The rebel forces in Syria have reported that in the recent bitter fighting in the strategic town of Qusair, they saw very few Syrian army troops, and that they were beaten back mainly by Hezbollah militiamen.

But these victories — important as they may be in themselves — won't save the regime of President Bashar Assad, and no less significantly, they will have a largely detrimental effect on the future of Hezbollah and its leader.

One can imagine that Assad's rule might end quickly, perhaps with a burst of automatic fire, a strike of the executioner's sword or a town-square lynching. The political demise of Hezbollah's secretary general, Hassan Nasrallah, will be gradual, but it is already clear that his historic role has ended.