Leaving

posted by Lazarus, 5:52 PM 1 comments

I am ...

... a human being. Nothing human is alien to me.

posted by Lazarus, 3:10 PM 1 comments

We think ...

... that the grass is green, that stones are hard, that the snow is cold. But physics assures us that the greenness of grass, the hardness of stones, and the coldness of snow, are not the greenness, hardness, and coldness that we know in our own experience, but something very different. The observer, when he seems to himself to be observing a stone, is really, if physics is to be believed, observing the effects of a stone upon himself ...

- Bertrand Russell, 1950

posted by Lazarus, 2:15 PM 3 comments

Sweet Dreams

In the early 1970's, a Lebanese leader said the following:

We're training because we don't have any military experience, and since we lack this experience we have to correct that, for our youth has turned soft and needs physical as well as intellectual training. That's the idea behind the military training, and that's what we are doing now. This will never be used against democracy.

We all know what happened.

Fast forward to today. It has been announced that the Lebanese Forces have been training ...

... although these camps supposedly aren't for militias ...

Then why was it so vehemently denied previously?

History has finally gone full circle. And why not? Mistakes of the past 15 years are finally catching up with us. There was no formal reconciliation, no attempt at redemption, and focus was always on the victimizers rather than on the victims.

Classic ...

On my shelf I have a book that has collected many of the statements pre-1975 and during 1975 ... I feel like sending copies to those in "charge" and showing them that their actions today are not as original as they may think ...

However, for now ... the only question I'm trying to answer is if we enjoy being used and abused ... I've tried searching for other explanations for all the bullshit that has occured recently ... but when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth ...

posted by Lazarus, 6:04 PM 6 comments

Just ...

... putting it out there. I came across this while browsing through Annahar. The musical backdrop to the speech captivated me.

posted by Lazarus, 7:57 PM 1 comments

The Peter Principle

Going through some material, I came across the following principle:

A man rises until he reaches his level of incompetence.

In other words, a hierarchical structure effectively guides people towards incompetent positions, where they will remain. Sounds familiar?

posted by Lazarus, 5:33 PM 0 comments

Classic Postcard

posted by Lazarus, 3:22 PM 0 comments

Staying Put

posted by Lazarus, 1:47 PM 0 comments

Bashing Hezbollah

Hezbollah is facing a lot of criticism, a lot of which is due, but some of which isn’t. Even on the blogosphere, there are several bloggers (one of whom I constantly learn something new from, and is a pleasure to read), who do point out Hezbollah’s faults. This post isn’t about bashing Hezbollah, partly because I doubt I could do as good a job as some of the articles and posts out there, and partly because there are others who also deserve an equivalent amount of bashing.

The main issue here is that there is a disproportionate amount of blame and antagonism going around. There is faith in the March 14 bloc, who as of yet, have done very little. This isn’t only due to the Hezbollah and Amal members who withdrew from the cabinet. Lebanon has the highest debt to GDP ratio in the world. But let’s put that aside. Instead of dealing with more pertinent issues, the minister of interior believes it to be worthier to engage himself with a shouting match with Arslan. Geagea is still obsessed with numbers.

Hezbollah is a theocratic institution, it is highly probable that they do obtain their funding from outside sources, and they DO have weapons on the ground. Even more importantly, in speeches and interviews, they give the direct impression that they don’t care about Lebanese sovereignty, and are confrontational in their attitudes.

Yet, suddenly, all the March 14 players are depended on. One of them is on a full-throttled attack now, which, coincidentally, began soon after he lost funding from Iran. Another continues to embezzle from one of the more important companies for money. And now there are the issues of different groups training. It is hard for people to believe that other groups have begun training even though we live in a country where it is easy to import arms illegally. Why? Have those players become wiser?

The government is now stuck within calls for consensus and calls for majority rule. For long-lasting benefits, the latter is the right path, as long as clauses exist for minority rights; after all, rule of the majority at the expense of the minority is not a viable democratic structure. Granted, Hezbollah is not a democratic party. How much more democratic are the other parties? How often do they have elections for the party heads? Were our current leaders really elected democratically, given all the money that was used, and some of the more questionable religious statements concerning select candidates? This is an issue that should be dealt with in the new election law. In addition, as time passes by, and as the “national dialogue” continues to vaporize, we have to be aware of the possibility of early elections with Hezbollah and Amal withdrawing from parliament – an action that some will surely call a coup d’etat. It remains to be seen if this card will be played.

During discussions about this, a standard argument people use in order to prove a point is America’s structure of majority rule. I second that – but let’s take the analogy further. You’ve all heard of the recent Tom Delay scandal. In 2003, Davis (previous governor of California), was recalled. Will certain members of the government resign, or be questioned, concerning their current corruption practices? Or does their involvement in the Cedar Revolution give them a carte blanche?

Back to Hezbollah. JoseyWales, from Lebanonesque, asked a very important question that deserves to be highlighted again: If Israel attacks Iran, will Hezbollah be asked to retaliate? This question should be laid on the table to Hezbollah members. Hezbollah must engage in discussions with regards to their weapons. They have presented a desire concerning this, the seriousness of which might be questionable, but it was the March 14 bloc that initially refused this before the elections. Why?

Following the policy and not the politician is all good when the politicians in question aren’t as unstable as an inverted pendulum, but at this point of time in Lebanese history, only doing that is detrimental. It is time to stop seeking excuses for actions, and to demand explanations. From all.

posted by Lazarus, 1:31 PM 5 comments

Peace of Mind

posted by Lazarus, 7:15 PM 2 comments

Salim Hoss Writing "From the Heart"

Salim Hoss wrote an article in Assafir. It has some of the usual rhetoric, but its an interesting read nonetheless. (in arabic)

posted by Lazarus, 11:56 AM 3 comments

Trapped

posted by Lazarus, 6:28 PM 2 comments

Little Political Faith

I know I said I wouldn't be posting much, but I couldn't resist this.

The findings of a World Economic Forum survey - the Voice of the People - carried out by Gallup International make grim reading for the world's leaders, particularly its politicians. Around the world, survey respondents overwhelmingly found that political leaders are dishonest, have too much power and are too easily influenced.

...

The Voice of the People also asked respondents to compare the characteristics of political leaders with those of business leaders. As previously stated, business leaders were consistently rated more positively than political leaders, with criticisms of the latter group featuring heavily on their dishonesty - mentioned by more than six out of ten global citizens (61 percent) who indicated that politicians respond too much to pressure from people more powerful than themselves (53 percent), that they have too much power and responsibility (53 percent) and that they behave unethically (49 percent). Additionally, just under half (45 percent) mentioned that they were not competent and capable.

...

However, the top priority is different in almost every region. In Western Europe, 18 percent want leaders to focus on eliminating extreme poverty and hunger in the world, in Eastern and Central Europe the priority is seen as the war on terrorism (20 percent), as it is also in the Middle East (22 percent). The Americas see the priority as eliminating extreme poverty and hunger (20 percent), although in the United States itself, the priority is given to the war on terrorism (16 percent). In Asia, leaders are asked to focus on encouraging economic growth and improving the world economy (21 percent), while in Africa equal proportions want leaders to concentrate on closing the gap between rich and poor countries (21 percent) and on encouraging economic growth and improving the global economy (22 percent).

posted by Lazarus, 3:02 PM 2 comments

From Afar ...

posted by Lazarus, 11:38 PM 0 comments

Passing the time ...

The next two weeks, like the past one, will be very hectic ...

... so ...

... as to not let this blog wither into online oblivion ...

I'll just post some pics I've taken - for a while, I'll take a break from discussing Lebanon directly ... after all, what's the point when schisms brew darker with every passing moment ... when people think that holding up pictures of their zaim is equivalent to voicing their opinion ... when it becomes cool to use big words and unconstructive cliches ...

Until the next pic comes along ... check out this rap song by a Palestinian group. (Warning: Use only with fast connection.) It's always refreshing to see the youth take initiatives that supercede any step their politicians never take ...

posted by Lazarus, 11:00 PM 2 comments

Waiting Silently ...

posted by Lazarus, 5:06 PM 3 comments

Quote of the Month ...

In reaction to Walid Jumblatt and his "friendly" attacks on Hezbollah, which culminated with a "weapons of treachery" reference, Hezbollah said

"Which are the weapons of treachery, the weapons of the resistance or those of Walid Jumblatt? The arms that liberated and protected Lebanon or those that destroyed, expelled, burned, killed and committed massacres ... If treachery was embodied as a man in these bad times, it would be Walid Jumblatt".

Diplomacy 101 anyone? Or maybe a copy of "Diplomacy for Dummies" handed out to the government ...

posted by Lazarus, 7:23 AM 4 comments

... Hope and Fear ...

During my stay in Lebanon, rumaging through some old books, I came across Alan Paton's Cry, the Beloved Country. (If you haven't read this yet, try to make time for it.)

In it he writes:

I see only one hope for our country, and that is when white men and black men, desiring neither power nor money, but desiring only the good of their country, come together to work for it. I have one great fear in my heart, that one day when they are turned to loving, they will find we are turned to hating.

As long as that fear exists, and until that hope materializes, one can only say

This is no time to talk of hedges and fields, or the beauties of any country. Sadness and fear and hate, how they well up in the heart and mind. Cry for the broken tribe, for the law and the custom that is gone. Aye, and cry aloud for the man who is dead, for the woman and children bereaved. Cry the beloved country, these things are not yet at an end. The sun pours down on the earth, on the lovely land that man cannot enjoy. He knows only the fear of his heart ... Cry, the beloved country, for the unborn child that is the inheritor of our fear. Let him not love the earth too deeply. Let him not laugh too gladly when the water runs through his fingers, nor stand too silent when the setting sun makes red the veld with fire. Let him not be too moved when the birds of his land are singing, nor give too much of his heart to a mountain or a valley. For fear will rob him of all if he gives too much.

posted by Lazarus, 1:22 PM 2 comments

'Tis a Sad Day ...

I really have very little time to post something proper ... but there are some things that have to be mentioned, and remembered.

"I saw people moving and suddenly I heard crying, shouting, wailing. I looked around and people were piling on each other. They started pulling dead people from the crowd."

posted by Lazarus, 12:07 PM 0 comments

Syria's "Simple Dispute" with Lebanon

If controlled media functions as a yardstick of governmental policy, then does the recent calm concerning Syria in Saudi news services imply that Saudi Arabia is beginning to show its softer side with regards to the Syrian Regime? Since last week, references to Abdul-Halim Khaddam have decreased in various newspapers, and in the past few days, with the onset of the Saudi initiative taken to heal the "rift" between Lebanon and Syria, this same media has become affectionate towards Bashar.

One example - among many - is an article published in Arab News. Take a quick look.

Done? Great.

So, let's recap some of the points discussed. Besides reminding us Lebanese that Khaddam "was the architect of Syria's de facto occupation of that country", and that "Walid Jumblatt also has a personal bone to pick with the Syrian leadership, whom he accuses of being behind the death of his own father in 1977" - although I think that with Jumblatt the rivers of antagonism run deeper than that - the author also refers to the "demonizing of Syria", which has its roots before the Iraq War, since

In 1996, "Clean Break: A strategy for securing the realm" calls for the weakening of Syria. It was penned by prominent US neo-conservatives on behalf of the former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and is the precursor to the 2000 Project for a New American Century paper, pinpointing the Syrian regime as "dangerous". There is, therefore, a much larger agenda at play than a simple dispute between neighbors.

The author is probably right in saying that there is a much larger agenda at play, but ... is condescending in calling the current situation a "simple dispute".

Anyway, let's move on. The author concludes with:

Would an enforced regime change in Syria really benefit Lebanon? How would that impact upon Lebanon's internal stability? Wouldn't it be divisive when Hezbollah is likely to support Bashar, while so-called reformists would be tempted to fall in behind Khaddam? Worse, mightn't the door once again be opened up to foreign intervention in the shape of either US troops or the Israelis?

Like it or not, Lebanon and Syria are always going to share a border and in many cases will always be blood cousins. It's time for the Lebanese to remember that blood is thicker than water and to beware of foreigners bearing gifts.

Bathing her point in clichés, the author has reverted to the archaic - and meaningless - argument of "without Syria, Lebanon is ... naught." Quite quaint, isn't it. The main question to be asked, however, is whether this article (which isn't an exception) reflects the Saudi regime's position ... or is in fact just a completely independent piece. As always, time will tell ... but betting on the former isn't a risky gamble ...

posted by Lazarus, 10:36 PM 3 comments

Finished Packing …

… my bags, ready to leave in several hours, stop for four hours in Paris, fly for 10 more hours before reaching San Francisco, and get back to life as it was before these past three weeks had begun …

posted by Lazarus, 10:09 AM 2 comments

Jumblatt and his Id "Have to Go"

In high school, we used the phrase “has to go” quite often. The context was usually when someone had done something annoying or frustrating, after which someone else would say “X has to go”, which simply means that X should really calm down.

Since it seems that immaturity can only be battled with immaturity, I will venture to say that “Jumblatt has to go.”

Walid Jumblatt’s recent call for American occupation of Syria – ignoring the irony considering his outburst during the Iraqi invasion against Wolfowitz – is something which should not have been said. At a time when several of the potent international figures have explicitly stated that they are not calling for a regime change in Syria, his irrational statement (a constantly defining trait of Jumblatt) puts his supporters, the Druze community, and Lebanon, “bi bouz el matfa`” – to use the first phrase that comes to mind.

One of the main reasons used in calling for regime change in Syria is that instability in Syria will always cause instability in Lebanon, which is not something I can argue against. So where does Jumblatt come off presenting his “solution” for the problem, which will create even more instability?

This antic comes as one more step in a two week long flurry of rash statements, many of which have been directed at Hezbollah. A recent one is that “Khaddam has dealt a blow to Assad and to his Lebanese ally, Hezbollah.” Hezbollah have not seriously replied to his antagonism, but fairly assuming that Nassrallah will still be the zaim of the Shiite for the next 20 years, are such attacks really in the best interests of the Druze? His statements have been upped a notch because of Khaddam’s bombshell (which, as a sidenote, has become an idiom in use here in Beirut – as in: that event was more shocking than Khaddam’s bombshell), and he has been selectively latching onto a series of statements that Khaddam has given, which should be in all rights used by the investigative committee. We should not expect, however, Khaddam as a potential candidate in a Syrian regime change. After his first interview with Al-Arabiya, and with all the criticism piling up, he has jumped slightly to the defensive and gives the impression that he was not the “ruthless dictator” that everyone thinks him to be. Sadly, that will never come across as believable.

Jumblatt continues to live up to the persona of a feudal lord with every passing day and statement. In political sociology, a feudal lord is someone who benefits from his subjects – which Jumblatt does in monetary terms (for example, he demanded from the owners of a clinic near Baakline 30% of their profit) – while they do not receive anything, except for the feeling of existence – which they do, given his recent behavior. It is such a person who is representing Lebanon – he may be an acute personality when it comes to shifting with the sands, but is rather obtuse when it comes to long term strategies.

I never thought that I would ever say this, but of all the leaders in this country, Aoun is appearing more and more rational (relatively speaking). He is saying things that people are saying – and thus fits into his role as a demagogue – but which very few of the other powerhouses is mentioning. His interview two days ago was not discussed in the major newspapers, which is effectively an attempt to erase him from the political map, since he has the potential to attract even more people to his following.

The current political irrationality goes further than Jumblatt and his “id” releasing statements. A politician has just accused another party of militia training. If I had not heard the same comment from a reliable source a week ago, I would not have believed this. But apparently, it is happening.

Caught between these acts, which continue to bury Lebanon beneath personal issues and monetary gains, the Lebanese people continue their days wondering when stability will finally soak in. There are many questions that can be asked, but few, as always, have an answer. Can Jumblatt’s power ever decrease, with another leader attracting a following in the Druze? Will followings stop intersecting fully with sects? Will Lebanon once again resort to the quick fix that is a quota change? Or will there be a more fundamental political shift that transforms the inherent paradox of a confessional democracy into something more transparent, and ultimately, much more productive?

posted by Lazarus, 1:03 AM 7 comments

Corruption

Two days ago, I would have never thought that the road next to Martyr’s Square and part of the highway next to Tabaris needed change. Apparently, those in charge thought otherwise – but considering that there are quite a large number of roads strewn with potholes less than 10 minutes away from downtown, it is more than possible that this “project” was undertaken in order to line someone’s pocket. An international donor conference will soon take place, which hopefully will be constructive, but the potential corruption in the existing government should be taken care of in order for Lebanon to fully benefit. We need accountability, transparency, and auditing. We should not accept a construction project on a 4 km highway stretch (which only entailed tarring) to cost 12 million dollars, or the price of a phone call to cost approximately half a dollar per minute, or ministers to have no background in the ministry they are responsible for (for example, how much experience does Pierre Gemayel have in industry?).

Those who once dipped their hands in what has now become a hole future generations must fill will once again get the chance to do so. If it is true that “power corrupts”, and that “only the corruptible can be corrupted”, then why do we still give power to those who have previously proven that they are corruptible?

posted by Lazarus, 12:40 PM 4 comments

Blatant Propaganda

Future TV’s anchor, during its evening news broadcast, called the current times “Lahoud’s black era.” Let’s just say it as it is. Instead of trying to create history, some politicians are trying to change it. And journalists, instead of trying to keep a semblance of integrity, follow along without hesitance. This quote is just one example of many.

Update: On a slightly different note, Ibrahim El-Amine, who has previously had issues with some of the March 14 leaders, has apparently resigned from Assafir.

posted by Lazarus, 10:30 AM 1 comments

An Evening View

posted by Lazarus, 9:11 AM 0 comments

A Garden of Suffering

I am not sure what took me down there.

It might have been the surrealism of reading about something happening in Lebanon - in the Washington Post - while I am in Lebanon.

This is a garden filled with broken pasts, tormented futures, and eyes drenched with memories.

For the past several months, mothers and families have been protesting in downtown. They want to know what has happened to their children – most probably taken by the Syrian regime – 20 years after they had disappeared ...

“My son was maybe your age at the time, probably slightly older. Allah yikhallik la immak.”

I went around, looking at portraits, asking questions. Pain hung heavily around me. There is a Christmas tree covered with handcuffs.

I am sick of this …

The pain of losing someone close is not unfamiliar to me, but we had the comfort – a strange word to use considering how lacking it was at the time – of closure. We knew …

These families live their lives in an abyss, drowning themselves with questions …

“He was supposed to come back in half an hour. I am still waiting.”

I had no words to say …

I am sick of this pain, these wars, these pointless deaths, these memories fraught with tears …

“I have not received news of him. All I have is my frayed hope that he is still alive. There is so much to tell him.”

posted by Lazarus, 7:34 AM 1 comments

A New Year ... A New Slogan ...

As seen in Camp Freedom (full declaration here).

posted by Lazarus, 2:07 PM 2 comments