Hizbullah's temporary triumph

All pictures in this entry were sent to me by friends and colleagues in Beirut. A.M.

As I start to write this post, a friend wrote to say that,

The fighting has spread throughout the country. In Tripoli and Akkar in the north, Sunnis are fighting and killing Alawites and vice versa. Hizbullah and the Druze PSP have been settling scores in the Chouf Mountains just east of Beirut, including heavy shelling. Muslim-on-Muslim, Sunni-Shi'ia violence has broken out in the ancient cities of Sidon and Tyre in the south and the Bekaa Valley near the Syrian border. The way it looks now, things will be getting a lot worse before they get any better; the dieing continues. To date, the minority Christian population and the Palestinians have managed to stay out of the fighting. However, with would-be president General Michel Aoun gloating on TV yesterday about the successful siege of Beirut having "put the cart back on the right track" and that we can now return to business as usual, it seems to be only a matter of time before his predominantly Maronite Free Patriotic Movement starts taking some flack from the utterly humiliated Sunni and Druze population."

In these past few days I've spoken to many people in Lebanon . The division could not be clearer. Some were glad that Hizbullah and Amal took the streets. Well, they were glad that the above-mentioned private armed forces took, and I quote, "Hariri's gang down", "cleared the streets of PSP and Future Movement thugs", and that Hizbullah protects the country against conspirators that want to transform it into a second Iraq. Oh boy!

Read the rest of this post   |  Comments (12)

Why not neutrality?

I don't care that Syria doesn't want it, or the Palestinians, Iran, the US or the Saudis. To heck with them all! Why can't the Lebanese stand up and say, 'we have had enough of all your plots and we refuse to be used as tools. Is it better to have the ongoing dialogue of the deaf?

If and when that happens, it will be the start of Lebanon's rejuvenation. The idea in itself is not revolutionary. If anything, it is common sense. That is what is lacking in Lebanon's political leadership. From Amal to Hizbullah, to the Lebanese Forces, to Jumblatt's PSP, to Kataeb, communists, leftists, Sunni extremists - all blame the other (s) for asking and following orders from outside.

Read the rest of this post   |  Comments (2)

About the South...

Whenever I am in Lebanon, I try to spend a few days in Bint Jbeil. Away from the city. And more importantly, with people I do not get to see or meet elsewhere. In a Christian village nearby, I sometimes see a priest for a brief conversation. It gives me a better perspective to see all the sides, aside from observing the situation on my own.

Read the rest of this post   |  Comments (2)

The quest for a president

The Presidential elections were again postponed from the 11th to the 25th of March. That was to be expected in light of the political deadlock in Lebanon.

The Lebanese fail to agree among themselves, the French and Arab initiatives failed and now everyone is waiting for something to happen between the major players (and here we have two circles - Saudi Arabia - Syria and US, Israel and Iran) that influence Lebanese internal affairs.

The Lebanese have lost the momentum. All of them are to blame for that. Somehow they always rely on others. States do not have friends or allies, they have only interests, and as such it is stupid of Lebanese politicians to rely on "friends" - they have no friends period. They only have countries that use it to advance their own agenda. Now we have Iran and Syria discussing Lebanon and deciding which course of action/reaction to choose. This is madness in its purest form.

Read the rest of this post   |  Comments (7)

A day in Beirut

Monday should have been a normal day. The plan was to get up at 7 o'clock, have breakfast, make a few calls, go to a meeting, then an interview and see a friend in the evening.

It did not happen this way. At 7 o'clock I could barely open my eyes. The previous weekend was for everything except relaxation. After breakfast, I found out that the official I was supposed to interview is out of the city for a day or so.

I am the kind of gal who does not have indefinite patience. In fact, I lack patience. I decided to go to Dahyeh. Yes, the suburbs also known as Hizbullah's area. I have been there on a few occasions. This time I went to the party's media office.

I gave them a copy of my passport, some information they requested on a paper form for journalists and analysts and people who want to reach one of their MPs. I still have to fax them a letter and afterwards I have to wait for 48 hours for them to make a decision. I cannot say I am optimistic about it. Last year I refused to give them this information and as such I could not officially meet anyone from the party. It's not like I changed my mind, but if this is the only way, then I have to try it.

Read the rest of this post   |  Comments (3)