I have long thought that Berri is at risk. So are all the Lebanese generals who each absolved Syrian intelligence of responsibility for Fatah-al-Islam at a press conference recently - as if they were afraid that if they didn’t mention it individually, someone might get the wrong impression.

In the complicated Lebanese game of who-will-betray-who, we just won’t know where people really stand until they actually vote. And maybe not even then…

Right on!
Mustapha, Berri is not a parcel! As the staunch Walid Jumblat referred him as. Politicians know that very well. The March 8 (not the opposition) may have an inclination towards Syria (sadly the regime), because they see an advantage to have normal relations with a country that is bounded with Lebanon ‘geographically’ till the end of the foreseeable time.

And truly, does anyone really believe Syria wants to get back into Lebanon?
It wouldn’t dare, even if it had the capabilities.

The Lebanese presidency I feel should be followed strictly by, yes, bluntly put, the Maronite Patriarch. He sets the rules, the politicians do their scams and follow through. Thats how the Sunnies elect their Prime Minister and thats how the Shiite elect their Speaker. Thats how Lebanon elects its officials, because thats how Lebanon’s constitution and demography is. God Bless Diversity! (read my blogs ethics for further information on this).

The presidency should be passed smoothly and peacefully. No one in his right mind should charge any Lebanese for the killing of Antoine Ghanem, I’d rather put the blame on Syria, Iran, Uganda, Tibet or Israel than to blame any other Lebanese.

We All Forgot the Original Purpose of March 14!!

YOU ASK:-”The question is, does Saudi Arabia know something about Mr. Berri that we don’t?”

I SAY:- YES of course they do!!! They know how much toilet paper it takes to plug him up! After all he is the biggest shit hole in the world nes pa?

I don’t think Mr. Berri is either a one or two dimensional person, and nor are the issues.

That the Syrians may want an unstable Lebanon, does not mean the opposition, or Mr. Berri agree with this agenda, and that’s the basic disconnect between the 2 sides in Lebanon. Prior to the assasination of Hariri, one could have argued pro-Syrian Lebanese politicians and the Syrians had a community of interests, but its now a different world.

The ranks of the 14ers are full of former Syrian students (e.g., Mr. Jumblatt) who now got religion, and more importantly, “Syria,” and the “Syrian regime” are no longer one and the same. The regime is in a battle for its life, and if the string of bombings over the past 2 years can be attributed to them, then the motive is desperation, and nothing more. On the other hand, the Lebanese opposition will be around for a long time.

And Mr. Berri, the political survivor and pro, will remain. In politics and diplomacy, you dialogue with your enemies before your friends. Simply put, the Saudis would be silly not to have the best of relations with Mr. Berri.

I think you guys are splitting hairs.

Berri is a puppet period. We saw him make U turns in less than 2 secs when Syria was unhappy.

Whether he is a willing puppet or not does not matter.

Whether he is a happy puppet or not again does not matter.

The Saudis and others talk to the creep because he can obstruct. If the press, civil society, and pols other than Joumblatt would say what they really think of Berri, his clout would be way diminished, as it should be.

I am not saying this cuz I disagree with Berri. I say it cuz he is totally worthless at his job. Where on earth does the Speaker shut down parliament (and interpret the constitution the way its neighbor demands)?

Berri is an expensive whore on auction to the highest bidder, period. The real question is whether the expected compensation is higher than the expected loss. put simply, for Berri to cooperate with the majority you need:

(Value of his life)

not sure what happened to the rest of my post. Here’s the rest

The necessary condition is that

(Value of his life)

alright…I give up. Clearly the equation is not working!

Wouldn’t you rather put it this way:

Have our leaders been lying to us in regards to March 8, giving us false fears to gain our political support?

Doesn’t it make more sense this way Mustapha?