Posted on 03/03/2008 10:30:39 AM PST by Bahbah
da viking kitty gots sharp claws ;(
Back later.....
This thing just took on a new layer of complexity and/or incomprehensibility...
(IOW — ‘WTF???’)
Lebanese army overturns measures against Hezbollah (Lebanon and Israel - front line states)
al Reuters ^ | 10 May 08 | Khaled Yacoub Oweis
Posted on Saturday, May 10, 2008 10:01:04 AM by elhombrelibre
BEIRUT (Reuters) - The Lebanese army overturned on Saturday two government measures against Hezbollah that had triggered the group to take control of Beirut, and the military urged gunmen to withdraw from the streets.
The army said in a statement it was keeping the head of the security at Beirut airport in his post and that it would handle Hezbollah’s communications network in a way “that would not harm public interest and the security of the resistance.”
Lebanon’s U.S.-backed Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said earlier on Saturday that he was putting the two issues, which have sparked the worst fighting in Lebanon since the 1975-90 civil war, into the hands of the Lebanese army.
Hezbollah’s takeover of Beirut in three days of fighting left Siniora’s U.S.-backed government reeling and strengthened Hezbollah’s position as the most powerful group in Lebanon after a 17-month power struggle with the governing coalition.
Fighting, which has so far killed 27 people, erupted after the government said on Tuesday it was taking action against Hezbollah’s military communications network and sacked the head security at Beirut airport, who is close to the Shi’ite group.
Hezbollah, a powerful anti-Israeli guerrilla group which is backed by Syria, said the anti-Damascus government had declared war.
Five gunmen and two soldiers died in clashes on Saturday east of Beirut and in north Lebanon. Two people were killed in the capital when shots were fired at the funeral of a government supporter in a continuation of the worst violence since the 1975-90 civil war.
At least 75 people have been wounded.
Hezbollah accused pro-government gunmen of Walid Jumblatt’s Progressive Socialist Party of abducting three of its members and killing two of them. It held Jumblatt, a Druze leader, responsible for the safe return of the third.
SINIORA DEFIANT
Siniora, whose legitimacy is disputed by Hezbollah and its allies, said on Saturday Beirut was “besieged” and “occupied.” “What is Hezbollah doing in the alleyways of Beirut?” he asked.
“Your state will not fall under the control of the putschists,” Siniora said in a televised address in his first response since Hezbollah and allied fighters routed pro-government gunmen in west Beirut on Friday.
The fate of Hezbollah’s arsenal has been at the heart of a 17-month-long power struggle between the opposition and the governing coalition, whose Arab backers include Saudi Arabia.
“We ... can no longer accept Hezbollah’s situation and that of its weapons as it is,” said Siniora.
“Hezbollah must realize that force of arms will not scare us or make us retreat,” he said. He reiterated a proposal already rejected by Hezbollah for resolving the crisis.
The United States, which considers Hezbollah a terrorist group, a threat to Israel, and a weapon in the hands of Iran, said it was talking with other powers about taking measures against “those responsible for the violence.”
On the streets of Beirut, fighters from the Iranian- and Syrian-backed group continued to man checkpoints on main thoroughfares, although in smaller numbers than on Friday.
Traffic was thin as many residents stayed at home. Roads to Beirut’s international airport remained closed by barricades erected by Hezbollah. A few shops reopened after the army deployed in several areas but did not interfere with Hezbollah fighters, who have not taken over any government facilities.
Hezbollah took control of Muslim west Beirut on Friday in what the governing coalition described as “an armed and bloody coup.” Washington said it was “very troubled” by the move.
Christian districts in east Beirut have been spared fighting, much of which was between Hezbollah and its allies and gunmen loyal to parliamentary majority leader Saad al-Hariri, Lebanon’s most prominent Sunni leader and a Saudi ally.
Hariri’s supporters still controlled areas in the north of the country where they took over several offices gor opposition groups and kept a key crossing point with Syria in the Bekaa Valley shut.
Hariri is a son of the late Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri, whose assassination three years ago triggered pressure on Syria to withdraw troops from Lebanon.
The governing coalition accuses Hezbollah of seeking to restore Syria’s influence. The group’s show of military might is alarming the West and its Sunni Arab allies who fear Iran’s growing influence in the region.
Saudi Arabia and Egypt, which back Lebanon’s government, called for an Arab foreign ministers meeting on Sunday. “There are regional repercussions at stake and the situation must be saved,” Arab League chief Amr Moussa told al-Jazeera television.
The crisis has paralyzed political decisions, left Lebanon without a president and heightened sectarian tensions.
(Additional reporting by Nadim Ladki and Laila Bassam; Writing by Tom Perry; Editing by Samia Nakhoul)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2014039/posts
Good grief! WHAT are they thinking? Man oh man..
So, this whole thing was brought about by a bloody socialist?
I am also told that the Shi’a have accepted the order to stop “armed protests,” but they will continue the occupation of West Beirut & the airport.
The biggest topic of conversation in Lebanon right now is the Druze having captured 2 Hezbullah men when Hezbullah attempted to take over the Druze area of Aley.
Hezbullah is on TV making noise about the “kidnapping”. Saying they’re holding Walid Jumblat responsible. It’s possible that the men have been killed, but no one knows for sure yet.
So what I now have confirmed is that Hezbullah/Amal/Syrian Party took over one neighborhood after the other & then turned them over to the army. What they are doing is turning them over to the army so as to avoid the impression that they have taken over the country, while of course they are really the ones in charge. It is clear by now that the army refuses to fight Hezbullah & they have won. The government gave in to all of Hezbullah’s demands.
Hey Fork,
Thanks for your up to the minute reports for us. I really appreciate the time you take to do this.
And hello to all, I have been lurking lately but following along with the excellent posts as usual in this thread, after reading Ike’s missive to check in, well I’m checking in. :-)
Workerbee.. I’m so very glad to have read your great health report! God Bless you.
I missed this post until now when I saw reference to it in hegemony’s post. I’m happy for you, ma ‘alak illah ‘l-’afiye insha’allah, as we say. (May there be upon you nothing but health, God willing. :)
Thank you! No problem. :) My boyfriend is going to Lebanon in a few weeks & he’ll bring me news from the front line, which I’ll pass on to you guys.
Good morning, everyone....
Catching up, it appears that Hezbollah’s de-facto coup in Lebanon is as complete as it can be without actually changing the name of “Lebanon” to “Hezbollahnon”....
I’ve accepted - not happily - that the US has completely abdicated its responsibilities for stability in the ME, but I’m at a loss to explain why Israel is remaining in an apparently blissfully ignorant state vis-a-vis this catastrophe on its border...
(The only article I found on the FR main board that mentioned Lebanon and Israel was a DEBKA piece that was so.. so.... DEBKA that it was unreadable....)
Things are not adding up, here, folks....
Good morning Uncle Ike.
Catching up a bit while get my brain functioning - coffee, I need coffee.
Hizbullah Celebrates Victory in Lebanon as Gov’t Bows to Demands
by Ezra HaLevi
(IsraelNN.com) The Hizbullah terrorist group celebrated victory over the Lebanese government as the weak US-backed coalition bowed to the Iran and Syria-backed group’s demands.
Nonetheless, Hizbullah men continued to clash with US-backed Lebanese government-supporters even after the weak government authorized the Lebanese army to backtrack on the state’s attempted assertion of sovereignty following a near-coup.
Clashes in Lebanon began three days earlier when the army was instructed to close down the Iran and Syria-backed group’s alternative communications network and depose the Hizbullah-affiliated head of security at Beirut’s airport. The decision was made by pro-independence factions of the ruling government coalition seeking to stem the influence of Syria and Iran in Lebanon.
Hizbullah blocked off access to the airport with bulldozers and Hizbullah Chief Hassan Nasrallah got on Hizbullah-run TV and instructed his followers: “We have said before that we will cut the hand that targets the weapons of the resistance. Today is the day to fulfill this promise.”
At least 20 people were killed in the ensuing street battles as Hizbullah seized entire neighborhoods and towns, battling Sunni Muslims and Druze, which are both loyal to the government. Government officials’ homes and offices were also surrounded as government-affiliated TV stations were burned. The Lebanese army stood down in fear of an all-out civil war.
A withdrawal from Beirut was agreed upon after the Lebanese Army gave in to the group’s demand to keep a Hizbullah loyalist in charge of the airport and continue to operate its own communications network. “As for the telecommunications network, the army will look into the issue in a manner that is not harmful to the public interest or the security of the resistance [against Israel],” an official statement from the army read.
Though Hizbullah officials promised Saturday that they would withdraw armed men from Beirut, they said they will continue a civil rebellion until the government gives in to the rest of their demands, which include the right to veto any decision made by the government. The announcement came after victory parades of armed men in pickup trucks firing their guns in the air made their way through Beirut.
Despite handing its positions over to the government in Beirut following its victory, Hizbullah terrorists continued to clash with Lebanese government loyalists in Tripoli Saturday night.
EXCERPT;
More at http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/126123
Hiya, Workerbee...
I was hoping that when you came in, you’d bring with ya some ‘news’ reports to the effect that things ain’t as bad over there as I’ve been thinking they are...
Silly me.....
Lebanon troops patrol Beirut after Hezbollah pullout
By Laila Bassam
1 hour, 17 minutes ago
BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanese troops patrolled Beirut on Sunday after Hezbollah fighters pulled back from areas they had seized in gunbattles with supporters of the U.S.-backed government that have killed 39 people.
But fighting raged overnight in Tripoli, Lebanon’s second largest city, between pro- and anti-government gunmen. Security sources said at least two people were killed and five were wounded in the fighting.
Hundreds of soldiers backed by armored vehicles set up roadblocks and took up positions on the streets of the mainly Muslim part of the capital. There were no gunmen in sight but youths maintained barricades on some crucial roads, ensuring Beirut’s air and sea ports remained closed.
Hezbollah, a political group backed by Iran and Syria with a guerrilla army, said on Saturday it was ending its armed presence in Beirut after the army overturned government decisions against it.
While tensions have eased slightly in Beirut, there was little progress in efforts to resolve the core political disputes that have plunged Lebanon into its worst crisis since the 1975-90 civil war.
The Hezbollah-led opposition said it would maintain a “civil disobedience” campaign until all of its demands were met.
Hezbollah took over much of west Beirut on Friday after its fighters routed supporters of the anti-Syrian ruling coalition.
Four days of fighting erupted after the government said it was taking action against Hezbollah’s military communications network and sacked the head of security at Beirut airport, who is close to the group.
Hezbollah called the move against its communications a declaration of war, saying the network had played a crucial role in its 34-day war with Israel in 2006.
EXCERPT
More at http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080511/wl_nm/lebanon_dc
IAF Kills 5 Hamas Terrorists, 1 Israeli Dead in Mortar Attack
by Hana Levi Julian
(IsraelNN.com) Israel Air Force pilots took to the skies following an attack on Kibbutz Kfar Aza Friday evening and within hours, carried out a lethal air strike against two Hamas police stations in southern Gaza.
Five terrorists were killed in the strike, according to local sources. The IDF confirmed the attack. Hours later, on Saturday morning, the IAF killed a terrorist cell near the security barrier in a separate strike.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/126121
I’ve heard several times in Israel that America revoked its 1947 UN vote of support for the creation of the State of Israel in 1948. Reinstated sometime later, I guess. I’ve never seen this mentioned anywhere else & I tried searching online & didn’t find anything. But I don’t really know where to look either. Does anyone here know if this is true or not?
I think at the end of the day, It is Syria that need a whoopin.
I know this is a double post but needs to kept in the forefront.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
May 9, 2008 9:08 | Updated May 10, 2008 9:25
Assad: ‘We won’t cut Iran or Hizbullah ties’
By JPOST.COM STAFF
Syrian President Bashar Assad rejected Israel’s demand that Syria cut its ties with Iran and Hizbullah.
[Syrian President Bashar Assad.]
Syrian President Bashar Assad.
Photo: AP [file]
Slideshow: Pictures of the week
He said that detaching his country from the two was “irrelevant” to reviving peace talks.
In an interview published Friday with the Italian magazine L’Espresso, Assad went on to emphasize that his country was offering peace in return for the Golan Heights - captured from Syria in 1967 and then again in 1973 after recurrent Syrian cross-border attacks.
The Syrian president said it would be possible to advance the peace process when the new US president was elected.
EXCERPT
More at http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1209627044360
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