I'd like to refer everybody to an interview on Naharnet with the Youth and Sports Minister Ahmed Fatfat. I'm not going to post the entire article, although it can be found here. Now I'd love to see a minister that actually knows what he's talking about for once, and I'd also love to see one that's actually Lebanese. Apparently in Lebanon it's too much to ask for a patriotic minister. Instead you get a minister that has learned nothing from the past, and apparently won't learn anything in the future. Here are a few excerpts:

Fatfat, in an interview with Naharnet, said Iran supports consensus on a Presidential candidate to avoid a sunni-Shiite confrontation, contrary to Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime that believes Chaos in Lebanon is the way to re-gain control of the Beirut decision-making.

Well THANK GOD! I'm glad Iran doesn't want to destroy Lebanon, but would still like to interfere in Lebanon. Really I'm just glad that we know that now. Let's all take a breather. phew!

Fatfat also called for pulling "Syria's weapons" out of Lebanon, stressing that bases manned by Fatah Intifada and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command are "Syrian and not Palestinian" structures because their decisions are issued by the Assad regime and not by the Palestine Liberation Organization of President Mahmoud Abbas.

What about Palestinian weapons Mr.Fatfat? Aren't they also a source of instability, or did you forget what happened last summer, or do you just want to turn a blind eye to everything that has happened in history because of the Palestinians and their "legal" arms? Oh well, as long as the right asses are kissed...

"We are for an armed resistance and against an Armed Hizbullah," Fatfat declared.

"Resistance is not restricted to a single party, all the Lebanese factions have resistance heritage and have a duty to resist if the resistance is targeted against Israel to reclaim the land and regain prisoners," he explained

Are you for a real nation Mr.Fatfat? Do you know what your acceptance of ANY resistance does to Lebanon's economics growth? Not only does it breed more radicals Mr. Fatfat, but it destroys all progress before that... July war *hint hint nudge nudge*

Then again we do not have prisoners in Syria, and neither is Syria still in Lebanese territory claiming it's Syrian territory. Are you for an armed resistance against Syria Mr. Fatfat?

Iran, Fatfat noted, tends to facilitate "consensus" on a presidential candidate "and has no interest in (presidential) vacuum because it realizes that vacuum leads to Sunni-Shiite feud and this is not in Iran's interest."

Really?!? I thought the presidency was a Christian position, my bad. Iran's doing a good thing, let's give it a seat in parliament as well. It'll pave a road from Lebanon to Iran that way.

Nevertheless, he stressed that the March 14 alliance has taken a "decisive decision. We'll not permit vacuum. Vacuum bears serious repercussions … that is why it is our duty to elect a president by simple majority if a head of state was not elected by Nov. 24.

I agree. As long as Iran is happy, and Khamaini is healthy. Everything should be fine, since you know... a sunni-shiite feud would be averted.

Choosing a presidential candidate, Fatfat noted, is "the Christians' responsibility in the first place, but it should be backed up by national participation."

Wise words Mr. Fatfat. Now let's apply this to every high government position.

But wait...

We've hit a snag. Iran wouldn't like other Lebanese deciding who the Speaker of Parliament should be. We should make it happy. Let Amal and Hizballah decide alone.

But wait again...

That's what happened in 2005... DOH!