Political crisis shakes Lebanon

[Lasher]

Source: Washington Post

CAIRO - Lebanon's government collapsed Wednesday, throwing the country into its biggest crisis since 2008 and marking a major setback for U.S. efforts to ensure stability in the combustible nation and region.

Tensions in Lebanon have been high amid expectations that a U.N.-backed tribunal will soon indict members of Hezbollah in the 2005 assassination of former prime minister Rafiq al-Hariri. On Wednesday, 11 cabinet ministers from the Shiite group and its allies resigned in protest over the government's failure to denounce the expected indictments, toppling the government.

The political drama unfolded as Prime Minister Saad Hariri, the son of the slain former prime minister, was in Washington meeting with President Obama. The stakes are high for the United States. Hariri is Washington's strongest ally in Lebanon, but his faction has slowly withered as Hezbollah, backed by Syria and Iran, has grown in strength and popularity.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, who was in Qatar for talks with Persian Gulf leaders, delivered a forceful rebuke of Hezbollah's move, calling it an "abdication of responsibility."

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/12/AR2011011206635.html

[xchrom]

1. Recommend

[Demeter]

2. Why does the US Always Back Losers?

Or, do the Chosen Factions become losers BECAUSE the US Imperialism backs them?

As a proponent of democracy (small d) the US used to support the populist movements as a matter of course. Now it's all big business, big banks, and Israel.

[Joanne98]

3. Government fall plunges Lebanon into uncertainty

Source: AP

BEIRUT (AP) — The collapse of Lebanon's government plunged the country into deep political uncertainty Thursday after a year of relative stability, as the president began the process of putting a new administration together.

President Michel Suleiman asked Saad Hariri to stay on as caretaker prime minister after the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah and its allies resigned Wednesday and brought down Hariri's government. The crisis was the climax of tensions that have been simmering for months over the U.N. tribunal investigating the 2005 assassination of Hariri's father, former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

The tribunal is widely expected to indict members of Hezbollah soon, which many fear could rekindle violence in the tiny nation plagued for decades by war and civil strife.

Lebanon suffered through a devastating civil war from 1975-1990, a 1982 Israeli invasion to drive out Palestinian fighters in the south followed by a 20-year occupation of the south, a 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah, and deadly sectarian fighting between the country's Sunnis and Shiites in 2008.



Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gKLdFozTq_mjqIHyByXq9DMbpz2w?docId=51dbcaef794b4ea0a78ead4e8b809d23

[xchrom]

4. i'm not hopeful about this.

to think how wonderful lebanon used to be -- and how violently divided it's become.

just a ball for a slew of international powers to kick around.

[CJvR]

5. If only it was...

...one ball things would be a great deal better.
It is half a dozen balls each bouncing in it's own direction. Unfortunately the peace lately have not been much more than a ceasefire in the civil war, as long as some of the militias remain in the field the existance of Lebanon is in doubt.

[karynnj]

6. Here is a great article that tries to explain what the underlying politics are

It is from H'aaretz, which is from Israel, but was the source that we were told was best for Middle Eastern news for those of us unable to read much other than English - this by a US imam from Turkey, who was involved in interfaith efforts.

http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/hezbollah-exit-from-lebanon-government-carefully-planned-1.336691