The caption to this AP photo (thanks to Bill) reads:
Backdropped by a poster of Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, United Nations peacekeepers from France sit atop their armoured personnel carrier in the outskirts of the southern port city of Tyre, Lebanon, Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2006....(AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)
Quite an auspicious beginning, wouldn't you say?
If Lebanon is to be a nation-state, then the corrupt and pusillanimous poltical figures who, for six years, did nothing at all as 13,000-15,000 missiles arrived from Iran and Syria, the border guards often knowing exactly what was in those shipments (reports were sometimes published) but then waving them on, will have to be replaced. Not necessarily by angels -- Walid Jumblatt is no angel -- but by those who still wish to adhere to the old dispensation and power-sharing, knowing that mere "democracy" would inevitably lead, given the rates of Shi'a reproduction, to a Shi'a Arab state, when Lebanon should remain, no matter what it takes, as a state where Arabic-speaking (not the same thing at all as being "Arab" though "Arabs" insist otherwise, in that act of linguistic and cultural imperialism, that over the centuries helped them convince so many conquered non-Muslim and non-Arab peoples that they were, in fact, "Arabs" and should welcome their own conquest) Christians can live, and not on sufferance, not as disguised or undisguised dhimmis. That, and not "democracy," should be the goal of the Infidels.
A commentator in Lebanon intelligently says that it is wrong to call Hezbollah "a state within a state." Rather, it is "a state within a non-state." Lebanon has been a non-state, its so-called government headed by a Syrian agent, the "Christian" Emile Lahoud, by that Builder of Beirut, Fouad Siniora (whose performance these past six weeks was, to those unimpressed by the ready but selective tear, nauseating), and others of that ilk.
It is incredible that within living memory Lebanon had a statesman of the caliber of Charles Malik.
That's what intelligent and advanced Lebanese or "Lebanese" should ask themselves: what would Charles Malik do? How would he maneuver to preserve whatever it is that distinguishes Lebanon from its more primitive, more Muslim fellow-members of the Arab League? How would he whisper to the Americans to get the attention of Assad, and to threaten him in ways unthought-of, not to win his stony heart or his sluggish mind, but rather to get him to withdraw Syria as a train track and rest station between Iran and Hezbollah. [Hint: google the phrase "remember the Alawites" and read what comes up].
An incredibly brave thing to do what with round two about to begin. Maybe the other side of the poster is just plain white for that eventuality.
The UN "peacekeepers" will ultimately be caught in a crossfire. Will they shoot Hezbollah rocket launchers, or will they shoot Israeli retaliators?
Maybe they will just stay in the middle and get bombed by both.
They need to decide now on which action they will take when the shooting starts.
Thanks for posting that Robert!
I am in absolute dismay to see that an "unbiased" intervention with UN Peacekeeping force is sucking up to Hizbos.
Thanks, Kofi.
Why doesn't the PM of Lebanon go ahead and step down so Nasrallah can really get his job done.
What a joke.
where are the two missing Israeli soldiers?
They probably brought the poster with them.
IMPOSTER?
l thought Hizbollah were religious muslims? is it not against their cult,er religion to have a picture of a human being? maybe they think this loser is abstract art.
As soon as Israel goes back on the attack the French will surrender to them.
SO ITS OFFICIAL!!!!!! IT IS A WORLD WAR!!!!!
Ahhh, now that the french are here we can all breath a sigh of relief and know that there won't be any backpeddling, double talk, waffling, etc. (until, of course, kofi's reliable "forces of good" from pakistan and indonesia arrive to allow hezbullah terrorists some much needed rest & relaxation in Tehran).
What a waste of an opportunity to finish hezbulla and give iran a black eye.
If I were a terrorist and I heard the French were coming, I would certainly be quivering in my boots, knowing the prowess and fierceness of the French forces.. I would be tempted to jump up and say BOOOO!! (not really.)
It could go all the way back when the French were routed in Algiers. THe French paratroopers who were captured by the Arabs were raped before being released. I guess the Frence find love in the strangest places.
There was no French outrage then and the French have cowered ever since
LOL , If you were in Iran , they would hunt you down. They have no sense of humor
It works out well for the french. They can share their cheeze with hezbollah, while getting to keep all the wine for themselves. Their rifles haven't been used since World War One, so they can pass them on to the Lebanese for cash, which can be spent on girls. There are still a few christian girls left to play around with.
Robert's picture shows that the machine gun (.50 cal Browning) does not have any ammunition. In all fairness, they should be given some before hizbollah opens fire on them. Those white vehicles make terrific trargets, even at night. Hizbollah, of course, will send in the guy in the green helmet to help with the casualties, and everyone will blame Israel.
Usual stuff.
Israel now needs to work itself out of the box, like a pitcher who has thrown one strike and three balls, with runners on first and third.
Not impossible, but very difficult.
Soldier of Surrender.
No doubt everyone's seen this - an oldie, definitely a goodie, and something that will never go out of date.
Especially with the current situation in Lebanon.
L.Drummond.
France insists that Hizbollah disarm ahead of troop move
By Martin Arnold in Paris, Roula Khalaf in London and Harvey,Morris in Jerusalem
Published: August 16 2006 03:00 | Last updated: August 16 2006 03:00
French officials yesterday in-sisted Paris would resist leading a bolstered international force in southern Lebanon without Lebanese government assurances that Hizbollah, the militant Shia group, would be disarmed.
The requirements were spelled out on the eve of today's visit by Philippe Douste-Blazy, French foreign minister, to Beirut - a visit likely to prove pivotal in deciding the fate of the multi-national United Nations force proposed to police the ceasefire between Hizbollah and Israel.
Aides to Mr Douste-Blazy said he wanted to hear the Lebanese army's plan for removing Hizbollah's missiles from a "buffer zone" in south Lebanon.
French officials accept that disarming Hizbollah will not happen overnight but say an international force cannot be deployed until a demilitarised zone is created. But the French minister's trip comes as the Lebanese government struggles to persuade Hizbollah to move its weapons from a 20km-wide zone in southern Lebanon, an area in effect under the militant movement's control.
Aides to Fouad Siniora, Lebanon's prime minister, yesterday said discussions were continuing to find a national consensus over the demilitarised zone and prepare the ground for the deployment of the Lebanese army and international forces.
Officials in Beirut made clear that the army would not clash with Hizbollah and risk provoking internal conflict. Late on Monday, Elias Murr, Lebanon's defence minister, told local LBC television that the army had no intention of disarming Hizbollah in the south. He suggested that Hizbollah understood that weapons could no longer be visible in the buffer zone but said that if troops came across missiles they would not take them away.
Israel is due to hand over a "buffer zone" to the Lebanese army and a UN-backed force that reinforces the existing 2,000-strong Unifil peacekeepers.
Diplomats in Paris are worried that Hizbollah, which hasdeclared the ceasefire a"historic victory" for Arabs,has been emboldened and is now less likely to lay down itsweapons.
But French officials said Mr Douste-Blazy would not accept any Lebanese plan short of a full disarmament of Hizbollah, starting with the 20km-wide zone south of the Litani river.
France is expected to deploy the largest contingent of about 5,000 troops in the proposed multinational force.
Italy, Spain, Germany, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand have also indicated they could participate.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2006
Well, shouldn't this be what we expected? Israel gave Lebanon to this guy like a ripe plum, or rather a bruised plum.
shiva - John Howard has basically said an outright "no" to Australia helping - unless Hezbolla disarms - FAT CHANCE!
Don't get upset people over the picture! It's about time Frenchmen got used to their new masters - Islamic Mufti's!
It is a good sign for the rest of us in the true West (USA/AUST etc).
I mean, if we went to wat against Muslims and French??? Hey the Muslims can't even get rid of tiny little Israel even though they outnumber 1000:1 on three fronts. As for the French!?!?!? Well I am starting to wonder if Charles Martel was really a Frenchman!!
Looks like the two in the tank are Eurabians alright. Gee, isn't it great to have France back in the Middle East? If France is watching the Lesbians and the Hizburanians, whos watching France?
Why hasn't a Sgt York-type taken out this Naser-Allah? Where are my hard-earned taxes going? I think Same thing for A-mad-jihad in Tehran.
From my point of view, either our gov't and Israel's are implementing a genius plan that ends with Syria and Iran down on the mat quickly or both gov'ts are led by feminized men who are more concerned with world opinion. Are we that hamstrung with threats of economic sanctions against ourselves? Where is Harry Truman? Where is Andrew Jackson? I think the President needs to obtain some fortitude beneath the bush. I hear the talk but the walk I see is in the other direction and Mohammed is quickly gaining on his winged horse.
What in the world was he thinking when he assigned a woman as Sec of State, when our enemy will only be emboldened by such a move? Is she going to scold them into submission to civil society?
Please tell me the Republicans are not negotiating with terrorists again...perhaps a good time to buy more Halliburton stock.