Strike or riots?

On the eve of planned terror and road blocking, Iranian-funded Hassan Nasrallah accused “some in the ruling group” of “dreaming of civil war”. He also predicted that the first to collapse in the country in case of “fitna” would be the security institutions. He said any deployment of multinational troops in Lebanon under chapter 7 will transform the country into another Iraq.

Nasrallah is committing his hordes on Tuesday against the Lebanese army and the Internal Security Forces, who have said they would prevent the Hizbullah-led “opposition” from blocking roads and terrorizing citizens on their way to work.

Speaking on the occasion of Ashoura, Nasrallah offered the Lebanese people $4 billion, his personal estimate of the damages caused by the war, for which he said he was ready to assume responsibility. “And if I couldn't pay, take me and put me in prison.”

Apart from bribery, he continued to incite Shia Lebanese against the state by claiming the cabinet conspired to expel Shias from the country.  He labeled March 14 as a group “run by intelligence services and the Mossad.”

Naharnet reported that Nasrallah’s men are touring southern villages urging men, women and children to “take to the streets to achieve victory that has been pledged by the sayyed."

“Tomorrow we’ll see”, Nasrallah threatened, effectively making the Lebanese state a target for his famished "resistance".

Meanwhile, Hizbullah’s honorary member, Michel Aoun, advised people to stay home to avoid “problems” possibly created by “ISF agents dressed in civilian uniform”. But he called on his own supporters to take to the streets to participate in the… "strike". He held the government responsible for any riots, and claimed it was natural for strikes to infringe on people’s rights. (LBC News)

The only people Hizbullah and Aoun are allowing on the streets are their own... with some Syrian and Palestinian help. Naharnet has more details on the plan:

Security sources said pro-Syrian Palestinian guerrillas from Ahmed Jibril's Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General command and the Islamic Jihad Movement in the refugee camp of Burj el-Barajneh have brought in thousands of rubber tires that could be used to block key roads surrounding the capital on Tuesday.

The camp and the district of Burj el-Barajneh are part of Beirut's southern suburb, a Hizbullah stronghold that abuts the highway leading to the Rafik Hariri International Airport.

One source told Naharnet the development was "an indication that the opposition would try to block the airport road by blazing rubber tires tomorrow."

He stressed, however, that the army and police have strict orders to prevent any activities that would destabilize the situation.

"They called for a general strike, so let them observe a general strike. If they try to block streets and set up fires that wouldn't be a strike. It will be a riot," added the source who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Update. It's already morning in Beirut, and the road leading to the Rafik Hariri International airport has been blocked by hundreds of "strikers", according to LBC. Future TV is broadcasting live images of men burning tires on Mar Elias street-- near the ISF headquarters! No sign of the army or the ISF yet.

Comments

[Amir in Tel Aviv]

It's 06:30 local time (Beirut, Tel Aviv), and apparently they started to bloc the main roads.
.

[ghassan karam]

It is high time that the Lebanese government take a stand on an issue, any issue. The least that they can do is to suspend relations with Iran . It is obvious that Iran has gone beyond the pale in financing a coup in Lebanon. Where else would Nasrallah get $4 Billion and what makes him think that he can disrupt the lifes of four million people, cause the death of thousands, embroil the region in a major crisis for his dirty $4billion that he was paid by Iran or that his hoodlums have forged or earned through illegal activities including the drug trade. We have asked this question many times before but I have to ask it again, Where is the outrage? Is Jumblat the only person in Lebanon outraged by this shameful behaviour. This has ceased to be simply a demonstration, in a sense it never was, let us call it by its proper name; it is a coup and a grab for power pure and simple.

[fubar]

(Reuters) Protesters in Beirut, north, south and east Lebanon went to the streets almost all at once at around 6 a.m. (0400 GMT) and began blocking off roads.

Most main roads inside Beirut and into the city were blocked. Highways linking the capital to north and south Lebanon as well as to the Syrian capital Damascus were also cut off at several locations.

The road to Beirut's international airport, Lebanon's only such civilian facility, was blocked off.

Plumes of smoke from burning tyres rose above Beirut formed a black cloud which hung over the city.

Lebanese security forces struggled to open blocked roads obstructed by the sheer number of protesters. Soldiers made little effort to intervene in a southern suburb which is a stronghold of Hezbollah.

[naja]

I've never felt so good about coming to work, guys. And I've never turned up so early either. Funny how it felt like a - tiny - victory.

BTW, remember my comment last week about HA's budget from Iran being $4 billion? Well, I guess there you have it. Nasrallah is being truthful: he will pump the money into Lebanon. But it won't be to build nurseries and garden centres, I can promise you.

[fubar]

Way to go, Naja. One for the good guys. Work hard today. And with a smile. = )

[ghassan karam]

Naja,
As soon as I heard Nasrallah's speech about the $4billion I immediately remembered your post. I guess I underestimated the Iranian willingness to finance an adventure in Lebanon at this scale, but the $4 billion is not a high price for a farm this size, is it?

[Roman Kalik]

Never underestimate a bunch of madmen who are afraid that someone will try to take their nukes away. I think Iran is willing to fund Hesbollah as it is doing simply to keep Israel too busy to do anything but watch its flanks.
Of course, the average joe in Iran knows where his money is going, and he isn't pleased.
All of you in Lebanon, be safe.

[Solomon2]

[Nasrallah] labeled March 14 as a group “run by intelligence services and the Mossad.”

He is full of compliments today, isn't he?

If Lebanese citizens can't work up the courage to snap back that being "run by the Mossad" is not only false, but would be preferable to being run by Nasrallah, won't Hezbollah always be able to wield devastating power over you?