From Beirut to the Beltway

How to kill a Shia

Nasrallah will not stop accusing the Lebanese government of conspiring against the Lebanese Shia community until more youths and simpletons are brainwashed into believing his lies. As Hitler once believed, the bigger the lie, the more people will believe it. And as such, the Iranian-backed outlaw has been consistently rehashing and redacting the details of the summer war—which he started—to make it look like a plot by the Lebanese government against the Shia community.

Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said last summer's war with Israel had thwarted U.S. plans for a new Middle East and warned his group will continue to possess a large rocket arsenal to strike Israel again if Lebanon came under attack.

"This war aimed to impose a new Middle East, broken up into confessional and ethnic mini-states, serving the interests of the United States and Israel," Nasrallah said in a speech broadcast Saturday...

He said that "the American project was swept aside by the victory of the Islamic Resistance," the armed wing of Hizbulllah.

Another aim of the war, which cost more than 1,200 lives in Lebanon, mostly of civilians, according to Nasrallah, was to strengthen the government of Prime Minister Fouad Saniora.

"The Israelis and Americans wanted the Saniora government to expand its authority to the whole of Lebanon's territory to the detriment of the resistance, but that was another failure," he said, gesticulating with his right hand to stress his points.

Nasrallah, who keeps reminding us that he and his rockets are ready to "defend ourselves and the country" is setting up another catastrophe, if not civil war. Hizbullah's mouthpiece Al-Manar keeps digging up "evidence" of a conspiracy to allegedly transfer the Shias out of southern Lebanon. Not long ago, Nasrallah himself accused Siniora of trying to dispossess the Shias, 1948 style. In between bouts of accusations, the Hizbullah minions berated the government of allegedly withholding reconstruction funds (which Hizbullah wanted to appropriate). And we all know the charade that is the "national unity government", which is supposed to give Shias the political voice Hizbullah says they lost after their resignation.

Thanks to Hizbullah, the Shia today appear as the only community with questionable allegiance to the state. Their historic marginalization, at one point due to feudalism and state neglect, has been replaced with fundamentalist aspirations. With Hizbullah mobilizing them like toy soldiers, they have lost a struggle to be more than pawns in the Arab Israeli conflict. In the 1970s, you heard many voices in the community speaking against PLO transgression on national sovereignty. In the 1980s, and following the killing of Moussa As-Sadr by Khadafi, the Syrian takeover of Amal, and the invasion of Iran and the birth of Hizbullah, the Shias managed to become a nuisance to everyone contemplating independence from Syria and Iran.

"Divine Victory" does not mask the fact that the Shias of Lebanon are at their worst state ever. Their resistance to Israeli occupation turned into an Iranian tool, Hizbullah takes the credit for what befell the community in terms of destruction and self-inflicted marginalization. The voice of Hizbullah's clerics is the only voice allowed, and it drowns out all other voices, including Hizbullah's so-called allies, Amal. Sadly, Hizbullah is applying the same principle to the rest of Lebanon, demanding a veto power in the government. Nasrallah, a man who claims he single-handedly defeated the American "project" in the region, has actually only destroyed the Lebanese state project, and jeopardized the future of the entire Shia community. If Lebanon is ever broken up into mini states, it will be because of Nasrallah's actions, and not a US plot.

There is no doubt in my mind that Hibzullah's actions will spell disaster for the Shia community. For who will take those villagers in if, as Nasrallah predicts, Israel launches another war on the country? Where will they go? Beirut, occupied by Hizbullah and the scene of recent violent Sunni-Shia clashes will think twice before hosting Shia refugees. Nor will Christian and Druze areas. Is Nasrallah counting on Emile Lahoud to host them in Baabda, or Michel Aoun in Rabieh? Or perhaps Assad will open his borders and host them in his palaces? Or maybe Kadhafi will send them bullet proof tents, now that Nasrallah got them to forget about Moussa As-Sadr.

If Israel attacks Lebanon, the Shia villagers will simply have to die: that is the only option Nasrallah has given them. That is, after all, what keeps the anti-Israeli flame burning: massacres.  The Shias, like many in the Arab world, are to stay stuck in time and space until the gods of the anti-Israel struggle, now residing in Damascus and Tehran, decree otherwise.

In Lebanon, it used to be Shias "had tails" or were too poor and unsophisticated for the Sunni aristocracy. Thanks to Nasrallah's backward ideology, Shias sprouted rockets and are ticking time bombs.

Hizbullah constructing facilities in Bekaa, Syria occupies 4% of Lebanon

The UN Security Council confirmed in a statement yesterday that Hizbullah is constructing facilities in the Bekaa valley. It also took note of arms smuggling across the border with Syria (quick, call Reuters).

The Security Council, in this context, expresses grave concern at persistent reports of breaches of the arms embargo along the Lebanon-Syria border. It expresses deep concern about reports, which have not been refuted, that suspected armed Hizbullah elements are alleged to be constructing new facilities in the Bekaa Valley. The Council takes note of the detailed information conveyed by the Government of Lebanon about the dangerous activities of armed elements and groups, in particular PFLP-GC and Fatah al-Intifada, and reiterates its call for the disbanding and disarmament of all militias and armed groups in particular in Lebanon. It underscores the obligation of all member states, particularly the Syrian Arab Republic and Iran, to take all necessary measures to implement paragraph 15 resolution 1701 to enforce the arms embargo.

The statement comes after a Wall Street Journal article reported that Syria is occupying 4% of Lebanese soil, confirming an earlier report by al-Mustaqbal. 

The news comes by way of a fact-finding survey of the Lebanese-Syrian border just produced by the International Lebanese Committee for U.N. Security Council Resolution 1559, an American NGO that has consultative status with the U.N. Because of the sensitivity of the subject, the authors have requested anonymity and have circulated the report only among select government officials and journalists. But its findings cannot be ignored.

In meticulous detail--supplemented by photographs, satellite images, archival material and Lebanese military maps predating Syria's 1976 invasion (used as a basis of comparison with Syria's current positions)--the authors describe precisely where and how Lebanon has been infiltrated. In the area of the village of Maarboun, for instance, the authors observed Syrian military checkpoints a mile inside Lebanon. In the Birak al-Rassass Valley, they photographed Syrian anti-aircraft batteries. On the outskirts of the village of Kossaya they found a heavily fortified camp belonging to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, in violation of U.N. resolutions and Lebanese demands.

Aoun denies statement but here it is anyway

According to Champress and SANA, Michel Aoun said the problem between Syria and Lebanon is caused by a media conspiracy driven by domestic and foreign objectives.  Aoun reportedly delivered this statement during a press conference in Germany after talks with Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

Aoun accused "some" of leveling accusations at Syria to distort its image in the world, adding that the assassinations in Lebanon were carried out by "unknown criminals" whose identity wasn't revealed because "some" are intent on distorting Syria's image by dragging the crisis to the United Nations. 

The former general added, " Our Syrian brethren have helped us in the past and they will help us in the future…We reached an understanding with them in the past and we will reach an understanding with them in the future politically, economically and socially".

He reportedly accused the Lebanese cabinet of working in concert with Fatah al-Islam in the north. Aoun said he embarked on a European tour to clarify the position of the "opposition", and described his relations with Hizbullah as "distinguished".

Aoun's FPM denied the above statement, which was only carried by Champress and SANA. Below is the Champress report, which cited "agencies". Naharnet has an English summary here.

أكد ميشيل عون رئيس التيار الوطني الحر أهمية العلاقات السورية اللبنانية منتقداً الذين يحاولون تشويهها.وقال عون في مؤتمر صحفي أمس في فندق الادلون ببرلين عقب محادثات اجراها مع وزير الخارجية الألماني فرانك فالتر شتاينماير وبعض المسؤولين الألمان.. إخواننا السوريون ساعدونا في الماضي وسيساعدوننا في المستقبل.. إننا تفاهمنا وسنتفاهم معهم في المستقبل أيضا سياسيا واقتصاديا واجتماعيا.‏ وأشار الى أن المشكلة حاليا بين البلدين هي مشكلة إعلامية بحتة وليست مشكلة سياسية من صنع البعض تنفيذاً لمآرب داخلية وخارجية الذي يريد توجيه الاتهامات لسورية لتشويه صورتها وقد فرضت هذه المشكلة الإعلامية على العالم لتنفيذ مآرب لدى نفوس البعض داخليا وخارجيا.‏ واكد رئيس التيار الوطني الحر أن الاغتيالات التي حصلت في لبنان لم يكشف مرتكبوها لان هناك من لا يريد لها أن تكشف.‏ وقال عون إن الاغتيالات التي جرت في لبنان من صنع أياد ومجرمين لم تعرف بعد لان هناك من لا يريد أن تعرف والمهم لدى هذا البعض هو جر هذه الأزمة الى أروقة الأمم المتحدة لتشويه سمعة سورية.‏ وأشار الى الفساد القائم في لبنان جراء سياسات حكومة السنيورة غير الشرعية. وقال إن الفساد في لبنان هو جزء من خطة الحكومة آملا أن تجرى تحقيقات بهذا الشأن مع أفراد حكومة السنيورة.‏ وحمل عون الحكومة الحالية مسؤولية نمو جماعة فتح الإسلام في لبنان إن لم تكن متواطئة معها وتساءل أين كانت أجهزة المخابرات اللبنانية عند دخول أفراد المنظمة الى لبنان وأين كانت تلك الأجهزة عندما خزّنت المنظمة أطنانا من العتاد والذخيرة الى نهر البارد ساخراً.. ربما كانوا يراقبون حركاتنا في منازلنا.‏ وأشار عون الى أن زيارته الأوروبية التي يقوم بها هي لتوضيح المواقف ووجهات النظر الحقيقية حول الأزمة اللبنانية مشيرا الى ما يقوم به البعض بتشويه الصورة الحقيقية في لبنان وجعل الرأي العام يعتقد أن هناك حكومة مسالمة تود جعل لبنان دولة مستقرة ذات سيادة ومعارضة تنوي تخريبه والقيام بحروب مع الآخرين.‏ وانتقد عون الدعم الغربي الذي يوظف لخدمة حكومة السنيورة غير الشرعية لفرض الحلول بدلا من أن يستغل لحل الأزمة مؤكدا أن ليس لدى طرف الحكومة حل سوي شن الحرب علينا.‏ ووصف عون علاقاته مع حزب الله بانها متميزه مؤكدا ضرورة تحقيق الوفاق الوطني في لبنان وإقامة حكومة وحدة وطنية تنهي الأزمة السياسية وتفادي أي مصادمات قد تحصل.

And here is the denial:

    The FPM, in a statement posted on its web site, said "some Lebanese" radio and television stations quoted from the official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) and the Sham Press Website a statement allegedly made by Aoun in Germany.

    "FPM stresses that the statement attributed to Gen. Aoun is totally baseless. All the statements that General Aoun made in Germany and that have been distributed to the media, did not include what was included in the mentioned statement," the statement said.

Survey: Lebanese concerned about Hizbullah, terrorism

A survey by the Pew Research Centre found that two thirds of Lebanese have an unfavorable view of Hizbullah and Hassan Nasrallah.

Nearly two thirds of all Lebanese  (64%) have an unfavorable view, including a 55% majority who say their opinion of the organization is very unfavorable.

In fact, Hizbullah is more popular in the Palestinian territories (76% have a favorable view), Egypt (56%) and Jordan (54%). Only Lebanese Shias—86%---have a favorable view of Hibzullah. 66% of Christians, 33% of Sunnis and 7% of Shias cited Hizbullah as a "top threat".

66% of Lebanese have a negative opinion of Hassan Nasrallah.

64% of Lebanese have an unfavorable view of Iran.  In contrast, 82% have a favorable view of Saudi Arabia.

74% in Lebanon named Israel as top threat, followed by Syria and Iran at 43% and 42% respectively. The US came in at 38%.

Two thirds of Lebanese Christians and 52% of Lebanese Sunnis said Syria was a threat to their country, but only 8% of Shia shared that view.

The majority of Shias in Lebanon named Iran as a close ally (62%), while 51% named Syria.

64% of Lebanese saw the US as a military threat, down from 81% in 2005.

Concern about terrorism is up in Lebanon from 40% to 76%.

87% view the military favorably, "praising its influence".

88% in Lebanon said Sunni-Shia tensions represent a growing problem. The majority said suicide bombings are not justified (64%). However, Lebanese Shias were 3 times more liley than Sunnis to endorse suicide bombings (54% vs. 19%).

The results for Lebanon are based on face to face interviews with 1000 respondents, conducted between April 9 and May 7, 2007.

Reuters: no arms smuggling

If you read Reuters' coverage of Nasralllah's latest interview, you will come across the following "background information" in nearly every story filed by their editors:

Lebanese security and political sources said in May that Hezbollah had replenished its rocket arsenal and received improved anti-aircraft and anti-tank missiles from Iran via Syria since a U.N.-backed truce halted hostilities in August.

Israel and the United States accuse Syria and Iran of arming, training and funding Hezbollah. Syria and Iran say their support to the Shi'ite anti-Israel faction is purely political.

The Beirut government says it has no proof of arms transfers from Syria since August.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't recall any statement by the "Beirut government" saying there is "no proof of arms transfers from Syria since August".  Didn't the UN just issue a report saying the contrary? And if this government is guilty of keeping Hizbullah-related information to itself, and apart from defense minister Elias Murr who thinks the battle in Nahr El Bared was over a month ago, was there ever a cabinet statement denying Syrian smuggling of weapons across the border, Hizbullah or not? If so, where is the statement? Last I checked, Siniora had confirmed that the Assad regime is smuggling weapons to Palestinian camps, which even Reuters reported on June 27.

PARIS (Reuters) - Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora accused Syria on Wednesday of sending arms to Palestinian camps in his country and said he would raise the issue with the Arab League.

Siniora was speaking the day after independent experts handed the U.N. Security Council a damning report which said Lebanese forces were largely incapable of preventing arms smuggling from Syria.

The Lebanese prime minister told reporters during a trip to France he had not had time to read the report, but said it was clear Syria was sending weapons to two camps.

"In recent weeks these camps have been reinforced with munitions, arms and fighters," he said, adding that one of the outposts was controlled by the Fateh al-Intifada group and another by the "Popular Front, General Command."

Reuters has some explaining to do. And hopefully, the Lebanese government too.

Nasrallah: just shoot me

Divine Victor Hassan Nasrallah bragged to al-Jazeera on Monday that his mighty rockets can strike any target in "occupied Palestine".

In a soon to be broadcast interview, Nasrallah also claimed the Assad regime was prepared to enter last year's war but Hizbullah saw such engagement would not serve any interest. Nasrallah is expected to unveil details on how Hizbullah managed to hit an Israeli warship last summer (this is a big deal to him. One ship is worth more than 1,200 Lebanese lives).

Nothing new here. Nasrallah has the rockets, and he wants the battleground to be limited to Lebanon. He sees no benefit in Assad fighting the eternal enemy (as long as those rockets keep flowing), but he supports the regime's war on the very country he claims to defend.

I guess every now and then, we need a reminder that Hizbullah places its rockets above everyone else. Destroy the entire country if you wish, just don't come near the holy missiles.

Speaking of Hizbullah's missiles, AP and Haaretz say the majority of these rockets are being moved to densely populated villages.

Hezbollah guerrillas have moved most of their rockets in south Lebanon among civilians in villages, an apparent attempt to avoid detection by Israel and U.N. troops, Israeli military officials said Sunday… Last summer, many of Hezbollah's rocket batteries were located in unpopulated rural areas, where the guerrillas dug networks of tunnels and fortifications, the officials said. But the army's new intelligence indicates that those positions have now largely been abandoned in favor of populated villages, which provide better cover for the group's activities. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the subject. (AP)

It is likely, this blogger believes, that every house rebuilt by Hizbullah's reconstruction arm received a free rocket or two. Before last year's war, many of those rockets were located in areas the IDF calls "nature reserves". Haaretz says UNIFIL was able to find and destroy rockets in more than 90% of these areas. The following quote is long, but worth keeping for our archives. 

In recent months, more than 90 percent of these areas have been searched, and UNIFIL patrols have found and destroyed Hezbollah arms, including Katyusha launchers, Katyusha rockets and explosives.

Details of the UN operations in southern Lebanon are in reports sent from UNIFIL to the organization's headquarters in New York. During searches after the war, 33 such areas - which the IDF euphemistically terms "nature reserves" - were located. These included bunkers and underground tunnels, some of which are sufficiently complex to include sub-systems, all built by Hezbollah south of the Litani River during the six years following the IDF withdrawal from southern Lebanon. Most of the rockets fired against Israel during the war last year were launched from the "nature reserves."

Military Intelligence had information on the location of most of these areas, but not about the extent of the fortifications built by Hezbollah there. Throughout the war the General Staff - and particularly Northern Command - restricted the offensive operations into these areas following the initial encounter July 19, 2006, during which two soldiers were killed in a confrontation with Hezbollah in the "nature reserve" code-named Shaked near the town of Maroun al-Ras.

The UNIFIL searches have revealed that the condition of the bunkers and fortifications in the "nature reserves" has deteriorated - suggesting that Hezbollah fighters have not tried to return to these permanently. However, it is also clear that some Hezbollah fighters do occasionally return to the area to maintain some of the fortifications.

As an alternative to the "nature reserves," Hezbollah is trying to transfer significant numbers of its rockets into built-up areas, mostly in the dozens of Shi'ite villages south of the Litani. Most of the organization's long-range rockets are kept north of the river, but there is a continuous effort to smuggle missiles into southern Lebanon, controlled by UNIFIL.

Israel has recently issued a number of warnings to Lebanon that if in the future there is an outbreak of hostilities and Hezbollah launches rockets from built-up areas, the IDF will not hesitate to bomb - and even totally destroy - urban areas after it gives Lebanese civilians the chance to flee.

UNIFIL's efforts have touched a raw nerve with Hezbollah, and Israeli analysts have interpreted the recent attack against a UN armored vehicle, in which six soldiers of the Spanish battalion were killed, as being directly linked to the pressure the peacekeepers have put on the extremist Shi'ite organization.

This last paragraph is interesting, though I doubt Hizbullah was involved directly in the attacks on UNIFIL. However, we know that Hizbullah loves to turn a blind eye to the activities of Damascus-based terrorrists such as Fatah al-Islam and the PFLP-GC (now also Libyan-backed), who, according to Hizbullah thinking, have the right to defend Syria's interests in the country.

All this makes the French envoy's mission in the country seem misguided at best.

Firm messages and hot weather

According to Naharnet, the French have delivered a "firm message" to Bashar's regime:

French envoy Jean-Claude Cousseran's visit to Damascus and Iran was aimed at restating France's well-known Mideast policy, and did not involve any shift toward Prime Minister Fouad Saniora's government, sources close to the French Foreign Ministry told Naharnet. The sources said the French Foreign Ministry, under instructions from the Elysee Palace, had authorized Cousseran to inform Syria of the need to quit betting on external powers to make a "deal" at Lebanon's expense.

The French sources confirmed that Cousseran conveyed a "harsh warning" to each of Syria's [Vice President] Farouk Sharaa and [Foreign Minister] Walid Muallem concerning the need to deal "positively" with French and Arab efforts aimed at building stability in Lebanon. They stressed that Cousseran was "very honest and clear" with the Syrian leadership, adding that he has relayed France's firm stance which gave Syria what they said was the "last chance" toward changing its behavior in Lebanon.

The French sources told Naharnet that Cousseran had also informed Syrian officials that such visits will not take place in the future unless France sees "tangible" changes in Syria's behavior in Lebanon and the region...The daily An Nahar on Friday also quoted French Foreign Ministry spokesman David Martinon as saying Cousseran's visit to Damascus was of "diplomatic, not political nature." (Naharnet)

You show them, Cousseran, because, you know, tons of UN resolutions and hundreds of envoys from the EU and even Congress failed to be as "firm" as you.   

As soon as JCC was out the door, the street sweeper arrived to check on his "spooked-by-a-French diplomatic-visit" friend, accompanied by Super Turban himself, Hassan Nasrallah. The three exchanged "deep" vows. Later, Damascus-based Hamas leader joined the party.

"The enemies of the region should abandon plans to attack the interests of this region, or they will be burned by the wrath of the region's peoples," the hardline Iranian leader said at a joint press conference with Assad.

Later Thursday, Ahmadinejad met Nasrallah in what was believed to be the first encounter of the two since last summer's war between Israel and Hizbullah.

Nasrallah vowed to "suppress any Zionist conspiracy."

Nasrallah also declared that he would thwart any plot aimed at stirring inter-Lebanese strife.

"We will not let this happen," he said. His remarks were carried by Lebanese newspapers on Friday.

At the news conference, Ahmadinejad voiced support for Hizbullah, alluding to the 2006 war.
"We hope that the hot weather of this summer would coincide with similar victories for the region's peoples, and with consequent defeat for the region's enemies," Ahmadinejad said.

He described Syrian-Iranian relations as "amicable, excellent and extremely deep," adding that the two countries have common stands on regional issues and face common enemies.(Naharnet)

Al-Qaeda, Hizbullah, threaten US national security

Al-Qaeda has rebuilt its operational capability since 2001 and Hizbullah has sleeper cells in the United States, the US Director of National Intelligence (DNI), J.M. McConnell said today.

Speaking at a public conference in DC, McConnell said there will be "persistent terrorist threats" against the US homeland, mainly from al-Qaeda, over the next three years. "The threat is driven by undiminished intent to attack the homeland," he said. While al-Qaeda is not as capable as in 2001, they are planning "high impact attacks" to inflict "mass casualties larger than 9-11… like buildings falling". McConnell said al-Qaeda has sustained its top leaders, Bin Laden and Zawahiri and was able to recruit new lieutenants to oversee operations. The group, based in northwest Pakistan, is pushing more groups around the world, and is working on positioning trained operatives in the US.

The terrorist group has tasked its ops to acquire biological, chemical and nuclear weapons, he said.

Another group that is of concern to the US is "the Lebanese terrorist group Hizbullah", he said (gulp). The DNI believes the group has sleeper cells in the country, ready to hit domestic targets if its leadership sensed the US has "crossed the line".

The above was made public today by White House Homeland Security Adviser Frances Townsend, based on a National Intelligence Estimate delivered by the DNI. 

Interestingly, the estimate says that "the internal [U.S.] Muslim terrorist threat is not likely to be as severe as it is in Europe." As the DNI pointed out in his briefing, it seems al-Qaeda has been recruiting and training extremists in Pakistan, with the intention of infiltrating US society. 

Over the next few days, the press will obsess over how the situation in Iraq may have helped regenerate al-Qaeda, and how this evil administration is planning a war on Iran. This might be true and it is up to Congress to hold the US government accountable. But it would be useful right now to focus on the current threat, where it comes from, and how it affects us all as citizens and residents of this country.

It would also be useful to take a closer look at how al-Qaeda does the recruiting, and via what countries.

Iran, for instance, is said to host councils for al-Qaeda leaders. Townsend was vague about Iran's exact role in this. Townsend also did not mention Syria's role. Although, can you really say Hizbullah without saying "Iran" and "Syria"? Readers of this blog know Syria's and Iran's roles in sponsoring terror in Lebanon. Just today, two members of the Iran-funded, Damascus-based Palestinian group PFLP-GC surrendered in the Nahr Bared camp after fighting the army for weeks alongside an al-Qaeda style group exported by the Assad regime. In other parts of the world, in the Maghreb for example, Syria appears in every report on al-Qaeda recruiting in that region. Check out this report by the Washington Post, and this by Magharebia.com. The terrorist recruiting networks covered in these reports all mention Syria-based al-Qaeda agents coordinating the "missions" in Iraq.

Do Syria and Iran draw a line when it comes to targets in the US? Is this why their role is never declassified by the White House, and is considered secondary to villifying the administration by the US press? All I can is say is, may we never blog about Hizbullah terror in the beltway. And may we never see a Moroccan fighter, trained in Algeria and Iraq with Syrian blessing, coming to the US to strike targets. And may we never see a US Muslim inspired by the Syrian-assisted "martyrdom" of a terrorist. And may we all wake up to the role of Syria and Iran in setting the world on fire. And you don't need to be a fan of this administration to see all that.

Vile NBN anchor returns to report attack in Hizbullahland

Who is better to report another attack on UNIFIL than the news anchor who thinks more March 14 deputies should be killed? Sawsan-What-Took-Them-So-Long-Darwich was "unfired" yesterday along with the sound technician who starred in NBN's world-famous on-air accident.

March 14 MP and deputy house speaker Farid Makari said the decision did not surprise him, given that NBN "owner" Nabih Berri hadn't even bothered to pay his condolences to the family of slain Walid Eido, the deputy who was killed by Berri's master, prompting vile Sawsan to laugh and wish more deaths upon the parliament's majority to get it over with.

"This is an opportunity for those who elected Berri to realize they were delusional," said Makari, adding that he didn't expect Berri to re-open the doors of parliament any time soon.

Meanwhile, this blogger did not have the stomach to even read about that St. Cloud gathering. The politicians are hush-hush anyway, and it's good to know the French are not giving up and will send emissaries to continue what was started with the Iranians.  So what if Bashar is unstoppable and is sending messages on Hizbullah's turf? Speaking of which, don't you find it intriguing how quickly Hizbullah was able to intercept a BBC crew interviewing Shia villagers, yet they missed a road side bomb that required daily monitoring of UNIFIL movements?

In the aftermath of all the destruction, the strength of the "resistance", as Hezbollah is known, seems to have changed little.  The group's weapons are not on view in the south, but then they never really were before the war.

In Aita Shaab, within sight of where on 12 July 2006 a Hezbollah raid captured the Israeli two soldiers and killed another six, Ahmed Srour is rebuilding his home, with the help of four Syrian labourers. "We need Hezbollah to protect us," he says. "Without Hezbollah and Qatar [which has pledged to fund reconstruction] there would be no-one left in this village."

A yellow Mercedes pulls up during the interview, and a fit-looking 40-year-old in a black T-shirt gets out and asks to check my papers.

"That's them now," says Ahmed when they drive off.

That's them alright.

Rockets do Israel's dirty work

The army has been fighting them for months, but Fatah al-Islam fighters do not die. The Lebanese defense minister even went on TV to declare victory, but somehow, by a Syrian miracle, the defeated rose again. Today, they launched Hizbullah-style Katyusha rockets at Lebanese villages in northern Lebanon. These rockets are traditionally fired at targets in northern Israel.

If you ask the army leadership, it all makes sense. According to an army statement released yesterday that glorified the role of the army and the "resistance" (aka Hizbullah) in fighting Israel last summer, Fatah al-Islam is doing "Israel's dirty work".

Those poor soldiers who are getting butchered daily by these Syrian exports are being told that they're fighting an Israeli plot. The soldiers know it isn't true, but they're told that anyway. And since the government has failed to make the Fatah al-Islam confessions public, this whole "counter terrorism" effort is starting to look like a colossal joke. The Assad regime is flooding the country with weapons and fighters, and Lebanese soldiers are being sent to stop the flood by drinking the flood water. The borders are loose, and the head of the Lebanese army, Michel Suleiman, and his civilian boss, Elias Murr, are in denial about smuggling.

Here's a solution to this mess, as will be proposed soon: make Suleiman a "transitional president" in a country where the executive power is not the presidency, but the cabinet! After all, anyone who lies to his troops and expects them to die fighting deserves to be promoted to the office of president, even if it's on a transitional basis. Syrian interests must be served in some shape or form. Even the Daily Star thinks that it's a good idea to create a transitional presidency. 

One wonders if this whole scheme isn't a prelude to a soft coup d'etat in the country, starring Lahoud, Suleiman, Nasrallah and the Assad bunch.