'Day of rage' as Hezbollah gains power in Lebanon

[Guest guest]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41247842/ns/world_news-mideastn_africa

'Day of rage' as Hezbollah gains power in Lebanon

Hundreds of protesters burn tires, block roads after new prime minister is

appointed

updated 1/25/2011 9:05:24 AM ET

TRIPOLI, Lebanon — Hundreds of angry protesters burned tires and blocked roads

across Lebanon on Tuesday after Iranian-backed Hezbollah secured the appointment

of its candidate to lead the next government.

The nomination of Najib Mikati as prime minister, endorsed by President Michel

Suleiman, is seen a victory for Hezbollah, which secured the parliamentary votes

needed to wrest control of the Lebanese government.

Hezbollah's control over the government for the first time will sound alarm

bells in Washington and Israel and raise concerns in moderate Sunni Arab states.

The protesters turned out in many cities in support of Mikati's defeated rival

Saad al-Hariri, a Sunni Muslim whose government was ousted this month by Shiite

Hezbollah and its allies in a dispute over the investigation of his father's

assassination in 2005.

The protests were part of a " day of anger " called by loyalists of Hariri, who is

backed by Saudi Arabia and Washington, to protest against Hezbollah, funded and

supported by Tehran.

Mikati, a telecoms tycoon who has portrayed himself as a consensus candidate,

said he would start talks to form a government on Thursday and appealed to all

Lebanese factions to overcome their differences.

" All Lebanese leaders should cooperate together to face the current challenges, "

he said from the presidential palace after he accepted his nomination by

President Michel Suleiman.

" I reiterate my position ... that my hand is extended to all factions to take

part and end division...through dialogue. "

The biggest protest took place in the northern city of Tripoli where medical

sources said 20 people were treated for injuries and protesters set fire to a

satellite truck used by the Arab television channel Al Jazeera.

Hariri appealed for calm, saying he rejected demonstrations of violence. " You

are angry but you are responsible people. I understand your feelings, " Hariri

told supporters in a televised speech. " This anger should not lead us to what

disagrees with our values ... our belief that democracy is our refuge. "

" Sunni blood is boiling " chanted protesters in Tripoli, urging Mikati, a Sunni

Muslim, to withdraw his nomination and waving flags of Hariri's Future Movement

which says it will not serve in any government dominated by the militant Shi'ite

group.

Mikati secured the crucial backing of Walid Jumblatt and six of the influential

local leader's supporters on Monday, giving him a majority of support among

parliament's 128 members.

In Beirut, protesters blocked a road with burning tires and overturned garbage

containers. A security source said shots were fired in the air and the army

intervened, but no one was hurt.

Lebanon's power-sharing political system calls for the post of prime minister to

be held by a Sunni, and Hariri supporters said any figure who accepted the

nomination from the Shi'ite group to form a new government would be considered a

traitor.

Hezbollah and its allies walked out of Hariri's unity government on January 12

in a dispute over still confidential indictments by a U.N.-backed tribunal which

is investigating the 2005 killing of statesman Rafik al-Hariri, the premier's

father.

Politicians allied to Hezbollah have said the first priority of their new

government would be to cut links with the tribunal, which is expected to accuse

Hezbollah members of involvement in the 2005 killing. Hezbollah denies any role.

Hariri supporter Mustafa Alloush told the crowd in Tripoli on Tuesday that the

overthrow of the government two weeks ago was part of an Iranian takeover. " It's

an attempt to bring Lebanon into the Persian sphere. We will not accept that,

and we will be on alert for them, " he said.

Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has defended the movement's decision to

bring down Hariri's government after he rejected demands to cut Lebanon's links

to the tribunal, saying Hezbollah ministers and their allies acted peacefully

and within the constitution.

The demonstrators in Tripoli said investigation into Rafik al-Hariri's killing

could not be blocked. One poster read: " Tripoli will not accept the overthrow of

the international tribunal. "

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

[Guest guest]

Small wonder. The candidate of a known terrorist organization that has carried out attacks around the world heading your government isn't the best idea in the world. The thing to remember here is that Iran has a major hand in this along with their ally Syria. Syria considers Lebanon as a province of its country and not a country in its own right. Both Syria and Iran want to destroy Israel along with Iran's much larger designs.

Lebanon was at one time the most prosperous country in the region. It was considered a second Riviera with high class resorts for the Europeans and a good standard of living. Then the terrorist groups got active, backed by Syria and Iran. These were Hezbollah and others, including Arafat's outfit. Between their infighting and the effort to drive out non-muslims, they made a wreck of the country. This could perhaps been turned around during the 1970's Israeli invasion, the one where Marines were sent in at one point, if we had allowed the Israelis to finish the job and kill Arafat. Arafat was hiding in a densely packed residential area using the residents as human shields. It was feared many would die and the US would take part of the blame and Israel the rest. As it was, because of the delay, it is believed Arafat escape while dressed in a burka, something other terrorist leaders have done since. All that is known was that Arafat got away and ended up in North Africa where he continued peddling violence against Israel until the Palestinians very nearly had peacefully achieved statehood, at which point he swooped in, bumped off the leadership and started suicide bombings and all that. The peace process fell apart, money donations to the Palestinians dried up, and things are as they are.

In a message dated 1/25/2011 2:47:19 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, no_reply writes:

'Day of rage' as Hezbollah gains power in Lebanon