Pass the Andrex

The moral high ground is a cold, lonely and often unpopular place to be. I am marching towards it with uneasy footsteps, mindful as I am that this may not be the time to be heading that way.

I believe that yesterday was the worst day in the history of the Lebanese Republic, and trust me, it's got competition. Yesterday, whatever remnants of decency – never mind legality – that still existed in our body politic were sacrificed at the altar of expediency. Yesterday we prostituted that poor toilet paper of a Constitution yet one more time. Yesterday, the very reason why Rafic Hariri died, was being peddled by his own party – a party that he probably would now disown – as the way out of the current crisis. Yesterday the very same people who were occupying that moral high ground I’m heading for, the very same people who had been presenting themselves as guardians of legality were preparing to tear the law books to shreds. And yesterday the same people who had said they wanted Michel Suleiman as president looked like the same people who will oppose his appointment.

Just like governments all over the world invoke “national security” to cover the various abuses and crimes, the Lebanese will call on that old dog, “ta nokhlass” (to get it over and done with). Because, regardless of that moral high ground, everyone living in Lebanon will tell you that we’ve had enough. So much that we’ll compromise on almost anything to get out of the hole we’re in. That’s why pontificating from the heights of an ivory tower will not exactly make you popular around here. But people get the leaders they deserve, says the old adage. And if we are in this situation, we have nobody else to blame, because we turned off our brains when we listened to Nasrallah, we turned on latent sectarianism when we voted for Aoun and ignored all the warning signs when we brought in Saad Hariri.

Meanwhile, the circus goes on in Beirut. And what a nauseating sight: as allegiances switch (Michel Murr flirting with M14, would you believe it), as principles vanish and laws get furiously re-written, Gen. Suleiman sits smugly, ready to grab the banana republic his election will create. And little does he know, the poor sod, that the people placing him on the chair are also tying Damocles’ sword over his head: one wrong move, general, and the very same illegality that gave you the seat will be invoked to unseat you.

Comments

[Super Dude]

So to take it from the previous post.

"Remember the kid's song by Gerard Lenorman "si j'etais president". I think we would be better off with his notion of government than with whatever those sold out politicians of ours are cooking.
People of Lebanon, wake up and smell the cyanide !!!

Posted by: marillionlb | Thursday, November 29, 2007 at 05:21 AM"

Yeah, "Jamais plus un Libanais n'aurait de pensée triste"!

Reading the news today, I was gagging and vomiting at the same time. I was gavomiting...

[doha]

thank you naja for voicing what i thought of yesterday. i'm livid! it's as if what we have supported was a mirage, nothing left of the march 14 spirit, nothing left of aspirations of true change. here we are electing yet again another army general. he's great as an army general, but we don't know what his qualifications are as a president. and you know? does it really matter anymore who's our president? did we forget what the role of the president is, after lahoud prostituted the position long enough for us to remember what it is to be a president?

can someone explain to me why a democracy-loving country ends us always flirting with military rule as a viable option for governance (aoun, lahoud and suleiman)? why should we then be different than syria or egypt for that matter? perhaps because our political system is inherently flawed and we supposedly have entrusted march 14 to help us make a change.

the publics don't matter anymore, or perhaps they never mattered in the first place. aoun is claiming that he does not oppose a constitutional amendment, provided that it stipulates that the president gets to be elected directly by the people. why would it make sense for me to vote for the president of my country, when forever someone like aoun drills it in your head that the presidency is a maronite question? go figure!

next time a parliamentary election is in order, the people should just stay home, because there is no use in our parliament, nor in the constitution, called constitution!

i can't believe that when the option to amend the constitution is tabled, berri suddenly is ready to open the parliament gates so wide open to receive the legislators and so quickly to make the change.

i'm disgusted of how things have turned. i'm sad that i fell for slogans, that i marched on the streets for nothing! i bet this constitutional amendment issue is going to split march 14 for good!

[Amir in Tel Aviv]

I agree.!

M14 is playing a dangerous game here. The "poor toilet paper of a Constitution" is the last leaf to hide behind. [ Reminder: Christian minority gets 50% of powers]. Alteration of the constitution is M8's number one objective. It is stupid to help them with that, by legitimizing unnecessary changes, that in time, would be the reason to demands and ultimatums to further changes.
Don't touch this document. Don't cut the branch you're sitting on.
.

[Maher]

"Yesterday, the very reason why Rafic Hariri died, was being peddled by his own party – a party that he probably would now disown"

This is hilarious. As if Rafic Hariri was not the nation's top cynic himself. As if he did not rape the Constitution over and over. As if did not rule by "décrets-lois" in the first two years to avoid parliamentary oversight.
As if he did not screw the Constitution to renew the mandate of Elias Hraoui, who was on his payroll. As if we would have had a problem with the March 14 new alliance with Murr, after he appointed mass murderer Elie Hobeika minister.

Your heart is the right place Naja, but I am afraid you're too much of an idealist. You still believe in March 14 even though they lost the moral high ground a long time ago and prostituted everything long before yesterday.

[danny]

Let's try to take a more coolheaded approach to this. I previously mentioned that this could all be a ploy to illicit a negative response from March 8…It is happening all over guys. Their reaction busts open this BS about finding a consensus candidate. Aouny and his HA friends are all over the map about crap. They have been totally f’d up by this maneuver. Again it seems to have worked so far in exposing the true intentions of the SOB’s. Aouny and black turbans are saying the changing of the constitution is illegal while Berri says we can achieve it. These Bozos are all flaked out! The cohesion is gutted out and the comments that are following totally incomprehensible! Mr. General wants the cabinets’ all decisions the past two years declared null and void…
It is working so far. The March 8th agenda cannot be clearer. My pain is why the followers of the Orange cannot see this. I understand HA’s stance that any semblance of functioning institutions is against their plan…

Again, although some have disagreed vociferously with me, this maneuver sets up the March 14th forces to go to the parliament to elect with 50+1. The excuses are exhausted and the March 8th rationale and pontifications are bare. They have been offered their own candidate and they have rejected it by created barricades in the achievement of this election!

[tg]

Well looks like a compromise was made between the US and Syria. As usual, key members of the M14 movement made it possible.

[naja]

Maher

I don't "believe" in March 14. I may be an idealist but I am realistic enough to know that, in politics and anywhere in the world, the choice is always the lesser of two evils. Put it this way: there may be precious few people in M14 that I'd like to invite to dinner. But I'm certainly not sharing my table with anyone from M8.

[Vox P.]

"Yesterday, the very reason why Rafic Hariri died, was being peddled by his own party "

what was that reason again? Wanting a bigger share of the corruption pie than Bashar would allow him?

[Bad Vilbel]

I'll go ahead and quote what I posted yesterday on Tony's blog (needless to say I totally agree with the original post here):

None of this mumbo jumbo matters. It is unconstitutional for parliament to pass an amendment right now. As per article 75, parliament is now STRICTLY an electoral body with no legislative powers.

So if March 14 is willing to trample on the constitution now, then this whole fight over the past year would have been in vain. What’s the freaking point of claiming to uphold the constitution, and making all these arguments about 2/3s and 50+1, and cabinets assuming powers after 11/24 if we don’t care about the constitution? Let every Joe, Ahmad and Mustapha make their own rules, declare their own governments/presidents/kingdoms and let’s move on from this failure of a state.

In my book, M14 pretty much loses all moral high ground they might have had with regards to constitution, law and order, with this dumb proposal.

Constitutions are not perfect. Granted. That’s why there is a mechanism for amending them. But you can’t go breaking them left and right for the sake of “realpolitik”.

M14 might as well lower itself to the level of the opposition and start a campaign of assassinations of their opponents. Launch their own militias, etc.

What has put March14 ahead so far, and made them the more palatable side (despite many blunders) is the fact that they’ve played the game by the rules. They’ve been on the up and up and done everything by the book. They resisted the baiting of the opposition by staying within the framework of the law and the constitution. They responded to assassinations by pushing for a tribunal, not launching their own assassins. They responded to an armed militia by pushing the army (Nahr Al Bared), not starting their own militias. They responded to sovereignty issues by taking it up with the UN (as opposed to starting wars). They responded to the 2 government threats by sticking to the letter of the constitution, which allowed them the legitimacy of exercising presidential powers once Lahoud left.

Now, you want to throw all that away, by suddenly breaking the constitution? If you do that, you give credence to all the complaints about illegitimacy that M8 has been making this whole time (which almost no one was buying to this point, because everyone knew M14 had done nothing illegal or unconstitutional).

On principle, the moment you go outside the law, you open up a can of worms and you forfeit the times where you need the law to work FOR YOU.

I know people in Lebanon think this way (and that’s really the problem here!) but in most countries, if someone steals your car, you don’t go steal their car or shooting them up with a gun. You go to the Police and you have the perpetrator arrested and tried. The moment you are willing to bypass the law and take matters into your own hands, you basically acknowledge that if you can do it to this guy today. Someone else can do it to YOU tomorrow.

[MMMMMMMMM]

Constitutions are not perfect. Granted. That’s why there is a mechanism for amending them. But you can’t go breaking them left and right for the sake of “realpolitik”.
What if this specific section of the constitution was ammended "une bonne fois pour toute" i.e. not a one time only? does that make the whole process more ethical?

[Solomon2]

it's as if what we have supported was a mirage, nothing left of the march 14 spirit, nothing left of aspirations of true change.

If Lebanese don't take to the streets to demonstrate otherwise, then why shouldn't M14's "leaders" exactly that?

[Bad Vilbel]

MMMMM,

I don't understand what you're saying: To amend the constitution, the parliament needs to be in legislative session. It is currently (based on Article 75) an electoral body. Period. So it cannot amend the constitution (une fois pour toute or not).

I really don't understand what's so hard to understand about this.

Solomon,

The sheeple are too busy arguing over who better represents the Christians, who's a zionist agent, and whether the Maronites' "privileges" have been weakened with an empty chair. They're far too busy with conspiracy theories to even think about holding their leaders accountable.

[Solomon2]

They're far too busy with conspiracy theories to even think about holding their leaders accountable.

How widely is it known that the propagation of conspiracy theories and rumors is itself an instrument of control wielded by dictatorial regimes?

[Bad Vilbel]

Well, sane people know that. But in Lebanon, conspiracy theories reign supreme. I don't think most people from the West, Israel, or anywhere else for that matter really grasp the magnitude of this phenomenon in Lebanon. We're not talking about a few tinfoil wearing nutjobs discussing the grassy knoll theory over a cup of coffee, or a few lunatics digging up obscure documents to substantiate the theory of CIA involvement in the Kennedy assassination.

In Lebanon is a whole 100 degrees of magnitude larger. Thousands and thousands of people, regular folks, like you and me, who are perfectly capable of using common sense when it comes to conducting their daily business, will sit you down and explain to you in all seriousness how "They" - for there is always a mysterious "they" that's responsible for it all - how "They" have all these grandiose plans for everything from pitting sunnis and shias against each other in order to steal their water and oil, to how the Zionists are busy blowing up the Americans in Iraq and blaming it all on Al Qaeda to besmirch the honor of the Arabs (cause, you see, there's always honor somewhere in there too). And these examples of mine are pretty tame too. I just don't have as fertile an imagination as I should to really do these examples justice.

[MMMMMMMMM]

BV,

It is clear that the constitution in under article 75. However as we all know, legislators will find a way to get around that (weather their ways are valid or not, that's another issue). In fact Robert Ghanem suggested what i like to call a "theory" to get around article 75. So once they do get around it, would it be better to change section 49 (the one stating that the elected president cannot be a government employee for at least the past 2 years) for good? and correct me if I am wrong, but this was not part of the consitution before 1988.

[Bad Vilbel]

MMMM,

We're debating 2 different things. I don't have a problem with amending the constitution. In fact, i think the whole damn thing is crap and should be re-written from scratch.

But I'm opposed to "getting around" various articles, just for the sake of expediency. It makes a mockery out of the whole concept of having a constitution in the first place. This is a case where the importance of the PROCESS outweighs that of the end result. The ends do NOT justify the means. It's ALL ABOUT the means. The means are what differentiate a man who makes his money through honest work from a man who makes his money by robbing people at gunpoint. And when you're trying to build a new era of democracy in Lebanon, a solid state foundation and state institutions that are respected is KEY. If you start showing people that you can always ignore the rules, you set the wrong example.

Having said all that, and to answer your specific question about Article 49. I do believe it is there for a reason. We're not the only country who prevents military officers or similar high ranking civil servants from being elligible for the Presidency (see Musharraf's fiasco in Pakistan). One of the very basic tenets of Democracy is the separation of the politics from the military (to whatever extent that is possible) and, I would argue, the separation of politics from religion (another bane of the Lebanese system).

Article 49 is there as a system of checks and balances (as most good constitutions have) to prevent folks with enough power in their hands (army commander, for example) to use that power to make themselves President (or similar). You get the idea. Most democracies have such articles to guard against authoritarianism.

[doha]

great, now feltman is saying that amending the constitution is kosher and that it's justifiable because the conditions today are different than those of 2004 and that the amendment is needed to rebuild the state. thank you, you know, i needed a justification. at least he's able to provide one, unlike our politicians....

[Vox P.]

To elect Slimmy, they will have to elect a dummy president, modify the constitution, dismiss the president and reelect Sleiman.

[Bad Vilbel]

Believe it or not, Vox P's comment actually makes sense :)

Doha,

I agree. At least the man offers some kind of justification. Our politicians don't even feel the need to justify stuff to us anymore. They have learned a long time ago that we don't hold them accountable. Democracy starts with accountability. Without it, politicians do as they please with no threat of consequences to them.

Feltman or no Feltman, I still don't like the idea of this amendement. It's lame. And the about face and softening of stances from the US, Geagea, Jumblatt and the most hawkish of M14 RIGHT after Annapolis has the fetid stink of some US-Syrian "understanding" in the works. Can you say 1990?

[JoseyWales]

To elect Slimmy, they will have to elect a dummy president, modify the constitution, dismiss the president and reelect Sleiman.

You're right Vox and I nominate Aoun to be the dummy for a short 2 days interim.

Maybe after that he'll lose the last 2% of his mind. Har, har. ;)

[Ace]

Just 2 days ago, Feltman said M14 should go ahead with the 50+1 vote and now he says shredding the Constitution is "OK"? He said that M8 was bluffing and that all the "threats" they had made had all gone "poof". None of them were carried out. So what happened here?

I don't know what's happening anymore. It looks like there is some sort of weird "justification" that M14 is using, that claims Sleiman (a man who has said little about his political stands), will get the controlling ministers - and they think this is OK because .... Why? Because he is NOT Aoun? Because he is not Nasrallah? He is the ONLY Presidential candidate in Lebanon who has openly said that that Hezbollah should NOT be disarmed, and that UN1559 is a "bad thing" and Lebanon should ignore it. M14 now thinks this is OK?

And yet ..... he is the M14 and even the Geagea & Jumblat "choice", and they think it is now just hunky dory to stomp all over the Constitution for this "unknown". They have ALL lost their minds. My very favorite part? M14 is blaming it all on the USA. Hello? Anybody there?

Pack it in folks ...... if they actually do this, what are you fighting for anyway?

[JoseyWales]

What happened?

Lee Smith in the Weekly Standard (hat tip Mustapha, Beirut Spring) thinks the US and Condi got a deal with Syria showing up at Annapolis and told M14 "tough".

Photo-ops with Syrian models are very expensive.

In 1990 Lebanon got screwed by Bush Sr, Aoun was out, and the Leb Army commander was made prez.

In 2007 Lebanon gets screwed by Bush Jr, Aoun is on the way out, and the Leb army commander is about to be prez.

PS And the idiot Pat finally figured out M8 was blocking the election.

[Super Dude]

"...if they actually do this, what are you fighting for anyway?"

Come now, who is fighting? No one. No one is fighting anything, people are living their lives and thats it.

As for history repeating, well, it will make the history books smaller. On the last page: "Turn to page 1"

[doha]

BV,

they should at least make things a bit more subtle. right when newspapers are talking about "warming up" relations between Syria and the US, we see a "green light" (mind you, not even a yellow one for that matter) from feltman about amending the constitution.

even idiots would get the connection. i can't believe that our politicians are moving along with this scenario. okay, at least let someone like jumblatt or hariri address the "publics" and let us know what the guarantees are for amending the constitution and why. i mean, c'mon, we don't deserve an explanation here. what? these past two years were a joke? i mean if these politicians really think that their decisions are for the good of the country, then share with us the reasons!!!!

[fubar]

What is happening here? It is all some US-Syria deal which involves selling Lebanon, a la 1990. RIGHT!!!

You guys used to be astute observers. Obviously, you can take the boy out of Lebanon but you can't take the Lebanon out of the boy. Yep, it can't possibly be Lebanon selling Lebanon, could it, guys? And it wasn't obvious that something rank was up last Sunday, was it?

Under naja's post, "which way the wind blows"...

"You are right to be on the look out for an SBD (silent but deadly) but, as e says, you are looking in the wrong direction.

Posted by: fubar | Sunday, November 25, 2007 at 06:56 PM"

And you guys think this is the doings of the US. Get a grip. The US has always been and still is today ok with the 50% + 1 scenario.

The boy in blue pulled this out of his ass on Wednesday. He obviously did not have Geagea and Jumblatt on board and even caught Geagea and most everyone else off guard with his announcement. They are still sratching their heads. The Saud's came out yesterday with a well if that is what they want, we are ok with it statement. Feltman took off on a round robin of meetings and only today, two days later, comes out with a weak "well, fuck me again" statement in support of M14 and he is the only US representative to make any statement to date.

And Siniora comes out with this: "He also noted that Security Council Resolution 1701 did not mention Hezbollah’s disarmament, 'nor did Resolution 1559,' Siniora told the Korean news agency Yonhap."

That is some extreme parsing of words there, not by name but Hezbollah is a militia, is it not? Well, obviously not according to PM Siniora today.

What is the boy in blue doing? Buckling or attempting some too clever by half out maneuvering of Hezbollah and Aoun. You figure it out.

[doha]

not saying the doing of the US. but sometimes watching the US conduct its foreign policy in the Middle East is freakin' mind-boggling!!!!!

[doha]

i thought about it more, fubar: why are you just blaming the man in blue? what about sarkozy and his "maneuvers" with the syrians to help the lebanese pick their president and most probably he was offering peace as a chip? i don't know when france and the US decided to engage the syrians once more in our affairs? when did they make this turn? is it because the only thing left on the table for bush to claim credit in the middle east is now push for peace? don't know...it's absolutely depressing!

[fubar]

What about Sarkozy? Are you kidding?

Under AK's post, "independence lost":

"'The French mistook us for Bulgarian nurses, while the US delivered nothing of consequence and made a fatal mistake to trust Sarkozy.'

Oh, piss off, AK.

Does the US expect anything from Syria? NO!
Does the US expect anything from France? NO!

Who turns to the frogs at every possible opportunity? It is the Lebanese who vie like dogs for the opportunity to hump the leg of any Frenchman in sight. When do the Lebanese tire of acting like bastard children who yearn for any scrap of meager affection from their feckless French father? When do the Lebanese realize that grown men stand on their own and determine their own destiny, instead of waiting endlessly for their absent father to come to their rescue?

It is not the US who makes the fatal mistake. Look in the mirror, my francophile friends.

Posted by: fubar | Thursday, November 22, 2007 at 10:50 AM"

This shit has been brewing for almost two weeks now.

FYI, Bush does not care about "credit". He will do what he thinks is right (whether you, I, or anyone else agree or not). He will let history be the judge 30, 40, or 50 years from now, and he does not worry about what newspapers and pundits say today or tommorrow. That is one of the main reasons I respect him, even when I disagree with him.

[Bad Vilbel]

Fubar,

Calm down and take a deep breath. You seem even more agitated than us Lebanese tonight :)

We all know that Lebanese are to blame first and foremost. I don't think anyone is arguing that. But it is also clear that SOMETHING has changed since Annapolis. The US is opening up to Syria and all of a sudden March 14, the US ambassador and everyone else have made a sudden 180 degree flip-flop on just about everything.

I don't honestly care about pointing fingers or playing the blame game. The Lebanese have no one to blame but themselves for caring what the Americans, Saudis or Syrians have to say. We let them. It's on us. I'll give you that.

The real issue here is not who to blame. The real issue here is that it sure seems like the past 2 years were for naught. The Cedar Revolution is just about dead and buried (by the very folks who championed it, i might add). We're cycling back to 1990, or some facsimile thereof. Somehow the Syrians once again managed to outsmart the rest of us by pulling off the old Jedi mind trick: Making the March 14 politicians and the West think that Suleiman was THEIR idea, and that it's the "good alternative".

I stated elsewhere that the Lebanese people deserve the hell they keep getting. They have a short memory span, and a tendency to lower their standards at the drop of a hat. After 9 years of Lahoud, and 2 years after the patriarch's gigantic fiasco of providing Lahoud with cover, in the name of "Maronite interests", he is panicking again, and saying things like "Elect anyone. Anything is better than that empty chair." (sound familiar?) and the Lebanese people are even worse. You show them cow dung long enough, they'll believe dog poop is pure honey in comparison. Doing a quick tour of the various blogs, i see an overwhelming number of "Suleiman is not so bad" and "He's a good guy" and "Order and stability" talk. I swear, the Lebanese are like a 3 year old toddler. Easily distracted by the first shiny object that's dangled before them and with the attention span of a fly.

I'm sickened.

[fubar]

BV,

Dude...I have been practicing deep breathing and meditation for just about two weeks now, and posting not much you may have noticed, while I waited for this turd to drop.

Maybe I will try yoga next. I could use the flexibility. = )

Seriously. This isn't just about Lebanon and this Suleiman card can really backfire. Just try to be sure you stand clear of the possible blowback.

[Bad Vilbel]

Oh. I'm way clear. I knew better than to get my hopes up - if you recall. I've been naysaying for quite some time now, and I've kept my distance. It's still pretty disappointing though, when the turd in question actually drops nearby, isn't it?

I think I might want a vacation, like Ghassan, from all this. Time to spend my holidays thinking about other things, like family, friends, and good positive stuff.

Cheers.

[danny]

Chill guys,

Bargaining dignity and nation away seems to be a Lebanese trait!!! However, This Sleiman thing is still looking like a manuever. I say that for the simple reason that the March 8 still seems to be in a daze. the "idiot" has an infighting problem with his orthodox hired gun...Murr...HA has again said they'll follow clAouny's lead...The izteez has...

Now there is a Riad Salameh sighting in the sky...

I still think 50+1

[Ace]

Hope you are right Danny but it looks like M14 "blinked" first. One of the best articles I've read about this whole thing boiled it down to who would "blink" first. The "civil war" thing is not very valid. The people won't do it again so easily. Indications are strong that Hezbollah was getting prepared to mount an all out attack ..... M14 folded. M14 wanted the USA to "do" something. Like what? Attack Syria? Bring in troops to disarm Hezbollah? That's the kind of thing they were wanting and the USA said, "we can't do that". So they will take Suleiman because at the end of the day .... Hezbollah controls Lebanon. They have done so for years, and it will continue and it will get worse. Feltman backed off because all other parties are on board for this thing. The Arabs (prevent Sunni/Shia war) and the Europeans (protect UNIFIL), how can the USA be the lone Nation to object? to "interfere"? PM Siniora will leave Lebanon, Hariri will protect his Business interests, and the rest are just cannon-fodder.

I bet at this point ... Aoun does finally see the "light", but it's too late for him to escape from this well laid trap. Too late for all of Lebanon. The "opposition" won - Aoun never realized he was not the "opposition", he was just the patsy.

Hezbollah could not afford to lose - They faced down the rest of the world, and they won. They also learned that they could be vulnerable over the last two years. They will correct that ASAP. Do you think they will stop now? Nope, there is more to come.

[Ace]

One more thing. I said from the beginning that M14 would never take Suleiman and I hope that it is indeed another one of the rabbits that PM Siniora has been able to pull out of his hat - but, it's not looking very good and I think they are giving in to what they think is inevitable. It's a mistake, but they won't be around to suffer that mistake. Hariri probably thinks the International Tribunal (his major concern along with his business) is "safe" and it can't be stopped, but he forgets the UNIFIL troops. They are a card yet to be played. When they start killing them again ..... the UN will fold on the Tribunal. It was always a very central part of this, and still is.

[Super Dude]

What a pickle.

On the one hand, M14 seems super incompetent because it will amend the constitution, on the other it will seem very cunning if this was a ploy.

One thing is certain, when the opposition and the majority look like headless chicken in the media, then something is not right.

I am of the opinion that Sully will get elected, with March 14 tendencies. Which could explain the incoherent statements coming from the opposition's camp. They might not trust him.
Most of M14's incoherent babbling on the other hand, is coming from those who want to uphold the constitution to the letter. Imagine that, M14 decided to play dirty by 'almost illegally' amending the constitution, instead of sending 'surprise cars' to Damascus.

Sully is not presidential material according to the constitution. So his name is proposed by some (Syria, Opposition), knowing full well he will not be elected unless a taboo amendment is made. A taboo for M14. Come now, M14 couldn't break their principles, could they?

Going with the 50+1 option like Danny proposed has serious consequences in the immediate future, and seeing how M14 works, I do not think they will do it.

I have to stop now, the effect of the pill I swallowed is wearing off.

Ahh..

[JoseyWales]

Ace,

If Hariri and M14 thought for a sec that the US would use arms on Syria they're even dumber than we thought, and dumber than the Patriarch.

(Only military card was Israel doing small raids on Syria, but they barely use it to protect themselves from Hezbo. They were not going to do for the M14 fools)

[Super Dude]

Forgot to add, Ayesh Lubnan's dirty politics. Who needs Stephen King!

[e]

Is it enough to agree on the President to get out of the mess?
No, two other important things need to be agreed on:
1) The policy of the government
2) The cabinet structure of the new government

The opposition is falling into the trap of discussing only one issue. Aoun will try to say no Aoun equals no president from FM, but that will mean negoatiations will take another 6 months. And all this time, Saniora is in power. The constitution will be ammended and Suleiman elected only when there is an agreed package deal. Since the 1/3+1 issue could not be solved in the last 18 months or so, why will it get solved soon for the new government?

Bottom line, March 14 have achieved a new status quo without it looking like they are blocking a christian from being president.

[Bad Vilbel]

e,

Wrong.

Regardless of whether Suleiman is elected tomorrow. or in 6 months, the opposition is STILL going to ask for that veto and 1/3+1 and we're still going to be paralyzed. March 14 hasn't achieved anything except the SAME status quo of governmental paralysis.

[e]

BV,
Right. My point exactly.
There is one small difference. Since Lahoud is out of office, the powers of the presidency move to Saniora.
For example, who is responsible for the army now? Saniora. Who will appoint generals etc.? Saniora. So slight advantage March 14.
Any issue regarding the tribunal, the president cannot block because... the powers are with Saniora.

Is the situation good for Lebanon? No. But it could be worse. The game of chicken between March 14 and March 8 is going to take years to play out and will not end until HA is disarmed or takes over Lebanon. The civil war was 15 years. This is not as bad but may take just as long.

With hindsight we now know that the French idea of a Lebanese state does not make sense. The neigbors of Lebanon are really "bad" and the way the sects shared power and treated each other is not a good basis for reconciliation. But that doesn't help anybody moving forward. The mess is going to take years to untangle. I would be thankful that it is being done rather peacefully and under the "caring" eye of the international community. Really, given the size of the mess, what more can you ask for?

[Shunkleash]

Dear all,

I write to apologise to naja, and with the deepest regret, to inform you all of my decision to call it a day.

To repeat what I have already commented on over at "beirutspring":

Its fine and dandy to sit back now and continue to rue the day that we (ALL OF US) sat on our asses and decided to let M14 take the reigns of power. Imagine!!! we were stupid enough to let a political novice with a goatee, a half baked drag queen who cries in front of the tv, a chameleon who looks like an undernourished albert einstein, a quack doctor and various other lunatic generals and gangster types to lead the way. Many do not know, but Gebran Tueni was a friend of mine and his life AND death has left me wanting. Like many of you I was there 2 years ago and that day still stirs me. It has therefore become increasingly difficult to clearly see the folly and absolute cowardice unfolding before my eyes and still do nothing. For me its simple, I can’t let it happen like that!

On friday, I quit 1 of my two jobs and on the last day of this month I will quit the other. Why, you ask in astonishment, would I do such a crazy thing? Well I think it is about time I try and make a diference (KERMEL LUBNAN!!!!) and because im sick of being a small fish in a big pond…capiche?!?! In 2 months time im returning to lebanon to do what none of the cowards currently living there want to do. Speak the truth and say it loudly enough for all of our well dressed politicos to hear. It goes something like this…YOU ARE ALL PIECES OF SHIT(large and small) NOW GET THE FCUK OUT!!

TO:-AK, UK, JW, BV, GK (if you're still reading)FU and EVERYONE ELSE who has contributed in one way or the other to this blog being what it is (except Lover"the prick") I have enjoyed reading your comments tremendously. The perspectives put foward, as well as being very entertaining, are heartening since they all tend to lead to one final conclusion...deep down inside you guys still give a shit and that lebanon is worth saving. I am also thankful for having been so warmly accepted and been given the opportunity by AK to share my thoughts, and my own brand of humour. I hope I have been able to brighten up what is otherwise a gloomy situation.

Regardless, I remain truly honoured to count you as my countrymen if only for the fact that you have all shown yourselves to be honest men and women.

Adios Compadres ive got some major packing to do. If I may borrow, for the last time, the words of the famous prophet "Ali G"...RASPECK TO ALL!

AYESH LUBNAN il balad al ARZZZZZZZZZZ!

Shunkeash has left the building.

[anon]

Dear Shunkleash :
When you come we will know you. We will know you because we are waiting for you (and others) like you. It will be an honour to have someone like you to lead us out of this .GT was a friend too and his LIFE left an impact on me and his DEATH a void no one can fill.He was M14....THE DAY(I was there too), and what followed up to his death.After that ........
You come from Blad el Arzzzzzz ya Ibn el Arz.Welcome back.

[JoseyWales]

Shunkleash,

Thanks for the kind words and thanks your rants over the months.

I salute you man. You're a better man than I, Shunkleash. Godspeed with your new life and ventures.

Please keep us posted on yourself and on things Lebanese.

AYESH LUBNAN

[danny]

Shunkleash,

God speed and all the best. I hope you keep up your posts or start a new blog from Arz country...Be careful!!!
I have learned and understood more about key Lebanese issues through your unique expressions.
maybe you'll just be in time to take a position of an MP from Moughtaribeen role for us and kick some real ASS...

Cheers

[External Viewer]

Shunkleash:

I'm a latecomer to this blog but have been reading your honorable posts, which pretty much are aligned with my views. Although I applaud your move and stance to move and protest where it matters most, I have to tell you that it comes a bit late for the presidency but is timely for the next parliementary elections. This should be the next chapter that WE THE PEOPLE can control (hopefully)if they don't rig the elections. Our population needs civic education and a certain level of education so that they can make their informed decision. Let's get rid of those illiterate and senile politicians who pretend to represent us.

[Cedar Revolution/Gebran's Sons]

Shunkleach,
I am not saying goodbuy to you but Hello. It's been time for all of us to take action where it counts and beyond words. We don't believe in Generals but in democracy. Whether it is General lahoud, General Aoun, General Nasrallah or the Israeli generals... they all helped destroy Lebanon and our unique democractic system. Lebanon leaders are either feudal, seving outside interests or obssessed with Israel or the presidency. But the Lebanese people are ready for real democracy... more than at any other time. Especially now that all masks have dropped. While we'll all contribute in our ways, we can't but thanks AK for this forum as well as Naja and all of you guys (except the "Hater").