It takes balls

Ok, so what does March 14 have to do now?

They need to move forward, they need to produce some change. They have the momentum, they have popular support, but they haven't done anything about it. And this is very weak from them, and very disappointing.
The way I see it is very simple. Things have been going downhill since Lahoud's term was extended. Things got worse because our president is non-existent on the political and international scene. Moreover, he has given Hizballa the support and protection it needed.
A president is a leader, a role model. We have none.

LAHOUD HAS TO COME DOWN, SIMPLY. Now is the time, now is when everyone is ready to march to Baabda and bring him down. March 14 should have the balls to call for everyone to walk to the presidential palace. What are they afraid of?

INSTEAD, MARCH 8 is taking the initiative and trying to bring the government down. They saw a window of opporunity and they didn't lose it. They hardly waited enough for Gemyal's mourning period to end.

March 14, rise to the expectations. Bring him down.

I am against Hizballa

I am against hizballa for the following reasons:
1- They run a state within a state, while the others are trying to build a country.
2- They run an Islamic state.
3- Let's say that they did in fact beat Israel. Do I want someone who calls this a "divine" victory to be in charge? What does god have to do with politics? It is all about god and Islam?
5- Their goals go beyond Lebanon. I feel for the Palestinians being killed everyday, but we cannot take this anymore. A constant state of war, a culture of resistance. We need to focus on our internal conflicts first. I want to live, I want to be able to go back one day and find a job. I want peace. They want more wars.
4- I don't care about El assad and Ahmadenajad. They have brought death and destruction to Lebanon. Nasralla thanks them on every occasion. What do you need more?
5- We are a democracy. They cannot decide to resign or not show up to work at any time, at their leisure. They cannot say that they have to be included in governmental decisions. Minor detail, but what about starting a war? Is that democracy?
6- All of the above is minor in face of their weapons. If they are simply a political part, they would have to be involved in discussions, like everyone else. The problem is that they have weapons. Which gives them a considerable advantage. and huge disadvantage for all the Lebanese.

Most importantly, we are stuck on details. We have to look at the bigger picture. Irrespective of whether they are with or against an international tribunal, they want more power (and how, in fact, can any Lebanese, be against investigations targeting young politicians and journalists?).

Funeral martyrs Pierre el Gemayel and Samir el Chartouni

From the BBC

Jumblat

Jumblat used to be described as a chameleon for changing sides frequently. He did so, many times, in the 90's. But he has been very consistent, for the last 2 years. His views simply make sense. and they are poetic and make you dream. and I have faith in him.
and my friend meeps, you saw that a long time ago

لن ينالوا من عزمنا للحياة ولن ينالوا،
لن ينالوا من ارادتنا في الصمود ولن ينالوا،
لن ينالوا من تمسكنا بالاستقلال ولن ينالوا،
لن ينالوا من عشقنا للحرية والتنوع والتعدد ولن ينالوا،
لن ينالوا من حبنا للفرح والحياة والامل ورفضنا لثقافة الموت والحزن ولن ينالوا،
لن ينالوا من رفضنا للمحاور، محاور السواد والظلام والقرون الوسطى والجاهلية ولن ينالوا،
لن ينالوا من رفضنا للشمولية والديكتاتورية ولن ينالوا،
لن ينالوا من حظر السلاح، كل السلاح في أمرة الدولة لحماية الجنوب ودولة الطائف ولن ينالوا،
لن ينالوا من مطلبنا للحقيقة والعدالة والمحكمة الدولية ولن ينالوا،
لن ينالوا من تمسكنا بلبنان، لبنان اولا.
وفوق كل هذا اقول لم اقرأ ولن أقرأ، لم أسمع ولن أسمع بيانات الفتنة في هذه اللحظة. وفوق الألم والجروح نحن مع الحوار".
اما انت يا شهيد لبنان، يا شهيد الاستقلال، يا شهيد الحرية والكرامة والعنفوان، يا شيخ بيار امين الجميل، فها انت تلتحق اليوم بقافلة الشهداء مع رفيقك سمير شرتوني، شهداء حزب الكتاب وشهداء آل الجميل وانسبائهم في قافلة شهداء الرابع عشر من آذار، شهداء الاستقلال الذين رفضوا التمديد ونظام الوصاية ونظام القهر والاستبداد، نظام القتل والاغتيال ولا يزال. تحية لك يا شيخ امين الجميل، يا فخامة الرئيس، ولعائلتك ولآل الجميل الكرام. تحية للرجال الرجال، ستبقى فينا يا شيخ بيار الجميل وسننتصر

Where to?

The first reaction I had was why is another young Christian politician being murdered? Shot in bright daylight like a dog?

After Kassir and Tueni, we lose another one.

But the we, is not only the maronite from Ashrafieh or Bsharreh. The we is not only the greek orthodox from el Metn.
The we is also the sunnite from beirut, the shiite from the south and the druze from the jabal.

We, as Lebanese, are losing, every minute, every day.

This is not about Aoun, seniora or hizballa. This is about Lebanon.

And I listen to Amin el Gemayel and to Jumblat, and I am amazed on how much they have evolved. They have paid their dues, they have learned from the mistakes of the past. And I listen to Seniora. He cried before, but his latest speech made people cry. "Pierre, send our regards to Gebran, Samir, George and Rafik".

Ghassan lost Gebran. Amin, lost another one. After his brother, he loses his son.

The young is dead, the hope is gone.

Pierre, rest in peace.

Pierre Amin Gemayel, 1972-2006

Monopoly

According to hizballa/Aoun, the current government is monopolizing the political decisions.
Can anyone explain to me what hizballa just did few months ago? Didn't they monopolize everyone's decision? I mean, they dragged everyone into a war that cost us 20 years of investment and hard work.
Now tell me, who is wrong here?
I can't believe how some people can still defend Nasralla. Him, his extremism, his nonchalance and the fact that he thinks he is always right.

What is even more disappointing, is that people follow him like sheep. yes, sheep.

And this alliance Nasralla/Aoun/Lahoud is a disgrace. Not only to the maronites, but to all the lebanese.

From Paris to Beirut

good for them, and us.

So hizballa resigned from the government. Big deal, they don't belong there anyway. The government is where decisions are made, and from our recent experience, they think they are entitled to do whatever suits them.

Fcuk them, they don't belong to the government anyway. At least now, portfolios such as foreign affairs, agriculture, health, energy and labour would go to someone else.

Not a long time ago, they decided not to attend the sessions and kept on doing what suited them from their offices. Obviously, they are not responsible people.

But what is disappointing, is the fact that Amal ministers resigned as well. Berri was acting all nice and democratic recently, calling for a national dialogue. Fcuk him too, maybe Ahmadinajad will be tell him what to do next week, when he goes to Iran, his motherland. "the meeting was stopped partly because Speaker Nabih Berri was scheduled to leave for Iran*". Fcuk him, and them.

"The resignations also came after PM Saniora called for a cabinet meeting Monday to endorse the U.N. draft text of the international tribunal to try former PM Rafik Hariri's killers*", not that I liked Harriri that much, but what happened should not go unpunished.

"President Lahoud opposed the meeting, saying he needed more time to study the draft*". Look who's talking now.

Frustrating, simply because hizballa has weapons, otherwise I would not give 2 shits.

* from naharnet.

Press Release - Courage Acceptance Speech -- May Chidiac

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I still remember every single detail of the explosion that almost killed me: the sound of the blast, the heat of the smoke, the taste of blood in my mouth. On this particular day, some cold-blooded criminals decided to eliminate me, but I survived, and it is not a secret anymore that my survival was a miracle.

"I will drink from your blood.”

Those words that I will never forget were said by a Syrian officer.

One year after the agression, I am more convinced that the agressors wanted to eliminate me, for I have spoken my mind, for I believed in a free democratic Lebanon, for I never asked myself, as President Kennedy once said, what my country can do for me but what I can do for my country, and I did much.

Yes, I lost my left hand. Yes , I lost my left leg. I have burns. I lived nine month in hospitals. I had 26 surgeries.

Moreover, I gave my country a hand to fight with, and a leg to kick all the enemies with, and they are not few.

The worst is that I can assure you that even now I am still threatened, but I kept on doing my job with no fear, ready for any danger I might face.

La suite is here

Enough is enough

It would be insane that after
1) a 1000 kg bomb in the middle of downtown that took away the lives of close to 30 people, including a prime minister
2) one month long of destruction triggered by the recklessness of Nasralla & Co

He is asking for one third of the cabinet to gain veto power and he is protecting Lahoud.

If that were to happen, all of march 14 should be washed away from the face of the earth.

Zahi el Boustani

He passed away on October 26, 2006.

Popular, he was not. Famous, he was not.

His death did not make the news. But he is someone who had an impact during the civil war.

A couple of articles about him.


Viviane Dagher

Antoine Najm

Elie el Hajj

Blogosphere sees healthy growth

Taken from the BBC, about the blogosphere:

"Postings intensify around significant events such as the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in the summer".

Without You I'm Nothing

The answer to Radiohead's creep.
Brian molko, with all the make up in the world.
and all the agony and mal de vivre...
Wihtout you, I'm nothing. you cannot get lower than that.