Hezbollah gains veto power in new Lebanon Cabinet

[Dover]

Source: AP

Hezbollah gains veto power in new Lebanon Cabinet

Lebanon forms unity Cabinet that gives Hezbollah veto power in step to heal political divide

HUSSEIN DAKROUB
AP News

Jul 11, 2008 14:26 EST

Hezbollah and its allies solidified their hold on Lebanon's government Friday with the formation of a national unity Cabinet that gives them veto power over government decisions.

Still, the Western-backed parliamentary majority managed to deny the Hezbollah-led opposition any of the most important Cabinet positions, except for the one it had already held — foreign affairs.

The Cabinet's formation ends six weeks of wrangling over how to distribute the posts and is another step toward healing the country's deep political divide.

The unity government is the outcome of a deal brokered by the Arab League in May under which the opposition agreed to rejoin the government after its rivals gave in to demands to have a final say over all government decisions.

That deal came after Iranian-backed Hezbollah militants and allied gunmen fanned out across Lebanon's capital in May, clashing with government supporters. The violence killed at least 81 people and brought the country to the brink of another civil war...cont'd



Read more: http://wiredispatch.com/news/?id=248890

[nradisic]

1. off,by & for the people

You can sya what you want about Hezbollah, but they take care of their people and constituents. They may be the ones to actually bring peace to Lebanon. "One mans terrorist is another mans freedom-fighter". The only way to gte a veto proof majority is to be Off, By & For the People.

[nomorenomore08]

2. So does gaining political legitimacy remove the necessity for violent guerilla actions?

One would hope so...

[Indenturedebtor]

3. Not when your "guerilla actions" can't be classified as official war

That way their supporters can continue to claim that they are just hapless victims when Israel retailiates for their hostility.

[LynnTheDem]

4. Is George W. bUsh still taking credit for Lebanon elections?

:rofl:

Nobody but no body could possibly be a bigger total fuck-up than George W. bUsh.

[ohio2007]

5. Israel: Swap with Hezbollah set for Wednesday

JERUSALEM (AP) -- Israel's government says a planned prisoner swap with Hezbollah will take place on Wednesday.
The Israeli prison service says it will return five imprisoned Lebanese fighters in exchange for two Israeli soldiers captured by Hezbollah two years ago.

The Israeli soldiers are believed to be dead.
snip
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/I/ISRAEL_LEBANON?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2008-07-13-09-15-56

I don't think Hezb'allah will veto this unless

the deal is to hand over the live POW's first.....

[ohio2007]

6. Hizbullah won't rule out more abductions

Hizbullah's deputy secretary-general, Sheikh Naim Kassem, would not rule out on Saturday the abduction of more Israeli soldiers in order to achieve the organization's goals.

snip
The leader said that Hizbullah's prisoner exchange deal with Israel had "opened the door" for the Palestinians to demand a high price for the release of kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Schalit, who is being held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Kassem said Hizbullah had yet to exact revenge for the assassination of military commander Imad Mughnyieh in February, and hinted that this would happen when certain "circumstances" are right.


http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1215331021764&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

[Pavulon]

7. Israel will not rule out turning him inside out with a car bomb..

That is a fair way to deal with terrorists. This is a simmering pot and will boil over eventually.