Lebanese Government Collapses
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/01/2011112151356430829...
"Government falls after Hezbollah and allies withdraw from coalition in row over UN probe into murder of Rafiq al-Hariri. Hezbollah, which has denied any role in the assassination, has denounced the tribunal as an 'Israeli project' and urged al-Hariri to reject any findings by the court which has not yet announced its decisions.."
Why Hezbollah Walked - by Franklin Lamb
http://www.counterpunch.org/lamb01132011.html
"In case no one has noticed, the Obama administration just gifted Lebanon to Iran.."
from rabble front-page: Galloway Unedited: On the Special Tribunal for Lebanon
http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/djclimenhaga/2011/01/galloway-unedited-s...
"Cui Bono"?
Turmoil in Lebanon - bu Stephen Lendman
http://www.countercurrents.org/lendman160111.htm
"According to Lebanese University Professor Hasan Jouni, an international criminal law expert, Nasrallah's evidence is compelling, saying: 'Logically and legally, in this stage, any new findings should be investigated by the general prosecutor. Sayyed Nasrallah submitted tangible evidence of the Israeli potential role in Hariri's assassination. It appears incriminating. Furthermore, the previous investigations which were circulated here and there should be revised.'
Antoine Airout North Lebanon Bar Association head, agreed, saying 'Sayyed Nasrallah's revelations are very serious, and objective, especially given Israel's long term interest in destroying Lebanon to seize portions for itself, especially in the water-rich south and offshore oil and gas reserves. Blaming Hariri's assassination on Hezbollah furthers that goal.'
At Israel's urging, Washington declared Hezbollah a terrorist organization like democratically elected Hamas, Palestine's democratically elected government. Both are legitimate resistance/political organizations, not terrorists, but whatever Israel wants, it gets. As early as January 17, the Hague tribunal of the UN will tell us that (Hezbollah members) killed Rafiq Hariri. America demands it. So does France, Britain, [Canada] and Israel to strike another blow against its effective resistance."
Hezbollah Lashes Out At Hariri Tribunal (Press TV)
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/160481.html
"Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Nassrallah has described the former government of Saad Hariri as impotent, while citing the reasons behind the withdrawal of opposition ministers from the government.."
The Rafik Hariri Assassination: Was Israel Involved? - by Thierry Meyssan
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=22825
"The truth ultimately seeps through. The Israeli drone videos released by the Hezbollah expose Israel's involvment in the crime preparations. The facts revealed by Odnako point to the use of a sophisticated German weapon. The puzzle is nearly complete."
and the STL dirty Tribunal is infested with Canadians..."
The Saudi foreign minister says Riyadh has abandoned mediation efforts to end the political crisis in Lebanon caused by the UN-backed Hariri tribunal.
King Abdullah ended the Saudi-Syrian initiative because of a lack of progress, Prince Saud al-Faisal said.
There are fears of sectarian clashes as Lebanon awaits the findings of the international inquiry into the murder of ex-Lebanese PM Rafik Hariri in 2005.
Hezbollah has vowed to retaliate if, as expected, its members are implicated.
Lebanon and Tunisia: Two Ousted Leaders - by Rannie Amiri
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=22874
"Will social unrest spread and threaten other Middle East Autocracies?"
Druze Leader's Support Likely to Put Hezbollah Bloc in Power - by Jason Ditz
http://news.antiwar.com/2011/01/21/druze-leaders-endorsement-would-put-h...
"Reports coming out of Lebanon today suggest that Walid Jumblatt, the leader of the Druze-dominated Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) is going to back the March 8 political bloc led by Hezbollah, effectively giving them enough seats to form a majority government."
Uncle Sam's commitment to democracy remains consistent:
US diplomat: No aid if Hezbollah heads government
A high-ranking US diplomat said the establishment of a Hezbollah-led government in Lebanon would hurt relations between the two countries, the London-based Arabic newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat reported Sunday.
The American diplomat was quoted by the newspaper as saying that Congress would not provide military or any other aid to a government headed by Hezbollah.
Heightened Tensions After Hariri Indictement Announced
http://www.opednews.com/articles/Heightened-Tensions-after-by-Stephen-Le...
"An International Court of Justice (ICC) Special Tribunal (STL) investigated Hariri's killing. On January 17, its sealed indictement was released, Canadian prosecutor Daniel Bellemere saying the next day that the confidential docment was important for the people of Lebanon, the international community, and 'for those who believe in international justice.'
Clearly, none is planned because of enormous Washington/Israeli pressure to blame Hezbollah and perhaps Iran for a typical Mossad operation.."
Israel, US to Steal Lebanon's Gas
http://jnoubiyeh.com/2011/01/israel-us-to-steal-lebanon-gas.html
"Israel, with the help of US energy companies, is trying to exploit one of the world's largest gas fields, which mostly belong to Lebanon. The field is located in the joint regional waters between Lebanon and northern Palestine.."
Thousands of angry Sunnis took to the streets of Lebanon on Tuesday to protest the nomination of Hezbollah-backed candidate Najib Mikati as the next prime minister.
Mikati, a billionaire businessman and former premier, was appointed prime minister-designate after a majority of legislators voted for him in the morning.
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2011/01/25/lebanon-hezbollah-hariri.html#ixzz1C4OQEymZ
In Greece, Britain, America and Canada people who use that kind of violence to demonstrate against elected governments are roundly vilified. Interesting contrast.
The line from our Harperish US-Israeli lackey government is predictable:
In Canada, a spokesperson for Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon said this country is urging Mikati to form a government that "respects the democratic wishes of all Lebanese," and for all parties to exercise restraint in working together to resolve the political situation peacefully.But Canada is continuing to drawing a hard line when it comes to dealing with Hezbollah, the spokesperson said.
"Canada notes the actions of Hezbollah, an organization listed as a terrorist entity under our Anti-terrorism Act, in the negotiations surrounding the formation of a new government," the spokesperson said.
I don't suppose reconsidering the anti-Arab bias in their deeming Hezbollah a terrorist organisation is a possibility.
Lebanese Conflict Threatens Civil War, Israel - US Intervention
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2011/jan2011/leba-j27.shtml
..."Hariri had expected to be able to continue indefinitely with a caretaker government, following the pullout by Hezbollah from his coalition on January 12. But when [Walid] Jumblatt and 6 members from his Progressive Socialist Party also pulled out from the coalition for their own political survival, Hariri's fractious 'national unity' coalition which had not met for some time, was left without a majority. Under the constitution, the withdrawal of one third plus one of the cabinet ministers, requires the formation of a new government.
Hezbollah, cognizant of what followed the election of Hamas in the Palestine Authority in 2006, has always been reluctant to form a government and named Mikati as a 'consensual' Sunni politician, who now has the support of 68 members of the 120 seat parliament. Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah's leader said that Hezbollah hoped to form a national unity government with broad participation, saying 'We are not seeking authority'.
Washington has repeatedly made it clear that it views a Hezbollah led coalition as a direct threat to its strategic interests in the region, and can be expected to respond by cutting off all aid and initiating a concerted destabilization campaign and possible military aggression. Israel made clear that it would not tolerate the new government.
Silvan Shalom, Israel's vice prime-minister, said that it was, in effect 'an Iranian government on Israel's northern border.' Gloria Eiland, a retired Israeli Army general and a former national security advisor, has argued that if Israel is to win the next war, it must attack not only Hezbollah, but also the public infrastructure of the state of Lebanon. He said if Hezbollah is behind the government it will be easier to explain to the international community whey we must fight against the State of Lebanon..."
A Welcome End to the Hariri Era
http://www.counterpunch.org/amiri01282011.html
"Lebanon's June 2009 legislative elections brought the March 14 coalition to power thanks only to Lebanon's sectarian distribution of seats. They unambiguously lost the popular vote, however, which March 8 handily won. One and a half years later, the people's mandate has been realized.."
'Israeli Troops Swarm Lebanon Border'
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/162994.html
"Israel has escalated its military presence near the southern Lebanese border, stepping up their surveillance activities along the Lebanese frontier, reports say.."
The Honorable Evolution of Hezbollah
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/165269.html
"Lebanaon's Hezbollah resistance movement consists of hundreds of thousands of followers, yet it enjoys great popular support from millions of poeple from all walks of life according to a professor of international and public affairs.."
Hariri Requested Team to Come Up With Image to Internationally Besiege PM Miqati
http://abna.ir/data.asp?lang=3&id=226156
"Lebanese daily As-Safir reported that caretaker PM Saad Hariri asked his team to come up with an image [scenario] in an attempt to internationally besiege PM designate Najib Miqati, especially where some well-known US figures volunteered to play a role in the scheme. The Lebanese newspaper pointed out a March 14 possibility of launching an open-ended sit-in in central Beirut, against the new government."
Lebanese Ministers Shun Hariri Tribunal (and vid)
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/168094.html
"The controversy over the US backed Tribunal probing the assassination of former premier Rafik Hariri continues to charge Lebanese politics. More and more ministers are refusing to cooperate with the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL). According to some reports, teh prosecutor had even asked for the fingerprints of over four million Lebanese, basically every singel citizen in the country..."
A UN-backed court investigating the 2005 assassination of former prime minister Rafik Hariri delivered an indictment and four arrest warrants Thursday, the latest turn in a case that has transformed this Arab nation and brought down the government earlier this year.
The names of the accused were not released, but the court has been expected to accuse members of the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah. Many fear that could lead to street protests and plunge the violence-wracked country back into a new crisis.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2011/06/30/lebanon-hariri-indictment....
Arab Spring Benefited Only Israel - Lebanese Interior Minister (and vid)
http://www.rt.com/news/lebanese-interior-minister-charbel-237/
"...External forces seek to control Lebanon. The seek to weaken all the countries surrounding Israel in order to ensure Israel's security. I really think what we see today is an Israeli Spring. Who will pose a threat to Israel now? Palestinians die every day and no one protests. Before, even if one Palestinian was killed, there was an outrage. Today, three Palestinians get killed, or ten, or twenty - and nobody says anything.."
