Michel Aoun...a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hizbullah...
's call for Leb to elect its president by popular vote to address a crisis that has paralysed government and parliament.
Aoun's supporters waved the orange banners of his Free Patriotic Movement
Despite its name a Christian party allied with Hizbullah, neither free nor particularly patriotic...
, and listened to a brief televised address by him. Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil, another leader of the movement, told the gathering: "We Lebanese want to choose our president."
The president, who the sectarian power-sharing system stipulates must be a Christian, is chosen by parliament. But MPs have failed in at least 26 sessions to elect one since Michel Suleiman
...before assuming office as President, he held the position of commander of the Leb Armed Forces. That was after the previous commander, the loathesome Emile Lahoud, took office as president in November of 1998. Likely the next president of Leb will be whoever's commander of the armed forces, too...
's term expired last year.
Aoun would like the post, but cannot muster the cross-party consensus required, and there is no sign of a credible alternative.
Meanwhile,
...back at the pie fight, Bella grabbed the cocoanut cream...
Prime Minister Tammam Salam's government, which groups parties at opposite ends of the political spectrum, has been largely crippled since it took office with the blessing of Iran and Soddy Arabia
...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in the Soddy national face...
, which back rival Lebanese factions.
Opponents have accused Salam of usurping powers reserved for the president, and Salam has threatened to resign in frustration with the failings of his cabinet.