An uneven battle

More soldiers than terrorists have been killed in the battle between the Lebanese army and the Assad-backed terrorists in the north.  The army that the Syrian regime turned into an ineffective police force to guard celebrities and usher social events, is facing its greatest challenge since the Hizbullah riots pit Lebanese against each other.

Heavy artillery and machine-gun fire reverberated through Nahr al-Bared on Monday as Lebanese troops tightened their grip around the northern Palestinian refugee camp, where militants of the extremist Fatah al-Islam group are holed up. The death toll climbed to near 50, with the number of civilians killed inside the camp unknown. At least 27 soldiers and 20 militants had been killed, Lebanese security officials said Monday, but they did not know how many civilians had been killed inside the camp because it is off-limits to their authority. One official in the camp said a total of 34 people had been killed inside the camp, including 14 civilians. But that could not be independently confirmed, and other estimates of civilian deaths were lower. (Naharnet)

This battle cannot be won by Fatah al-Islam. They are outnumbered by the increasingly popular army, even though they seem to have a lot of weapons. The group, which the head of the Internal Security Forces called "imitation al-Qaeda", consists of former Iraq fighters and international terrorists. That they all got into Lebanon with the help of Syrian intelligence should be a confirmation to all that the Assad regime is a major sponsor of world terror. According to An-Nahar, one of the killed terrorists was involved in the Ain Alaq bombings in February, and another was wanted over the 2006 plot to blow up trains in Germany.

Even if the Lebanese army wins this one, the battle will not be over. The group is not confined to one refugee camp, and the Assad regime has grown other terrorist organizations in other camps in the south and near Beirut. The regime is also escalating its terror attacks. A car bomb exploded in the heart of Beirut last night, killing an old woman and wounding 19 others. Their terrorism will likely be escalated as we approach the establishment of the Hariri tribunal by the UNSC.

There is also the terrorism of Hizbullah and Michel Aoun.

In their "condemnation" statement, the Party of God did not name the terrorists, condemning instead "any attack from whatever source" on the Lebanese army. The statement expressed concern that there is an attempt to "embroil the Lebanese army in a never ending struggle to serve known project". Hizbullah predicted that calls for escalation and fighting will spread chaos and create clashes in Lebanon. The Iranian-funded party then called for a "political solution" to end the current "crisis", laying the blame on the "ruling party".

وقال البيان " إن حزب الله يدين أي اعتداء من أي جهة صدر،يطال الجيش اللبناني والقوى الأمنية، ويهدد الأمن والاستقرار والسم الأهلي في لبنان. ويؤكد على أهمية دور الجيش اللبناني في الحفاظ على السلم الداخلي ووجوب حماية موقعه ودوره في هذا المجال. يدعو حزب الله الى ضرورة تحييد المدنيين لبنانيين وفلسطينيين والحفاظ على أرواحهم ودمائهم، مهما كانت الظروف الميدانية صعبة وقاسية. إننا نشعر أن هناك من يريد زج الجيش اللبناني في صراع دامٍ قد لاينتهي بسهولة خدمة لمشاريع وأغراض باتت معروفه، ونسمع دعوات إلى مزيد من التصعيد والقتال الذي سيؤدي حكما الى مزيد من نشر الفوضى وتعميم الصدامات في لبنان. وختم البيان " أمام هذا الواقع تجب المسارعة إلى تطويق الأحداث والاشتباكات الحاصلة والقيام بمعالجة سياسية جريئة لإنهاء الأزمة القائمة، وهي في الدرجة الأولى مسؤولية الفريق الحاكم في السلطة الذي عليه ان يبادر ويتحرك ولا يترك الساحة تحترق كما هي الآن". (Al-Manar)

In other words, Hizbullah is siding against the Lebanese government and army by not even acknowledging Fatah al-Islam, or its sponsor, and blaming it on a US-Israeli conspiracy. It is ironic how they don't want the army to be engaged in a long struggle against terror, while they advocate permanent war against Israel. I shouldn't waste my breath by asking, but where is Hizbullah's "defense strategy" now? I should not forget that their weapons are designed to be magnets for destruction, and their strategy is to assist the Assad regime in destroying the country's state institutions. These multinational terrorists (Yemenis, Bengalis, etc) were allowed to flaunt their weapons because of Hizbullah's opposition to the disarmament of Palestinian factions (so all the terrorists needed to do is hijack one). These terrorists were empowered precisely because of Hizbullah's obstructive role, not to mention their occupation of downtown Beirut which is draining the embattled Lebanese army.

As for Michel Aoun, he thought it was apt to prescribe a solution in the form of government resignation. While he seemingly supported the operation to root out the terrorists, he blamed the events on the government's focus on the "weapons that liberated the land", describing Hizbullah's weapons as a "source of stability", and ignoring that Hizbullah violated an agreement during the National Dialogue to do away with the Palestinians weapons.

The crazed former general and his divine buddies might as well join Fatah al-Islam. The Lebanese army should not count on their support, but it should count on the support of the majority of Lebanese people, who still dream of the rule of law, even if many of them don't know what that requires.

Comments

[Jeha]

AK,

Michel Aoun, a terrorist? you give him far too much credit; he is "simply crazy, and when he is lucid, he is stupid".

But you are right on; the army is increasingly popular, and some civilians are even fighting with it and providing logistics.

[Concerned unpatriotic lebanese]

oh wise biased pundit...
i guess you forgot to read the Seymour Hersh New Yorker article; turns out that your favorite boogeymen in Syria aren't as much responsible for Fath Al Islam as are your favorite leaders of the Future Movement. There is direct, indisputable evidence linking Hariri/Saudi funds to this and other fundamentalist qaeda types in the camps, and yet you can't seem to get past your fuck-the-syrian-government blinders. Several of the fighters were actually released from jail several months ago from pardons by the Hariri-ites in government. You need to do some deeper digging before you run your fingers...

[maverick]

AK,
good post,you bring to light Hizbos obstructionism,which indirectly allows such events to take place.,Plus the hypocrisy of the opposition from Nas to aoun in contradicting their earlier calls.i do beleive the Army should not be shy and destroy this cell,even if it means trespassing? if you like in Palestinian camps.The government can afford to become ruthless when its fighting to protect its citizens.

[Mustapha]

Hey concerned unpatriotic Lebanese:
Even seymour hersh's article (which is dubious at best) is no excuse for Michel Aoun and his followers to be so blinded by hate, that they actually hate saniora and his government more than they hate Fatah al Islam..

[maverick]

http://www.reason.com/news/show/118922.html
A Muckraker on the Wane?

Does the New Yorker actually edit Seymour Hersh?

Michael Young | March 1, 2007
To the concerned unpatriotic Lebanese,he might want to read on the above link,or delve into Seymour hersh before coming up with sorry excuses.

[Solomon2]

That they all got into Lebanon with the help of Syrian intelligence should be a confirmation to all that the Assad regime is a major sponsor of world terror.

I didn't think any confirmation is needed.

One line of my thinking is that most violent events in Lebanon are orchestrated by Syria, but because the Assad's secret services are several and in competition with each other, they may have multiple or even conflicting purposes. Look who is keeping quiet and consider: Tripoli's primary purpose may be to serve as a distraction, the same way the pretty girl distracts people from looking at the magicians' hands.

[BadVilbel]

I didn't realize anyone still took Seymour Hersch seriously...Is that you Seymour??

[Umm Kais]

Concerned unpatriotic lebanese,

Indisputable direct evidence? Oh??? Where? I mean, we all know that Seymour Hersh has all the facts and is all knowing, especially when referring to "Bashir" Assad--we should really trust this lone American journalist but obviously you have other indisputable direct evidence! Please do share with us. By the way, you should always believe all journalists and never question their "sources". All hail Seymour Hersh and his indisputable evidence!

You must be gleeful at the slaughter of your fellow Lebanese because you believe that Hariri (Lebanon's evil destroyer) gives Fatah al Islam their weekly allowance.

Please oh please, let Syria and Iran run the show instead of that evil Siniora bastard--I really really want Syrian mukhabarat stationed outside my home, I really miss those guys!!

[Abu Kais]

I did not forget to read Seymour.

[fubar]

Oh, yeah, that's telling him, AK.

Point of parlimentary order, if I might.

When the mama bear is kicking ass, I am pretty sure your job is to stand back, smile, and say, yep, she's mine.

Just saying... = )

[Vox P.]

Seymour Bozo Hersh? Please don't make me laugh. Did he quote unidentified high-placed sources on this one too?

[Amir in Tel Aviv]

It's amazing how little to none attention has been given to those events by the international news agencies (except for English AlJazeera).
As if they, and the audience in the west, is bored
and sick of seeing Muslims killing Muslims.
.

[Blacksmith Jade]

Amir,
CNN has been running the story continuously all day. In fact, it has only started alternate news after dusk in Lebanon...I guess it was a slow day in US news.

[Craig]

Lebanon was the news on all the US stations, all morning. Not sure what you are watching, Amir, but the US media seems to think this is pretty serious.

[shameless]

Fatah al-Islam is listed as an anti-Syrian Fatah splinter group.

They aren't Syrian in any shape, form or kind, so stop blamming Syria for this bullshit. They have less interest in doing this than more. If it was Syria, it would embolden the anti-Syrians as it proves there point about the Syrians terrorising the lebanese for their agendas. It would also weaken all who are in support of Syrias role and stand.

This Fath-Al-Islam is a splinter cell from another Pro-Syrian group called, well, Fath. Fath is por-syrian and supports political decisions and only carries weapons in the refugee camps as a mean of a security force, as agreed in in 1967 (the Lebanese security forces are not allowed in rememeber).

This Fath al islam broke away from Fatah because they want the refugee camps to become independent, governed under Sharia law and then attack Israel. They are also fiercely pro-Alqaida. Their leader was once an assistant of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

All these factors are the right formulae for anyone to become the most hated by Syria. Syria is against islamism, against radicals, against Sharia Law, against the formulation of another independent state in Lebanon and against anyone attacking Israel from Lebanon except Hezbollah.

Fath al Islam broke away from Fatah not because they love the relationship with Syria, but to demolish it. Syria even closed all norther border cross-ins to prevent any re-inforcements flowing in to aid the terrorists.

This same group was the focus group of Seymour Hersh's report. He claimed that they were being given arms and financed by the US, Israel and the Lebanese government to draw Hezbollah into the confrontation with this group thus weakening it.

Hezbollah today refrained from making any comment on the events to refrain from being dragged in or being asked by the government for help. Mark my words, tomorrow Hezbollah will be severely condemned for not saying or doing anything.

Then when they are forced to comment, and obviously they will be against these terrorist acts, Hezbollah will then be forcefuly pushed into the confrontation witht these terrorists. The terrorists will then claim Hezbollah an enemy organisation and start targetting it and the rest of Lebanon. If Hezbollah does nothing, it will damage it's Image in Lebanon. If they do anything, they be drawn into the inter0fighting therefore becoming a fueling agent to this mini civil war. If they don't do anything, the Lebanese governemnt will ask Hizbollah for help. If Hezbollah denies, you can imagine the catastrophic results from such a decision.

The propaganda machines will then start hitting at Hezbollah claiming it doesn't truelly fight for Lebanese independence, serves only Iran and Syria, is anti-semitic because it only targets Israel and so on. BUT. If Hezbollah does join, then they will also be criticised for being participants and fuelling a civil war therefore people will rally against Hezbollah because they will then call this the bigger plot by Syria to make Lebanon into an arena of civil strife and bloodshed without realising Hezbollah will loose credibility either way and are the losers - them and Syria - both ways.

It is in no way in there interests to do anything like this. I believe it is something to do with the Israeli intelligence and Lebanese senior offcials, whom have done this many times before. They want Hezbollah to loose credibilit by not joining the fighting therefore the demand for there weapons to be abolished is easier. Or to join and become weakened for the next round with the Israelis. Therefore fighting in two front lines. One internal the other External.

All these factors do not serve Hezbollah, Iran or Syria, but the US, Israel and the betraying and illegitimate lebanese government.

I rest my case.

[shameless]

The above article is what i wrote yesterday, you can go check it's on michaeltotten.com
Do you see how true it came out to be? Um Kais fell straight into what I had already predicted nutters like him will say.

[BadVilbel]

Your case has no merit. Just because you say they are "anti-syrian" doesn't make them so.

See, I can also declare that I am "anti-Elephants".
I guess you have to just take that on faith....

[Bruno]

shameless comment above was also posted on M. Tottens' under the alias 'Yo-Yo'. We are expected to believe that a Sunni extremist group friendly with Al Qaeda and bent on establishing sharia is quintessentially 'anti-Syrian', but somehow pro-American. I mean, Syrian support for sunni extremists is unheard of, but American enthusiasm for Al Qaeda wannabees knows no bounds. Riiight...

[shamefulneseseses]

"It is ironic how they don't want the army to be engaged in a long struggle against terror"

It's actually very ironic you bombarded Hezbollah for it's short 33 day war with Israel, but you are eager for a long war with these terrorists.

Just to let you know, out of the 17 that died yesterday, 10 were Lebanese. The rest consisted of 4 Saudis and 3 Syrians.

Another thing worth noting is that every single person who was caught from Fatah Al Kuffar were Saudis.

In a time where Lebanon should be looking to unite, people like you make people like me hate your side even more. Although I am bigger than to hate in vein - your words are inferior because I know they are not true. What kind of democracy do you live in to just point the finger at Syria whenver a bird shits on Lebanon? If you have such a grudge against Bashar and his regime, go fight him like many 'martyrs' you talk about did back in the civil war day.

Hezbollah in this case, like in any other case, is being the big brother - the older and wiser person. What Hezbollah said yesterday was confirmed today.

Hezbollah stressed that these types of factions can not be uprooted by the military. 1) the military will not and can not enter the camps therefore they can't 'win'. 2) even if half the fighters from this terrorist group are eliminated, after the ceasefire, they will regroup and adopt another strategy to terrorise the Lebanon, putting Lebanon in a terror turmoil situation the WEST is strugling to fight. 3) You also seem eager for this confrontation to become a war of elimination, or war on terror - the same title factions gave their campaign during the lebanese civil war - into a long winding confrontation where instead these people could be isolated socially, politically and through the media world without causing any security threats in Lebanon.

Even though the Lebanese army lost 27 fighters in 2 days fighting a rag-tag terrorists with spongy beards and sandals and no body armour using the oldest types of weapons - you now expect Hezbollah to accept any monopoly over weapons by the Lebanese army? Hezbollah didn't suffer this many casualties against ISRAEL.

Exactly what Hezbollah has aimed to avoid - you are probably an outcast in your very weird decision - you and a handful of other fools are doing today, indirectly blaming Hezbollah for something they have nothing to do with. You know it and I know it - all you care for is to blacked Hezbollahs image as much as possible. As they say, throw a lie, if it doesn't hit the target, it'll hit someone next to it.

[Abu Kais]

to the one full of shame, you are banned from this blog. Ignorant fool. Go spread your crap elsewhere.

[Umm Kais (A WOMAN)]

"Shameless",

Thanks for calling the blogger's wife a nutter and a man in the same sentence--your arguments must be as sound as your insults (not very).

[BadVilbel]

AK, Umm Kais, don't let idiots like that bother you.
Best ignore them. "Ignorant fool" is all he is. And it was clear from the way his argument lacked any sort of logic that there was no point even trying to discuss anything with someone like that.

[Straight Shooter]

It's a Phalangist wet dream to massacre the Palestinian people in Lebanon. Don't they realize the last time they tried this sh*t in 1982, it backfired on them?

[shamefulneseseses]

Straight Shooter

Yesterday that dreamy reporter from Al-Manar seemed to back the terror that the Lebanese Army imposed on the Lebanese people and palistinian innocents by escalating the events dramatically.

As I have said from before on MJT's Totten, this is the government flexing the muscles of the army (and failing - they're asking for a ceasefire with a rag tag terrorist group - undisciplines, untrained, unproffessional and only 200 of them in total) to later on claim that the lebanese army can protect the state (even though this confrontation proved the complete opposite).

The Lebanese government sees these 200 rag-tag arab militia is a threat to national security and sovereignty and are now talking about these people just like the Israelis talk of the palistinian militants. When the Israelis invaded, occupied and destroyed Lebanon, ofcourse that wasn't neither a security or sovereign threat which is why 22 Lebanese soldiers died without the army firing a single bullet.

Ahmed FatFat - whose hospitality reaches no limit as to offer his own enemies tea! (hes too kind don't you think) - claimed that the Lebanese army was actually resisting and fighting the Israeli occupation by secret - yeah, by secret. Have you ever heard of any army defending its land by secret. I think he got confused with the question and thought they were talking about chinese whispers.

Anyway back to that reporter, he chatted alot of bullshit - literalily repeating the amry's propaganda statements. But then he made a very important and dangerous statement - which ofcourse was ignored by the lebanese press. He said that gunmen belonging to the March 14 bloc came and offered the army help in killing PALISTINIANS. This proves two things, 1) march 14 has an armed bloc and 2) they are trying to interfere.

Then today Ghasan Bin Jiddu, from al jazeera, made another statement - as dangerous and important as that of the dreamy al manar reporter. He claimed to have talked to militants from the Fatah Al Islam. They said that during the ceasefire imposed today, they had been fully in compliance with it. Only after a small group of gunmen entered the camp - a third party not belonging to the army - and started firing at the group, which returned fire and therefore setting a chain reaction to the army and police who then also started firing - therefore breaking the ceasefire.

One must ask, who is that third party? Guess who quickly jumps into mind? Yes, yestersays march 14 maniacs offering to help the army. It makes sense, just think about it.

[Maya]

Hey AK, Umm K,

What's with the trolls today?

I guess if fellow Lebanese can be so stupid and incapable of putting their allegiance to their country ahead of their sectarian identity, we are doomed and there is really no hope for Lebanon. God help us.

Word of advice for those who are defending Syria, watch the movie "Qui a tue Hariri?" or take a moment to read the UN report on the assassinations in Lebanon, but I guess there is no point debating the issue with "fools". They will only see what their Syrian masters want them to see. I despise Assad. I never thought I could despise someone so much, but I despise this psychopath and all his baathist monkeys, may they rot in hell.

[SON OF LEBANON]

To all please stop accusing Hezbollah in every wrong thing happen, in Lebanon they are Lebanese too and they love it as all of us think about it.
First, when you hear the new listen to it and remember what it says. Few days ago the Lebanese PM and his gang they were trying to release most of the killer from the same group, as became a habit releasing the killer lately, that a proof who support these groups that belong to a specific religion in Lebanon in money and guns. The money that suppose to help the people of Lebanon after last summer war, and that gun suppose to go Lebanese army to protect the people of Lebanon.
Second, again listen to the news when you hear it and remember what it says. If Hezbollah helped Lebanese army which they like to help because these groups they hate the Shia the most and first. Then you going to call this fight is between Sunni and Shia that’s what mean the civil war start it and that’s what they wants because they couldn’t beat us as an Arab first (because Arab Christian suffering too) and Muslim second .
There are more and more and more… please dig for the truth without any favor without hate we need to be together…

[maverick]

March 14 has a militia? Fatah-il khara is funded by the Harirites?Is there an award for spin doctors on this blog? what about this one..."He claimed to have talked to militants from the Fatah Al Islam. They said that during the ceasefire imposed today, they had been fully in compliance with it"...ANd here i thought the militants are fighting to the death.Maybe they are peace loving tree hugging genuine role models exported all the way from Bangladesh aND Yemen.Shamelesssss,do us a favour,stick to watching cartoons.

[Charlie]

Son,

We dug for the truth and the truth is that you are full of crap...go pack up your tent and sell Bull Shit some place else hommie!

[Bad Vilbel]

Hezbollah sure has a funny way of showing their love of Lebanon.
First, they bring much death and destruction last July, by provoking Israel. (What idiot pokes a Lion with a stick and then wonders why the Lion is biting back?)
Then, as if things weren't bad enough, they further paralyze government and the economy by taking 3 months to join a government, then walking out of it, then bringing down hordes of supporters to bring downtown Beirut to a halt.

Yes. They must really love Lebanon.

Tell that to all the unemployed. Tell that to all those who lost loved ones last July.

As the saying goes, if this is what their "love" can do, then I'd rather they hated Lebanon. Cause their love sure isn't helping.

And don't none of you give me the "Israel is the one responsible for dropping the bombs, etc. etc." argument.
When you throw the proverbial rock at a much stronger neighbour, when you go into a bigger animal's den and poke him with a stick, YOU are the one to blame when you get bitten. You should know better.

Hezbollah has no love for Lebanon. At least not the Lebanon I know. The only Lebanon they love is one in which they get to keep their weapons and dictate policy. Their actions speak louder than any rhetoric you can throw at me.

[SON OF LEBANON]

Charlie,

Thanks GOD the truth is out now, they asking for help money and weapon. Where is all the money they got, billion of dollars, where they are, who they give it to? Not for the people of Lebanon. Please them selling the country, they crying to have international court under section seventh. Why, our country not independents, we don’t have are own law system. Please do not tell me Hezbollah belong to Iran and Syria because this not the subject. At least Hezbollah got strong arm made them defeat Israel they didn’t use it inside Lebanon, but who support PM and his gang, they always open them mouth they never armed the Lebanese army to make them very strong armed so it will be easy in this time of need (God bless them even so they tough enough), because they worry that Lebanese army defeat Israel too. That’s the proof that every thing work to Israel interest and it is shame some of us helping in this.
Yes, this is my bullshit and this is my crap Mr. Charlie.

Bad Vilbel

I don not know what to say to you. I do not know if you know how to read or you can hear well. That because the Israeli by them mouth proved that they got defeated and lost the war and they trying to take a lesson from Hezbollah and learn how to defeat Hezbollah, so one more time, they learning the way of Hezbollah defeat them so they can win wars. That means Hezbollah are the masters and Israel the student. Again their power used only against Israel not against fellow Lebanese. The death and the destruction last July came by the made of who support you in mouth not in power, which sent to Israel in the middle of the war lots of big bomb to continue destroying our country and let us go on our knees. Sham on you all the fact truth is right there how much they care about you, all these houses, building, bridges, the red cross building and army bases who never shot one bullet and the solders who die in these base and all the innocent people, they all Hezbollah fighters, I didn’t know that Hezbollah has over million fighters. Sham on you all, the greed and the hate blind you, we are Lebanese look who are army fighting with, not Hezbollah, not Lebanese party. That means are at risk if we don’t do the right thing now we going to be sorry. GOD blesses Lebanon and all Lebanese that I know.