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Clashes erupt for second day in Lebanon (Hezbollah says Lebanon has declared war)
AP on Yahoo ^ | 5/8/08 | Zeina Karam - ap

Posted on 05/08/2008 10:39:47 AM PDT by NormsRevenge

BEIRUT, Lebanon - Sectarian fighting spread through the streets of Beirut on Thursday as Shiite Hezbollah supporters and the Lebanese government's Sunni backers battled with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades shortly after Hezbollah's leader vowed to fight any attempt to disarm his men.

The violence first erupted in Muslim West Beirut, where masked gunmen on street corners opened fire along Corniche Mazraa, a major thoroughfare that has become a demarcation line between the two sides. There was also fighting in the nearby Ras el-Nabeh area. There was no immediate word on casualties.

The violence spread to Khandaq el-Ghamiq, a neighborhood adjacent to downtown, which is home to the government's offices. Shootings and explosions were reported by witnesses and television stations in the Aisha Bakkar neighborhood near the office of Lebanon's Sunni spiritual leader, who is allied with the government. Gunfire and explosions were also heard in a nearby district where the opposition-aligned parliament speaker has his official residence.

Troops in armored carriers had earlier moved in to West Beirut to separate people who were trading insults and throwing stones at each other, but the troops did not attempt to stop the street battles that then broke out.

The army, which has been struggling to contain the disturbances, warned of the consequences to the country and the military.

"The continuation of the situation as is is a clear loss for all and harms the unity of the military institution," a statement said.

The army has largely stayed out of the broader political struggle between Hezbollah and the government for fear of exacerbating the situation. The army's commander is the two factions' consensus candidate for president.

Gen. Michel Suleiman so far has advised the government not to declare a state of emergency.

The tensions in Lebanon are partly fueled by the growing rivalry beween Shiite Iran and Sunni Arab countries like Saudi Arabia and Egypt, which back the government.

Many worry that the conflict could push Lebanon back toward the lawless days of its 1975-1990 civil war, when militias ran entire neighboroods and battled over territory, religious or political affiliation. The conflict left 150,000 dead and wrecked entire areas of the capital.

The latest clashes came close on the heels of a defiant speech by Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, who said his Iranian-backed militant organization would respond with force to any attacks.

"Those who try to arrest us, we will arrest them," he said. "Those who shoot at us, we will shoot at them. The hand raised against us, we will cut it off."

It was the second day of fighting that has turned some city neighborhoods into battlegrounds and spilled over to other parts of the country.

The violence appeared to begin as a test of wills between political rivals who have been locked in a 17-month power struggle for control of the government. It now could be degenerating into a wider and deadlier sectarian conflict, with the Sunnis' spiritual leader denouncing Hezbollah and appealing to a largely Sunni Islamic world to intervene.

The rivals have failed to agree on electing a president, leaving the country without a head of state since November.

The latest round of tensions was sparked by the government's decision earlier this week to confront Hezbollah by replacing the Beirut airport security chief for alleged ties to the Shiite militants.

The government also declared Hezbollah's private communications network to be illegal.

Hezbollah and leaders of the 1.2-million-strong Shiite community, believed to be Lebanon's largest sect, rejected the decisions, and the airport security chief kept his job.

Supporters of the Hezbollah-led opposition blocked roads in the capital on Wednesday to enforce a strike called by labor unions protesting the government's economic policies and demanding pay raises.

The strike quickly escalated into street confrontations between supporters of the rival camps. About a dozen people were injured, mostly by stones, but no deaths were reported.

On Thursday, the violence spread outside the capital. Sunnis and Shiites exchanged gunfire in the village of Saadnayel in the eastern Bekaa Valley. Four people were injured, said security officials, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with military regulations.

The area is on a major crossroads linking the Shiite areas of Baalbek, a Hezbollah stronghold, with central Lebanon and Beirut.

Nasrallah claimed Hezbollah's secure network of primitive private land lines helped the guerrillas fight Israel's high-tech army in the 2006 summer war.

He said the telecommunications network was "the most important part of the weapons of the resistance" and added Hezbollah had a duty to defend those weapons.

"The decision is tantamount to a declaration of war ... on the resistance and its weapons in the interest of America and Israel," Nasrallah said.

Hezbollah supporters kept the road to the country's only airport blocked, effectively closing the airport for a second day.

The clashes have brought back memories of the devastating 1975-1990 civil war that has left lasting scars on Lebanon.

Beirut residents are now seeing fresh demarcation lines, burning tires and roadblocks.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Israel; Politics/Elections; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: beirut; clashes; hezbollah; lebanon

1 posted on 05/08/2008 10:39:47 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
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Cars burn during clashes between Hezbollah and pro-government supporters in a street in Beirut May 8, 2008. Explosions and gunfire rocked Beirut on Thursday as fighters loyal to Hezbollah battled pro-government supporters in the Lebanese capital, security sources said. REUTERS/ Ezzat Attar (LEBANON)


2 posted on 05/08/2008 10:43:02 AM PDT by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi ... Godspeed ... ICE’s toll-free tip hotline—1-866-DHS-2-ICE ... 9/11 .. Never FoRget!)
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A Hezbollah supporter burns tires, closing for a second day the highway to Lebanon's international airport during a protest in Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, May 8, 2008. Shiite supporters of Iranian-backed Hezbollah and Sunnis backing Lebanon's U.S.-backed government clashed for a second straight day Thursday as the sectarian confrontations in Beirut spread to other parts of the country. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)


3 posted on 05/08/2008 10:43:54 AM PDT by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi ... Godspeed ... ICE toll-free tip hotline—1-866-DHS-2-ICE ... 9/11 .. Never FoRget!!!)
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Hezbollah supporters smoke as they sit on debris barriers that block the highway to Lebanon's international airport during a protest in Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, May 8, 2008. Shiite supporters of Iranian-backed Hezbollah and Sunnis backing Lebanon's U.S.-backed government clashed for a second straight day Thursday as the sectarian confrontations in Beirut spread to other parts of the country. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)


4 posted on 05/08/2008 10:46:13 AM PDT by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi ... Godspeed ... ICE toll-free tip hotline—1-866-DHS-2-ICE ... 9/11 .. Never FoRget!!!)
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To: NormsRevenge; Alouette

I’m just waiting for the announcement that this is the fault of the EVILLLLLLL Zionists, and for rockets to begin flying across the border...to be followed shortly thereafter by UN condemnations of Israel.


5 posted on 05/08/2008 10:55:21 AM PDT by Ancesthntr (An ex-citizen of the Frederation trying to stop Monica's Ex-Boyfriend's Wife from becoming President)
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To: NormsRevenge

can’t have muslims doing their jihad dance unless it involves piles of burning car tires.


6 posted on 05/08/2008 10:55:34 AM PDT by Proud_USA_Republican (We're going to take things away from you on behalf of the common good. - Hillary Clinton)
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To: NormsRevenge

Send in the army on those scumbags. Tell them to move the dirt off the highway or they’ll receive a hooka enema.


7 posted on 05/08/2008 10:58:22 AM PDT by Proud_USA_Republican (We're going to take things away from you on behalf of the common good. - Hillary Clinton)
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To: NormsRevenge
Unfortunately, if Hezzie thinks that proper government decision against their stupid selves is an act of war, I suggest Lebanon give it to them. If it's too much for the gov. to handle I suggest they ask for help from US or some other military powers... (Nato).

Do_not_ give it to these nuts.

8 posted on 05/08/2008 11:20:31 AM PDT by veracious
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To: dennisw; Cachelot; Nix 2; veronica; Catspaw; knighthawk; Alouette; Optimist; weikel; Lent; GregB; ..
If you'd like to be on this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

High volume. Articles on Israel can also be found by clicking on the Topic or Keyword Israel, WOT

..................

9 posted on 05/08/2008 11:58:16 AM PDT by SJackson (I'm a lawyer, Barack is a lawyer, all our friends are lawyers, Michelle O.)
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To: NormsRevenge
Shiite Hezbollah supporters and the Lebanese government's Sunni backers battled with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades

It is unbelievable that two groups of people are still fighting over the succession to Muhammad who died in 632. Can't they flip a coin or something to decide?

10 posted on 05/08/2008 12:16:43 PM PDT by John123 (Fluoride is NOT a neuro-toxin. It is a cavity fighter in spite of NO PEER Reviewed PROOF!)
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To: Proud_USA_Republican
I don't know how this kid sleeps at night knowing how much he is contributing to global warming!
11 posted on 05/08/2008 12:19:49 PM PDT by the_devils_advocate_666
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To: NormsRevenge
This could get very ugly very fast. Iran and Syria will fan the flames of this situation, and they need to be stopped along with their proxies, Hizbollah.
12 posted on 05/08/2008 1:07:55 PM PDT by elhombrelibre (If you share Wright's pews, you share his views.)
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To: elhombrelibre

To Nasrallah, two words

INCOMING HeLLFiRe!


13 posted on 05/08/2008 1:12:08 PM PDT by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi ... Godspeed ... ICE toll-free tip hotline—1-866-DHS-2-ICE ... 9/11 .. Never FoRget!!!)
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To: NormsRevenge
Shoot 'em and take their hookahs!

(I need more for my collection.)

14 posted on 05/08/2008 1:15:12 PM PDT by uglybiker (I do not suffer from mental illness. I quite enjoy it, actually.)
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To: NormsRevenge

Say goodbye to your Country.....

Hezbollah mafia Gangsters are there to Kill and take over.

They want you DEAD.


15 posted on 05/08/2008 2:32:22 PM PDT by LtKerst (Lt Kerst)
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To: LtKerst
Hezbollah mafia Gangsters are there to Kill and take over. They want you DEAD.

Well, that's what they do. That's all they do. They don't know anything else. It is their only contribution in life.
16 posted on 05/08/2008 2:38:04 PM PDT by ZX12R
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