On that Syrian support

Amr Moussa is claiming that he received Syrian support for his initiative. Day after day, Lebanese people are discovering how this "support" is translated on the ground.

Beginning with one of Assad's premier stooges in the country, Nabih Berri-- the man who holds the title of parliament speaker-- has refused to even receive a petition by the majority of MPs. Forget that the petition is about calling parliament into session to discuss the Hariri tribunal – the man didn't even want to read the document on grounds it was "illegal".

Perhaps he is content being Assad's lackey. Or perhaps Berri knew that awaiting him was a truck loaded with explosives.

Police on Thursday arrested five members of the Syrian Social National Party (SSNP) in the northern province of Koura and confiscated weapons and explosives, security sources told Naharnet.

One source also said the SSNP office in the Lebanese capital's plush Ras Beirut district was surrounded by police, while members of the Syrian-backed party evacuated another office in the city.

The source, who refused to be identified, said police also confiscated two stolen cars and a "truck load of weapons and explosives."

According to Naharnet, it is likely that these individuals were involved in the assassinations plaguing the country.

Notice how, unlike in the case of the arrests of the LBC bodyguards whilst in training, the Lebanese army intelligence was not involved.

Can you feel the Syrian support?

Comments

[MMMMMMMMM]

We have been screemong for years!! that the SSNP are the primary tool of the syrian inteligence but no one would fucking listen! No matter how much SSNP members they arrest they deserve more! this whole Party should be dismantled again! we know them, and know what they are capable off!!!!

[Amir in Tel Aviv]

This report by Naharnet ( that is being quoted also in Haaretz ) isn't mentioned in other outlets.
Haaretz says that a press conference by the Lebanese police is expected. Let's wait for that.
.

[BadVilbel]

Syrian support, my ass!

And yet again, we see blatant disregard for the state's institutions and constitutional process. So now, Mr. Berri has made himself a tyrant, by getting to decide all on his own, when the state's legislative body gets to convene? What petitions to accept and which ones to reject?
Has he decided that parliament is also illegal? Like the government? On what grounds? Why won't anyone call these assholes on this bullshit? Howcome Berri gets to singlehandedly decide on these matters, but Siniora is not allowed to decide crap without shiite ministers' approval? What kind of double standard is this? These people don't even know how to be consistent in their logic. And the people don't even see it.

You know, I've been joking around about Martial law for a few months now. But I'm starting to think that this country needs military rule for a decade or two. Something to whip everyone into shape and obedience. Lebanon is not ready for democracy. The people need to be taught the rule of law.
I hate to advocate this kind of thing, but I'm honestly out of other ideas. Bring on a strongman. Too bad we don't have one of those military juntas like they do in Burma or places like that.

[Hassan]

Amir,
Aljazeera also announced the arrests.

Abu Kais,
I was just thinking about the security body that made the arrests and both naharnet and aljazeera say it was the Lebanese "police", no mentioning of the army.
So it could be the branch of the ISF that is working closely with the UNIIIC. Or it's possible, like you said, they were trying to keep it away from Syrian/Lebanese army intelligence.

[another_someone]

You do, they are called HA. Besides, what makes you think they are better than the corrupt politicians?

[another_someone]

Answering BV.

[BadVilbel]

another_someone,

I'm not talking about an extremist religious "strongman". I'm talking about the military. Of course, even our military is not capable of such a feat, because it's not a strong institution in the first place.
Military juntas that have ruled some of these small countries that I refer to (such as Burma, or even Pakistan, or more recently, the coup in Fiji, for example) tend to be very loyal to the institution itself, as opposed to having divided loyalties all over the place. They also tend to bring a certain strength and impartiality when it comes to civilian matters, and more importantly, a very strong will to enforce the rule of law. Like it or not, the Lebanese need that secular, strongminded structure that civilian institutions don't seem to be able to provide.

[Amir in Tel Aviv]

a 90 seconds flash presentation of the ME history over the last 3500 years. (takes some time to load).

http://www.mapsofwar.com/images/EMPIRE17.swf
.

[Bad Vilbel]

Portugese plane from Tel Aviv lands in Beirut and other fun conspiracy theories

Al-Manar also quoted "well-informed sources" as saying that the Civil Aviation Safety Committee had "hired four US experts who work on the airport's second floor and earn $120,000 per month in a secret mission under the slogan of airport reforms."

Do people really believe this shit? Seriously?

[R]

One of the jackasses in chief of the SSNP held a press conference saying that the weapons are for resistance purposes and that they are only stored in Koura but transported to the south when the need arises.

Righhhhhhhhhhhhht... and the timers and detonators and C4 and all that shit are for resisting against Hawi and Kassir??

[Amir in Tel Aviv]

BV,

What I miss so much in Lebanese press is the PROOF. Show me the proof. Don't talk, show.
.

[Amir in Tel Aviv]

ghassan karam,

From yesterday:"..yet for Syrian Israeli peace and for perpetuating authoritarianism, misery , tyranny and dictatorship. LOL".
Of course my first priority will be democracy. But given I have to chose one of the two: religious sectarian anarchy and mayhem OR secular authoritarian tyranny, I chose the tyranny.
We all know well what is the fate of Syria with no Asad family. We can almost draw the war lines. Druze, Alawi - north west. Sunni - south east. The Syrian Sunni strongly linked to Muslim brotherhood slash global Jihad. Is this what you ask for?
.

[R]

Amir,

History has generally shown that authoritarianism in the Arab world does not alleviate the problems of sectarianism and religious fundemantalism, but rather provides the medium in which they can fester beneath the surface. One can argue that the authoritarian regimes of Suadi, Egypt, Iraq, Syria... have in fact had a large hand in the growth of Sunni fundemantalism. By stifling all political movement and by depriving people of a political means of expression, they have in effect thrown their population in the arms of the religious preachers of Friday noon. By prolonging the life of such regimes you are giving the fundamentalists more time to grow in number and harden in resolve. Eventually everything will come back to bite us all in the ass, as it has already done in various places.

[ghassan karam]

Amir,
Nothing justifies tyranny, nothing. I am so sorry that you feel otherwise. Dare I remind you that some justified slavery because under some circumstances it provided a larger basket of material goods and don't forget that the facists made the trains run on time. Amir, I just cannot believe some of the things that you say.

[Roman Kalik]

Amir,
Once upon a time, Egypt was a secular nation. If you start from Nasser's days and speed forward, you will notice an increase in the power of religious fundamentalists such as the Muslim Brotherhood. They have a powerful ideology, they can spread their word at any mosque and they have money. So when the Egyptian government tries to destroy all opposition, it just succeeds with the small and more liberal parties. The MB survive, the MB grow, and the MB fill the void of the other crumbling opposition.

[Roman Kalik]

And that was just one example. Iran is a much worse one.
When you support a dictator, you just give the next dictator the tools he needs to rise, which is to say popular support and someone far away to blame.
And I haven't even entred the morality issues yet, mainly because I think you believe that the only alternatives countries in the ME have are secular dictatorships and theocracies. So you pick what you see as the lesser of two evils, but you just support both by doing that.

[Jeha]

The Syrian PSNS are nothing but a gang of thugs, dressed in (an albeit attractive) ideology. They have too entrenched, so far, to be easily removed... When you watch "learned" commentaries at the BBC and some Ivy League academic circles in the US, you can detect their influence in the overuse of "syrianist" cliches.

I doubt that this government, or any other, can do much to wean their nefarious influence; like a tumour, they lay dormant to flare up every once in a while.

[ghassan karam]

Jeha,
I do not want any ideology ,as such, to be banned. Let anyone have a chance to win in a market of free ideas, including the PSNS and Osamah Bin Laden. What no one has the right to do is to use terror, intimidation and force to attain their ends.

[Roman Kalik]

There's a major flaw in that view, Ghassan, though frankly for Lebanon it would be a major step forward.
The problem is that people tend to be sheep. Sheep don't think too rationally and don't bother with the future. Sheep elect dictators. Charismatic dictators who might even keep their pre-elections promises, but dictators nontheless.
Democracy needs safeguards, else it stops being a democracy. Would a man who promises to kill off his opposition after he is elected be better than one who tries before?

[Roman Kalik]

There's a major flaw in that view, Ghassan, though frankly for Lebanon it would be a major step forward.
The problem is that people tend to be sheep. Sheep don't think too rationally and don't bother with the future. Sheep elect dictators. Charismatic dictators who might even keep their pre-elections promises, but dictators nontheless.
Democracy needs safeguards, else it stops being a democracy. Would a man who promises to kill off his opposition after he is elected be better than one who tries before?

[Cyraq]

This may be a bit stupid, but consider that the guys actually wanted to be caught with the explosives, as a warning sign for Berri?

[charlie]

As usual HA steps in and defends the SSNP and warns the government. HA’s vision of Lebanon is to be nothing more than a big weapon depot and to turn the land to a battle field. How could so many Lebanese be so dump to accept this vision as an acceptable way of life for them and their families!!! At this point the March-14 camp need to realize the gap between their vision of Lebanon and March-8 is wide it is impossible to bridge. Stop with concession statements, move into an offensive plan to systematically close all these little security islands and impose Lebanese laws on everyone. That includes the illegal structures that keep popping up in Dahiya and Ramel Alali. March-8 is not a group that wants to build a nation, there plan is to destroy it and submit it to the will of Tehran Enough is enough!!

[Amir in Tel Aviv]

Video of Israeli artillery unit from the summer war. The cannons operators.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2981684743004997681&hl=en
.

[Hassan]

Amir,
What's the point of posting this link.
Quite frankly I find it very distasteful.

[Amir in Tel Aviv]

Hassan,

Pornography. It's mostly very distasteful. Yet we watch it.
.

[Charlie]

Amir,

So you are saying we should put links to porn sites on religious blogs
or perhaps links to Neonazi sites denying the Holocaust on the Jewish Holocaust remembrance sites? and that would prove what exactly??

[Hassan]

Amir,
I didn't expect you'd be aroused by the video you posted. But to each his own fetish.
Let me remind you that those shells that were being fired either killed someone (most likely civillian) or destroyed someone's home.
Last time I checked that brings no pleasure to anyone, only misery and contempt.

[ghassan karam]

As an antidote to the previous clip that seems to celebrate violence you might be interested in the following 3:36 from YouTube. It is powerful and devastating. Peace, Justice and No nukes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svSDzb-pWhg

[fubar]

Amir,

Just a piece of friendly advice...

For the past several days you have been either walking on the edge or firmly over the edge in your comments. War porn and advocating Syrian control of Lebanon really do not advance the discussion between interested thinkers or the dissemination of information which occurs on Abu Kais' blog.

Far be it from me to stifle free speech but perhaps it would be helpful if you put the pipe down for a while, at least until you can remember that you are a guest here.

A mind is a terrible thing to waste but, ultimately, your choice. However, completely boorish behavior is really both out of character for you and uncalled for. Just saying...

[Abi Lama]

Another anard???
Dec. 20, 2006 23:38

""Report: Israeli plane landed in Beirut last month""

An Israeli military plane took off from Ben Gurion International Airport last month and landed in Beirut, Channel 1 reported on Wednesday night.

According to the report, eight of the 11 people on the plane - which was a direct flight to the Lebanese capital - got off in Beirut, while the remaining three continued on their way.

As a result, Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah called for investigations into the relations between Israel and the Lebanese government.

"The landing of the Israeli plane in Beirut is proof" that a relationship exists, he said.

[Abi Lama]

Two Versions on One Meeting: Lebanese Government and Pro-Hizbullah/Syrian Papers Reflect on Lebanese Prime Minister Al-Siniora's Meeting With Russian President Putin

On December 15, 2006, Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Al-Siniora met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. In its reporting on the meeting, the Lebanese daily Al-Mustaqbal, which is affiliated with the March 14 Forces and the Lebanese government, claimed that the meeting was favorable to the Lebanese government position, and that Putin was determined to make all efforts to defend an independent, sovereign, and free Lebanon – because Moscow wants points of entry to the Middle East not only through the Syrian gate.

Al-Mustaqbal further said that Putin would ask Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, who is slated to visit Russia tomorrow, to offer productive help to stabilize Lebanon, and to agree to the international tribunal on the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Al-Hariri.

In its December 18, 2006 editorial, Al-Mustaqbal wrote that the honor accorded to PM Al-Siniora during his visit, and the timing of the visit itself, were a message to Damascus and Tehran. It added that Moscow realizes that Al-Assad is trying to escape the international court by escalating the situation in Lebanon, and that Iran is helping him to do so. The paper also said that the Kremlin was determined to support the creation of an international court and to defend Lebanon's sovereignty, freedom and independence.

A totally contradictory report on the meeting appeared today in the pro-Hizbullah/Syrian Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar. According to this report, President Putin advised PM Al-Siniora not to provoke the Lebanese opposition by approving the creation of an international court in its present version and authorities. The paper said that Putin had made it clear to Al-Siniora that the adoption of a resolution for the creation of an international court by the U.N. Security Council under Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter would be an "alarm bell [heralding] civil war in Lebanon."

Moreover, according to Al-Akhbar, President Putin advised PM Al-Siniora that the assassination of former PM Al-Hariri "is not the first political assassination in the world."

The following are excerpts from the Al-Akhbar editorial.

Lebanese Opposition in Letter to Putin Prior to Meeting: Al-Siniora is Not PM of Lebanon

"While Prime Minister Fuad Al-Siniora was traveling to Moscow last Friday night, the Chargé d'Affaires of the Russian Embassy in Beirut was receiving a delegation of the [Lebanese] opposition, which presented him with a memorandum on behalf of [various] national parties, forces, and political figures. [The memorandum], addressed to Russian President Vladimir Putin and to the Russian government, emphasized that Al-Siniora 'is currently not the Prime Minister of Lebanon, but rather the head of a government which has lost its credibility and constitutional legitimacy, and which represents only the point of view of the March 14 Forces.' The memorandum [further] asked Putin and his government to treat Al-Siniora's government accordingly.

"When [Siniora] arrived in the Russian capital, the [people] in charge of protocol in the Lebanese delegation contacted the protocol department... in the Kremlin, in order to find out the exact time of the meeting between Putin and Siniora. They were told that they would be contacted before noon on the next day, namely Saturday. At 9:00 in the morning on Saturday, Al-Siniora's people called the Kremlin again to ask about the time of the meeting with Putin, and were told that it would be at 16:00 in the afternoon...

"[In the hours before the meeting Al-Siniora arranged meetings with the patriarch of Moscow and Russia, Alexei II, and with the head of the Council of Muftis – first of all in order to pass the time until his meeting at the Kremlin, and secondly in order to inform these two religious personalities of his requests of Putin, on the assumption that they have some influence on Russian policy.]"

President Putin in the Meeting: "The International Court Might Constitute a Precedent That Will Be Repeated in Other Regions Such as Chechnya"

"In the Kremlin, Putin began [the meeting] by bringing up the memorandum of the [Lebanese] opposition. Siniora, in response, asked him to persuade Syria to stop its 'interference' in Lebanon, and to support the establishment of an international tribunal for the assassination of [former Lebanese] prime minister Rafiq Al-Hariri, as approved by his [Al-Siniora's] government.

"The Russian president advised him to settle the Syrian Lebanese crisis in a bilateral fashion, without relying on outside [forces], because that is in Lebanon's interest, and emphasized his willingness to play an active role in this regard. The Russian president also advised his Lebanese guest not to provoke the opposition by approving the [international] tribunal, explaining that as Russia sees it, this tribunal is not intended to discover the murderers of prime minister Rafiq Al-Hariri but is [merely] an American instrument for exerting pressure on Syria and its allies. [Putin also explained] that Russia's call to modify the tribunal's charter is not meant to hinder the approval of the tribunal, but rather to facilitate it – because if [the charter] remains in its present format, [the tribunal] will not achieve the desired result. [Instead,] it will take a direction that is undesirable to Russia, and might constitute a precedent that will be repeated in other regions, such as Chechnya."

The Meeting Did Not Live Up to Al-Siniora's Expectations

"According to a knowledgeable source, the visit 'did not meet Al-Siniora's expectations,' and he consequently decided to return [to Lebanon] early, without stopping in Paris on the way...

"In light of this [unsatisfactory visit], the Lebanese majority decided to 'hold out' until after the holidays – until the new strategy of the American administration takes shape, based on the recommendations of the Baker-Hamilton Commission...– or until the publication of the results of the municipal elections and the election for the Assembly of Experts in Iran – [results that will] determine [Iran's] political direction in the upcoming stage..."

Accepting the International Tribunal Under Chapter 7 is an "Alarm Signal Heralding a Civil War in Lebanon"

"[The Russians] expected that Al-Siniora's visit, and a subsequent visit by President Assad, would lead to a Russian-sponsored agreement on a tribunal with the minimal [scope of authority] that would render it acceptable to the Lebanese institutions. However... the excessive emphasis [placed by] America and France on the tribunal led the Russians to tell Al-Siniora that Al-Hariri's assassination is not the first political assassination to occur in the world, and that [the resolution of] the conflict in the world in general, and in the region in particular, does not depend on discovering the alleged truth about this assassination. There are other elements in the region [that affect] the conflict – some that were there to begin with and others that are emerging as it unfolds. Therefore, Moscow informed Al-Siniora that it could not base its own position on the assumption that the [entire] conflict hinges on this crime. Instead, it is necessary to consider [all the] Arab, regional, and international interests.

"After [hearing] this Russian position, and after his talks in the Kremlin, Al-Siniora had no problem saying that Moscow 'wants justice to be done in Lebanon, and supports the position of the [Lebanese] majority in this matter.'"

In another report on the same day, Al-Akhbar brought the following quote, attributed to "knowledgeable sources:" "The Russian leadership alerted Al-Siniora to the fact that accepting the international tribunal under Chapter 7 is not guaranteed to produce [the desired] results, and is virtually an early alarm signal [heralding] a civil war in Lebanon."

[Nancy]

Answer me this, is it Hizbollah or Nabih Berri who are really pulling the strings around here? It seems to me that the March 14th keep singing Berri's praises while he keeps conspirating against the country

[Amir in Tel Aviv]

Dearest fubar,

Missed you Soooo... much!!!
I never "advocated Syrian control of Lebanon".
Now when the Syrians are out (hopefully permanently), is it necessary to smash this fragile dictatorship, and to abandon it to the hands of global Jihadists? Is this what Lebanon needs now? a fresh sectarian conflict along it's longest border?
What do you propose? Democracy for Syria? Didn't we have enough now with Arab democracy, that brings nothing but more of the same sectarianism chaos and mayhem?
.

[Roman Kalik]

Amir...
Are you familiar with the words

[ghassan karam]

Abi Lama,
I hope that you will never have to make a reference to "War and Peace"!!!!
Believe it or not most of the readers of this blog do read Arabic, browse through the Lebanese and Middle Eastern press and will be happy to read your analysis of the situation but please , please spare us these lengthy rambling translations of things that we have already read. Happy Holidays.

[Amir in Tel Aviv]

A democracy is not the ultimate solution and the uniformed remedy to cure human suffering.
For example, America during the 8 years of the war of independence (from colonial Britain) wasn't a democracy!!! yet they managed to unit, organize and mobilize.
Yes. There was a promise made by George Washington to establish a democratic system, and hand the governance to a civil establishment when independence is reached, but during the years of the war America was under a military dictatorship. Willingly.
I realize that it's easy for me to say that, from the comfort of living in a democratic country ( or semi-apartheid ).
Look at India, the largest democracy on earth, and China, the largest dictatorship on earth.
In India many people live in the streets; for many people it is a struggle to bring a portion of rice to their families ; corruption is among the highest.
China is way more advanced.
In time I'm sure that the Chinese would like to constitute their political life in more free and open manner. But for transitional periods, a democracy could be a disaster, and not the salvation.
.

[Roman Kalik]

Blast, post got cut off.
Amir, first that link you posted was bad taste, no matter how good your intent was.
Second, your comparison of India and China is wrong in that the only lives in China to truly change since the revolution are of those living in Beijing. The country is rich, the people are piss-poor, and if someone has a relative who says the wrong thing he gets a bill for a single bullet.

[Amir in Tel Aviv]

Roman Kalik,

I would welcome posting a video of HZB fighter operates his Katusha launcher too.
since AK blog is mainly about Lebanon, there's a place for documenting different aspects and faces of the topic, including the war that just ended.
.

[Roman Kalik]

Amir,
And at the same time, you can also try and respect the sentiments of the other people who post here, and at the very least think ahead and explain why you post a link when you do. Respect earns respect, man.
Also, I daresay someone from Haifa or Tzfadt wouldn't want anyone posting videos of Hizbollah rocket-firing on an Israeli blog

[Roman Kalik]

Damn, the end should have also said

[Jeha]

Ghassan, Roman,

An interesting parallel is the fate of the Nazi party in Germany, which is not freely allowed. Though ideology cannot and should not be outlawed, we have a paradox; by the rules of an open society, you cannot forbid people who openly call for that openess to end in violence.

But you can keep them on a tight leash. Allow the PSNS to freely associate in Lebanon, but the law should be that it effectively protect those who oppose them. And it should not allow them to have guns, explosives, or other kitchen utensils, since they call for thei use... Too many of us were on their hit lists in 61, 75, and even now, and a few did not survive their "editing"...

A free market can only exist within the protection of a strong agency that can prosecute offenders, and a legal system that allows victims of abuse fast and effective recourse. Where can one sue the PSNS in Lebanon?

[Roman Kalik]

It would seem that when I use quote marks at times it my comments are cut. Odd.

My last comment (before the one that *should* have had a correction) had the words 'just because the topic of the blog is Israel' missing.

Jeha, in principle you are right. One cannot forbid an ideology in a free society. The thing is, the PSNS have broken the law more than once. Do you allow a party that has broken the law (held weapons, used weapons etc.) run for office? Granted, with Lebanon finding someone who *didn't* hold and use weapons in the political arena is extremely difficult, but in a hypothetical and stable Lebanon, would you allow the PSNS to keep running for office even after it was caught red-handed?

A stable society also needs to have rules for its political parties, such as a clean criminal record.

[Hmmm]

Yes, you have to allow a party that has broken the law to hold office.

Maybe it is just a western thing, but some aspects of the law are more sacrosanct than others. The right to a jury of your peers, the right to speak and worship freely, and yes the right of the majority to govern the nation.

Israel (and yes, America) are wrong to shun Habbas. The people have spoken. And the people of Lebanon may yet speak on the matter of HA. It is painful... but it is Just.

You cannot have a democracy or republic with a stipulation that only the meek and eloquent be allowed to rule. How silly is that. Revolutions will always occur. In America they occur without blood loss ONLY because we adhere to the principle that the laws of the republic exist higher than the laws of State. No matter what crime a man or group may be guilty of, they are not excluded from contribution in the society.

And, if they are truly in the wrong (uh, Bush?), then the pendulum will swing again in the next cycle and the wrong will be corrected. History is not clean. Innovative and imaginative people do not always have 'clean criminal records'. But, as long as they seek office and exercise power within the constraints of the republic, they should be allowed to do so.

[ghassan karam]

Hmmm,
I have no way of explaining the rationale that explains why is it that otherwise smart individuals insist on propagating false ideas. Your argument about the need for the US to deal with and by implication help Hammas is nothing short of a canard.
The US and others have never ever claimed that Hammas was not elected fairly and openly. All what the US is doing in this case is to exercise its option to chose and lend its support only to certain groups and to deny it to others. In the case of Hammas the US position is clear and straight forward. They do not see why they should facilitate the establishment of a regime whose aim is the elimination of its neighbour through violence. The fact that a group of individuals were popularly elected does not make that group democratic and further more nothing implies that all groups and regimes are to be created equal. You are within your right to disagree with the US policy or anyother country's policy for that matter but please do not use the disingenuous argument that when a state decides that it is against its national interest to deal with another state then such actions should be labeled undemocratic. Far away from it, the freedom to choose who you recognize is the epitome of democracy.

BTW, history is full of repulsive regimes that gained power through popular elections and I sure hope that you are not implying that such regimes are democratic ones.

[Hmmm]

uh, yeah, I was actually.

Coming to power through a popular election is the most important aspect of a regime's legitimacy. Freedom to choose includes the freedom to make mistakes. It also, I much as we might dislike it, means the freedom to absolve freedom.

Think of it as a sort of democratic euthanasia. Middle Eastern democratic experiments willfully choosing repression and isolation. You can dislike it, but it is their right.

So, yes, no matter how unsavory a regime is in its behavior... if it gains its power through the acceptance or acquiesence of the popular will it is necessarily legitimate. Democratic is not a synonym for "good" or "fair". Democracies can be just as vile as a dictatorship.

The US has an obligation to observe the legitimacy of foreign nations. The current policy towards Habbas is childish and dangerous. If the US truly felt it should look for virtue in its relations, it would have abandoned China, Russia, Saudia Arabia and most of the UN a long time ago. It is hypocrisy to say you will dine with one whore but not another.

[Hmmm]

Ghassan,

I think I owe you a better response. What is happening DOES bother me. It is nothing less than the rape of Lebanon by wealthy and ruthless thugs. Yet again, a new start in the Middle East collapses under its own weight, aided by the apathy of the Good and the pettiness of the Righteous. Yet again, common people desiring of peace and prosperity must fall as pawns in an insane war between iconoclastic old men.

I cannot stop it. Wish I could. But, I cannot.

And nothing we have in place today stands a chance of reversing the tide. Dialogue has failed. Force has failed. Prosperity has failed. Clearly something new is required. Sometimes you just have to let a fire burn itself out.

My comments on the legitimacy of democracy are a call to maturation in the political relationships between nations and groups. "Standing our ground" feels good, but does not improve the situation for people living in the shadow of chaos. Everyone involved feels slighted, feels oppressed and feels righteous in their indignation over the behavior of others. It is time to move past that.

And no, I don't think HA is going to back down in the face of dialogue. But clearly they value the sponsorship and approval of the people. Clearly, whatever laws they ignore, they have a vision and concern for their constituency. It is small, but it is still something.

[Jeha]

Hmmm, Ghassan,

If you allow me to interject a little here; freedom does allow political parties some leeway in their ideology. Democracy, in our modern understanding, means more than majority rule; it is this and more, thanks to strong checks and balances that protect pluralims, and keep the defect of democracy from turning into mob rule.

In this context, the PSNS cannot be outlawed outright, but it should not be allowed to keep breaking the law and flaunt it. As an example, the Assassins of statesmen like Riad el-Solh are glorified in their litterature, one thing that cannot be acceptable.

Hezb is a similar party, which glorifies a form of base sectarism. While they have a right to do so, they cannot be allowed to impose their will on others.

In the United States, they have something to deal with situation like this, the RICO statute, though it was made to apply to the Mafia...

We need a Lebanese version of our own RICO law/statute.