Lebanon is a mess:
Much of Lebanon remains paralyzed, Tuesday, as supporters of the pro-Syrian Hezbollah group block Lebanon’s coastal highway and main thoroughfares in Beirut and other cities. From Beirut, Edward Yeranian reports this is all a bid to impose a general strike on the rest of the population.
A column of tanks rolls down Hamra Street - one of Beirut’s main commercial thoroughfares - as Lebanese Army troops attempt to reopen avenues blocked by supporters and allies of the Hezbollah guerilla group.
A crowd of mostly young men scuffles with police, further down the road, burning tires and attempting to block traffic, as thick clouds of black smoke pour into the air.
On the road to Beirut Airport, young men have erected a barrier of burning tires and play soccer on the highway, as army troops and police stand by and watch.
It could get worse:
The opposition has successfully paralyzed the country. It’s time for a suitable response. Tensions are rising with young Lebanese emailing me saying “since they are keeping “us” out, perhaps we should keep “them” in - burning tires around the downtown camps and Dahieh for a week.”
Of course there are voices in the blogosphere supporting the thugs behind today’s riots:
Yesterday I was telling a few people how the opposition will never succeed with its pacifist attitudes and behaviour in toppling the government, and that if they want to achieve anything, they will have to shift onto a militant stance.
Well, it seems they finally heard me. And about time that they did something like this.
Michael J. Totten visits Lebanon regularly and should be one of your regular stops:
While I was in Lebanon gathering the material I’ve been publishing, Hezbollah kept threatening to strangle the country by seizing major roads, including the one that leads to the airport. I was worried I might get stuck there, but I didn’t. Today, though, they finally make good on their threat. Palestinian guerillas are reportedly helping.
I’m sure that they are.
The BBC, Manamania, and Blacksmiths of Lebanon have photo galleries. Blacksmiths also points to a website (down at the time of writing) that is being used to coordinate protests:
The Free Patriot Movement (FPM) opposition website has disclosed a list of the roads, across the country, to be blocked by its supporters and their allies within the pro-Syrian opposition forces.
Blue Crab Boulevard call the whole things a coup attempt:
Hezbollah has stepped up its campaign against the Lebanese government and has shut down Beirut and surrounding areas using barricades and armed men. They are calling it a general strike. It is more than that. It is a coup attempt by any rational standard.
Hugh Hewitt appears to agree and adds:
Where’s the Iraq Study Group when you need them
The Elephant Bar points to the Shiites:
The Shiites are the predominate tribe in Iraq. We are there to ensure the spread of democracy both in Iraq and beyond their borders. It just gets confusing beyond their borders. Actually it is confusing within their borders as well, but we are focusing on Lebanon. So is Syria and Iran. Lebanon has democracy. The Shiites do not like the results and want to end that. Democracy does not burn as brightly in the Lebanese Shiite breast as say it does in the Iraqi Shiite breast. Democracy does not seem to be smoldering in the Syrian and Iranian Shiite soul either. Too bad some of our soul-gazers in DC did not notice that earlier.
My morning commute doesn’t seem quite so bad after reading Annie’s blog:
This morning when I left my house to go to work, I had to pass through burning tires and people obviously agitated throwing stones to passing cars. I had to walk because there was no public transportation. Since I work in a NGO, we can not have the senior citizens and children waiting without being welcomed and served.
Finally I arrived at work, where I still am.
I don’t think many companies are functioning, neither schools or shops opened. This is a day of demonstrations. So some parties called their people to stay home, others encouraged them to continue their daily lives. But apparently, this demonstration is not so peaceful as the national TV: LBC points out. There is violence from both sides, injuries and of course “loads” of pollution from the burning fuel and tires.
Lebanese Media:
The Daily Star
Naharnet
Ya Libnan
Related:
Reuters: Lebanon Facts
Right Click for URL
Filed Under:
Syria, Lebanon
January 23rd, 2007 at 3:06 pm
shiites are at least 40% of the population probably more. One of the ongoing problems also are the Palestinians. They are basically stateless people as Israel will not allow them to return. So now they have become the problem of Lebanon.