Hizbullah wants its weapons back, Lebanese army commander wants to resign -- updated

A truck transporting weapons to Hizbullah was accidentally confiscated by customs agents who thought it was smuggling fuel from Syria.  Hizbullah has now  issued a statement asking for "their weapons" to be returned.

"The Lebanese authorities should return the truck and the munitions to the resistance," it said. Hizbullah justified its demand for the truck to be returned by what it called a "ministerial declaration" by Premier Fouad Saniora recognizing the right to resist Israeli occupation in Lebanon. Defense Minister Elias Murr earlier announced that the army and the customs intercepted the truck in Hazmieh on its way from the eastern Bekaa Valley.

Stay tuned for more ridiculous news from Lebanon.

Update. Defense Minister Elias Murr rejected Hizbullah's demand to return the seized weapons. "I wish Hizbullah had given these weapons as a gift to the Lebanese army which successfully warded off the Israeli attack on Lebanese territory yesterday," he told LBC.

Murr said the weapons will return to the Lebanese army, which is deployed in southern Lebanon and in charge of defending the border "against the Israeli enemy".

According to Murr, the seized weapons included "Soviet-made" rockets similar to those used by Hizbullah against Israel during the war this past summer.

Surprisingly, Murr said the truck did not originate in Syria, but in Lebanon. He said Lebanese customs had been tracking it for a week, until it was intercepted in Beirut's eastern suburb. Murr did not explain why Lebanese customs were inolved in the surveillance if, as he said, the truck did not come from the border. He did declare, however, that no weapons have crossed into Lebanon from Syria since the army took charge of the border. 

Update 2.  An-Nahar says the truck was headed for the southern suburb of Beirut. The driver, Mohammad Ali Zein, a member of Hizbullah, received the shipment in Chtaura in the Bekaa valley. The weapons included Hawn rockets and other weapons used in street combat.

Question: Is this a fluke incident or is the Lebanese government FINALLY hitting back by going after Hizbullah's weapons?

Update 3. In the interview with LBC, Murr said that army commander Michel Suleiman has asked for a 3-month leave. According to Murr, Suleiman wanted to resign following the recent events but his resignation was not accepted.

Comments

[Amir in Tel Aviv]

I usually try to: not cooperate with conspiracy theories.
But what happened yesterday at the border was to good to be true. Israelis talk to Lebanese, who talk with UNIFIL. Every one talking in turn with every body. And then they start shooting. But surprise surprise, no fatalities; no injuries; no damage done. Could it be they fired up and in the air?
Could it be a Siniorian home-made delicacy ?? Was it an attempt to 'nationalize' the conflict with Israel?
.

[Jeha]

AK,

And a "habbit misk" with that...

[BadVilbel]

The farce continues. I have given up commenting on this crap, to be honest, but I still find it amusing.

So let me get this straight:
- The "resistance" is justifying their demands with a "ministerial declaration" from that same government they consider to be illegitimate? How consistent.

- The security forces only intercepted the truck because it was supposedly smuggling fuel. Boy, if i were a smuggler, I'd want to be dealing exclusively in arms these days. Apparently everything else is being scrutinized real well!

- Didn't Hezbollah claim they don't get weapons from Syria? Only moral support? Surely these weapons were destined for someone else then...Why is Hizb demanding they be returned? *eyeroll*

[Charlie]

Better yet don't give them back, please just deliver them to a couple of the tents downtown along with a new shipment of tobacco from Tehran....:-)

[JoseyWales]

I'll try to blog on this and related stuff soon.

To Hezbo: if its legal and in the gvmt declaration, why are you hiding the weapons under tobacco leaves then?

To Saniora and all the gvmnts before him: you get what you deserve for playing idiotic dangerous word games with "resistance" and "sacred cause" bullshit.

So now they defend themselves by quoting you Saniora, and the words of every other delusional moron in the Arab world.

[ghassan karam]

If the jelly fish panderer gives in and hands HA back its weapons or if he does not sue the organization for subterfuge then he is in the same class as these hooligans. Its as simple as that. Is there any respect whatsoever to law and order, any law and order in this wretched place.

[Shunkleash]

Wow! Now this is better than khubuz ou jibnee ma shunkleash. Please someone wake me up I am now convinced that either I am in the twilight zone or the people/politicians of lebanon are confirmed crack addicts.

The truck and EVERYTHING IN IT!!! should be IMMEDIATELY flattened like a pancake with a road paver and sent like a frisbee to the South. Instead, with our usual panache for delay and grandstanding it will become another political football to be carted around on the streets. Our Honour and dignity and all that good stuff you know. I can't wait to hear what Aoun (orangehead) says next. The arrogance is amazing. WOW!!!!

If this truck is returned it would officially mean there is no state no country no entity no nothing no lebanon. End of storybook revolution, end of everything....Yalla everyone DODO Im going to live in New Zealand and wait.

SHUNKLEASH (PBUH)

[JoseyWales]

Gus and Shunkleash,

They've been arrogant and they broke the law 10 times before and the gvmnt did nothing. Why should they stop?

[Vulcan]

Catching this particular shipment only now after so many shipments and rockets have gone thru is fishy, this seems like fatso is up to something and I think the hizbos deliberately sent a tip to customs to get this shipment stopped to provoke a fresh confrontation with Sanyoora
Especially after the fact that suddenly the southern front is getting hot again the mullah wants to show that the gov. is preventing the “resistance” from doing its job against the evil Zionists.

[fubar]

(AP via JPost) Lebanon's Defense Minister Elias Murr said Thursday that there were intelligence reports of possible attacks being planned against the international peacekeepers in Lebanon.

"We have information on threats against UNIFIL," Murr said in an interview with the privately owned Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation.

[fubar]

Charlie,

The trash talk spewing from Iran, and the viciousness of the rhetoric being pushed inside Iran, is reaching levels unseen before. The Pasdaran is openly threatening to attack US interests all over the world. They are looking for a confrontation.

[Jay]

Someone explain to me why is customs intercepting a truck traveling from Bekaa to Beirut? Shouldn't they be on the border or something?

[jeha]

Jay,

Not in Lebanon; the customs tend to be deployed along smuggling routes, especially mountain passes. On the road from the Beqaa, their main post starts at Dahr El Baydar, on the high pass in Mount Lebanon.

In any case, the fact that they said "Customs" does not necessarily mean "customs agents" caught them. I think customs are under heave Hezb and Berri control, thanks to the past 15 years of hiring policies. It could be anyone of the state security services, most likely the units of the state security (the ones who answer to minister Faftat) or the Army's 2nd Bureau, who appear not to be excessively taking sides in this.

[Solomon2]

I hope Lebanese understand that this isn't just another case of Hezbollah arms smuggling. The location of that truck is almost certainly known to UNIFIL and the Israelis. The Hezbollah disarmament resolution falls under Chapter 6, but under UNSC 1701 states (including the national forces off the Lebanese coast) are obliged to use their ships, aircraft, and personnel to try to prevent arms supplies to any "entity or individual in Lebanon" that isn't the Lebanese government or UNIFIL. If the Lebanese government gives the arms back to Hezbollah, it's a direct violation of Section 15 by both parties.

Before shooting at the warplanes that may try to destroy this truck, check out their insignia. They might not be Israeli at all!

[Hassan]

Freakin hilarious that's all I can say. Totally understand you BV.
On a completely separate note, what do you guys think Amine Jemayel is doing in the US?
I have a hunch he's looking towards the presidency again.

[ghassan karam]

Hassan, I sure hope that you are wrong regarding the US trip of Amin Gemayal. Would we ever learn that a nation cannot move forward by always going back to the failed politicians of the past:-) I would even generalize the above into a Theorem: "Those who have been part of a problem, in all fields, can never be meaningful players in finding a solution."

[Solomon2]

Jay, even in the U.S. our customs posts aren't necessarily right up at the border. Borders are often cold, barren areas at the tops of mountains, or deep in tangled river valleys. Why should posts and personnel be stationed in such inhospitable places when there are more comfortable spots a few miles away, where roads from several border crossings converge? It makes sense to put the customs post and personnel there, rather than on top of the ice or in the middle of the swamp.

[charlie]

Fubar,

Yeah saw that and right away I thought of HA’s attacks in Latin America. You know that Nas will be doing his dirty work and try to cause a rift between Lebanon and the west. You know how it is with Facsicts, they always need a war to justify their existence, and these jokers Midgetjad, Assad and NAS are no different. I just hope he keeps pushing so he can get his bitchy little ass handed to him in a hurry.

[Renée]

Update 2 says the truck/weapons were headed for the southern suburb of Beirut, and some are used for street combat. It sounds like HA has decided that burning tires isn't sending a strong enough message. I hope I'm wrong.

Btw, there is a pic of President Bush with Amin Gemayel at the White House:
www.whitehouse.gov or see:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/02/images/20070208_p020807pm-0032-515h.jpg

So far today, I've only been able to find this little piece of empty news, here in the States, regarding his visit:
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/02/08/america/NA-GEN-US-Lebanon.php

[fubar]

Charlie,

Now, let's not talk like that, Charlie. We might offend some of the more "sensitive" readers.

Besides, surely Shorty would never be so bold as to have Nas pick a fight. Only cowards hide behind proxies. And, after all, GWB and Gates have both made statements in the past few hours. The US is not planning to attack Iran. I just can't see how much clearer they can be. Iran will hear that message and chill. And if Iran keeps trash talking, well, obviously the US is just going to ride this one out.

Good thing too as I would hate to have to change my fishing trip plans.

[Hassan]

I hope i'm wrong too Ghassan.

[Charlie]

Fubar,

Well the way I see it GWB's team has finally seen the light and made up their mind to clean up Iraq from Iranian assets, basically they are going to take a play from Saddam’s book…:-) So if Iran is going to have something to say a bout it, I am sure the US command will be happy to listen!!

By the way are we up to 3 carriers now in the Gulf ? That is a lot of planes in one spot!!

[fubar]

Charlie,

LOL. Gee, I hope you are right about that Iraq plan.

Not quite on the carriers, yet. But still, you are right, a lot of presence being shown.

BTW, did you see the All Marines message last week?

[charlie]

No, didn't see it..what did it say?
I am also thinking the Bataan should be there by now... Come on Midgetjad we have a whole operation named after you..push the buttons homie...:-)

[fubar]

Commandant Conway intends to get "every Marine to the fight." Anyone who hasn't deployed yet can start packing now.

Read, if you are not wearing the I was there ribbon, you are screwed.

[ghassan karam]

Sometimes I think that there isn't a single person left in Lebanon that is not delusional. All the Lebanese media and all the Lebanese politicians are busy heaping praise on the "Lebanese army for its steadfastness and for having demonstrated that it is up to the challenge of meeting and defeating the Israeli occupation army" when all what they have done is fire two shots in the air and then received for their efforts a couple of tank rounds from the IDF. This was a best a small simple isolated incident involving very few members on each side, it was not even a skirmish. One thing for sure this was not either Waterloo or Al Alamein!!!!As if this farce is not enough , then we hear that the Army Chief asked for a three months leave. The guy wants to go on an extended vacation in the middle of a crisis where his army failed to conduct itself as it should. So what do we do, we beg the guy to reconsider and ask him to withdraw his application for a leave and to also rescind his resignation. Instead we should have fired the guy for his inability to lead. Truth is stranger than fiction at times, hell in Lebanon it always is. Comedy central cannot come up with such laughable scenarios.
If this hemorrhaging is not stopped then we need to circulate a poster asking the last thinking person out of the country not to forget to turn off the lights!!!

[R]

Ghassan... In normal circumstances I would have said have his ass out of there before he could even sign his leave request. But given that we can't seem to get the papers signed to hire a paper weight let alone promote or assign public employees or ambassadors to new positions, I doubt that it would be easy to promote or hire a new army chief... and its not like we would have gotten anyone any better...

[Jeha]

Ghassan,

This is right on; "there isn't a single person left in Lebanon that is not delusional". But what other choice would sentient marionettes have?

AK,

In response to your question, I am convinced that this is between "a fluke incident" and "the Lebanese government FINALLY hitting back". The army and security services may be irremediably divided, and those units which stopped the shipment may had a different command than those who did the shooting at the border.

[Jeha]

AK,

I understand the truck had a mechanical malfunction, and broke down in Hazmieh...

[Abu Kais]

Abi Lama- please STOP posting entire articles here.

[Renée]

Lebanon: 300 Hezbollah Rockets Seized

Here is an interesting SNIP from the article above:

Meanwhile a sources in the Syrian secret services has told a Kuwaiti newspaper that Damascus is training groups of suicide bombers to strike against the soldiers of the multinational contingent, deployed on a UN mandate in the south of Lebanon near the Israeli border. The accusation was published by Kuwaiti newspaper al-Seyassah whose report said that the Syrian intelligence services were preparing to attack foreign soldiers, with the help of Hezbollah fighters, in a bid to create an escalation of violence in Lebanon.

The manpower is said to comprise Lebanese and Palestinian potential suicide bombers of a group called the "General Command" which is led by Ahmed Jibril and former Lebanese minister Waim Wahab. Training camps are allegedly operating in the Najiha area south of Damascus and Hezbollah militiamen are monitoring the movements of the UNIFIL soldiers on behalf of the Syrian secret services.

[Hassan]

R,
you're probably right, but in case the army chief resigns, his responsibilities are automatically transferred to the chief of ranks (ra2ees el arkan). Any idea who this guy is allied with?
That is one issue, the other question is how much are Sleiman's subordinates willing to cooperate with another chief, and will a move like that break up the army ranks?
Then again this is all "7aki bil hawa" (air talk).

[Jeha]

Hassan,

The chief of staff is a druze traditionally. This one was named by Joumblat, personally.

[ghassan karam]

Hassan,
The Chief of Staff is named Shawki Al Masri. I have no idea about his political leanings or his religious affiliations.

[R]

Yep, Jeha is right, he is druze and was named personally by Jumblatt.. As for Sleiman resigning, it could just be maneuvering to get an endorsement from all sides, i.e. "no we can't have you resign and we all support you"... that kind of crap...

[Bruno]

"[...] Damascus is training groups of suicide bombers to strike against the soldiers of the multinational contingent"

I hope they receive the most realistic training possible.

[fubar]

Well, if Ahmad Jibril is involved, Bruno, some might say he has proven track record for successful suicide bombing.

[JoseyWales]

Unbelievable: the Army Chief wants a break in the middle of a national crisis. 3 months off?

I tell you he wants to protect his (unconstitutional) chances at the presidency should shit happen.

Then, once he's prez, he wont take any breaks any more like the moron we have now...

Either that, and/or Syria called to inquire about his relatives health (and he has some over there).

[Jeha]

Josey,

The commander in chief's chances are consitutional; he is Maronite. All he has to do is to resign before running for office. This is how the current guy got his job.

The offer to resign migth have been a ploy to scare off the maronites from supporting the gov't, but it may have backfired as well. At this stage, the maronites may not mind that the armed forces be controlled by a Druze, as long as he is an opponent of Syria and Hezb.

In any case, it is all speculative; we may be in the choatic phase of our civil war. From here, things can either escalate quickly, or calm down. The street has escaped the control of the leaders.

[fubar]

Islamic Jihad sources told the Kuwaiti Al-Rai paper that Sa'd bin Laden, the son of Osama bin Laden, is at the Ein Al-Hilweh refugee camp in Lebanon, and that he is under the support and protection of a group called Usbat Al-Ansar (The League of Supporters), whose leader is the Palestinian Abu Mahjan.

The sources said that Sa'd bin Laden escaped from Afghanistan during the U.S. bombing of Tora Bora, together with a group of some 20 Al-Qaeda leaders and senior officials, among them the head of Al-Qaeda military intelligence, and managed to reach Iran.

Afterwards, Sa'd bin Laden went to Iraq, and from there crossed the border into Lebanon, with the help of smugglers active in the region.

Source: Al-Rai, Kuwait, February 9, 2007 (via Memri)

******

Hmmmm, AQ in Lebanon. That cannot be good. But it sure took him long enough to get there from Iran.

Jeha is right. Things can escalate or calm down in Lebanon. However, a calm down requires real leadership and a good deal of restraint. Escalation just requires chaos. Too many bad actors in Lebanon these days with agendas having nothing to do with the free and independent Lebanese project.

[ghassan karam]

Fubar,
I have been told about the Ain El Hilew refugee camp by a couple of Lebanese people but I have not been able to find any verification in the press. I am also told , and again I have not been able to verify it, that Defence Minister Al-Murr devoted a large segment of his TV appearance , after the HA truck episode, to talk about the major threat and destablizing influence of some Palestinian elements at Ein El Hilweh. Mr. Murr went even further to imply that all of these elements are under Syrian control. ( Is it a coincidence that Bashar keeps threatening that unless his regime is to be consulted and recognized as a major player in the region then chaos through Al Qaeda will prevail? He will do whatever it takes to be invited to the dance).

[JoseyWales]

Jeha

The commander in chief's chances are consitutional;

Not really, he needs to be out of the commander post TWO years prior to the election, otherwise he is not eligible.

The constitution was changed for Lahoud the first time (because of the above) and the second time to give more than a 6-year term.

[Amir in Tel Aviv]

Al Manar TV: "Hezbollah unveils Israeli plot to create buffer zone in south Lebanon in collusion with UN".
Looks like UNIFIL is increasingly under HZB fire.

Middle East Times: "Public institutions will take a day off work Wednesday, February 14" ;
and: "Lebanese security forces have erected a fence slicing the downtown Martyrs' Square in half, in an apparent bid to prevent friction between rival supporters".

Wednesday in Beirut will be interesting...
.

[Bruno]

Fubar, if the training is realistic enough, you will have nothing to worry about.

'Mr. Jibril, the volunteers have successfully finished the full dress rehearsal for the operation. We need new volunteers...'

[Bruno]

Fubar, if the training is realistic enough, you will have nothing to worry about.

'Mr. Jibril, the volunteers have successfully finished the full dress rehearsal for the operation. We need new volunteers...'

[fubar]

Charlie,

You been talking to Newsweek again, haven’t you?

“A second Navy carrier group is steaming toward the Persian Gulf, and NEWSWEEK has learned that a third carrier will likely follow.” – Newsweek - unsourced [Charlie]

Loose lips sink ships, bud. = ) Didn’t I already tell you, the US is sitting this one out. We are over-stretched. It’s all hands on deck just to keep up.

FYI - all such leaks require prior approval. Next time, get it. LOL.

Money Quote of the Month:
“The Iranians have reason to feel paranoid.” – Newsweek

[Jeha]

Fubar,

Also, the Pentagon may still be "digesting" the lesson General Van Riper taught them a few years back...

[Charlie]

It was all off the record Fubar; don't worry plenty of plausible deniability...:-)
Now if they ever mention operation Midgetjad in their articles I will start to worry...LOL...:-)

So you really think we are too stretched to smack these guys around a little. I think it can be handled with an air campaign of some sort, don't you think?

[fubar]

Charlie,

Okay, Charlie, but when NIS comes calling, just remember, it will go down easier if you just bend over and assume the position. = )

We're over-stretched. Pass the word. ;-)

Iran is more geeked up than ever before. The tension is palpable and the mainstream media doesn't even have a good read on it. I am just praying Iran makes the wrong move.

Jeha,

No comment other than the Pentagon is always digesting something and it usually results in indigestion for someone.

[charlie]

Fubar,
I am with you hoping for the Iranians to make that wrong move, but I have a feeling if it really comes to it, the Mullahs will sacrifice the little president and put someone in his place who will play the game better.

Also with the Saudi's stepping up and taking more of a leadership role in the Arab world, I doubt Iran is going to want a confrontation with them just yet!!