Lebanon

A Lebanese minister says the Cabinet has reversed measures against Hizbullah that triggered the worst violence since the country's 15-year civil war. The Lebanese government had every right and responsibility to do what it did. Now they have ceded their nation to a group of terrorists. Any hope for freedom in Lebanon is lost. Within the next two decades it will become the complete addition to

Lebanon’s Social Minister Nayla Moawad told the German newspaper, Der Spiegel, that Hizbullah is engaged in a coup to take over the government and establish its ideology in the nation. She insisted the government had given many concessions to Hizbullah but each time they were given one thing they demanded even more. “Hizbullah has been [...]

bAnother good post at The American Thinker. This one is about BHO's his foreign policy towards Lebanon or his naivete of the situation in Lebanon. He does have some of the most Anti-Semetic foreign ppocy advisors inthe country. And if...

As President Bush prepares to travel to the Middle East, Lebanon's survival as a multi-ethnic, multi-denominational state is at stake. Hezbollah, the Shi'ite terrorist army "made in Iran," demonstrated its force by occupying the capital, Beirut....(read more)

These days it requires a scorecard to keep track of the situation in Lebanon. Shiites in Iran are influencing Lebanon politics as are Sunni Syrians while Sunni Egypt and Saudi Arabia are supporting the Lebanon government. Arab foreign ministers gathered in Cairo in an attempt to sort out the situation which has paraylzed the Lebanese [...]

Recently, Lebanon internal issues raised again as another big issue to be added to the Middle East multi Issues for 2008, the internal problems kept growing as there is still no President for the moment - having a record reserved in Guinness World Records book for the longest period for a country without a President!! - political issues kept evolving till we reached the latest situation of the spa

Cross Posted from Redcounty.com When Hezbollah isn’t terrorizing Israel, they are besieging their native land of Lebanon. Walid Phares from Counter Terrorism Blog has “Lebanon’s 300:” While the West is busy living its daily life, a beast is busy killing the freedom of a small community on the East Mediterranean: Lebanon. Indeed, as of last week, the [...]

While the West is busy living its daily life, a beast is busy killing the freedom of a small community on the East Mediterranean: Lebanon. Indeed, as of last week, the mighty Hezbollah, armed to the teeth with 30,000 rockets and missiles and aligning thousands of self described “Divine soldiers” has been marching across the capital, terrorizing its population, shutting down media, taki

News :Today the Arab Foreign ministers are going to meet to Cairo to discuss too late as usual the Lebanese crisis, I do not know what they can do , already the millions Saudi Arabia spent to help the 14th of March parties against Hezbollah did not do anything. The signal of the Future TV channels on the Nile Sat is back , but without broadcasting; only a white screen with a message informing the viewers that they will return so soon. Al Arabiya officially in the last 48 hours became the spokesperson of the 14th of March against Hezbollah in the region. Al Jazeera somehow was neutral. Hezbollah's Al Manar was so clever to air quotes from the late Hariri SR over and over as the martyr Hariri said in their promos. The famous TV host and astrologer Magi Farah met on a daily basis in the last

I have never seen such independent army anymore except in Lebanon , seriously the army either follows the President or the Cabinet , it did not happen in place in the world except in Lebanon , an exceptional country for sure . The army in Lebanon may be the last neutral institution in the country , not with this party nor with this party and this something it should be credited for. and it is unusual in Lebanon. I know officially Lebanon got no Defense minister but still officially they follow the cabinet , but they do not actually and this is the best thing because if they followed the orders of this cabinet , Lebanon instead of walking,stopping and avoiding the civil war route will be jumping madly to it. The Lebanese did not listen to the orders of the cabinet to arrest or to fig

The Lebanese army moved into action in an effort to restore peace to Beirut before another civil war erupts which could destroy the nation. It is placing itself between the Hizbullah and the government in a crisis that began when a Hizbullah ally who headed security at the airport was fired by the government. Military [...]

My knowledge of Lebanon is extremely limited. But the events unfolding there right now have regional and international significance. The BBC reports that Hezbollah has taken over West Beirut. Gunmen from the Shia militant group Hezbollah have seized most of western Beirut, driving out supporters of the Western-backed government. The gunmen, who also back Hezbollah's Shia opposition allies, have forced the closure of pro-government media. The opposition said it would maintain roadblocks around Beirut until there was a solution to the political crisis. At least 11 people, mainly civilians, have been killed and dozens injured in the city in three days of clashes. The fighting was sparked by a government move on Monday to shut down Hezbollah's telecoms network. The UN Security Council has

The Lebanese government has decided to declare the Hizbullah’s telecommunication network llegal which has caused the organization’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah to make clear his intention of fighting Lebanese efforts to curtail his operations. “Those who try to arrest us, we will arrest them. Those who shoot at us, we will shoot at them. The hand [...]

08/05/2008 23:31 (Lebanon) Pasukan Pemerintah Lebanon yang pro-Barat bentrok dengan milisi Hizbullah dan Sunni. Ini merupakan pertempuran hari kedua menyusul meluasnya konfrontasi sektarian di negara yang kerap dilanda perang saudara tersebut.

The terrorist group Hezbollah is doing everything it can to push Lebanon into another civil war. Isn’t the religion of peace great? Clashes in Beirut After Nasrallah Vows to Use Weapons Fierce clashes with assault rifles and rocket-propelled grenade launchers raged in several Beirut districts shortly after Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah vowed to use weapons to defend [...]

The U.S.-backed government on Tuesday declared the military telecommunications network illegal and said it was a threat to state security. The government also said it would dismiss the security chief of the country’s only international airport because he was suspected of ties to Hezbollah. Those Cabinet decisions sparked sectarian clashes between Hezbollah and government supporters over [...]

By the start of 2007, reports about major upgrades to the Syrian military, including advances in missile technology, with Iranian help were widespread in Israel. The impression of an imminent war existed across much of the Middle East. Syria, Hezbollah, and Iran were reported in Israel to be preparing for a war to spark in the Levant.   It was also claimed in Israel that Damascus had sent secret messages to Tel Aviv that should Israel continue to reject Syria's peace overtures, a war would breakout in the Golan Heights and that Syrian reservists were forbidden from leaving Syria because of the possibility of combat. In June, 2007, an inner circle of the Israeli government that would form a "war cabinet" in a Middle Eastern war scenario was categorically informed that a war

The Lebanese government said on Tuesday it was launching a judicial probe into a telecommunication network which the militant group Hezbollah had set up across the country with the alleged help of Iran. More...

This blog is about a trip that I took this weekend.  The 80th country I have visited.  With this entry,  I hope to inspire the readers to travel and experience the world - as well as remind us not to judge people or issues by what you see on TV.  My marketing team will add pictures [...]

During the past few months the government of President Bashar Assad has alternated between expressing a desire for peace with Israel to inflammatory expressions of warlike defiance. The Army radio quoted a “high ranking Arab source” as claiming Assad was willing to risk war with Israel in order to pursue policies in Lebanon which support [...]

Counterterrorism Blog -- It shouldn't surprise us if we find that the Shiite militias have prepared for the same type of warfare engaged in by their Hezbollah cousins in 2006, using Iranian arms, IRGC advisers and trainers, and similar tactics.The obvious difference between Lebanon 2006 and Iraq 2008 is the direct action in Iraq by the U.S. military, who are now far more efficient in counterinsurgency and urban warfare than the Israelis were entering the 2006 conflict. Did the Shiite militia desire such a reaction? Is that why they shelled the Green Zone so early in the conflict with the Iraqi army, to draw the Americans in and inject more uncertainty over Iraq into the 2008 election cycle?Shiite militia leaders have already achieved one strategic goal: they showed Pentagon planners and Am

Scientists have found the faint genetic traces left by medieval crusaders in the Middle East. The team says it found a particular DNA signature which recently appeared in Lebanon and is probably linked to the crusades. The finding comes from the Genographic Project, a major effort to track human migrations through DNA. The researchers detected that some Christian men in Lebanon carry a DNA signature hailing from Western Europe. The scientists also found that Lebanese Muslim men were more likely than Christians to carry a particular genetic signature. But this one is linked to expansions from the Arabian Peninsula which brought Islam to the area in the 7th and 8th Centuries. But they emphasize that the differences between the two communities are minor, and that Christians and Muslim Ar

In reviewing the action this week between Iraqi forces and Shiite militia, it's instructive to compare press accounts of this conflict to reports from the 2006 Hezbollah-Israel conflict in Lebanon, as posted or discussed on this website. Some examples: "Hizballah has proven to be a far more effective fighting machine than Israel anticipated, and the Israelis find themselves in a difficult situation: Continued military operations in Lebanon risk escalation and further destabilization, while a quick...(read more)

According to a top US Official,today the USS Cole warship was sent off the coast of Lebanon. It is believed that the deployment was meant to intimidate Syria or Iran, foes of the Lebanese government. But, according to the anonymous official, the deployment was a show of support for regional stability. However, this is a [...]

Hezbollah's grip over Lebanon is increasing by the day. And the West does not seem ready to stop this freight train any longer.The Croissant just reported the following two stories that prove how Hezbollah is planning its "coup": Did Hezbollah arrest UNIFIL’s commander, a few weeks ago? Iran provides armored cars to Hezbollah.While Lebanon is without a president for now, it looks like a favorite is quickly emerging: Lebanon army chief and Damascus ally General Michel Sleiman. If he were to be elected, the winner would not only be Syria, but more importantly Hezbollah.In fact, unsurprisingly Hezbollah has been planning and implementing a secret coup for some time using a multi-pronged strategy.First with a smart political weapon. Against all odds Hezbollah struck a deal with Christian heavyweight and formerly anti-Syrian leader, General Michel Aoun. This was the initial step in creating a major division within Lebanon's Christian community.But that was just the beginning. Hezbollah

Despite what happened in Lebanon from couple of days from a terrible terrorist act against Commander El-Hajj all people put hopes that the troubled country will have Peaceful happy Eid and Christmas and Michel Soliman will become the new president but this seems as a very faraway impossible dream First of all we were happy that all the parties after the murder of Hajj declared in one unified voice that they would stand together and continue changing the constitution in order to bring Soliman to Baaba Palace in order to fight and conquer the terrorism to the end of this revolutionary words mostly from the 14th of March group ,Ironically I found some interesting facts that make me feel that El-Hajj was not their favourite kind of man at all Already if anyone wants to distort the Presidential election ,then he should target Soliman not someone expected to fill his place in the army ,it is by logic !!! El-Hajj murder in my belief has another explanation ,I would rather prefer to dedicate

On December 12 a top Lebanese Army commander, Brigadier General Francois Hajj, was killed in a Terrorist bombing in the suburb of Baabda southeast of Beirut. Hajj, 54, who was close to army commander Michel Sleiman and tipped to be his successor, was killed along with his bodyguard in a rush-hour blast. This was the first assassination of a high ranking officer of the Lebanese Armed Forces in decades. The first set of questions is: Why was he murdered, who may have perpetrated this terror attack...(read more)

Surely this is the first blast from its kind in Lebanon judging the target in it  who was Brig. Gen. François Hajj ,the commander of operations in the Lebanese army and one of the top candidate to take over the commander of the Lebanese army after the electing Michel Soliman as the President The man and other 5 persons were killed in an explosive car ,it exploded through a remote control when Hajj passed by his military SUV The explosion took place near the Presidential Palace in Baaba, in a busy street ,already beside the presidential palace ,it is the area where there are several international organization and Embassies It is the first time in Lebanon that the target is from the army , already the army is regarded as a  neutral institute in Lebanon and it is Men somehow managed to stay away from the sectarian wars and conflicts in the troubled country It is only the target that is  special or unique,it is also the timing , we are just from few days from choosing

Hezbollah's grip over Lebanon is increasing by the day. And the West does not seem ready to stop this freight train any longer. The Croissant just reported the following two stories (full versions available to subscribers) that prove how Hezbollah is planning its "coup": Did Hezbollah arrest UNIFIL’s commander, a few weeks ago? Iran provides armored cars to Hezbollah. I just wrote a piece for the Middle East Times on Hezbollah's tactics to seize power . Here is a short excerpt: While Lebanon...(read more)

I guess in the season of Christmas in Lebanon , the suitable gift to Lebanon is a president ,it is not only the Christmas gift but the grand Eid gift too . Seriously finding the next Lebanese President to occupy the empty chair will be the miracle of Christmas not the gift in fact First we had the problem of finding the suitable man  whom all the parties agree upon The problem is solved after choosing the commander of the army Michel Soliman The man is supported by everyone including the 14th of March surprisingly as he turned to be well known hater to Israel and supporter to Hezbollah. Hezbollah is supporting the man 100% from the beginning yet they put themselves in a hard position when they decided to go along with Michel Aoun , you say that this is the price they would pay , because already Aoun wants to himself so much and he would not give it too easily without a fight The rest of the opposition and forces in Lebanon said yes for Soliman especially the man is independent

There are three Michaels in Lebanon currently so near to become the next president for the troubled state ,two of them are actually nearer from one to the Presidential palace The three Michaels are : Michel Soliman , the current commander of the Lebanese army Michel Eddé ,the former Minister Michel Aoun , the famous politician, former commander of Lebanese army I will start with Michael Eddé , the oldest one of them Michel Eddé has a powerful position in Lebanon due to the fact he was chosen surprisingly by Pope Sfir , the head of the Lebanese Maronite Church , as a moderate face all parties could accept him ,of course the only party accepted him were the Shiite parties presented in Nabieh Barry and Hezbollah. Of course the 14th of March refused him and some are saying that also Michael Oun also does not accept him , well surely it is obvious why; Oun wants it to himself , despite that Eddé lost in year 1989 his Syrian allies when he insisted that the Syrians should search f

News All eyes are on Musharraf as he stands down from being head of the Pakistan Army, as promised. The US, Saudi, Syria, Iran, and Hezbollah all have a stake, oh my! After four election postponments Lebanon still has no president. And Syria is going to Annapolis. Always the rabble-rouser, the Dalai Lama wants to hold an election to determine his sucessor — defying both China, and the 600 year-old Tibetan Buddhist tradition of having monks identify a successor after a Dalai Lama’s death by searching for the child thought to be his reincarnation. Sound a little familiar? A bunch of feisty, angry women in northern India have organized themselves into a “pink gang” to chase down corrupt politicians. Blogs From the New Republic blog “the Plank:” campaigning for the holidays. Why Obama has disappointed the ones who love him. And in typical revolving door fashion: why Trent Lott is really resigning. Email this post...

The Islamic Action Front fared poorly in yesterday’s parliamentary elections in Jordan. Meanwhile in Lebanon-where the two month presidential election period ends tomorrow—prospects for the Hizballah-led opposition are looking up. Word from Lebanon is that the pro-West March 14th Government will not be able to elect one of their two preferred candidates (Boutros Harb and Nassib Lahoud) president. Instead, it now appears that the March 14th forces and opposition may settle on a “compromise”...(read more)

Here's an article about how even in Lebanon, there's cases of families, most likely Muslims (of course the AP doesn't make this clear), are committing human rights violations against maids whom they employ: Before she escaped, Chandra worked 16 hours a day seven days a week, cooking, cleaning and running a household for a Lebanese family. The only time the Sri Lankan maid could leave was to throw

Fadlallah: Washington playing a'game' in Middle East - Daily Star - Lebanon Daily Star - Lebanon Fadlallah: Washington playing a'game' inMiddle EastDaily Star - Lebanon, Lebanon -Nov 9, 2007"This is part of the US game [that Washington is playing] in theMiddle East, which does not take into consideration the heavy burden shouldered by our… Next stop for long haul: airlines set a course to the East - Independent Next stop for long haul: airlines set a course to theEastIndependent, UK -4 hours agoIn theMiddle East, oil billions are being used to create tourist destinations such as Dubai and financial hubs as the Gulf states attempt to earn an income…Air Arabia to open second hub in Morroco to serve Europe,Middle…Al-BawabaUAE-based Air Arabia to invest in Moroccan carrierEconomic Timesall 7 news articles Jet refuelling business set for big growth - Gulf Daily News Gulf News Jet refuelling business set for bi

As two Congressional committees prepare for hearings this week on the state of affairs in Lebanon, the U.S. Treasury has announced the designation of four individuals who are assisting Syria's efforts to undermine Lebanese sovereignty. The designations freeze any assets those individuals might hold under U.S. jurisdiction, but the primary impact is to signal the Administration's intentions to keep the heat on the Assad regime during Lebanese presidential elections. From the Treasury press release:...(read more)

This is a much see documentary from ACT for America. It talks of how Lebanon was once a free and tolerant society with open boarders that eventually became a nation dominated by Islamic extremism and terror. It also talks about the current situation regarding terrorist infiltration and plans in America along with the roll politicians are playing.This documentary is about 37 minutes long but every American who cares about their country and freedom should watch it. It helps to provide a wake up call that is desperately needed.

Today, the US House of Representatives passed a resolution condemning Syria and Iran for their “gross interference in Lebanon’s internal political affairs.” In particular, the resolution focused on meddling in the Lebanese presidential elections and the campaign of assassinations that threatens to change the pro-West democratically elected majority in parliament. I had an article on Syria’s ongoing problematic role in Lebanon in yesterday’s Los Angeles Times....(read more)

In a blistering editorial, the Lebanon Daily Star, criticized rocket attacks on Israel at a time when the people of Gaza lack jobs and depend on UN food supplies. “..to make matters worse, the continuation of rocket strikes into Israel produces a steady stream of violent responses from the Jewish state that often claims the lives of the innocent. The editor notes the overwhelming majority of rockets cause scant damage and can hardly be construed as a form of resistance. “Their only function is to provide a regular pretext for Israeli attacks that have killed hundreds of Gazans…By allowing the rockets to keep flying, Hamas is allowing an irresponsible few to endanger and possibly destroy the dreams that so many have waited so long to realize.” I agree with the Lebanon Daily Star. There is no evidence rockets are any form of “resistance.” Only one, which fell literally be accident, into an Israel army camp, caused any damage. Palestinians need peace,

The ongoing assassination continues of Lebanese officials who oppose Syria’s involvement in the affairs of their nation. Member of Parliament Antoine Ghanem of the right-wing Christian Phalange Party was killed when his car was destroyed by a huge bomb explosion. The killing of such figures is aimed at reducing membership in Parliament of those who want Lebanon to be freed from Syrian interference. The United Nations expressed anger at the killing, and the Security Council “reiterated its condemnation of all targeted assassination of Lebanese leaders.” Syria continues its efforts to get rid of those who oppose its influence of Lebanon. Perhaps, if Syria were more engaged with other nations and brought into the political process, Western nations might have leverage to halt this type of violence in Lebanon.

This morning, Lebanese parliamentarian Antoine Ghanem was assassinated in Beirut. Ghanem, a Phalange MP allied with the pro-West Government led by Prime Minister Fouad Siniora was the third parliamentarian in the anti-Syrian majority to be killed this year. A fourth, Gibran Tueni, was killed in December 2005. With Ghanem’s death, the Government’s majority has decreased to 68 of 127 MPs--down from 72 a few years ago. The shrinking majority of this democratically elected government raises the very...(read more)

Antoine Ghanem, a parliament member and a representative of the Christian community in Lebanon, was killed today in a Beirut. He died when a bomb ripped through his vehicle, killing him and another 7 people instantly. Accusations are already falling on Syria and its security agencies, although Damascus steadfastly denied any involvement in Lebanon's internal affairs.Read the full story in the BBC article.

Do you remember when all of the sudden the Arab world last year 2006 found itself in front of a storm coming from Lebanon that is the rise of the LGBT rights group there !!?? Do you remember the rainbow rally and the press conference in Beirut ?? Not to mention the various gay blogs and the endless press coverage for quite sometime , of course online Press Well be ready because the Next LGBT in the Arab world is coming from Kuwait Oh yes Kuwait The homosexuals in Kuwait want a legal protection under the Kuwaiti laws especially for the transgenders as the Kuwaiti law prohibits the transgenders operations The homosexuals in Kuwait already according to the Kuwaiti El-Nahr newspaper had requested the social Services ministry's permission to have their own LGBT rights group This is not a surprise to me because Homosexuality is well known in Kuwait and it is something most Arabs know ,by the way here I am not attacking Kuwait heavens forbid ,it is not an attack it is something well know

I know I have said this before, but I can’t get enough of Lebanon Hills Mountain Bike course. Today, my dad and brother (Trevor) went on the trail. It was great. This was Trevor’s and my second time on the trail and it took us about one hour and ten minutes. My dad did it a little faster. The best part was when Trevor ran into a tree. He actually cut his rear break cable and his hand in the process. He also discovered the significance of shifting gears. This was a good thing. I think we did much better on the technical riding than last time. I went off a medium sized multiple log jump with no problem, and we all did better avoiding the rock gardens along the way. I usually could pass through these without stopping. One thing is for certain, biking this trail on a regular basis would get you into shape pretty fast! It’s a trail that tests your skills and endurance, but when you are finished, you feel great about it!

France is introducing a resolution in the UN Security Council to reaffirm the role of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon to take any measures in order to ensure peace will continue between the conflicting sides. Narallah, the Hizbullah leader last week warned Israel that his group would react strongly to any Israel attack in [...]

 Oh Lebanon my favorite small country in the Arab world , I wanted to speak about the first Lebanese annual anniversary of the grand Lebanon July 2006 war but I was busy in several stuff including celebrating our own revolution ,still I can't keep myself away from the Ciders country more than that. I come back to Lebanon through the polls results that are causing lots of stir in the country .The poll was about who was going to be the successors of the two assassinated anti-Syrian Pro-government politicians late Pierre El-Gemayel and Walid Eido The main battle was on who will take the place of late Pierre JR, in the area of Metn , the Christian populated area , where the battle was between Amin El-Gemayel, the father of Pierre JR and former president and Kamil El-Khoury Michel Aoun's candidate of the FPM The battle was on the Christian chair on the Parliament ,El-Khoury won in the elections yesterday proving that the FPM is winning more hearts and minds in the Christian str

yep, if you want free health care under president romney, no problem...all you have to do is move to lebanon:“Did you notice in Lebanon what Hezbollah did? Lebanon became a democracy some time ago. And while their government was getting underway, Hezbollah went into southern Lebanon and provided health clinics to some of the people there and schools. And they built their support by having done so …. That kind of diplomacy is something that would help America become stronger around the world and help people understand that our interest is an interest toward modernity and goodness and freedom for all people of the world.”

One year after the war with Israel, triggered by Hezbollah's cross-border rocket attacks, Lebanon's roads are still in desperate need of repair. But the task of reconstruction has become doubly important. The rebuilding now taking place across the country is an intensely political race for the support of Lebanon's people. Almost unnoticed by the outside world, Iran has seized the chance to win popular approval."From the people of Iran to the people of Lebanon", reads the slogan carried on countless hoarding, all trumpeting achievements like "200 projects" and "510 km of roads". So far, Iran has rebuilt 200 schools, 150 places of worship, 30 clinics and 25 bridges. The official budget for this year is about £60 million.Hezbollah runs most of the local councils in the areas where the projects operate. Here, construction work is given to local companies - but only those managed by Hezbollah supporters. More...

US Col. Thomas Kelly reported finding four of the explosively-formed projectiles in Herat near the Iranian border and one a month ago in the capital Kabul. He said Taliban insurgents may have access to the device but may not yet know how to use them.DEBKAfile reveal that the six Spanish peacekeepers killed in South Lebanon last month were not attacked by a suicide bomber but an early version of the armor-piercing EFP disguised as a rock. This model was developed by Hizballah and widely used with deadly effect against Israeli forces maintaining a security belt in South Lebanon in the 1980s.U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said in June that "substantial" quantities of Iranian weapons are flowing into Afghanistan and that it was difficult to believe the Iranian government was not aware of it.

The biggest gainers over the past 12 moths were real estate shares, with the Real Estate-15 index up 53 percent, even though it has stagnated over the last few months.Medium- and small-cap Yeter shares showed returns of 52 percent, but the banks have significantly underperformed with only a 8.6 percent gain for the entire year.

Latina Singer Shakira cancel her concert over security fears. Shakira who is half lebanese speakout about the war in lebanon.. saying she'd like to see an immediate cease fire:I am sad, as I believe the rest of the world is, knowing that so many mothers and children are being killed on both sides," Shakira said. "We do not need leaders who create dispute, anger and hate but rather leaders who care about the people and their needs," the rock star was quoted by 'Ynet' as saying. She said that war is "neither the answer nor the solution to any conflict, not today and not in this century".JustAnOrdinaryGirls

U.K.: “We have got a new security problem”: Gordon Brown (who is due to become British Prime Minister later this month) supports tougher security measures including more rigorous questioning and phone taps while pledging to protect civil liberties in Britain. India: “the largest amount being extended so far”: At the end of June, India will become the single largest borrower from the World Bank at 3.8 billion dollars. Lebanon:“the situation will be really critical”: Humanitarian aid workers express fears over their inability to bring supplies to a refugee camp in northern Lebanon. The situation is becoming dire as the Lebanese army continues to bombard to the Nahr al-Bared camp. According to the BBC, fighting has begun at a second camp as well. More than 100 have died since fighting between militants and the army began in the north two weeks ago. U.S.: “subject to undue adult influences”: The youngest detainee at Guantanamo, a boy with

PARIS: The international community yesterday strongly condemned renewed fighting in Lebanon, with warnings of a humanitarian crisis and calls by some for Islamic militiamen to be disarmed.The UN voiced concern about an unfolding human crisis in a Palestinian refugee camp in northern Lebanon where the army was locked in battle with Islamist extremists.The German presidency of the European Union condemned the bloodshed and called for the disarmament of Islamic militia fighters.The calls followed serious concern expressed by Russia on Sunday. “Such an upsurge of violence in an already tense situation in Lebanon gives rise to deep anxiety,” the Russian foreign ministry said.Lebanese troops pounded Islamist militiamen in a Palestinian refugee camp yesterday, the second day of the bloodiest internal fighting since the 1975-90 civil war that has now killed at least 55 people and raised deep concerns about Lebanon’s fragile security.Richard Cook, director of the UN Relief Works Agency f

Walid Phares - In northern Lebanon, a group named Fatah al Islam conducted several attacks against the Lebanese Army, killing (up to) 25 soldiers and losing (up to) 15 members in addition to civilian casualties. The fighting is still raging at this hour. This security development, which could be happening in many other spots in the troubled Middle East, from Iraq to Gaza, and from Somalia to Afghanistan, has however a special dimension. It signals in fact the opening of a new front in the War with al Qaeda’s Terror: Lebanon.Fatah al Islam, formed last November and headed by Palestinian-born Shaker Absi, is linked directly to al Qaeda. Absi was a colleague of Jordanian-born Abu Musab al Zarqawi, killed by an US air raid last year. Fatah al Islam since its inception has told its supporters and the population in its areas of training and operations that it follows the Jihad of al Qaeda.Fatah al Islam aims at creating an "Emirate" (Islamist principality as in the Taliban model) in the Su

Again, there's a war in Lebanon, this time against an al Qaida cell operating in - guess where - a palestinian refugee camp. The Lebanese army clashed with them today:TRIPOLI, Lebanon (AP) - Lebanese troops pounded a Palestinian refugee camp with artillery and tank fire for a second day Monday, raising huge columns of smoke as they battled a militant group suspected of ties to al-Qaida in the worst violence since the end of the 1975-90 civil war.Nearly 50 combatants were killed in the first day of fighting Sunday, but it was not known how many civilians have been killed inside the Nahr el-Bared camp on the outskirts of the northern port city of Tripoli.[...]The battle was an unprecedented showdown between the Lebanese army and militant groups that have arisen in Lebanon's Palestinian refugee camps, which are home to tens of thousands of people living amid poverty and crime and which Lebanese troops are not allowed to enter.That's why the al Qaeda was able to operate there!The troops

Funny thing with peace deals with entities in the Middle East; they never manage to remain peaceful. Ultimately this all revolves around the fact that the main aim is the destruction of Israel, not a Palestinian state as so often is claimed. If a state were actually what they were all after, there would be a state. Be sure to remember that those killed are not just by Israel when the twisting propaganda chooses to paint it so; Reuters: “Lebanese tanks shelled Islamist militants in a Palestinian refugee camp on Monday and at least nine civilians were killed, raising the death toll in two days of fighting to 66, security sources said.” “Palestinian sources in Nahr al-Bared said the bombardment had killed nine civilians and wounded 20. They feared the toll would rise. Aid workers, who earlier evacuated nine civilians, waited on the edge of the camp for a lull in the fighting.” The NYTimes reports that: “The Israeli Air Force launched new strikes against targets in

An amazing bit of news today. Ehud Olmert cited Tzipi Livni as being just as responsible during the second Lebanon war as he was:(IsraelNN.com) Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, in an interview with Army Radio on Sunday, said that the Israeli government made mistakes during the Second Lebanon War, and included Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni in the list of officials who made the mistakes.Livni is the highest ranking member of the government who has not endured widespread criticism and/or investigation since the summer. There is widespread belief that she is the most likely candidate to take over the Kadima party before the next elections.But with Olmert's turning against her and pointing a finger of blame at her as well, I think that any premier career hopes she may have are about to go the way of Hillary Clinton's.

Six arrested for Lebanon bus bombings Members of al Qaeda-linked group accused of bombings, planning attacks against UN force. BEIRUT - Members of an Al-Qaeda-linked group have admitted carrying out last month's deadly Lebanon bus bombings, a government official said Tuesday. Six members of the group are in custody, some of them nationals of once-dominant neighbour Syria, and all have confessed to their part in the February 13 bombings which killed three people and wounded 18 in a mountainous area northeast of Beirut, the official said. Another two members of the cell of the Fatah-Islam group are still at large, the official added, asking not to be identified. It was the first time a Lebanese official had spoken of the arrest of suspects in the bombings. The detained suspects confessed to carrying out the bombings from a rented flat in the Ashrafiyeh area of east Beirut. The rental was made in the name of Syrian Mustafa Shiyo, the official said. The suspects said they h

Iraq: Killings Drive Women to Become Suicide Bombers: Um Abdallah, 41, has a difficult task ahead of her - she has to learn how to use a gun and begin preparing for a day she believes is going to be one of God's forgiveness and revenge against foreign forces occupying her country. (Full Story from IRIN)Lebanon: My Sheep Were My Life:Muhammad Zein el Abidyn Jaber is a 72-year-old farmer who lives with his family of five in the small Lebanese village of Maroun El Ras, on the border with Israel. During the July-August 2006 war between Israel and the armed wing of the political party Hezbollah, he fled his town and left his sheep and cattle behind. When Muhammad returned a few weeks later, he found they had died of hunger and thirst. In addition, his tobacco plantation was heavily damaged by the bombings and he was unable to harvest the few olive trees he made a living from because hundreds of unexploded cluster bombs were strewn on his land. (Full Story from IRIN) And I am sitting here,

A Voice That Defies Death - Gibran Tueni - FULL STREAMING VIDEO, In memory of the 1st anniversary of Gibran Tueni's death. One of Lebanon most prominant journalists and MPs, with true aspirations of reform and renewal. We shall never forget you.Lebanon: Honoring Gibran Tueni, On December 12, 2005, Gibran Tueni, Member of Parliament and publisher of An-Nahar daily newspaper, was murdered in Beirut for standing for Lebanon's freedom and advocating for unity and cooperation among the country's diverse communities. His is one of a long list of political assassinations intended to destabilize Lebanon.The United States and its international partners remain committed to supporting Lebanon's legitimate and democratically elected government and the Lebanese people who deserve a prosperous and secure country in which the people are free to fully participate in their political process without fear of violence.2006/1110. Press Statement, Sean McCormack, Washington, DC, December 12, 2006Technor

Most likely a Syrian backed assasin has killed a anti-Syrian polititioner in Lebanon. Hezzbollah and it henchmen are probably behind this assasination. Hezzbollah, which is backed by the Syrian government, are in a power struggle to get more say in...

I’ve been thinking and writing a lot about Jews, Arabs, and the Middle East lately. One of my best friends at the seminary, Don, knows I’ve just been writing about the conflict in Lebanon, and even though we don’t always agree about issues, I love to talk to him. Not only am I sometimes confirmed in what I think, I’m also confronted by what I think—and forced to question it, affirm or reject it, even come to a new, more realistic understanding. Don and I are different in a lot of the ways that people measure differences—politically, culturally, theologically. But we share so much despite that; besides affection and a shared calling, we want out kids to grow up in a better, safer world. We want to ease the world’s suffering. We want to call our institutions to be their best selves, even if we don’t agree exactly how that would look. These are universal human values, and what separates us seems less important than what we share. If Don and I didn’t tal

News Ignored by the American Press Israel's Pretext For WarIntial Israeli propaganda ... We have all been told that Hezbollah breached Israeli borders and captured Israeli soldiers from behind the Israeli lines and this has been the justification for the annihilation of Lebanon and the killingbut the truth ... now it has emerged that the Soldiers were captured near the town of Aitaa al-Chaab well inside the Lebanese border ...Read more Link ...*Hezbollah Captures 2 Israeli Soldiers then again ... The story was quickly changed to imply that the soldiers were captured along the border, and then changed again to suggest that hezbollah had captured the soldiers from within Israel then again the truth ...Read more Link ...*TWO ISRAELI SOLDIERS WERE CAPTURED IN LEBANONThe fact that Israel was the aggressor in this incident completely removes all possible justification for Israeli's bombing campaign in Lebanon and now the case is perfectly clear, Israel is in gross violation of internation

Israel fuels terrorism as efficiently as the Bush administration : instead of acting carefuly and with the help of the international community after outspoken terror attacks (9/11, Hezbollah raid), they attack blindly and unilaterally, appear as the aggressors and bring chaos where it definitely wasn't needed (Iraq, Lebanon). Only military action is considered, all political options and all legal frameworks being nixed.I wonder if Lebanon can survive now. People came back once but this looks even worse than civil war. The country is politically, economically and socially devastated. A week after the first Israeli riposts, half a million people have been moved and more than 200 civilians killed, half of them kids. Who cares ? There's nothing but culture to be saved over there.Bush applauds, Europe remains silent, Arab countries fear for their own stability, the UN is as dead as John Bolton wants it. Welcome to Diplomacy's Ground Zero.

I don't know if you remember guys, but on the 6th of July i posted this article about Lebanon with a video that shows the beauty of it. Well, as most of you know, this beautiful country is being destroyed by foreign interesrts :) And here's a new video that show Lebanon now ! It's a shame trust me.To Lebanon With Love (More Time To Bomb)Alternative Buzz

The UN Security Council has agreed to a request from Lebanon to help investigate the murder of leading anti-Syrian politician Pierre Gemayel. The council's current president said the decision was taken quickly and needed no discussion. The UN commission already looking into the murder of ex-Lebanese PM Rafik Hariri in 2005 will take on the probe.UN agrees to probe Lebanon murder - full story     Bush pledges to stand by Lebanon Technorati TagsNews Bush Lebanon Pierre Gemayel Syria Rafik Hariri UN