Is Michel Aopun The Squeaky Wheel of Lebanese Politics?

Politics imitates life in Lebanon, especially the phenomenon of Michel Aoun. His constant protestations and continuous squabbles appear to be designed to bring attention to himself. His behaviour is nothing short of the total belief on his part that the squeaky wheel gets the grease. The General does not let an opportunity pass by without fulminating about it and without making sure that his silly and often meaningless and superficial tirades are heard by everyone. Unfortunately this childish and immature behaviour has been paying off. Michel Aoun squeaks and the whole cabinet runs to apply the grease in order to appease his tantrums. We all know, or at least we should know, what happens to the poor parent who keeps giving in to the screams of the child in supermarkets and public places. The parent winds up in spoiling the child silly and in encouraging the disruptive behaviour. Many psychologists and social workers council exactly the reverse policy in order to instill in the offending child what is acceptable and what is not. Do not give in to the child if you do not want to help create a monster, what needs to be done is to demonstrate that responsible behaviour is encouraged while the reaction that is based on screaming and carrying on is simply infantile, unproductive and is not to be tolerated.
It is time that PM Saniora, Saad Hariri and all the other March 14 politicians start treating Michel Aoun just like the attention craving individual that he is. Do not give in to his demands but instead require that he undergoes a behaviour modification of significant proportions if he expects to be listened to or to be taken seriously just like a grown up. It is time that the current majority stop rewarding the squeaky wheel by rushing to shower it with attention that it does not deserve.
In the same way that children ,often, develop bad habits when the grown ups in their lives do not discourage them from adopting unacceptable and antisocial habits politicians can often be encouraged to “misbehave” whenever the political hierarchy rewards their inexcusable rants instead of ignoring their empty protestations for what they are. It is time that a legitimate offer is made to the political group that Mr. Aoun represents and that if he chooses to refuse the offer then that should be his prerogative but that his illegitimate protestations and screams should not be rewarded.