Daily Archives: September 18, 2007

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Is Lebanon Showing The Limitations Of European Power?

In “Fear Factor: Lebanon and the European Way of Peacekeeping“, The Brussels Journal discusses Lebanon’s UNIFIL and argues that effective peacekeeping and appeasement don’t go hand in hand:

UNIFIL’s rules of engagement were deliberately muddled by politics to prevent the force from actively looking for Hezbollah’s weapons. The lack of a clear commitment to disarm Hezbollah is a shortcoming that Iran and Syria have been quick to exploit: They have rebuilt Hezbollah’s arsenal while Europeans have stood by and watched.

Read the entire thing and tell me what you think: Are the Europeans really not cut out to be peace keepers?

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Berri's Initiative: Made In Syria

According to Alhayat, Syria has claimed ownership of Berri’s initiative and is waiting for Washington and Riad’s reply:

???? ???? ??????? ????????? ??? ?????? ??? ?????? ???? ????? ????? ?????????? ?? «??????»? ?????? ?? ????? ?? ???? ????????? ???????? ????? ??????? ?????? ??????? ?? ???? ????? ?????? ?????? ?? ?????? ??? ?? ??? ????????? ??????? ?? ????? ???? ?? ???? ?????? ???? ?????? ????? ??????? ?? ??? ????? ???? ?????? ???? ?????? ?? ??? ?????????. ?????? ??????? ????? ?? ????????? ???????? ?????? ??? ?????? ??? ??? ???? ???? ????? ???? ?? ????? ???????? ???? ???? ???? ??? ???????? ??????? ???????? ??????? ???????? ?????? ?????? ?? ????? ?????.

Brief translation: Syrian officials told the French Ambassador in Damascus that Mr Berri’s initiative was the gesture of Goodwill that Syria had promised France, and that the ball is now in the court of Washington and Riad to “move in Syria’s direction”

So much for Berri’s “100% Lebanese” initiative..