· June, 2008

Stories about Lebanon from June, 2008

Lebanon: Condoleezza Rice's Surprise Visit

  19 June 2008

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made an unannounced, five-hour visit to Lebanon on Monday, June 16. She declared her government’s support for the newly elected Lebanese president, as well as for the Lebanese government, the parliament’s speaker and the democratic system in the country. Rice last visited Lebanon during...

Lebanon: on going clashes

  19 June 2008

“Last night, three people were killed and four wounded [in Taalbaya and Saadnayel, two tiny villages in the Bekaa] in fighting that lasted from late evening to early morning and included RPGs and mortars…The victims, predictably, are all civilians who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong...

Lebanon: Wilayat el Faqih

  19 June 2008

MFL wrote an informative study on the controversial issue of Wilayat el Faqih, that is currently taking up much of the political discussions in Lebanon, in an article he titled “Iran, Wilayat el Faqih, and Historical Facts.”

Kuwait: Japanese Bug Fights

  9 June 2008

“Is there a game show the Japanese haven’t invented yet?? Japanese Bug Fights is a site with videos of bugs of different species battling out in a small glass arena,” writes Lebanese blogger Mark, who lives in Kuwait.

Lebanon: Responsibility for corruption

  9 June 2008

“When you still elect a murderer to a public office, you can’t really blame the government and its action. When you vote for a war criminal to lead you, don’t expect peace and harmony. When you leave a liar to stay in a government position, don’t blame that government for...

Lebanon: Half cluster cleared

  9 June 2008

“Almost half of the areas in southern Lebanon contaminated with cluster bombs dropped by Israel in 2006 have been cleared, a UN official said on Wednesday,” reports Sursock.

Lebanon: “Lebanonisms: a quick retrospective”

  9 June 2008

The four phases of modern history of Lebanon by Bech. “This needs to be thought over more clearly, but it seems to me that “Lebanese” history could be read as divided into four phases,” explains the blogger.

Lebanon: Israel exchanges Nissir for remains

  2 June 2008

“He has an Israeli Jewish mother and a Lebanese Muslim father and held Israeli citizenship at the time of his arrest,” reports Sursock about the freeing of Nassim Nissir, who was received in Lebanon.

Lebanon: Attacks on the army

  2 June 2008

Friday Lunch Club reports on two terrorist attacks on the Lebanese Army – one in the south of Lebanon being by a suicide bomber and the other was in the north of Lebanon.

Lebanon: Prime Minister re-named

  2 June 2008

“The truth is that Hizbollah and its allies have made peace with the sectarian system, in doing so it has undermined its credibility,” writes Sursock about the re-naming of Mr. Fouad Saniora as prime minister.

Lebanon: Win-Win Situation

  2 June 2008

“There's one thing that I've noticed since the Doha agreement was reached: both sides seem to feel like they've won. Part of me thinks that this is another example of the Lebanese ‘lick-and-stick’ philosophy that is equally present in the domains of plumbing and politics,” writes Sean on the agreement...