FRmail me to be added or removed from this Israel Defense Forces and Israel ping list. Here you will find news, articles and fascinating stories about the IDF and Israel.
Posted on 02/18/2005 9:35:02 AM PST by HAL9000
ALARM - Lebanon: the opposition announces the "insurrection for independence "
BEIRUT - the Lebanese opposition antisyrienne, joined together at a plenary sitting, announced Friday evening the "insurrection for independence "and claimed a" government of transition "to supervise the Syrian withdrawal.
MORE...
"They take significant steps to demand Syria get out of their country, and as promised, we'll support them. Positive step here."
Indeed, It will become more difficult for the Syrians to suport the terrorists in Iraq if they are dealing with unrest in Lebanon at the same time - Especially American supported unrest. It also makes them pay a price for what they are doing in Iraq.
Regardless, the people of Lebanon have a RIGHT to their freedom and self-determination
I doubt that the fate of the South Lebanese Army when Israel withdrew and the Syrians-Hezbollah took over in the south endeared the Syrians to Maronites very much.
Where do we send funds to help?
Hmmm, looks like the law of unintended consequences is rearing it's head.
You are most excellent with your post, thank you.
Are you serious? This is HUGE! Talk about a domino effect! If true, CELEBRATE FREEDOM! Let Freedom Ring!
In the middle east?
http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/004783.php
Religious Surge Alarms Secular Syrians
This article shows the self-contradiction of the position that still prevails in the mainstream media: if the jihadists are really a tiny minority of extremists whose understanding of Islam is rejected by the great majority, then why should anyone be concerned about an Islamic revival in Syria? But this article is closer to the truth: the resurgence of Islam itself makes for a revival of jihadist sentiment, and that's why secular Syrians are worried.
From the Washington Post, with thanks to the Constantinopolitan Irredentist:
NASIRIYAH, Syria -- A religious revival is sweeping Syria, challenging the secular, ruling Baath Party to allow more Muslim influence in government and frightening many Syrians schooled for decades to fear political Islam. Growing religious feeling can be seen across the landscape, from the proliferation of head scarves worn by young women in Damascus to an enormous privately funded mosque nearing completion in downtown Aleppo, Syria's second city. Muslim clerics, meanwhile, are growing increasingly bold in asking for democratic political reforms that could give them a larger role in government.
Alarmed by the trend, some within Syria's secular intelligentsia and middle class have begun writing and organizing against it. From his airy home in Nasiriyah, a town 35 miles northeast of Damascus, Nabil Fayyad, a secular writer, accused the government in print last September of softening its stand against the increasingly popular Islamic movement, its chief rival for power, amid pressure from the United States to reform.
Yes in the Middle East, did you see the 8.5 millions Iraqis who defied death to VOTE.
Did you notice the winners? Did you notice the Iraqi Christians fleeing for their lives into Syria?
Few Iraqi Christian families fled Iraq and you are making it sound like a mass exodus of Iraqi Christians.
Few Iraqi Christian families fled Iraq and you are making it sound like a mass exodus of Iraqi Christians.
Few Iraqi Christian families fled Iraq and you are making it sound like a mass exodus of Iraqi Christians.
Before the Syrians got involved in upsetting the balance of political power in Lebanon (this is before their invasion) the Christians were in ascendency in Lebanon by maintaining and managing the political power to allow a multi-faceted sharing. Beirut was in many respects THE financial capital in the Middle East owing to this Christian industriousness, education, etc. It was Syria which destroyed this by funding and aiding Palestinian terrorists. This was seen in their conspiracy with the Palestinians to overthrow Hussein in Jordan and when that failed by helping to set up shop of the various Palestinian groups in Lebanon as an attempt to upset that Christian balance for the following purposes:
(1) The Maronite Christians were empathetic to Israel;
(2) Syria could use the Palestians to attack Israel from Lebanese bases;
(3) Syria could use the Palestinians to bring about its long sought after vision of Greater Syria.
The issue is Lebanon and Syria's involvement in Lebanon has been disastrous for the Christians. The Syrian Christians exist at the behest and whim of a dictatorship. I'm all for overthrowing dictatorships and encouraging the secular sharing of power.
Syria are the Cardassians. Lebanon is Bajor. Bush is Sisko and the Iranians are the Dominion. And we all know what happened to the Cardassians at the end of DS9.
Hizbollah Tells Lebanese to Cool Anti-Syria Line
Sat Feb 19, 2005 07:10 AM ET
By Alistair Lyon
BEIRUT (Reuters) - Hizbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah warned Saturday that popular agitation against Syria's grip on Lebanon after the killing of former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri could plunge the country back into civil war.
Opposition leaders are urging Lebanese to join a peaceful "independence uprising" to free their country from Syria's military and political dominance, intensifying a war of words after Hariri's assassination in a huge bomb blast Monday.
"God forbid, if the roof collapses, it collapses on all of us," Nasrallah told tens of thousands of Shi'ite Muslims gathered for Ashura, the most solemn event in their calendar.
"Today we are responsible for a nation that came out of the civil war ... but we face acute problems, especially this year and in the past few months," the black-turbaned cleric declared. "As Lebanese, we have no choice for remedying our crises and problems except to discuss and meet, even if we are angry and tense," he said. "We must not repeat the mistakes of the past."
Hizbollah, backed by Syria and Iran, is now a formidable Lebanese political party as well as an anti-Israel guerrilla force that still controls much of south Lebanon since helping end a 22-year Israeli occupation in May 2000.
The death of Hariri, a wealthy Sunni Muslim businessman, sparked an outpouring of public grief mixed with anger against Syria, instinctively held responsible by many Lebanese.
The anti-Syrian sentiments now uniting many of Lebanon's Christians, Druze and Sunnis have not been voiced by Shi'ite leaders counted among the most loyal allies of Damascus. Shi'ites form the country's biggest religious community.
Hizbollah, the only militia to retain its guns openly since the civil war ended, could come under intense pressure to disarm, in line with United Nations demands, if Syria left.
Nasrallah called for a speedy investigation into Hariri's killing, but rejected international involvement in Lebanon.
"COOPERATE OR ELSE"
The United States, which this week recalled its ambassador from Damascus in response to the bombing, told Syria Friday to cooperate in the investigation or face further sanctions.
Washington imposed some economic sanctions in May, including a ban on U.S. exports to Syria other than food and medicine.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Syria could avoid further punishment by changing its policies. "We are not trying to isolate Syria, what we are trying to do is to get Syria to engage in more responsible behavior," she said.
The United States has not blamed Syria for Hariri's assassination and Damascus has denied involvement.
Washington has previously told Syria to withdraw its 14,000 troops from its tiny neighbor, crack down on Iraqi insurgents and stop backing Hizbollah and Palestinian militant groups.
The Beirut government has rejected U.S. and French calls for an international inquiry into Hariri's killing, but the United Nations has asked an Irish policeman to lead a U.N. team to report on its "circumstances, causes and consequences."
Deputy police commissioner Peter Fitzgerald is expected to leave for Beirut in the next few days, a U.N. spokesman said.
The Bush administration wants Security Council members to consider measures that could be taken against Hariri's killers but it was unclear how many council members would agree.
In September, France and the United States engineered a council resolution demanding Syrian troops get out of Lebanon. That measure, resolution 1559, squeaked through 9-0, the minimum number of votes required, with six abstentions.
Nasrallah attacked the resolution as an Israeli-inspired measure that would not bring Lebanon sovereignty, freedom and independence, as some Lebanese imagined.
"There is another viewpoint that says this resolution will ruin the country and make it hostage to international powers and enemy powers, specifically Israel," he said. "The demands made in 1559 are entirely Israeli demands."
The Christians invited the Syrians in to defeat the Muslims - which the Syrians did.
In a new axiom of FR, every time Destro posts about Middle Eastern politics, it 100% incorrect, misleading or a form of government sponsored propaganda. You have no idea what you're talking about in regards to the internal paradigm of Lebanon, whatever you're sources of information are, they are wrong.
To state the Christians will be slaughtered, as fact, is absurd.
Please stop.
By contrast, Iraq has gassed Christian villages, Egypt witnessed pogroms against Christian communities, Lebanon's Maronite Christians have fought civil wars, and Saudi Arabia has banned any Christian public worship.
"Syria is the best country in the Middle East to be a Christian," says Stephen Griffiths, head of the Anglican Church in Syria. Although there are only 1.3 million Christians - about 10 percent of the population - more people attend church here than in England.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.