Sleiman On The Lebanese-Syrian Relationship

Does the presumptive Lebanese president really believe that the solution with Syria is “mutual trust building”?
Mr. Michel Sleiman, the man who until further notice is our next president, said yesterday that the way to solve the Lebanese Syrian “problem” is by more “Mutual trust building” (Via today’s Albalad).
Mr. Sleiman could be pandering to the pro-Syrians, [...]

Summertime

Silence before the storm? ( Photo source )

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:
أعلن رئيس تكتل التغيير والاصلاح العماد ميشال عون ان اربعة نواب من الاكثرية سينضمون الى التكتل دون ان يقفل اللائحة على نواب آخرين لكن آلة القتل التي يستخدمها البعض في السياسة الداخلية تمنع الآن الاعلان عن الاسماء
Translation: The head of the [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

25 Years Ago

David Ignatius recalls the event that he argues started today’s unconventional war: The bombing of the US embassy in Beirut in 1983.

(Photo source: The Washington Post)

“Haven’t 15 Years of Hiding In The Toilets Been Enough?”

Installation by Nada Sehnaoui. Civil War commemoration. (Project details)

(Photos source)

Does Hezbollah Have an Advertising Advantage?

Jonathan Schanzer writes an article in the Weekly Standard about Hezbollah’s advertising savvy, but he doesn’t tell the entire story.
Advertising Vs Advertising
In his article “Selling Terror“, subtitled “Madison Avenue meets the Bekaa Valley”, Mr. Schanzer writes a compendium of the media companies that are helping Hezbollah “sell terror”. He then concludes that the US needs [...]