Daily Archives: April 17, 2008

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Aoun: March 14 defectors Will Join Us Soon

Rattled by his own defections, the Rabieh General decides to bamboozle us.

Don’t laugh too hard:

???? ???? ???? ??????? ???????? ?????? ????? ??? ?? ????? ???? ?? ???????? ??????? ??? ?????? ??? ?? ???? ??????? ??? ???? ????? ??? ??? ????? ???? ???????? ????? ?? ??????? ???????? ???? ???? ??????? ?? ???????

Translation: The head of the Change and Reform parliamentary block General Michel Aoun declared that 4 (and maybe more) MPs from the Majority will join his block, but the killing machine used in Lebanese politics is preventing them from coming out publicly.

Rrrright…

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Is The French Language More Peaceful Than English?

One of the more cumbersome arguments on why the Lebanese should be learning French.

According to this lecture in the Department of Journalism at Holy Spirit University of Kaslik,

knowledge of the French language brings academic, economic and political advantages in terms of curbing terrorism, spreading peace and ending tribalism.

I don’t know about you, but it seems to me that countries that speak French have as much issues –If not more– than countries that speak English.

I do love French, but I think that’s one lame argument to promote a dying language

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Mr. Yakan's Loaded Statement

The Syrian ally made a statement that can be read in two ways.

Today Naharnet posted this statement by Mr. Yakan:

Islamic Scholar Fathi Yakan on Thursday called for electing Army Commander Gen. Michel Suleiman President on April 22, the date set by Speaker Nabih Berri to choose a new head of state.
Yakan said his decision came against the backdrop of Washington’s “insistence on rejecting presidential elections and on allowing the Saniora government to handle all presidential powers.”

Electing a new President, according to Yakan, will “also help control the security situation, which is open to all possibilities.”

Optimists can see this as a hint of a turnaround in the Syrian position. They can argue for instance that by framing the concession as a way of preventing Mr. Seniora from assuming more power, the Syrians are attempting to save face.

But a harder look at the statement, especially at the second part — which reads like a classic threat — , one could reach a different conclusion: Mr. Yakan probably meant: “If you don’t elect Mr. Sleiman under our terms (the infamous basket solution that includes the blocking third of ministries) by the 22nd of April, we will release “Al-Qaeda” back on you.