All the Beirut news.

The tiny Arab emirate of Qatar is actively seeking to become a land where extremes coexist.Can Bin Jassem seal the deal?When Aljazeera was first launched in Qatar, it sported a slogan considered to be a novel idea back then in the Arab world: “The opinion and the other opinion”. Their Anchor Faysal el Qassem became [...]

The Democratic presidential candidate revisits his previous statement on the events in Lebanon.When Hezbollah begun its punitive actions against the Seniora government, Sentaor Barack Obama released a statement that Left many Lebanese bloggers unimpressed. Abu Kais spoke for many when he wrote:Oh the time we wasted by fighting Hizbullah all those years with rockets, invasions [...]

The latest issue of The Economist has a helpful, nuanced and aptly-titled 4-page briefing on the events that took place in Lebanon in the last three years. Also, while you’re at it, you should check their leader on the current situation…

Two veteran American commentators who have spent time in Beirut and who are sometimes referred to as the “Liberal Neocons”, have seen what happened in Lebanon and reached similar conclusions.David Ignatius, in “Iran is winning; can the US bolster the Arab center?”The center is under siege in Lebanon and across the Middle East as the [...]

A little clarification on the political views expressed in this weblog…In a previous post, many readers expressed a form or another of disappointment — in comments and in emails– that I’m becoming less fair and less balanced.I want to make it clear that I never suggested before that I was somehow dissociated from what is [...]

Now that Hezbollah has proven that it can block government decisions it doesn’t like, should it still insist on having a blocking third share of the government?

It just doesn’t feel right…(Photo credit: AP)The Arab delegation has landed in Beirut, but expectations remain bottom low for many reasons.From the reception committee made by not-quite-resigned Minister of Exterior Fawzi Salloukh, standing proudly next to Brig. Gen. Wafik Shoucair — the man whose sacking supposedly sparked the entire hoopla in Lebanon — , to [...]

Here are pictures of some of the ad-hoc protests that took place in support of the Lebanese government in various places around the world.Opposite the White House, Washington D.C10 Downing Street, UK’s PM Office, LondonParis, in front of the Iranian embassy:The Hague, The Netherlands:

I received this release from a high-ranking source in the Future Movement. It makes an analogy between Hezbollah’s invasion of Beirut and Israel’s 2006In 1982 Sharon ’s army invaded Beirut …In 2008, Nasrallah’s army invaded Beirut !In 1982 the Israeli army oppressed the media…In 2008, the Persian army oppressed the media!In 2006 Nasrallah said that [...]

Bending with the wind, March 14 was apparently neither shocked nor awed.A new theory that is gaining currency is that March 14 intentionally turned the other cheek (and handed their weapons) to let Hezbollah and its allies fall into a trap. Here are some of the arguments being made to support that theory:From Lebanon Updates: [...]

For those who are interested in where the fighting is taking place in Tripoli:

Just in case you think that this thing is winding down, think again. I’ve said this before, but now Elie Fawwaz writes at Michael Totten’s Blog about the expected push back against Hezbollah.

Did Hezbollah make a big mistake? Is it Bush’s fault? What will Israel do now? (photo credit: AFP)The Daily KOS (American activist Left blog, leans towards Obama), makes the argument that Lebanon is already messed up and that someone as incompetent as Bush shouldn’t have made it worse by meddling with it:Given Lebanon’s vexed history [...]

Nothing sustains a Hezbollah revolution like an Arguileh (Hookah)Revolution part 1 (Beirut Central District):Revolution part 2 (Airport Road):(Photo Source: New York Times)

Mastering the art of coping with stress, the Lebanese already have a set of jokes about the situation (Via +961)خبر عاجل: أعلن الله (سبحانه وتعالى) انسحابه من الحزبخبر عاجل: يستنكر حزب الله الاعتداء على تلفزيون المستقبل و يتهم السلطةادارة سوكلين تقوم بحملة نظافة تحت شعار ” النظافة من الايمان” و تشكر ملشيات المقاومة الاسلامية على [...]