UNIFL

The Tashnak, the main Armenian political party in Lebanon, expressed concerns on possible contribution of Turkey to the international peace keeping troops.
There were also objections to Germany's presence, in view of its past history with the Jewish community.
Israel also made it clear that it did not support the presence of soldiers from Islamic countries.
So who is left!?

Looking back

Not going far away, many questions were raised on who and why Harriri was killed? and what was the significance of that timing?

The Syrian plot was the obvious answer, the easy way out.
Many questions remain unanswered. But after what just happened, I am having my own doubts.
Harriri, irrespective of his many criticizers (and I am one of them), would have been able to manage this crisis differently. And that is for many reasons:
- He had close personal ties to both Chirac and Bush.
- His presence on the world political scene is quite impressive, from the US, France, Saudi Arabia to mention the least.
- He had his say and would have had a greater influence on Nasralla and hizballa.

Moreover, he is a world leader in re-construction. He helped rebuild Lebanon, once in the past. "been there, done that". The amount of funds (and loans) he would have been able to generate and secure would definitely beat what can be collected now.


For all of these reasons, if he were still around when the crisis first started, its course could have been quite different.

Which makes me think again on who would benefit the most from his absence. It is not only the Axis of Iran-Syria- and hizballa (hizb being at the bottom, our first axis of evil) but also the second axis US-UK-Israel ( which is not any better than the first axis).
A different perspective we ought to keep in mind.

So what would Samir Kassir and Gebran Tueni say about all of this mess?
Now is when we miss such people the most.

Facts

Few hours from a ceasefire, where do we stand? What did this war accomplish?

According to different standards, one side or the other is terrorist. Nowadays, this word, terrorist, is being over used, and misused.

Israel has proven to the world, that it is a terrorist country, par excellence.
30 civilians killed on average, per day, over more than 30 days.
Bombing human convoys, milk manufacturing companies, historical sites, shelters for children. and the list goes on and on. I will not talk about thousands of Palestinians who disappeared from the face of the earth. Isn't this enough?
Hizballa is not better, targeting humans as well. Actually, with Ketiocha rockets you cannot "target" anything. It is a very primitive rocket launcher.
Hizballa decided to ignite this war without consulting other lebanese. They cannot drag the Lebanese into this war. Most of the Lebanese did not want this war. Unfortunately, with them being the only fraction with weapons, they emerged as the savors. unfortunately, whoever thinks they are ready to lay down their weapons simply because the US said so, is a dreamer. and I am a dreamer.
They also proved to the world that they only obey Iran. And Iran has its own agenda, which goes way beyond Lebanon, Beirut, Tyre or Baalabeck. Although they are "lebanese", their loyalty is not to their nation. They would obey their leaders, lebanese, Iranians and Syrians. And the Lebanese have to deal with this, once and for all, somehow, someway.
It proved again the biased and unjust support of America to Israel. It also showed Britain as being a mere follower of US foreign policy, without any kind of initiative, Blair a prisoner of Bush's stupidity and near sightedness.
This war proved more and more the conflict of civilizations. The huge gap created by the western civilization and the Muslim world. Voices everywhere in the middle east viewed Nasralla as a Muslim hero, able to stand in front of Israel, and its strongest ally, the US.
And this is an issue which is gaining momentum. A problem that goes beyond Lebanon and Israel.
Israel, hizballa Lebanon, US, Muslim, Jews.
A cease fire comes first, but what next?

schizophrenia

On one hand:
Israeli Cabinet approves to deepen the military offensive, expecting it to last for at least another month.
US urges Israel not to use excessive force during the conflict.

On the other hand:
The Lebanese government, for the first time in more than 25 years, adopted a resolution to send 15000 troops to the South. First time in many many years.

Obviously, this is not going to work.
Obviously, the 2 sides are going in different directions.
obviously, Israel does not care about finding a political solution. When every one is trying to find a way out, Israel wants to kill more and more. Hungry for blood, hungry for death.

We should stop fooling ourselves. This is not going to end anywhere soon.

a dream

So what is it about Lebanon that makes it so unstable? a series of assassinations last year (intellectuals, journalists, politicians, human beings), total destruction this year? Why do we have to go through this cycle of violence every year? Why can't we live in peace? Don't we deserve it?

I refuse to give up. I refuse to see in hizbolla the savor of Lebanon.

I will go back, we will go back. and rebuild. not just the bridges, but our hopes, homes and dreams.

I go to bed everyday dreaming that I will wake up at home.
and they will never take this dream away.

Dead. Do Not Rescucitate

Killed, wounded, phosphorus bombs, burnt, blood shed. Death.
women, children, elderly.
infrastructure, hospitals, environment.

when will this craziness stop?

Are we so much used to people dying in Iraq that we don't react anymore?
Dont we make the association between what we see on TV and our hearts and minds?
Sitting in the comfort of our home, watching live pictures of ungoing bombing and death.

small break, time for advertisments.

Is the world blind?

Discussions are under way for a cease fire. underway? few days? few weeks? How can the world sit and wait?
There have been so much death in the last few years in this world, so much hatred, so much suffering.
Life should be about love and happiness.

What is happening now is not compatible with life.

Cuba...doomed

These are the own words of Condoleezza Rice

"All Cubans who desire peaceful democratic change can count on the support of the United States".

Been there, done that. Democracy, the american way. Scary for Cuba.