Posted on 05/09/2008 5:47:59 AM PDT by SJackson
Hizbollah swept through major areas of Beirut in an overnight push that resulted in the deaths of 11 and forced Lebanese MPs out of the capital
The Shia group seized control of large areas of Beirut’s Sunni Muslim districts, which are loyal to the US-backed government on Friday.
The pro-Western leadership was effectively besieged with top leaders Saad Hariri of the Sunnis and Walid Jumblatt of the Druse sect surrounded in their compounds in Muslim western Beirut.
Many MPs were forced to convene an emergency outside the capital.
The fighting left the country’s army on the brink of potentially decisive split.
Its command is refusing to confront the more powerful, Iranian backed Hizbollah militia but is said to be ready to defend Prime Minister Fuad Saniora, who was holed up at his office in downtown Beirut.
The Times Correspondent in Lebanon describes the scene in shocked West Beirut after the sudden Hezbollah takeover
'm in Ras al-Nabaa, scene of some of the fiercest fighting last night. The ground is covered in the debris of shattered car windscreens and residents are in a state of shock as they inspect the damage. One woman I just spoke to said that she was here throughout the civil war, from 1975 to 1990, and what happened last night was worse than any of that.
The fighting seems to have subsided now although you can still hear the occasional burst of machinegun fire. Hezbollah and their allied militia, Amal, took over almost all of West Beirut overnight and consolidated their position this morning. The Future Party fighters crumbled very quickly and if you drive around West Beirut now you see Hezbollah gunmen on street corners in jeans and T-shirts with AK47s and walkie talkies.
There are two main pro-government leaders who live in West Beirut, Saad Hariri and Walli Jumblatt, head of the Druze community. Both have large residences besieged by Hezbollah and Amal gunmen who are controlling access to their buildings.
I spoke to one of Mr Hariri's advisers, who is holed up in the same building, and he sounded very despondent. He called it a 'one-sided civil war'. They're trying to work out what happens next but it's unclear how the Government can survive this situation. Lebanon has definitely gone through a major change in the past 24 hours.
High Volume. Articles on Israel can also be found by clicking on the Topic or Keyword Israel. or WOT [War on Terror]
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If in fact the leadership is beseiged, Parliament has fled the capital, and the army refused to act, then Iran is well on it's way to establishing an independent terror state.
Crap...anybody know if the lights are on in the Israeli Defense Ministry? I think the 82 plans are getting dusted off. And I think Olmert will be told “Mr. Prime Minister, this time, we do this OUR way.”
And we know Syria has been putting out mixed messages. Anyone think like me this is an effort to pin Israel down to prevent them from doing something about Iran’s nuclear program? I am willing to go as far as saying that Syria might not have even been told Hizbullah was going to pull something like this.
surely you don't need a tag to know that the preceding was pure sarcasm, do you?
“And this must be the start of something...
This could be the heart of something...
This could be the start of something big.”
Ella
This is a major story
Related:
“Italy readying evacuation plan for Lebanon”
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2013539/posts
The Druse need to be given arms and ammo. And perhaps a few Flamethrower tanks.
Would have been a better use for the arms and training we provide the palestinians.
Great post. Thanks. More commentary here...
http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/020942.php#comments
Thanks to Robert and the great posters at jihadwatch.
BTTT!
(for the umpteenth time...Why isn’t Nasrallah dead yet?)
It looks like that Iran has concluded that it’s easier to establish a terror state in Lebanon than in Iraq.
And Gaza. Which strengthens their long term position in Iraq.
Lebanon has fallen to an Iranian-backed coup and is now a full client state of Tehran.
The US has it's hands full fighting a proxy war in Iraq and Afganistan. Israel is fretting over Gaza and wondering when the West Bank will blow up...at the same time they have to keep their eys on the northern border.
And while all roads now lead to Tehran...neither the US or Israel has the balls to take it. Still, there are no more options.
Either the mullahs of Iran know/have something we're not aware of, or they are truly insane and their nation will lament the day they allowed them to power for centuries.
They are really leaving us with NO CHOICE but to effect regime DESTRUCTION in Tehran.
Owl_Eagle
If what I just wrote made you sad or angry,
it was probably just a joke.
Iran has their Hezzie puppets doing this now because of the Presidential election. Bush can’t get up there and say, “this will not stand” because he would effectively be making policy for the next President. And the mad mullahs are hoping that if McCain does this a war weary American public will give the election to Obama.
No, he could act/ Though it's an old connection, we are party to the agreement requiring the militias, including Hizbollah who befor 9/11 held the most Americans killed prize, to lay down their arms. Israel withdrew, the Christian militias complied, and the muslims poked us in the eye. We have a legitimate interest in the developments. As does France.
If this stands for very long, I think it's over, the Army seems to be taking Hizbollah's side.
But what would Obama do?
Yes it is. I've been trying to find it on here this evening. More and more I'm having trouble finding the hard news.
They had better arm up.
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