Comments on: Trick Or Treat? http://beirutspring.com/blog/2007/08/31/trick-or-treat/ Blogging Lebanon since 2005 Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:42:26 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Berri’s Initiative: Made In Syria | The Beirut Spring, a Lebanese Blog http://beirutspring.com/blog/2007/08/31/trick-or-treat/#comment-7394 Berri’s Initiative: Made In Syria | The Beirut Spring, a Lebanese Blog Tue, 18 Sep 2007 17:36:34 +0000 http://beirutspring.com/blog/2007/08/31/trick-or-treat/#comment-7394 [...] Berri’s Initiative: Made In Syria | September 18th, 2007  According to Alhayat, Syria has claimed ownership of Berri’s initiative and is waiting for Washington and Riad’s reply: ???? ???? ??????? ????????? ??? ?????? ??? ?????? ???? ????? ????? ?????????? ?? «??????»? ?????? ?? ????? ?? ???? ????????? ???????? ????? ??????? ?????? ??????? ?? ???? ????? ?????? ?????? ?? ?????? ??? ?? ??? ????????? ??????? ?? ????? ???? ?? ???? ?????? ???? ?????? ????? ??????? ?? ??? ????? ???? ?????? ???? ?????? ?? ??? ?????????. ?????? ??????? ????? ?? ????????? ???????? ?????? ??? ?????? ??? ??? ???? ???? ????? ???? ?? ????? ???????? ???? ???? ???? ??? ???????? ??????? ???????? ??????? ???????? ?????? ?????? ?? ????? ?????. [...] [...] Berri’s Initiative: Made In Syria | September 18th, 2007  According to Alhayat, Syria has claimed ownership of Berri’s initiative and is waiting for Washington and Riad’s reply: ???? ???? ??????? ????????? ??? ?????? ??? ?????? ???? ????? ????? ?????????? ?? «??????»? ?????? ?? ????? ?? ???? ????????? ???????? ????? ??????? ?????? ??????? ?? ???? ????? ?????? ?????? ?? ?????? ??? ?? ??? ????????? ??????? ?? ????? ???? ?? ???? ?????? ???? ?????? ????? ??????? ?? ??? ????? ???? ?????? ???? ?????? ?? ??? ?????????. ?????? ??????? ????? ?? ????????? ???????? ?????? ??? ?????? ??? ??? ???? ???? ????? ???? ?? ????? ???????? ???? ???? ???? ??? ???????? ??????? ???????? ??????? ???????? ?????? ?????? ?? ????? ?????. [...]

]]> By: Meanwhile At The FPM: Denial | The Beirut Spring, a Lebanese Blog http://beirutspring.com/blog/2007/08/31/trick-or-treat/#comment-7393 Meanwhile At The FPM: Denial | The Beirut Spring, a Lebanese Blog Sun, 02 Sep 2007 09:08:43 +0000 http://beirutspring.com/blog/2007/08/31/trick-or-treat/#comment-7393 [...] Read this strange reading of Berri’s initiative, or “initiative” (with quotation marks) as tayyar.org likes to refer to it. Apparently, according to their reading, Mr. Berri never said he was giving up the national unity government, he was simply trying to find a middle way to appease as much international players as possible. [...] [...] Read this strange reading of Berri’s initiative, or “initiative” (with quotation marks) as tayyar.org likes to refer to it. Apparently, according to their reading, Mr. Berri never said he was giving up the national unity government, he was simply trying to find a middle way to appease as much international players as possible. [...]

]]> By: serendip http://beirutspring.com/blog/2007/08/31/trick-or-treat/#comment-7392 serendip Sun, 02 Sep 2007 01:28:09 +0000 http://beirutspring.com/blog/2007/08/31/trick-or-treat/#comment-7392 Lebanon/Israel: Hezbollah Smear Campaign Won't Silence Report: http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/08/29/lebano16763.htm Lebanon/Israel: Hezbollah Smear Campaign Won’t Silence Report:

http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/08/29/lebano16763.htm

]]> By: consensual consensus http://beirutspring.com/blog/2007/08/31/trick-or-treat/#comment-7391 consensual consensus Sat, 01 Sep 2007 14:33:52 +0000 http://beirutspring.com/blog/2007/08/31/trick-or-treat/#comment-7391 JW, Libanus: let's take the idea a step ahead... what about a "consensus oposition" :) Other than that, I agree with Jeha: take care with berri gifts... it may explode in your face JW, Libanus:
let’s take the idea a step ahead… what about a “consensus oposition” :)

Other than that, I agree with Jeha: take care with berri gifts… it may explode in your face

]]> By: Tony http://beirutspring.com/blog/2007/08/31/trick-or-treat/#comment-7390 Tony Sat, 01 Sep 2007 14:25:46 +0000 http://beirutspring.com/blog/2007/08/31/trick-or-treat/#comment-7390 Mustapha, Sure, March 14 should explore any serious initiative which is presented to them so long as they remain solid to the ideals of an independent Lebanon. I would really love to know who Mr Berri and his allies will consider as a concensus candidate - is General Sleiman their only candidate? Mustapha,

Sure, March 14 should explore any serious initiative which is presented to them so long as they remain solid to the ideals of an independent Lebanon.

I would really love to know who Mr Berri and his allies will consider as a concensus candidate – is General Sleiman their only candidate?

]]> By: Jay http://beirutspring.com/blog/2007/08/31/trick-or-treat/#comment-7389 Jay Sat, 01 Sep 2007 12:44:30 +0000 http://beirutspring.com/blog/2007/08/31/trick-or-treat/#comment-7389 Mustapha, Actually I agree with you that March 14 should discuss the presidency with the opposition. But I've thought so even before Berri's initiative. It's simple really... M14 already has multiple candidates, so all they need to do is go to the opposition with the list of their candidates and ask, "If you don't boycott the ballot, we'll let you decide which one of these chumps gets to be the president. Otherwise we'll elect mr. Crackpot McRadical (i.e. a hardcore March 14 partisan) on our own." Mustapha,

Actually I agree with you that March 14 should discuss the presidency with the opposition. But I’ve thought so even before Berri’s initiative. It’s simple really… M14 already has multiple candidates, so all they need to do is go to the opposition with the list of their candidates and ask, “If you don’t boycott the ballot, we’ll let you decide which one of these chumps gets to be the president. Otherwise we’ll elect mr. Crackpot McRadical (i.e. a hardcore March 14 partisan) on our own.”

]]> By: JoseyWales http://beirutspring.com/blog/2007/08/31/trick-or-treat/#comment-7388 JoseyWales Sat, 01 Sep 2007 12:26:27 +0000 http://beirutspring.com/blog/2007/08/31/trick-or-treat/#comment-7388 Stef, We all agree that we should explore many things, but NOT with people who cannot deliver and/or who are just playing games. Berri has lost all credibility and is NOT paing a price for it. Decorum's sake: MP's (and US Senators) often pretend and says things like "my esteemed colleague" and "my respected friend" because they know they will be "working" with these people down the road. Useless here. Berri keeps commanding a fake-modicum of respect in the press and the international community precisely because no one in Lebanon (other than Joumblatt) is telling it like it is and putting pressure on the scum. Homo Libanus; <i>“consensus” Speaker of Parliament.</i> Brilliant idea. Stef,

We all agree that we should explore many things, but NOT with people who cannot deliver and/or who are just playing games. Berri has lost all credibility and is NOT paing a price for it.

Decorum’s sake: MP’s (and US Senators) often pretend and says things like “my esteemed colleague” and “my respected friend” because they know they will be “working” with these people down the road. Useless here.

Berri keeps commanding a fake-modicum of respect in the press and the international community precisely because no one in Lebanon (other than Joumblatt) is telling it like it is and putting pressure on the scum.

Homo Libanus;

“consensus” Speaker of Parliament.

Brilliant idea.

]]> By: Homo Libanus http://beirutspring.com/blog/2007/08/31/trick-or-treat/#comment-7387 Homo Libanus Sat, 01 Sep 2007 11:39:27 +0000 http://beirutspring.com/blog/2007/08/31/trick-or-treat/#comment-7387 I think March 14 should accept this proposal only as part of a package that includes a "consensus" Speaker of Parliament. I think March 14 should accept this proposal only as part of a package that includes a “consensus” Speaker of Parliament.

]]> By: GK http://beirutspring.com/blog/2007/08/31/trick-or-treat/#comment-7386 GK Sat, 01 Sep 2007 11:36:38 +0000 http://beirutspring.com/blog/2007/08/31/trick-or-treat/#comment-7386 Iran and Syria don't want peace in Lebanon! I will not trust Berri and Hizb-Iran and the lastest offer is just to give them a veto power over who will be the next president! Iran and Syria don’t want peace in Lebanon! I will not trust Berri and Hizb-Iran and the lastest offer is just to give them a veto power over who will be the next president!

]]> By: m http://beirutspring.com/blog/2007/08/31/trick-or-treat/#comment-7385 m Sat, 01 Sep 2007 10:50:42 +0000 http://beirutspring.com/blog/2007/08/31/trick-or-treat/#comment-7385 I completely agree with Jay. It's obviously a really bad trick. Giving up the demand for veto power in a present unity government is a meaningless and irrelevant concession. The fact that it comes with a 'consensus' President illustrates that fact. Just like Jay said, any consensus candidate is likely to demand a unity government that gives the opposition veto power. Basically agreeing to this plan is surrendering all the decision making institutions of the state to the opposition and specifically Hezballah. Lebanon will have a 'consensus' President that has no independent views and will try to appease all the sides. The result is indecision and the Presidential level. The opposition will have veto power in the government, so again indecision at the government level. And since Berri is the President of the National Assembly and in practice he pretends he is 'Emperor' of Lebanon there will be indecision in parliament. Berri has 'absolute' power in parliament. Also as a result of the disagreements about quorum in parliament, the opposition can in effect veto anything in parliament. Since when does a minority control all states institutions? They already control everything on the 'ground'. They have their own military, economic, social and political institutions and they have already defined the nations foreign policy and they have sabotaged the nations domestic security and economy with their actions in the last 2 years. I completely agree with Jay.

It’s obviously a really bad trick. Giving up the demand for veto power in a present unity government is a meaningless and irrelevant concession. The fact that it comes with a ‘consensus’ President illustrates that fact. Just like Jay said, any consensus candidate is likely to demand a unity government that gives the opposition veto power. Basically agreeing to this plan is surrendering all the decision making institutions of the state to the opposition and specifically Hezballah. Lebanon will have a ‘consensus’ President that has no independent views and will try to appease all the sides. The result is indecision and the Presidential level. The opposition will have veto power in the government, so again indecision at the government level. And since Berri is the President of the National Assembly and in practice he pretends he is ‘Emperor’ of Lebanon there will be indecision in parliament. Berri has ‘absolute’ power in parliament. Also as a result of the disagreements about quorum in parliament, the opposition can in effect veto anything in parliament.

Since when does a minority control all states institutions? They already control everything on the ‘ground’. They have their own military, economic, social and political institutions and they have already defined the nations foreign policy and they have sabotaged the nations domestic security and economy with their actions in the last 2 years.

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