So it seems they're targeting areas according to their sectarian orientation.

Achrafieh being the Christians, Verdun being the Sunnis, and Aley being the Druzes. But all these explosions have one thing common and that is the targeting of commercial areas.

I don't like pointing fingers without proof, because I really do not want to sound like the next Lebanese. Then again, I don't like sounding politically correct like some Free Patriotic Movement members out of spite but in this case I cannot help but point my finger at Syria.

These bombings are similar to hitting two birds with one stone. Syria does not want the tribunal to take place, because it is more than obvious that they were either directly or indirectly responsible for it. To take things further, a good touristic season in Lebanon comes completely against Syria and not Israel like some try to portray. Israel is not visited by hundreds of thousands of Arabs during the Summer, but Syria is visited by the Arabs during the summer as well. And if the Arab tourists don't go to Lebanon, what's the next best thing? I'll make it simple. It's Syria.

Now of the politically correct members of the opposition develop a sense of nationalism, and stop criticizing the government until this crisis blows over. They'll be doing the Lebanese and Lebanon a favor.

It would be ridiculous to assume that all of them take orders from Syria, but it would also be ridiculous to assume that most if not all of them are following self-interests and nothing more. Actually the entire Lebanese political class is self-interested, but the Lebanese Army currently needs all our support.

Just watched the news. I was really amazed by the level of arrogance coming from the Palestinians in their camps. Before I watched the news I heard of their opposition and now I heard it. Again... they seem to think they're back in 1973 and they can say and do whatever they want.

Simply put, I disagree (obviously), and I believe they should shut their mouths.

I can't express how frustrated I currently am. The last thing I expect to happen is to be threatened by foreigners in my own country and find them get away with it.

Two civilian targeted bombings, an Islamist group attacking the Lebanese Army and murdering its soldiers in their sleep Iraqi style, and Palestinians thinking it's 1973.


I'm finally back in Lebanon and what so many of my friends actually joked about has come true. Before I got here, they would say that I shouldn't come back because they actually want to enjoy their summer, since the time I came back last summer was the day before Hizballah wittingly decided to kidnap and kill Israeli soldiers.

I've been watching the news all day today since I'm not allowed to leave the house. Yes... that's what happens when you go back to living with your parents and you have an overprotective mother, but nevertheless I saw a few interesting things.

Now I will not comment on what the Lebanese sides have said, because they both love to score political points against one another in every situation possible and in this situation the opposition has shown too much leniency towards the Palestinians and the "fateh el-islam".

"Fateh el-islam" is a group that should be literally crushed by the Lebanese Army, and be made an example of. Those pompous Palestinian leaders like Sultan Abou-El Aynan and Anwar Raja should be warned and taught to keep their mouths shut. They cannot expect to talk like that against the Lebanese Army and the Lebanese themselves. The Lebanese Army does not need their permission to enter the camps and it certainly does not need their permission to defend itself from the groups that they have willingly hosted.

Civilian casualties should be kept at a minimum, however, are we really willing to risk more Lebanese casualties for the sake of those terrorists and their Palestinian counter-parts. Now "Fateh El-Islam" arrogantly called for a cease-fire, and I believe the Lebanese Army has accepted. This however should also not be accepted, because such groups are a threat to Lebanon, the Lebanese, and their security, and this war should not be dictated according to their terms.

I am specifically reminded of a sentence that Bachir Gemayel once said. Whether you agree with him or not, or you consider him a hero or not, one cannot deny that when he said (loose translation from Lebanese):

The worst thing ever is for a foreigner to humiliate you in your own country

That's what the Palestinians are doing now by so arrogantly threatening the Lebanese and their army. They have to be taught a lesson through "Fateh El-Islam" that they will never forget.

Long live our brave army and God bless their martyrs. They're doing a great job out there and could be doing a better one if we had brave enough politicians.

We made an anouncment a few weeks ago concerning the return of the blog, and I am here to announce the official launch of the blog again, but with a very big difference in the content.

We're not going to only talk about politics, but we're going to deal with the social and economic issues in Lebanon. Talk about the simple stuff and the complexities of international politics that people would usually yawn about.

I'm personally heading back to Lebanon soon, and I will be blogging from there. Documenting my days in Lebanon. This blog is going to be about the Lebanese Renaissance, but it's not going to be about Lebanon solely. It's going to be about the future of Lebanon. Those who are going to be responsible for it's renaissance.