't need to maneuver much in order to endear himself to the masses in Syria; they supported him regardless. All he had to do was be himself and that guaranteed him full support on the Syrian street.

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/MK02Ak02.html