November 21, 2006
Lebanon is also already bracing for possible civil unrest and retaliation.
Gemayel was a member of the Kataeb Social Democratic Party, more commonly referred to as the Christian Phalange. The armed wing of the Phalange was the most important Christian faction during the Lebanese civil war. His father was the former President Amin Gemayel and his uncle, Bashir Gemayel, was also assassinated shortly after his election as President.
During the civil war the Phalangists forces were allies with Israel. In 1982 it was this same Christian militia, not Israel, that massacred Palestinian refugees in the Sabra and Shatila camps.
Gunmen opened fire as his convoy drove through the Christian Sin el-Fil neighbourhood, they said. Gemayel, who was in his 30s, was rushed to hospital where he later died of his wounds.Hat tip: Snapped Shot (at this writing the site is down)Local television footage showed angry and weeping supporters gathering at the hospital.
The killing is certain to deepen a political crisis pitting the anti-Syrian majority against the pro-Damascus opposition led by Hezbollah.
"We believe the hand of Syria is all over the place," Saad al-Hariri, son of assassinated former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri, said from Beirut shortly after Gemayel was shot dead.
UPDATE: Sunni jihadis? al Qaeda? This comes just days after Sunnis in Lebanon declared jihad.
UPDATE: Protests have already begun.
UPDATE: Way more at Hot Air.
Posted by: Rusty at
09:27 AM
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Lebanon needs a representative government, not this group of electoral fraudsters around Mini-Hariri (they openly stole the election in the northern Lebanon leg of the last vote). I see they ally themselves with open fascists like the Gemayals. Deplorable. Mini-Hariri even allied himself with pro-Al-Qa'eda elements and openly is trying to give the Saudis more influence in the country.
One more minister must be gone somehow and the quorum will not be met and the government will fall. If not, massive protests will see to this happening. The present government is a group of traitors who are openly allied with those who sponsered the destruction in the summer. They must be treated as the traitors that they are.
Posted by: R at November 21, 2006 09:47 AM (CV2e/)
Posted by: Greyrooster at November 21, 2006 10:35 AM (I+yOi)
The present government is a group of traitors who are openly allied with those who sponsered the destruction in the summer.
You do realize that the people that are aiming to overthrow the Government, are worse, right? this isn't the people taking back the Government -- this is Iran / Syria in action.
Posted by: davec at November 21, 2006 11:36 AM (QkWqQ)
Christians now probably represent only 1/3 of the population of Lebanon. Just when the conditions in Lebanon really seemed to be improving , that nation again fell apart.
Posted by: John Ryan at November 21, 2006 02:00 PM (TcoRJ)
Posted by: n.a. palm at November 21, 2006 02:06 PM (ZnRR+)
Any country that allows a large unmanageable militia to completely militarize it's border, and conduct cross-border raids and kidnap foreign soldiers was stable right? much improved ? let me guess you saw a picture of Lebanese coffee shops, and kids flying kites and thought all was well ?
Posted by: davec at November 21, 2006 07:10 PM (QkWqQ)
1. China offers Iraq very lucrative oil and contractor contracts to replace coalition contractors (Halliburton, Bechtel, Aegis, etc.) that have all pulled out and fled Iraq.
2. Tony Blair strongly supports Iran and Syria's involvement with stabilizing Iraq.
3. The leaders of Iran and Syria invite Iraqi PM Maliki to a summit this weekend to discuss viable solutions to restore stability to Iraq. Tony Blair applauds the gesture.
4. Iraq and Syria re-establish diplomatic ties this week for the first time in over 25 years. Tony Blair applauds this gesture as well.
5. After numerous calls for increased troop levels, drafts and increased troop rotation, the Pentagon admits that they don't even have 20,000 troops to send anywhere because our military has been severely depleted.
6. In a last minute announcement this evening, President Bush is meeting with Iraqi PM Maliki in Jordan next week.
7. Hezbollah calls for "peaceful" demonstrations against the Lebanese government for its complacency with the US and western governments and calls Sec of State Rice a "bloodsucker".
8. A Christian, Anti-Syrian Lebanese official is assassinated today by what is suspected to be either Hezbollah and/or a pro-Syrian group.
Does anybody see a bigger picture emerging here? This Administration's foreign policy has gone beyond a joke. Its a full-on disaster!
Posted by: Syntax at November 22, 2006 01:05 AM (QqVLv)
Posted by: sandpiper at November 24, 2006 12:12 AM (4yJRe)
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