BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanon's Iranian-backed Hezbollah group took control of the Muslim half of Beirut on Friday in what the U.S.-backed governing coalition described as "an armed and bloody coup". Hezbollah and Amal group gunmen take position during clashes in the Mazra'a area in Beirut May 9, 2008. (REUTERS/Fadi Ghalioum) At least 13 people have been killed and 30 wounded in three days of battles between pro-government gunmen and fighters loyal to Hezbollah, a Shi'ite political movement with a powerful guerrilla army which is also an ally of Syria. The fighting, the worst internal strife since the 1975-90 civil war, was triggered this week after the government tried to dismantle Hezbollah's military communications network. The group said the government had declared war. In scenes reminiscent of the darkest days of the civil war, young men armed with assault rifles roamed the streets amid smashed cars and smouldering buildings. Fighting died down as outgunned government supporters handed over their weapons and offices to the army, which has mainly been seen as neutral during 17 months of political conflict between the Hezbollah-led opposition and government.
BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanon's Iranian-backed Hezbollah group took control of the Muslim half of Beirut on Friday in what the U.S.-backed governing coalition described as "an armed and bloody coup".
At least 13 people have been killed and 30 wounded in three days of battles between pro-government gunmen and fighters loyal to Hezbollah, a Shi'ite political movement with a powerful guerrilla army which is also an ally of Syria.
The fighting, the worst internal strife since the 1975-90 civil war, was triggered this week after the government tried to dismantle Hezbollah's military communications network. The group said the government had declared war.
In scenes reminiscent of the darkest days of the civil war, young men armed with assault rifles roamed the streets amid smashed cars and smouldering buildings.
Fighting died down as outgunned government supporters handed over their weapons and offices to the army, which has mainly been seen as neutral during 17 months of political conflict between the Hezbollah-led opposition and government.
For some reason (a birthday gift to Israel?) the Bush regime found it convinient to have the March 14 people in Lebanon, Siniora, Hariri, Geagea, Jumblat, launch an attack on the March 7 folks, Nasrallah and Aoun. The attack failed:Hezbollah fighters, their guns blazing, seized control of west Beirut on Friday after three days of street battles with pro-government foes pushed Lebanon dangerously close to all-out civil war. ... "There are no clashes anymore because no one is standing in the way of the opposition forces," a security official said as convoys of gunmen firing celebratory shots into the air and flashing the victory sign took to the streets.Yesterday the Siniora government threatened to shut down Hizbullah's TV station. Today Hizbullah shut down Hariri's media outlets. Why did the U.S. and March 14 expected anything different? Did they really believe they could beat Hizbullah into submission? The natives just gave another lesson to the imperialists. But don't expect them to learn form it ...
For some reason (a birthday gift to Israel?) the Bush regime found it convinient to have the March 14 people in Lebanon, Siniora, Hariri, Geagea, Jumblat, launch an attack on the March 7 folks, Nasrallah and Aoun.
The attack failed:
Hezbollah fighters, their guns blazing, seized control of west Beirut on Friday after three days of street battles with pro-government foes pushed Lebanon dangerously close to all-out civil war. ... "There are no clashes anymore because no one is standing in the way of the opposition forces," a security official said as convoys of gunmen firing celebratory shots into the air and flashing the victory sign took to the streets.
Yesterday the Siniora government threatened to shut down Hizbullah's TV station. Today Hizbullah shut down Hariri's media outlets.
Why did the U.S. and March 14 expected anything different? Did they really believe they could beat Hizbullah into submission?
The natives just gave another lesson to the imperialists. But don't expect them to learn form it ...
BEIRUT: Heavily armed Hezbollah fighters seized control of large parts of west Beirut on Friday, patrolling the deserted streets in a show of force that underscored the Shiite militia's refusal to back down in its escalating confrontation with the American-backed government. Hezbollah allies also forced a government-allied satellite television station off the air and burned the offices of its newspaper affiliate, as Sunni fighters loyal to the government largely melted away, outnumbered and outgunned, during a third day of armed clashes here. Those humiliating blows made clearer than ever the power of Hezbollah and its allies, which have links with Iran and Syria, over the government majority in the political stalemate that has crippled Lebanon for 17 months. By Friday afternoon, Hezbollah fighters and paramilitaries were riding joyfully through west Beirut in trucks and cars and on scooters, shouting and firing weapons into the air in a victory celebration.
BEIRUT: Heavily armed Hezbollah fighters seized control of large parts of west Beirut on Friday, patrolling the deserted streets in a show of force that underscored the Shiite militia's refusal to back down in its escalating confrontation with the American-backed government.
Hezbollah allies also forced a government-allied satellite television station off the air and burned the offices of its newspaper affiliate, as Sunni fighters loyal to the government largely melted away, outnumbered and outgunned, during a third day of armed clashes here.
Those humiliating blows made clearer than ever the power of Hezbollah and its allies, which have links with Iran and Syria, over the government majority in the political stalemate that has crippled Lebanon for 17 months.
By Friday afternoon, Hezbollah fighters and paramilitaries were riding joyfully through west Beirut in trucks and cars and on scooters, shouting and firing weapons into the air in a victory celebration.
Another American humiliation. The Shia gunmen who drove past my apartment in west Beirut yesterday afternoon were hooting their horns, making V-signs, leaning out of the windows of SUVs with their rifles in the air, proving to the Muslims of the capital that the elected government of Lebanon has lost. And it has. The national army still patrols the streets, but solely to prevent sectarian killings or massacres. Far from dismantling the pro-Iranian Hizbollah's secret telecommunications system - and disarming the Hizbollah itself - the cabinet of Fouad Siniora sits in the old Turkish serail in Beirut, denouncing violence with the same authority as the Iraqi government in Baghdad's green zone. The Lebanese army watches the Hizbollah road-blocks. And does nothing. As a Tehran versus Washington conflict, Iran has won, at least for now. Walid Jumblatt, the Druze leader and MP and a pro-American supporter of Mr Siniora's government, is isolated in his home in west Beirut, but has not been harmed. The same applies to Saad Hariri, one of the most prominent government MPs and the son of the murdered former prime minister Rafik Hariri. He remains in his west Beirut palace in Koreitem, guarded by police and soldiers but unable to move without Hizbollah's approval. The symbolism is everything.
Another American humiliation. The Shia gunmen who drove past my apartment in west Beirut yesterday afternoon were hooting their horns, making V-signs, leaning out of the windows of SUVs with their rifles in the air, proving to the Muslims of the capital that the elected government of Lebanon has lost.
And it has. The national army still patrols the streets, but solely to prevent sectarian killings or massacres. Far from dismantling the pro-Iranian Hizbollah's secret telecommunications system - and disarming the Hizbollah itself - the cabinet of Fouad Siniora sits in the old Turkish serail in Beirut, denouncing violence with the same authority as the Iraqi government in Baghdad's green zone.
The Lebanese army watches the Hizbollah road-blocks. And does nothing. As a Tehran versus Washington conflict, Iran has won, at least for now. Walid Jumblatt, the Druze leader and MP and a pro-American supporter of Mr Siniora's government, is isolated in his home in west Beirut, but has not been harmed. The same applies to Saad Hariri, one of the most prominent government MPs and the son of the murdered former prime minister Rafik Hariri. He remains in his west Beirut palace in Koreitem, guarded by police and soldiers but unable to move without Hizbollah's approval. The symbolism is everything.
They beat Israel last year. Last Year !!!. Does that sound like some little group of bedouins who are gonna roll over when you send in the feds ? keep to the Fen Causeway
