The Bomb In Verdun..

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The bombing in Verdun is significant in many ways

Although it resembles yesterday’s Ashrafieh bombing, the Verdun bombing has meanings of its own. For example, this is the first time that a Sunni neighborhood of Beirut is targeted, after terrorism being exclusively carried out in Christian areas. This could mark the beginning of a new phase of “destabilization”.

The explosion also comes at the heel of Syria’s Foreign Affairs’ Minister’s  not-so-hidden threat:
“Will rushing to establish this tribunal, despite the division in Lebanon, really bring security and peace, or will it threaten the security and safety of Lebanon?”, or, to translate it into lay-language: “we will burn the hell out of Lebanon if the tribunal moves through”. It also comes after the Fatah al Islam threatened to sow terrorism in other Lebanese areas if the Army does not stop shelling them.

But of course, the only way to stop the tribunal is a veto from a veto-wielding security council member. Which brings us to the last significance of the Verdun’s bombing: The target was the Russian cultural center in Beirut.

It is hard to see Russia being so easily manipulated, and Syria should know better. Harming Russian interests can backfire. But then again, some people are desperate.

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© 2009 The Beirut Spring, a Lebanese Blog.