Trapped

Bush had a very busy day today. Topping his agenda was the financial crisis that is threatening to plunge the US into a recession, turning us into something worse than the socialist disaster that the GOP used as scarecrow when they deregulated everything from the economy to the way wars are planned.

With Bush and some members of The House effectively surrendering the economy to a struggling presidential campaign, we, who hail from the land of the cedars, were told the US and Lebanon have a lot in common. This claim came courtesy of Lebanese President Michel Suleiman, last seen deregulating the free flow of weapons from Syria to Lebanon. 

In remarks at the outset of the Oval Office meeting with President Michel Suleiman, Bush said he has watched carefully the public statements that Suleiman has made since taking office in May.

"Your statements impressed me and we're most impressed by the national dialogue that you're holding in an attempt to seek reconciliation," Bush said. "The United States is proud to stand by your side. Our mission is your mission: a country that is strong and capable, a country where people can make a peace."

Sitting beside Bush in the Oval Office, Suleiman said his country shares many U.S. values, including the promotion of liberty and the fight against terrorism. And he thanked Bush for his administration's support of the Lebanese government, particularly efforts to bolster the Lebanese army.

"There are so many things in common between the American people and the Lebanese people. We are here also to reaffirm our rights to have a prosperous Lebanon, a democratic Lebanon," Suleiman said. "Mr. President, we are also here to affirm the need to liberate all Lebanese territories and also to make it clear that the future of Palestinian refugees is in their homeland, not in Lebanon." (AP)

Bush obviously spoke too soon. I don't think he cares about Lebanon's "need" to liberate a farm that no one can tell for sure where it belongs.  What is the point of coming all the way to the White House and, instead of asking for assistance in things that matter, you "affirm the need" to fight an endless war on behalf of Lebanese cattle? How is this a reflection of commonality between Lebanese and Americans? The way I see it, Lebanese politicians have proven that they want to keep Lebanese prisoners of a cause, that's become unfit even for livestock.

But then, today John McCain took us all prisoners of his campaign. This isn't to say that the actions of American and Lebanese politicians are comparable. For at least in America, politics are rooted in something a lot deeper and meaningful than pasture. But today, many Lebanese, Americans, and Lebanese Americans, felt trapped.

Comments

[Jeha]

Why would you say that?

Whoever is elected, the Syrians will make a move on us. Yes, their underlying assumptions will change; they will think that Obama will sell us out, or they will assume that McCain will not oppose Israel's desire to sell us out. Either way, however, they will make a move.

So, just vote your conscience as an American. Lebanon has a long way to go, anyway; when we kicked the Syrians out, we Lebanese exchanged one secular dictator a few miles away for a plethora of wannabe dictator, each not a mile away.

[Don Cox]

The great majority of the "Palestinians" in Lebanon were born in Lebanon. It IS their homeland.

Lebanon is operating an apartheid system where a large body of their citizens (by birth) are kept in enclaves and have no votes and few rights.

[Umm Kais]

Don Cox--

I don't agree with the way Lebanon treats its Palestinian population--I think they should be integrated into society and treated like humans. And certainly anyone born and raised in a country should be able to count that country as their homeland.

But when you say Lebanon is their homeland because they were born there, then would you make the same argument for the many Israelis who made their way to Israel after 1948 who were born in Russia, the US, Morocco, Iraq, Iran, France, etc? Are those countries their homeland or is Israel their homeland? Can a person have two homelands? If a large chunk of Israelis can have two, why couldn't Palestinians? Just some curious questions--not trying to be snarky.

[Max Power]

Don Cox,

Interesting point to say the least.

However, calling it a "aparteid" state is asinine. I say they march to the Israeli border and set up camp inside Israel. Alot of them have an ideal to one day go back home.

Israel and the US offered Lebanon when Lahoud was president a lot of money to assimilate them. The one time I agree with the Speedo laden leader. He made valid points as to why Lebanon couldn't afford to assimilate.

Let's be honest, They have not been the best guest either. Compare their plight to say the Armenians integration and contribution to Lebanese society and a few others. They also have their own agenda.

Sadly they are a political pawn in a confused game of chess, however your description of an "Aparteid" state bodes better to our neighbor to the South and not Lebanon.

[R]

Sigh, they may have not been the best guests. On the other hand we don't treat each other any better so why hold them to any different standards. I mean really, how are they more or less Lebanese than any of the rest of us? Its not like Lebanon stands for some lofty principle that they stand against. We just don't want to take responsibility. Big surprise!

But regardless of the citizenship issue, we could treat Palestinians like human beings and afford them ownership rights, construction rights, work permits, etc... without that having to be a big issue at all. We choose not to, we don't bat an eyelid, and we believe our self-perpetuated crapola of excuses.

[Jeha]

They were never really treated as guests,

Unlike the Armenians, the Palestinians were pawns in the hands of a centrally-controlled authority, which later became the PLO; it maintained them in a status of "proletariat" to better recruit fodder amongst them. The Lebanese governments were not too unhappy about this either, since the supply of cheap labour allowed them to keep Lebanese workers wages low, and to decrease their bargaining power.

The Syrian workforce played the same role in the nineties and the noughties, with a brief lull in '05, when workers from Akkar and the deep South took the place of many fleeing Syrians, briefly pushing up wages. The same areas are, incidentally, fertile feeding ground for the new fundamentalist PLO's.

[Rima]

AK

Excellent post. I was puzzled by this visit...It turned to be no more than a Syrian assignment to our new president, who is not fit to be president.Shame!

[danny]

It seems we were right...The troops on the northern border are ready and the order should come out soon...

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gp6gZV75vZLGdxlDQK2jDP-8LPHQD93G9H6O0

Amazing that they can tell where the hell did a car or suicide bomber come from in a couple of days...Also, the funny thing is Syrians are supposed to be running a DNA test on the bomber!!! Wow, I did not know they had a DNA data bank there either!. Poor Lebanon. It seems Syria might invade (betting on the world's preoccupation on the financial crises and US election) just like Georgia did; hoping for the same kind of response by the west as the Georgian one!!

[danny]

..." just like Georgia did"...
OOps.
I meant Russia

[George]

Do you apply censorship to posts?

[George]

Voice of Lebanon radio station: Among the victims was adjutant Fouad Qadaweh who was taken to al-Haikaliya hospital.
I have no idea who Fouad Qadaweh is or what an 'adjutant' is, but he seems to be significant.

[George]

Dmascus Blast.
The identity of the high-ranking military officer, who was reportedly killed as a result of the explosion, has not yet been revealed.

The Palestine branch of Syrian Military Intelligence is headed by Gen. Suleiman Dayoub, a close ally of President Bashar Al-Asad's brother-in-law, Gen. Asif Shawkat, who heads Military Intelligence and is considered one of the strongest men in the Syrian..
Saturday's attack may be connected to Suleiman's assassination and to a behind-the-scenes battle within the top Syrian security command. Various unconfirmed reports over the past few months indicated that Al-Asad may have begun to worry about Shawkat's increasing power.

Syria, of course, is not revealing any such internal disputes, and is trying to place the blame on outside elements.
And as we discovered this week, Suleiman was also the IAEA's man in Damascus.

[danny]

Geoege,

Stop this! You are plagiarizing. Stop cut and pasting articles as your own. It is revolting!

[Judith]

I feel so sorry for you. Your politicians have bowed to Hezbollah, you are dreaming of Obama saving your country (once again, I feel so sorry for your delusion). Read Obama's books, educate yourself of what this savior has promised and what he has delivered. Again, so sorry for you.

[Umm K.]

Judith, no need to feel sorry for anyone. We're all smart enough to take care of ourselves, and most Lebanese here have stopped expecting anyone to save Lebanon but Lebanese themselves. No asked Obama to save Lebanon so I'm not sure what you claim the blogger is "dreaming about". Since we're in a patronizing mood, how about a suggestion for you? Why don't you leave Lebanon to the Lebanese and you stick with what you know.

[Jeha]

I second the motion,

No one will save Lebanon but the Lebanese themselves... Of course, it helps to have the right confluence of events. And this time, regardless of our ennemies' "salami tactics", the stars are well aligned in our favour.

Inchallah.

[siva]

bonjour

[siva]

http://sivasinnapodi1955.blogspot.com

[siva]

http://sivasinnapodi1955.blogspot.com

[siva]

bonjour