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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Fighting in north Lebanon as opposition ends Beirut takeover |
| 2008-05-11 |
| Fierce battles raged in northern Lebanon between rival clans on Sunday leaving at least one person dead even as the Hezbollah-led opposition handed control of the capital Beirut to the army. The firefights which erupted overnight were concentrated in the densely populated Bab al-Tebbaneh, Kobbeh and Jabal Mohsen neighbourhoods on the northern edge of the coastal city. A security official said the fighting in the country's second city of Tripoli was between Sunni supporters of the Western-backed government and members of an Alawite sect loyal to Hezbollah, which is backed by both Syria and Iran. He added that thousands of people were fleeing the clashes and that at least two people had been wounded. "About 7,000 people have fled from Bab al-Tebbaneh, which marks the frontlines, because of the battles," he said. Residents of Tripoli reported heavy machine-gun fire and the thump of exploding rocket-propelled grenades, an AFP correspondent said. Bab al-Tebbaneh and Kobbeh are Sunni districts while Jabal Mohsen is mainly Alawite. Alawites are a secretive offshoot of Shiite Islam who revere Ali, the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Mohammed. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, whose government has been accused of backing Hezbollah, is an Alawite. The battle in the north came despite Saturday's return to an uneasy calm in the capital Beirut, the scene of four days of fierce sectarian fighting between mainly Sunni supporters of the ruling bloc and Shiite opposition militias. |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #14 TOPIX > HIZBULLAH CORNERS US ALLIES IN LEBANON; + SYRIAN DAILY: HIZBULLAH ATTCK STOPPED US-PLANNED LEBANON COUP. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2008-05-11 21:09 |
| #13 Also, I think Nimble Spemble may be referring to an old joke, where some Arab leader is talking to Bush and says "You know, I just love the whole Star Trek series. I have only one question: why are there no Muslims?". Bush replies, "well, you see, Star Trek is set in the future..." |
| Posted by: Rambler in California 2008-05-11 20:17 |
| #12 General Order 24 - one hour... |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2008-05-11 20:07 |
| #11 After it is demonstrated, StarTrek. Ha? |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2008-05-11 19:25 |
| #10 I can't help but thinking that it's a self-fulfilling prophecy Those who cannot learn from history |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2008-05-11 19:20 |
| #9 I can't help but thinking that it's a self-fulfilling prophecy. We don't help the guys fighting Hezbollah, so they take the choice that doesn't get their families killed, and we run around calling them animals, crowing that our prejudices are validated... I'm starting to wonder, how many of their own cities is the "they're all animals" crowd in the West willing to sacrifice in order to validate their prejudices? |
| Posted by: Abdominal Snowman 2008-05-11 16:25 |
| #8 You mis-understand us, G(r)om. It must be incontrovertibly demonstrated to the overwhelming majority of Americans that the majority of individuals in Muslim countries do not share the goals of Americans before we utterly destroy them. After it is demonstrated, StarTrek. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2008-05-11 16:07 |
| #7 It's certainly a widely accepted view, OldPat. Deriving from belief that the majority of individuals in Muslim countries share the life goals of Americans or, say, Chinese and therefore construction of a civic society in Muslim countries is mainly a matter of persistance. I, personally, consider this belief in direct variance with observable phenomena. One which is basic to the current USA endevour in Iraq. IMO, this belief is |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2008-05-11 15:56 |
| #6 grom - it didn't work because we DIDN'T CARRY THROUGH. If we had, Beirut would be an American-styled free city, with hezbullsh$$ reduced to a few enclaves in Damascus and Israel's northern border guaranteed. Of course, no one was willing to accept in 1983 that we were at war with a determined enemy. Maybe if we'd actually stood up to hezbulolsh$$ then, 9/11 would never have happened. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2008-05-11 14:58 |
| #5 Never mind the explosions. Just thank heavens for the courageous Hezbollah, keeping all Lebanese safe from those murderous Joooos to the south! File under: Chickens, roost. |
| Posted by: Scooter McGruder 2008-05-11 14:54 |
| #4 At the arab league meeting: "Could it be that the murderous dictates of our crappy religion leads us into these situations?" "Nah..." |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2008-05-11 12:44 |
| #3 Because it didn't work, MZ? |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2008-05-11 11:48 |
| #2 Possibly, because they haven't asked for help. |
| Posted by: bigjim-ky 2008-05-11 10:23 |
| #1 Dear Leaders: why do terrorists have leverage over free people in Lebanon? I remember when the US occupied the Beirut Airport, and used ship to shore shelling against Hizbollah. We can do that again. |
| Posted by: McZoid 2008-05-11 04:29 |