Prime Minister Olmert suggested holding peace talks with Lebanon, now that the negotiations with Damascus are out in the open. The Lebanese government immediately released a statement rejecting the call. There are pending bilateral issues between Lebanon and Israel which are governed by international resolutions which Israel must respect… and which cannot be the object […]
The negotiations over the government seats continues. "Efforts are being made to find a solution to [General Michel] Aoun's insistence on handling a sovereign ministry, the Finance Ministry," the source said. The source also said that Aoun has agreed to a proposal giving him the right to name someone to him as general director of […]
It seems that talk of Blackwater and other mercenary organizations in Iraq has subsided over the past year (while searching the New York Times, the most recent articles I found on the subject were Mike Nizza's “The Lede” blogs from 2007). At least that's what has happened in the US; abroad it's a different story. The […]
“In his weekly column for the PSP-owned Al-Anbaa newspaper, Jumblatt pointed out that the fourth item of the Doha agreement clearly prohibited the use of arms of violence in settling political differences under any circumstances. Abstaining from the use of arms was the only guarantee of national partnership and Lebanese coexistence, he added.” Read more […]
In spite of May 21 agreement street clashes still take place in Lebanon. During the weekend, pro and anti March 14 supporters fought with “machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades and mortar”, in Beqaa. The government seems to be doing whatever it can to minimize the impact on the population. The problem is that it can do […]
March 14 Secretariat would like Beirut to be declared a demilitarized city. It should actually start with Beirut and move to all towns and villages. There are institutions specially designed to protect the citizens, and the country. No need for militias roaming around. I remember seeing men in uniforms in Hizballah's controlled suburbs, and I […]
The country has a President, however the consultations to form a national unity government did not lead anywhere. Yet. March 14 accuses Michel Aoun for blocking the negotiations. You may ask, why is Aoun doing it? “According to Future and Amal members, Aoun is disingenuously engaging in the formation of the cabinet. He had no […]
Here's an interesting op-ed by Fouad Ajami in today's Wall Street Journal. An ardent supporter of the Iraq war since the beginning, Ajami harshly criticizes Scott McClellan's accusations towards the Bush administration. He also says, “With the luxury of hindsight, the critics of the war now depict the arguments made for it as a case […]
Yesterday, the UN Security Council voted unanimously, to extend for another six months the mandate of the UN investigator looking into the 2005 murder of former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri. Resolution 1815, which was drafted by France, renewed the mandate, which expires June 15, until December 31. Michael Young on Hariri's assassination. Hariri's killing triggered […]
Australian soldiers are leaving Iraq as of Sunday, June 1, which fulfills the election promises of the current government. This comes on the heels of an interesting article in The Times last week, where Australian soldiers said they were ‘ashamed’ at their lack of frontline role in both Afghanistan and Iraq. The article comes from […]
Since its birth, Hizballah sabotages the state of Lebanon, in all possible shapes and forms. That is why, Hizballah's latest stunt did not come as a surprise. Nassim Nisr, who served a six-year prison sentence in Israel on charges of spying for Hezbollah, is now a free man. After being released earlier today, he was […]
According to the latest statements by CIA director Michael Hayden in today's Washington Post, Al-Qaeda's influence and popularity is on the downturn. He says that they do not have the influence that they once had, and that the Iraq invasion providing a platform for increasing their popularity has degraded considerably. Although this blog focuses solely […]
President Suleiman asked Fuad Siniora to form the next cabinet. After appointment, Siniora said among others: Premier Rafik Hariri is the reason I stand here, and I promise to fulfill my duties in protecting the state and its institutions and confirming the sovereignty of the law and justice through the International Tribunal. Not surprisingly, FPM, […]
A recent article by Steven Simon in the Foreign Affairs journal is quite an interesting read. It can be read here at RealClearPolitics. The main points of the article are as follows: There should be a distinction made between the Iraqi Sunni insurgents who are nationalists and Al-Qaeda members who poured in from foreign countries […]
Yesterday, Hizballah celebrated the “divine victory” it brought upon Lebanon in 2000. As expected, the state was there to show support for the party. Read Sheikh Nasrallah's speech here. I have nothing against revolutionary minds. That is needed, but who needs hooligans?! Disappointingly, Hizballah is more of a latter. It uses a Lebanese cover, while […]