Lebanon: The opposition announces the "insurrection for independence "

AFP via Babelfish translation | February 18, 2005

[jveritas]

I am a Lebanese Christan, and yes as long as the Lebanese Secular Sunni Muslims allies themselves with the Lebanese Christians to kick the Syrian terrorist regime out of Lebanon, I have no problem with that at all.

[Frumious Bandersnatch]

You nailed that one on the head.

[adam_az]

What happened to the LF and SLA?

Doesn't the SLA still exist?

[jveritas]

LF you mean Lebanese Forces. Although they are not a militia anymore and their Leader Samir Geagaea has been imprisoned by the Syrian puppet government in Lebanon for over ten years, many of their followers in the Christian part of Lebanon are very much politically active in the opposition to the Syrian occupation of Lebanon.

SLA? I did not get the acronym, can you please explain for me.

[adam_az]

SLA - South Lebanon Army

[Destro]

"as long as the Lebanese Secular Sunni Muslims allies themselves with the Lebanese Christians"

Good luck with that pipe dream.

In the meantime I think Lebanese Christians prefer to ally themselves with secular Alawite Syrains who have a history of protecting/alliances with Arab Christians.

[jveritas]

O.K I see. Unfortunately after the withdrawal of Israel from Lebanon in May 2000, the SLA was disbanded and many of its officers and soldiers were arrested and thrown in jail for "collaboration with the enemy" according to the Syrian Baathist terrorists and their puppet government in Lebanon.

[jveritas]

You have been brain washed with Syrian propaganda, this is exactly what the Lebanese Left try to spew every day.

[PAR35]

Doesn't the SLA still exist?

Israel gave asylum to the top few leaders, and sold out the rest.

[aculeus]

I wish them well ... but the thugs in Damascus will probably react with overwhelming violence.

[Destro]

http://www.isn.ethz.ch/infoservice/secwatch/details.cfm?id=10787

While there was no reliable information yet on the possible identity of the perpetrators, speculation abounded, and most fingers seemed to be pointing towards Damascus, which has acted as an occupying power in neighboring Lebanon since the civil war. Al-Hariri, who was a Sunni Muslim - as the Lebanese constitution stipulates the prime minister must be - had been a vocal critic of the Syrian influence and stepped down as prime minister in October 2004 in protest against the extension of President Emile Lahoud’s (A Christian) mandate. He was replaced by current Prime Minister Omar Karami. Al-Hariri had recently gravitated towards the opposition camp, calling for Syria to withdraw from the country and for the dismissal of the Syrian-backed Christian president, Lahoud. White House spokesman Scott McClellan noticeably singled out Syria for comment on Monday immediately after the assassination, saying that the US administration had no evidence linking Damascus to the crime.

[jveritas]

Emile Lahoud the puppet President of Lebanon has zero popularity among Lebanese Christian because he is a traitor to Lebanon and a Syrian agent. Him being a Christan does not mean that the Lebanese Chrisitans like him or will follow him, at the contrary he is despised by the vast majority of Lebanese Christians.

You need to get your facts straight Destro.

[Destro]

Syrian Alawaites protect Christians - history

[Destro]

You get your facts straight - the Sunni Musims will butcher the Arab Christians without the protection Alawite ruled Syria offers. You may like living like a dhimmi but I don't wish that on the Lebanese Christians.

[thoughtomator]

I just can't see how both Syria and Israel would support the same side in Lebanon. It doesn't make sense.

[MadIvan]

This could be a good opportunity to kick over the Syrian regime. If they are forced into a humiliating withdrawal, Assad may be done for.

Regards, Ivan

[Destro]

When the Israelis happened Syria was out of power in Lebanon. The Middle East is a complicated region. What I find funny is that the American press is either playing down that the ex-PM killed belonged to a Sunni party or not mentioning it all together. Christians are no loner a majority in Lebanon - nor ar ethey a plurality either. The only thing that maintains Christians in the Presidency is the Syrian army.

I know that sounds odd - and it conflicts with our view of Syria as an enemy (AND THEY ARE AN ENEMY) but I want to point out that things are not simple and clean in the Middle East. Syria may be a repressive regime - but as you saw from my Pope post above to you - it is the only Arab country where Arab Christians not only feel free from persecution but feel they are equals with Muslims.

Again, I know this confuses the Syria is an enemy issue - and I stress again Syria is an enemy - but beware what our actions against Syria will mean for Syrian Christians and secular Muslims.