Will there still be killings of March 14 MPs if the known cost was the life of a March 8 MP?

shou khas toz bi marhaba.
are you saying march 8 are the culprits.
at any rate, what you propose will lead to more killings that may spiral to hell.
int’l tribunal will deter when it pronounces the verdicts we are told.
i’m crossing my fingers and wishing the leaders are really level headed and not figure headed.
allah yishfeek min hal moment of weakness bijah hal shaher al fadeel.
ramadan mubarak

March 14 are losing their majority and irreversibly: A re-election for Mr. Ghanem’s replacement would most likely produce an opposition MP…In a moment of intellectual weakness, I’m starting to find virtues in mob justice.

When a pol is violently attacked in the U.S. our usual response is increased support for his agenda, and if he meets an untimely demise his replacement is expected to do that and follow his ideology as well. That sends a message to would-be assassins that, in the long run, killing the pol is useless.

Since Lebanese can’t simply appoint a replacement, I know what my response would be: for the remaining Parliament members to meet and vote as if the M14 majority still existed!

Yes, that means “bending” the Constitution. But everybody in Lebanon understands what happened and why, even if many are too scared to voice it. So do it that way and while the Syro-Iranian paid mercenaries and their captive sheep may bleat, won’t everyone see that this is the best solution and accept the result? Is this not closer to the spirit of the Constitution than any sort of “appointed” or “extended” presidency?

Given the strategy of creating as much chaos as possible in Lebanon, I’d say that any killing would be beneficial, even one of their own. March 14 should not fall into the trap of doing their work for them.

To Moussa,

Yes March 8 are culprits.
- Culprits by protecting the killers
- Culprits by undermining the fact that this is the 10th attempt to kill an anti Syrian figure.
- Cluprits by attacking the government and saniora because he couldn’t find the killers as if the it is his fault that the police force is weak in Lebanon.
- Culprits by not being outraged about these killings to protect their political stand. They prefer a person to be killed and do nothing about it if it negatively effects them. They blame the government instead.
- Culprits by spreading the idea to their supporters that March 14 are killing themselves to make their cause stronger.
- Culprits by publicly calling March 14 as Zionists and isrealis making them a target of any FUCK WITT with a beard.

And you say ramadan mubarak? mubarak with what? mubarak with people who would close their ears and eyes and would do anything to protect their political and sectarian stand?
If a 7izbullah MP is killed, u will have all of the da7yeh roaming over lebanon beating everybody on the way, closing down the airport for weeks.

I hate you all, u r hypocrites just like many of the March 14 members, so don’t even dare say that ur better,

See you in hell
Ramadan mubarak wo takabala il lah siyeamak

I am a member of an Oman forum and many of the members seem to think this assassination was not done by Syria, but by Israel.

Would anyone care to come and help explain? They’re really nice folks, actually. The registration is easy….

http://www.englishsabla.com/forum/showthread.php?p=942514#post942514

“Is The International Tribunal Really A Deterrent?”
clearly no

another false promise … let them say that to the mother whose son was wounded yesterday.
She decided to leave lebanon with her son TODAY

Fed up of lies.

I hope that you are not saying this Mustapha. It means that you are accusing me of being part of this assassination by supporting a certain political party. I can easily accuse you of many things, but is it wise to do so without any basis?

I think that Syria has a hand in this, and I also think that they are probably saying something in public and doing its opposite in private. This has always been they Syrian mode of operation, but before you can issue a judgment in a court of law, what does that make us?

Here’s an idea: Why does not the Lebanese government conduct a hearing and name an accused? Once the Lebanese judicial system does that, the opposition will have no “constitutional” rights to “cover” for the killer, as you have put it. Still, you can conduct the international court to strengthen that accusation.

It is becoming absurd the way this is being conducted. I hoped that you amongst all would have enough sense and good reason to tell the people not to fall into the trap of division. The only winner will be the enemy, that you and I, (whether you want to admit it or not), are fighting against.

So let’s stop all the propaganda none sense being spit out on TV and Media outlets, and start taking care of this problem in our midst.

The only reason that one party is targeted and not the other, is specifically to create this division, and if you are not aware, and promoting this fact, then you are a culprit yourself. Political differences should not be above national interest. That is where you are falling short, and there is nothing we can do about it, because we have no hand in it. It’s all your own making, and Jumblats aggressive and loud mouth accusations is only fueling the fire.

I hope the massage passes through.

First off, I don’t advocate assassinating anyone from any side.

Secondly, I don’t think that Syria gives a rat’s ass about M8 MPs. So assassinating them would not be a deterrent. Syria has killed some of its own allies in the past, during the 75-90 civil war, when it suited a greater purpose.

Thirdly, I believe the only true deterrent is to make the Syrian regime pay. Not just through the tribunal, but through more than slaps on the wrist. The international community must sever all ties with Syria. No more “we should engage them” claptrap. It must be made clear to Bashar that one more assassination will lead to regime change, ala Saddam. The problem is, I don’t think it’s realistic to expect any of that stuff to happen. The US is too bogged down in Iraq. Most of the world doesn’t care. And Lebanon is still divided. Our people continue to praise the brotherly or sisterly Syria while they get felled by bomb after bomb.

*Shrug*

We get what we deserve.

Mu,

You’ve had your share of faux pas moments in the past, but this is utterly irresponsible.

Yes, let’s start the tit-for-tat and bring the country to total ruin. We have yet to recover from our first civil war.

Where are all the investigations into the more than dozen assassinations and bombings? Where are the news conferences that detail the investigations and evidence found? Show the picture of one culprit. Throw some names out. Are these killers invincible? We are left to making political accusations that only further poison the already anxious and strained population.

The civilized response to injustice is justice.

Yes. But is the International Tribunal actually achieving justice? If not, then the answer is to actually pursue justice, not make promises about it. If the tribunal is ineffective, then justice isn’t being pursued at all, ie. there has been *no* response. If it’s ineffective, the justice option hasn’t actually been chosen at all in this case, but rather the choice of no response has been chosen.

A comment that has nothing to do with the post. The color of lebanese-videos banner you have at the top clashes with the theme of the rest of the blog, and distracts attention.

A democracy is a game that demands acceptance by the players to the rules of the game.
You can’t play football, while in your heart believe that touching the ball with your hands is essential to winning.
And when your opponent decides to play football with his hands, you’ll lose the game.
A democracy is not a ’sucker’. Un-democratic elements tend sometimes to ridicule democracy, and democracy seekers.
So, democracy has to defend itself, sometimes in immoral manners.
Unfortunately, in times you have to burn ( Dresden, Germany ), or destroy ( Hiroshima, Japan ), in order to deter un-democratic forces, and to defeat them.

Assuming that there is a connection between most if not all assassinations afflicting Lebanon, then the tribunal is obviously not a deterrent. The culprits are screwed already if there is a tribunal, so they have nothing to lose by killing a few more people if it means the tribunal is going to be buried. When speaking of deterrance, then the tribunal or more accurately bringing the criminals to justice would have to be perceived to be a near certainty.

Now, what the tribunal can do is to expose and dismantle whoever is behind the current assassinations. This cannot happen in advance of the tribunal either.

Your argument is fundamentally flawed Mustafa. It is not the tribunal that will deter the killers, it is the condemnation of Syria that will deter the killers by giving us political ammo. If anything, the recent assassinations show how much Damascus want to stop this tribunal.

Great post Mustapha, you call it Deterrent Power to stop the killing, I call it the Equilibrium of Terror.
- Eye for Eye thought is justified and reasonable due to urgent circumstances.
- It is no longer about the Rule of Law, therefore the survival of the fittest takes place!
- Whether a war will start in the region or not, we need to act now.
- Berri’s trap succeeded, seduce March 14th MP’s to return to Lebanon, so we could kill them!
- Therefore, Downtown Beirut is no longer safe for presidential elections!!!!!
- March 14th leader’s should be aware that there is trap to assassinate them and it not safe to go to the Parliament anymore!!!
- March 14th are cosmopolitan, businessman, professional etc. while March the 8th are spartan warriors.
- Therefore we need more hawks and Fighters like Geagea/ Jumblatt type.
- We need to select as well allies to contribute doing the dirty job.
- Jordan’s Intelligence and Egypt’s intelligence are to be involved.
- Al Jamaa Al Islamia should be involved to defend Islam and Arabs in Lebanon.
- Welfare regime should immediately start to support March 14th population and stop demographic bleeding!!!
- Lebanese who still in Lebanon should not leave it in benefits of Hassan Nasrallah an Whilayat El Faqih Plan!
- Tourism and investments stopped. Still, Lebanese should have decent means to stay in their country or we will lose it.
- PM Rafik Hariri was the first to start the generous welfare in Lebanon, it worked very well!
- Therefore welfare regimes should be reestablished to involve not only Beirut Sunni, but as well, and especially the North, the Bekaa and Mount Lebanon Maronites and Druze.
- Saudi Arabia should finance this welfare plan mainly in order to maintain strategic balance.
- They have the means and this is an EFFECTIVE respond to Iran, Syria and Qatar’s financial parrainage to March 8th mobs and population.
- Any Aouni, Weam Wahab, Sleiman Fenjié supporter etc. who convert to March 14th should be awarded financially.
- This what Hizballa does with poor druze, sunni and maronites to attract them. It is efficient!
- Hizballa and Al Qaoumi are to be excluded of this convert benefit.
- Alternative Airports and traveling means should start now in Lebanon.

March 14th should open their eyes and listen to new ideas.
Adaptation and evolution are the means to their survival in this case!

March 8 and Aoun are the direct beneficiaries of all these murders, period. All those who follow Aoun are liars and sheep when they try to convince themselves and others that they’re innocent. They think everyone else is as stupid as they are, so they’re surprised when we state the obvious. If one of them was killed, what would they say? More importantly, what would they do? Meanwhile, they ask the peaceful majority to not rush to judgement while one by one those against them (against Aoun/M-8) are killed. Wake up, people, enough is enough.

There isn’t an Int. Tribunal YET and that is the problem. We know it’s the problem because Hezbo, Syria, Lahoud & Berri have done everything in their power (which is immense) to keep it from happening. Evidence and charges will not be presented until the Court and procedures are in place and those who are guilty must stop this at all costs.

What does anyone think would happen if the Int Investigators were to announce they had evidence and would bring charges against the President of Lebanon, Hezbollah leaders & Syrian leaders? This is the likelihood of what will happen when the Court is convened. Hezbollah members don’t even get traffic tickets in Lebanon. How would they react to murder charges?

Mustapha cheri, I love your blog, but I think you wrote this entry 15 minutes before iftar time when there was no more sugar flowing to your brain.

For that I forgive you, bas please please ma t3eeda.

The smartest thing you could do is swiftly enact a law that let members grant each other proxies to vote for them if they were killed, or to allow the party to replace an assassinated member with a politician of their choosing for the balance of the term.

Eliminate the tactic’s effectiveness and you will eliminate the tactic

Akiva:
Great suggestion. Aoun will always use the excuse that there is now a vacancy for an MP. What would he do if someone from his party was assassinated? Meanwhile, he uses the blood of fellow Lebanese to fulfill the murderers’ and his goals. He’s basically telling the killers “I’m with you” with all his gloating and his actions. I bet if a law was enacted to replace the MPs with the same party, he would protest it…. and still deny that he’s helping the killers. He should stand trial one day. But Aoun can always plead insanity in court - after all, he is crazy.