Warning: Undefined array key "rbname" in /data/rantburg.com/www/pgrecentorg.php on line 14
Hello !

Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Major Powers Locked in Struggle for Presidential Polls Influence

2014-03-12

[An Nahar] The major powers are locked in a race for influence in Leb's presidential elections as Michel Suleiman's ...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... six-year term nears its end, As Safir newspaper reported on Tuesday. Oboy. A rump parliament in Tripoli declares independence from Leb and joins the Soviet Union Russia. The daily said that the United States is backing elections to choose a new president and has sent an envoy who has a specific mission to follow up the polls. Meanwhile, a lady who pegged out in her garage in 2008 is discovered to have voted Hezbollah in two or three elections. But the report said that La Belle France, which is also expected to send envoys to Beirut, believes the current situation in Leb and the region is not encouraging, and that elections could not be held given the difficulty to reach an understanding between the Western countries and regional and local parties on a single candidate. Gay Paree prefers Suleiman's term, which expires in May, be extended, according to As Safir. Its stance is also backed by 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... , the daily said. It quoted however a U.S. diplomat as saying that Washington prefers the election of a new president even if he was a personality not allied with it. Among the names making the rounds are Free Patriotic Movement Despite its name a Christian party allied with Hizbullah, neither free nor particularly patriotic... leader Michel Aoun ...a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hizbullah... and Marada movement chief Suleiman Franjieh, who are both members of the Hizbullah ...Party of God, a Leb militia inspired, founded, funded and directed by Iran. Hizbullah refers to itself as The Resistance and purports to defend Leb against Israel, with whom it has started and lost one disastrous war to date, though it did claim victory... -led March 8 alliance. Other names include the March 14 camp's Phalange Party The Kataeb (Phalange) party was founded by Pierre Gemayel in 1936, who modeled the party after Spanish and Italian Fascist parties he had observed as an Olympic athlete during the 1936 Summer Olympics held in Berlin, then Nazi Germany. The movement's uniforms originally included brown shirts and members used the Nazi salute. Despite the party's uniform, its strong sense of nationalism and dedication to a single charismatic leader, the Lebanese Kataeb was not and never became a fascist party nor did it espouse a totalitarian ideology. chief and ex-President Amin Gemayel, and Lebanese Forces A Christian political party founded by Bashir Gemayel, who was then bumped off when he was elected president of Leb... leader Samir Geagea ... Geagea was imprisoned by the Syrians and their puppets for 11 years in a dungeon in the third basement level of the Lebanese Ministry of Defense. He was released after the Cedar Revolution in 2005 ... . The presidential elections could be a topic of discussion between U.S. President Barack Obama Ready to Rule from Day One... and King of the Arabians, Sheikh of the Burning Sands Abdullah ... Fifth out of 37 sons of King Abdulaziz to ascend to the throne. He is, after his half-brothers Bandar and Musa'id, the third eldest of the living sons of Abdul Aziz ibn Saud. Abdullah's mother is from the Rashid clan, longtime rivals of the Saud. He has 6 sons and 15 daughters and about $20 billion. His youngest son is just seven years old... in Riyadh over the weekend, As Safir said.

Link

Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Phalange Party: We Won't Legitimize Resistance

2014-03-04

[An Nahar] The Phalange Party The Kataeb (Phalange) party was founded by Pierre Gemayel in 1936, who modeled the party after Spanish and Italian Fascist parties he had observed as an Olympic athlete during the 1936 Summer Olympics held in Berlin, then Nazi Germany. The movement's uniforms originally included brown shirts and members used the Nazi salute. Despite the party's uniform, its strong sense of nationalism and dedication to a single charismatic leader, the Lebanese Kataeb was not and never became a fascist party nor did it espouse a totalitarian ideology. on Monday announced that it will not provide a political cover for Hizbullah ...Party of God, a Leb militia inspired, founded, funded and directed by Iran. Hizbullah refers to itself as The Resistance and purports to defend Leb against Israel, with whom it has started and lost one disastrous war to date, though it did claim victory... 's military intervention in Syria or for its weapons even if that threatened the collapse of Prime Minister Tammam Salam's cabinet that was formed after an 11-month deadlock. "This resistance has lost its legitimacy and half the Lebanese have major questions over it and therefore there is no consensus over the resistance. Nothing can be imposed on half the Lebanese in the cabinet," MP Sami Gemayel, the party's central committee coordinator, said at a presser. "We won't give any legitimacy to the entity of this resistance through the tripartite (army-people-resistance) equation which allows all the Lebanese to take up arms in all circumstances," Gemayel stressed. He said his party was hoping the cabinet would endorse the "common points" and put the controversial ones aside. "We joined the cabinet in this spirit," Gemayel noted. "We want to delegitimize Hizbullah's fighting in Syria and its possession or arms during this period or else our participation in cabinet would be at the expense of the constant principles as we would be subjecting the entire Lebanese people to bombings," he added. He called on the cabinet to endorse "the content of the Baabda Declaration because that would protect the Lebanese from bombings." "It is impossible to cover up for the principle of no state; let the government collapse and we would go to a caretaker cabinet," Gemayel threatened. "We are avoiding overbidding but the principles do not change and will not change and from now on we won't accept that the state give legitimacy to these arms or to the fighting of Hizbullah or any other group in Syria," he underlined. Gemayel added: "From now on, no ministerial policy statement will legitimize the use of arms in Leb if we are present in cabinet."

Link

Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Sami Gemayel Rejects 'Lebanese's Right to Resist' Formula in Policy Statement

2014-02-28

[An Nahar] Phalange Party The Kataeb (Phalange) party was founded by Pierre Gemayel in 1936, who modeled the party after Spanish and Italian Fascist parties he had observed as an Olympic athlete during the 1936 Summer Olympics held in Berlin, then Nazi Germany. The movement's uniforms originally included brown shirts and members used the Nazi salute. Despite the party's uniform, its strong sense of nationalism and dedication to a single charismatic leader, the Lebanese Kataeb was not and never became a fascist party nor did it espouse a totalitarian ideology. Central Committee Coordinator MP Sami Gemayel criticized on Thursday reports saying the ministerial policy statement will include a clause on "Lebanese people's right to resist." "There is no consensus over the resistance. Who is going to resist?" Gemayel asked after holding talks with Speaker Nabih Knobby Berri Speaker of the Lebanese parliament, a member of AMAL, a not very subtle Hizbullah sock puppet... in Ain el-Tineh. "Does this mean we are going to live in a jungle where everyone gets arms licenses?" he added. The Phalange MP also told news hounds that Hizbullah ...Party of God, a Leb militia inspired, founded, funded and directed by Iran. Hizbullah refers to itself as The Resistance and purports to defend Leb against Israel, with whom it has started and lost one disastrous war to date, though it did claim victory... is the only party that has reservations over mentioning the Baabda Declaration in the policy statement. "We discussed with Berri the crisis in the country and we are thinking of structural solutions to problems in Leb." Health Minister Wael Abou Faour announced on Wednesday that the ministerial panel tasked with drafting a policy statement has reached a "satisfactory formula" regarding mentioning the Baabda Declaration in the draft. The minister explained that the formula respects all parties' stances. MTV revealed that Abou Faour's formula mentions commitment to the resolutions of the national dialogue sessions that were held at the parliament and in Baabda. The same source also said Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil suggested mentioning the Lebanese's right to resist against Israel in the statement, but added that the March 14 camp insisted on writing "Leb's rights to resist' instead to underscore the role of the state."

Link

Syria-Lebanon-Iran

March 14 Hands U.N. Petition Demanding STL Probe All Assassinations

2014-02-28

[An Nahar] The March 14 forces on Thursday handed the U.N. secretary-general's representative in Leb a petition demanding the expansion of the Special Tribunal for Leb's mandate to cover all liquidations against March 14 figures. "We handed the U.N. secretary-general's representative in Leb a petition signed by 69 MPs and demanding the expansion of the STL's jurisdiction to involve all liquidation crimes that targeted Lebanese leaders, from the attempt on MP Marwan Hamadeh's life to the liquidation of martyr minister Mohammed Shatah," al-Mustaqbal ... the Future Movement, political party led by Saad Hariri... bloc MP Atef Majdalani said after a March 14 delegation handed the petition to U.N. Special Coordinator for Leb Derek Plumbly. According to Majdalani, the petition was signed by four premiers and former premiers and the parliamentary blocs of al-Mustaqbal, the National Struggle Front, the Lebanese Forces A Christian political party founded by Bashir Gemayel, who was then bumped off when he was elected president of Leb... , the Phalange Party The Kataeb (Phalange) party was founded by Pierre Gemayel in 1936, who modeled the party after Spanish and Italian Fascist parties he had observed as an Olympic athlete during the 1936 Summer Olympics held in Berlin, then Nazi Germany. The movement's uniforms originally included brown shirts and members used the Nazi salute. Despite the party's uniform, its strong sense of nationalism and dedication to a single charismatic leader, the Lebanese Kataeb was not and never became a fascist party nor did it espouse a totalitarian ideology. , and independent MPs. "The criminals managed to assassinate an elite group of our leaders but they did not and will not manage to evade punishment or break the will of the Lebanese to achieve freedom, independence and decent living," Majdalani stressed.

Link

Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Lebanese Officials Condemn Dahiyeh Attack, Vow to Confront Terrorism

2014-02-20

[An Nahar] Lebanese officials strongly denounced on Wednesday the double suicide kaboom that targeted Beirut's southern suburbs, which killed at least four people and injured 100 others and was claimed by al-Qaeda affiliated Abdullah Azzam Brigades ... Leb's current al-Qaeda affiliate, named after a guy whose car the current head of al-Qaeda had boomed... President 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... condemned the attack, saying: "There can be no salvation from terrorism except through complete solidarity among the people regardless of their political affiliations." "Terrorism does not differentiate between regions and religions, but it only seeks death and destruction," he added. Earlier the president had contacted Iranian Ambassador to Leb Ghazanfar Rokn-Abadi to offer his condolences over the bombing that took place near the Iranian Cultural Center. He also contacted Interior Minister Nuhad Mashnouq and Kuwaiti Ambassador to Leb Abdul Aal al-Qinai. Speaker Nabih Knobby Berri Speaker of the Lebanese parliament, a member of AMAL, a not very subtle Hizbullah sock puppet... meanwhile urged the "greatest level of vigilance and caution" in confronting the series of bombings that have targeted Leb. Prime Minister Tammam Salam slammed the twin kabooms, considering them a "message by the terrorist groups to continue its plot in spreading absurd deaths in Leb." "Amid the positive political stances... Terrorism once again hit Leb by bombing a safe neighborhood in a message that reflects the insistence of the evil powers to harm Leb and the Lebanese and to create sedition." He noted that the Lebanese will "respond to it with more unity, solidarity, by holding on to our civil peace and supporting our army and security forces." Bir Hassan is surrounded by neighborhood that are strongholds of the Hizbullah and have been targeted in multiple kabooms killing civilians. Leb has been rocked by a string of car and suicide kabooms in recent months, many targeting strongholds of Hizbullah in apparent retribution for its role in Syria. The group has admitted sending fighters to the neighboring country to battle alongside Syria's Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir Pencilneck al-Assad Supressor of the Damascenes... against an uprising. For his part, Hizbullah's Industry Minister Hussein al-Hajj Hassan called on the Lebanese to tighten their grip on national stances and to confront terrorism. Interior Minister Mashnouq said from the blast scene that the kaboom targets all the Lebanese people and the government will take the necessary measures to tackle the situation. "The cabinet will take all the necessary measure to end the phenomena of suicide attacks," Mashnouq added. Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil stressed that "terrorism is targeting all the Lebanese. We must put an end to it." Labor Minister Sejaan Qazzi said that the suicide kabooms that targeted the area aims at destabilizing Leb, stressing that security should be a priority. He called on the Lebanese people to be aware of the dangerous stage the country is passing through and to unite in order to confront terrorism. Head of the Free Patriotic Movement Despite its name a Christian party allied with Hizbullah, neither free nor particularly patriotic... MP Michel Aoun ...a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hizbullah... said via twitter that "gunnies were bothered by the formation of the cabinet after they became convinced that it would fight them." Al-Mustaqbal ... the Future Movement, political party led by Saad Hariri... Movement Chief Saad Hariri Second son of Rafik Hariri, the Leb PM who was assassinated in 2005. He has was prime minister in his own right from 2009 through early 2011. He was born in Riyadh to an Iraqi mother and graduated from Georgetown University. He managed his father's business interests in Riyadh until his father's assassination. When his father died he inherited a fortune of some $4.1 billion, which won't do him much good if Hizbullah has him bumped off, too. said that "if the aim behind the attack is to inform the Lebanese that their country isn't immune to terrorism despite the formation of the cabinet then we will hold on to our unity today more than ever." "We condemn the attacks with the strongest rhetoric," Hariri said in a statement, calling on security forces to pursue the culprits. He urged the Lebanese for more solidarity and to allow the cabinet to carry out its responsibilities during this delicate situation. Hariri reiterated calls on the Lebanese to dissociate itself from the conflict in Syria and on Hizbullah to withdraw its fighters from the ongoing war in the neighboring country and to abide by the Baabda Declaration. Lebanese Forces A Christian political party founded by Bashir Gemayel, who was then bumped off when he was elected president of Leb... leader Samir Geagea ... Geagea was imprisoned by the Syrians and their puppets for 11 years in a dungeon in the third basement level of the Lebanese Ministry of Defense. He was released after the Cedar Revolution in 2005 ... later condemned in a statement the Bir Hassan bombing, calling for Hizbullah to withdraw its fighters from Syria. "We had previously predicted that the situation in Leb will not change with the formation of a new government," he added. "The situation will change when the policies of previous governments are altered," he explained. He demanded that the border between Leb and Syria be controlled in order to thwart the flow gunnies, offering his condolences to the victims of the blast. Grand Mufti Sheikh Mohammed Rashid Qabbani ... Grand Mufti of Lebanon and the most prominent Sunni Muslim cleric in the country. An assassination attempt against Qabbani was foiled by Leb internal security forces in 2009 as part of the Eid al-Fitr celebrations in Beirut. In an interview broadcast in 2012, Qabbani stated that Jews were behind secularism, because they opposed the authority of the church, against Christianity. He also suggested that the attacks of September 11, 2001 were orchestrated by Jews in order to justify the persecution of Muslims worldwide. Qabbani is against the legalization of civil marriage in Lebanon. He has issued a fatwa declaring any Muslim politician who approves civil marriage legislation an apostate. Surprisingly, he is not considered very much of a nut by Moslem standards. also denounced the attack, calling on Salam's cabinet to "swiftly control the situation in Leb and reduce tension and all forms of incitement to confront the upcoming stage as a one hand. Head of the Phalange Party The Kataeb (Phalange) party was founded by Pierre Gemayel in 1936, who modeled the party after Spanish and Italian Fascist parties he had observed as an Olympic athlete during the 1936 Summer Olympics held in Berlin, then Nazi Germany. The movement's uniforms originally included brown shirts and members used the Nazi salute. Despite the party's uniform, its strong sense of nationalism and dedication to a single charismatic leader, the Lebanese Kataeb was not and never became a fascist party nor did it espouse a totalitarian ideology. Amin Gemayel said: "The Bir Hassan bombing is a bloody message aimed at terrorizing the new cabinet that is an embodiment of national will." "The best way to respond to the bombings lies in activating government work and seizing control of the security situation," he added.

Link

Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Army Ends Standoff between Hizbullah, March 14 Supporters at USJ Huvelin Campus

2013-11-26

[An Nahar] Tensions were high at the Universite Saint Joseph in the Huvelin neighborhood in Beirut on Monday in light of Hizbullah supporters' protest against recent student elections results, reported MTV. It said that the supporters surrounded the campus in protest, sparking tensions between them and the March 14 students. The army soon intervened however averting any clash between the rival camps, reported the National News Agency on Monday. Students have since left the scene and security forces are working on ensuring security around the campus. Earlier, Phalange Party The Kataeb (Phalange) party was founded by Pierre Gemayel in 1936, who modeled the party after Spanish and Italian Fascist parties he had observed as an Olympic athlete during the 1936 Summer Olympics held in Berlin, then Nazi Germany. The movement's uniforms originally included brown shirts and members used the Nazi salute. Despite the party's uniform, its strong sense of nationalism and dedication to a single charismatic leader, the Lebanese Kataeb was not and never became a fascist party nor did it espouse a totalitarian ideology. MP Sami Gemayel contacted Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji and USJ's President Father Salim Daccache demanding that they "assume their responsibilities regarding the provocations at the campus." The student elections were held at USJ last week. An alliance between the Lebanese Forces A Christian political party founded by Bashir Gemayel, who was then bumped off when he was elected president of Leb... and March 14 forces won the majority of seats at three of the campus's four faculties, while independent students swept the last faculty. Gemayel later revealed during a presser that the tensions were caused in light of Hizbullah supporters' painting of graffiti in the campus hailing Habib al-Shartouni, who was convicted of the liquidation of former President Bashir Gemayel in 1982.

Link

Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Gemayel Slams Hizbullah's Actions at USJ: We Won't Remain Silent against Those Who Provoke us

2013-11-26

[An Nahar] Phalange Party The Kataeb (Phalange) party was founded by Pierre Gemayel in 1936, who modeled the party after Spanish and Italian Fascist parties he had observed as an Olympic athlete during the 1936 Summer Olympics held in Berlin, then Nazi Germany. The movement's uniforms originally included brown shirts and members used the Nazi salute. Despite the party's uniform, its strong sense of nationalism and dedication to a single charismatic leader, the Lebanese Kataeb was not and never became a fascist party nor did it espouse a totalitarian ideology. MP Sami Gemayel slammed on Monday the actions of Hizbullah supporters at Universite Saint Jospeh, questioning the purpose of the party's provocations at the campus. He declared: "The identity of USJ will not be altered and we will not remain silent against those who provoke us." He made his remarks during a presser to address recent developments at the university's Huvelin campus in Beirut on Monday morning. He revealed that Hizbullah supporters had written graffiti on the walls of the university hailing Habib al-Shartouni, who was convicted with the liquidation of former President Bashir Gemayel in 1982. "The graffiti provoked all students at USJ regardless of their affiliations," added Gemayel. Moreover, he said that the Hizbullah supporters continued on provoking the students for several hours until the security forces and army intervened. He criticized the security forces' late response in containing the tensions, warning that the situation could have gotten out of hand. "A major problem was averted in Ashrafiyeh today," he stated. "The situation could have been contained as soon as the tensions began, but for some reason the security forces took at least four hours to intervene," remarked the MP. "The army only intervened when it seemed that a clash was going to take place, which demonstrates that the state does not take immediate action to contain any tensions. Why do we leave matters to reach such a tense stage?" he wondered. "We thank the army and security forces for containing the situation, but they could have been faster in doing so," he noted. Addressing Hizbullah, Gemayel asked angrily: "Why are you creating hate among the people against you? What do you have to do with Habib al-Shartouni? What are the purposes of your provocations? What is the reason for this spite?" "Do you seek to separate yourselves from the rest of the state? You must state your intentions openly," he demanded. "Do we provoke you when it comes to your resistance and deaders?" he added. "Why are you provoking and challenging us?" he wondered. "I do not understand how Hizbullah is allowing its supporters to create such divisions among the people, instead of working on uniting them," he said. "USJ is a symbol of civility and Leb and we will not allow anyone to alter its identity. We urge the administration to also preserve its identity," urged Gemayel. "We will no longer remain silent over any provocation," he warned. Later on Monday, the Army Command issued a statement clarifying that "the dispute that erupted at one of the universities over student elections did not involve any violation of security that requires the intervention of army units," noting that "the army's entry into any university requires a prior request from its administration or from the security forces tasked with protecting it.

Link

Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Gemayel Urges World to Stop 'Assault' on Historic Syria Christian Village

2013-09-06

[An Nahar] Phalange Party The Kataeb (Phalange) party was founded by Pierre Gemayel in 1936, who modeled the party after Spanish and Italian Fascist parties he had observed as an Olympic athlete during the 1936 Summer Olympics held in Berlin, then Nazi Germany. The movement's uniforms originally included brown shirts and members used the Nazi salute. Despite the party's uniform, its strong sense of nationalism and dedication to a single charismatic leader, the Lebanese Kataeb was not and never became a fascist party nor did it espouse a totalitarian ideology. leader Amin Gemayel on Thursday held a series of contacts with the U.N. and world powers in a bid to stop attacks by Qaeda-linked rebels on the ancient Syrian Christian village of Maaloula, his office said. In this regard, Gemayel held phone talks with U.N. political affairs chief Jeffrey Feltman, U.N. Special Coordinator for Leb Derek Plumbly and the ambassadors of the Vatican, La Belle France, Britannia and the United States. Gemayel urged them to "ask their governments to take quick measures to stop the assault on Maaloula and pull the gunnies out of the town and places of worship immediately." He called on the envoys to inform their countries' leaders -- who gathered Thursday in Saint Petersburg for the G20 summit -- of the "enormity of the attack," warning that "the onslaught might lead to pushing the events in Syria down an increasingly sectarian and seditious course, which would affect the firmness of the international community's stance on the Syrian crisis." Gemayel's office noted that "all these international officials responded to president Gemayel's call," revealing that "Arab and international stances over this attack are expected to be issued in light of the contacts that got underway between the European capitals, the Vatican and New York." It also announced that it had been receiving all day "distress calls from the residents of the town of Maaloula, who called for a prompt action to rescue the historic town, its residents and its spiritual heritage." Syrian government troops battled al-Qaeda-linked rebels over Maaloula for the second day Thursday. Residents of the village said the Death Eaters entered the village late Wednesday. Rami Abdul Rahman, the director of the Britannia-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said the fighters included members of the of al-Qaeda affiliated al-Nusra Front. Despite heavy army presence in the village, Abdul Rahman said the rebels patrolled its streets on foot and in vehicles, briefly surrounding a church and a mosque before leaving early Thursday. The rebels launched the assault on Maaloula -- which is on a UNESCO list of tentative world heritage sites -- on Wednesday after a Nusra fighter went kaboom! at a regime checkpoint at the entrance to the mountain village. The village, about 60 kilometers northeast of Damascus, is home to 3,300 residents, some of whom still speak a version of Aramaic, the language spoken by Jesus Christ that only small, scattered communities around the world still use today. It is full of troglodyte caves dating back to the first centuries of Christianity, and also houses the Mar Takla Greek Orthodox monastery. Heavy festivities between Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir Pencilneck al-Assad Despoiler of Deraa... 's troops and al-Nusra Front fighters persisted in surrounding mountains Thursday, according to the Observatory, which collects information from a network of anti-regime activists. Speaking by phone from a convent in the village, a nun told The News Agency that Dare Not be Named that the rebels left a mountaintop hotel Thursday after capturing it a day earlier. The nun said the frightened residents expect the Islamist Death Eaters to return to the Safir hotel and resume shelling of the community below. "It's their home now," the nun said. She said some 100 people from the village took refuge in the convent. The 27 orphans who live there had been taken to nearby caves overnight "so they were not scared."

Link

Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Phalange Party Urges Hizbullah to 'Reconsider' its Politics post-EU Blacklisting

2013-07-30

[An Nahar] Phalange Party The Kataeb (Phalange) party was founded by Pierre Gemayel in 1936, who modeled the party after Spanish and Italian Fascist parties he had observed as an Olympic athlete during the 1936 Summer Olympics held in Berlin, then Nazi Germany. The movement's uniforms originally included brown shirts and members used the Nazi salute. Despite the party's uniform, its strong sense of nationalism and dedication to a single charismatic leader, the Lebanese Kataeb was not and never became a fascist party nor did it espouse a totalitarian ideology. on Monday called on Hizbullah to reevaluate its politics after the European Union ...the successor to the Holy Roman Empire, only without the Hapsburgs and the nifty uniforms and the dancing... last week blacklisted the party's military wing.

Link

Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Gemayel Says Hizbullah 'Gambling with Lebanon's Fate'

2013-06-18

[An Nahar] Phalange Party The Kataeb (Phalange) party was founded by Pierre Gemayel in 1936, who modeled the party after Spanish and Italian Fascist parties he had observed as an Olympic athlete during the 1936 Summer Olympics held in Berlin, then Nazi Germany. The movement's uniforms originally included brown shirts and members used the Nazi salute. Despite the party's uniform, its strong sense of nationalism and dedication to a single charismatic leader, the Lebanese Kataeb was not and never became a fascist party nor did it espouse a totalitarian ideology. MP Sami Gemayel accused Hizbullah on Monday of "gambling with the Lebanese people's fate," urging President 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... and the cabinet to "assume their responsibilities." "(Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hasan) Nasrallah has transformed Leb into a battlefield instead of a democratic country," Gemayel said after the political bureau's weekly meeting. "Hizbullah is bringing the war in Syria to Leb." Gemayel explained: "The party is imposing a fait accompli on the state because of its possession of arms and no one can hold it accountable except in a civil war. And we do not want this option." "How can he (Nasrallah) control the fate of all the Lebanese?" The Phalange MP said that "Hizbullah's cabinet" controls the country. "As a Lebanese, I have no authority to hold the party accountable. And we are not held responsible because we are part of the opposition." Gemayel slammed the current situation as "unacceptable": "The Lebanese people are no longer able to bear this." "Daily essential matters have become secondary amid the current security fears," he noted. Gemayel urged President Suleiman "to stop the collapse of the state," demanding more powers to be given to the president. "We also urge the executive authority to assume its responsibilities because it is the power in charge of controlling the border, preserving the Baabda Declaration and taking control of the security situation." Gemayel stated that the executive authority must admit "its failure and to announce Leb a failed state." "During the war we did not lose hope but today Leb has become a hopeless state," he expressed. He called on Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam to form the cabinet "as soon as possible because vacuum does not serve the country." Gemayel remarked, however, that "some factions do not want a state," explaining that their goal is for all the country's institutions to collapse." Regarding Foreign Minister Adnan Mansours's stances towards Syria's conflict and Hizbullah's ivolvement in it, Gemayel lamented that he (Mansour) is acting based on "his affiliation with a party and with his sect."

Link

Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Gemayel Demands Suspension of Ties with Damascus over Samaha Case

2013-02-23

[An Nahar] Phalange Party The Kataeb (Phalange) party was founded by Pierre Gemayel in 1936, who modeled the party after Spanish and Italian Fascist parties he had observed as an Olympic athlete during the 1936 Summer Olympics held in Berlin, then Nazi Germany. The movement's uniforms originally included brown shirts and members used the Nazi salute. Despite the party's uniform, its strong sense of nationalism and dedication to a single charismatic leader, the Lebanese Kataeb was not and never became a fascist party nor did it espouse a totalitarian ideology. MP Sami Gemayel lashed out on Friday at Lebanese authorities for not suspending diplomatic ties with the neighboring country Syria after the judiciary demanded the death penalty for a Syrian security official. Gemayel wondered how the Syrian Ambassador to Leb, Ali Abdul Karim Ali, wasn't expelled or summoned. On Thursday, State Commissioner to the Military Court Judge Saqr Saqr referred a death penalty request against ex-Minister Michel Samaha and Syrian security official Ali Mamlouk to the military court to kick off trials. The criminal court of cassation confirmed earlier on Friday receiving the file. The MP addressed in his statements President 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... , Prime Minister Najib Miqati and Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour, demanding an explanation. "The Syrian regime is protecting him (Mamlouk) and confirming that he is a security official," Gemayel said. He slammed the Lebanese authorities, stressing that the death penalty request requires the implementation of certain diplomatic measures concerning the relations between the two countries." "We either respect our judiciary or we don't," the politician added. Earlier this week, First Military Examining Judge Riyad Abu Ghida indicted Samaha and Mamlouk on terrorism charges. A search warrant to identify a Syrian colonel known only by his first name Adnan who plotted for the bombings with the other suspects was also issued. Abu Ghida said Samaha and Mamlouk should be given the death sentence "for transporting explosives from Syria to Leb in an attempt to assassinate Lebanese political and religious leaders." The indictment also said that Samaha told the Syrian colonel and general that he would recruit people to carry out attacks in the northern Akkar region targeting Syrian rebels and weapons smugglers to Syria. Samaha was tossed in the slammer Please don't kill me! in August, but Mamlouk remains free.

Link

Syria-Lebanon-Iran

8 Dead, 78 Hurt as Powerful Car Bomb Hits Beirut

2012-10-20

[An Nahar] A powerful car boom on Friday rocked a street adjacent to Sassine Square in Ashrafiyeh, leaving eight people dead, including Brigadier General Wissam al-Hasan, chief of the Intelligence Bureau of the Internal Security Forces. Seventy-eight people were maimed in the first such attack in the Lebanese capital since 2008, according to state-run National News Agency. The booby-trapped car was parked outside a five-story building facing al-Farah Library, around 200 meters from the Phalange Party The Kataeb (Phalange) party was founded by Pierre Gemayel in 1936, who modeled the party after Spanish and Italian Fascist parties he had observed as an Olympic athlete during the 1936 Summer Olympics held in Berlin, then Nazi Germany. The movement's uniforms originally included brown shirts and members used the Nazi salute. Despite the party's uniform, its strong sense of nationalism and dedication to a single charismatic leader, the Lebanese Kataeb was not and never became a fascist party nor did it espouse a totalitarian ideology. 's Central House, NNA said. An Agence La Belle France Presse photographer saw two apartment buildings devastated by the bombing. One building was ablaze as Red Thingy workers evacuated bloodied casualties. Balconies were torn off by the force of the blast, windows shattered and cars crushed by falling masonry. Flying glass from the shattered windows maimed more than 20 people inside their apartments, NNA said. The agency noted that the blast did not target the convoy of a political figure. "We heard a powerful kaboom. The earth shook under our feet," said Roland, 19, among a large crowd of army, rescue workers and onlookers at the scene. Interior Minister Marwan Charbel later arrived on the scene to inspect the kaboom's aftermath. Georges Kettaneh, in charge of the Red Thingy operation, said at least 37 people were maimed. Relatives of employees at BEMO bank, whose windows were broken, dashed to the area to look for their children. "Where is Pierre?" one man cried, as a young woman searched for her mother in the rubble. Nancy, aged 45, was in tears as she reflected on having nearly missed death. "I was just coming home when I saw my house in flames. I would have been dead if I had stayed home." A rescue worker, identifying himself as Rahmeh, said "this reminds me of attacks during the (1975-1990) civil war and after the war." Prime Minister Najib Miqati said "the government and all its security and judicial authorities are on alert to unveil the circumstances of this blast, pursue and punish the perpetrators, and foil any attempts to drag Leb back to the episode of bombings." Miqati also declared Saturday a day of national mourning and ordered the closure of state institutes, the lowering of flags to half-mast and the modification of TV and radio programming. An extraordinary security meeting was also held at the Grand Serail to discuss the attack, while cabinet was expected to convene on Saturday morning to address the situation.

Link

Warning: Undefined property: stdClass::$T in /data/rantburg.com/www/pgrecentorg.php on line 132
-12 More