Thursday, September 07, 2006

 

News from Lebanon

Scott Wilson and Ed Cody continue their hard-hitting reporting from the Mid-East with the news that Israel [is] to End Blockade of Lebanon. This was my favorite tidbit:

“But Annan recently stepped up diplomatic pressure on Israel to end the blockade, calling it "a humiliation" for Lebanon during his recent trip to the region. Olmert's statement said Annan pledged that Italian, British, French and Greek forces would begin sea patrols until the German navy arrives in approximately two weeks.”

You would have thought that some rogue party unilaterally getting Lebanon into a war they had no hope of competing in would have been enough of a humiliation but apparently it was the blockade that really reddened the faces of the Lebanese. Further, Hezbollah’s real-life governance continues:

“Officials in Lebanon said Prime Minister Fouad Siniora insisted that Israel lift the blockade before his government would request U.N. help in guarding Lebanon's air, sea and land frontiers….

“The arrangements had to go through the United Nations, officials said, because Hezbollah refused to welcome the European ships directly, saying Lebanon would be handing over its sovereignty to NATO.”

The UN help will be responsible for enforcing an arms embargo against Hezbollah. This is important because “Israeli officials say Hezbollah's arms supply comes from Iran and Syria.”

Israeli officials say? Who besides Iran and Syria (and probably Hezbollah) doesn’t say the same?

…and back to the earlier subject of humiliation, shouldn’t PM Olmert be feeling a tad of it himself since, as of this writing, two Israeli soldiers CONTINUE to be held by someone in Lebanon.

Finally, this bit of annoyance:

From today’s article:

“Former Gen. Michel Aoun, a right-wing political figure,…”

From an Edward Cody article in Tuesday’s Post:

“Former Gen. Michel Aoun, a right-wing political figure,…” Lebanon Seeks to Reassert Sovereignty Over Borders

I’m guessing the Washington Post writing manual has decreed that Mr. Auon is a “right-wing political figure”. Well, he is certainly a political figure – his Free Patriotic Movement party won 21 seats in the last election – more than Hezbollah (although Hezbollah is joined with the Amal party for a bigger combined presence). (Lebanon’s Weak Government - CFR) My gripe here is that one never reads of a prominent “left-wing political figure” in Lebanon. If Mr. Auon is considered right-wing, it stands to reason that his opposite should be considered of the other wing, doesn’t it? But anyone familiar with the Washington Post’s political sympathies will understand their reluctance to publicly identify Hezbollah’s Nasrallah as a “left-wing political figure”.

Comments:
…and back to the earlier subject of humiliation, shouldn’t PM Olmert be feeling a tad of it himself since, as of this writing, two Israeli soldiers CONTINUE to be held by someone in Lebanon.

If Jimmy Carter had ever fought a war, this is probably how he would have fought it. And they say that OUR political system doesn't produce decent leaders.
 
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