Photos: Army Day Official Parade



photos

Today is the first day of August, Lebanon’s Army day. On the balance of what happened in the last few years, do you think the army deserves to be celebrated or does it need more work?

Army day parade in Lebanon. Please wait till image loads
Army day parade in Lebanon. Please wait till image loads
Army day parade in Lebanon. Please wait till image loads
Army day parade in Lebanon. Please wait till image loads
Army day parade in Lebanon. Please wait till image loads
Army day parade in Lebanon. Please wait till image loads
Army day parade in Lebanon. Please wait till image loads
Army day parade in Lebanon. Please wait till image loads
Army day parade in Lebanon. Please wait till image loads
(Photos: Mahmoud Tawil, AP)

Entries (RSS)Do you like this post? Would you like to be always updated with new posts on this website? If so, please subscribe to this blog's RSS feed? (tell me more)


 

Discussion

Comments are disallowed for this post.


  1.  

    What is up with the white suites?

    Posted by Ali | August 1, 2008, 5:00 pm

  2.  

    It’s a stupid summer protocol/tradition.

    Posted by Nadim | August 1, 2008, 11:01 pm

  3.  

    Three assholes in white…WOW!!!

    Posted by Danny | August 2, 2008, 1:18 am

  4.  

    What needs more work are the people in the white suits, how ugly is that? I believe that the army is the only institution that must continue to be supported and beefed up. It is in a way, a symbol of unity and the foundation that we need in order to build a strong and independent state, if we ever allow ourselves to have one.

    Posted by VOR | August 2, 2008, 3:40 am

  5.  

    Signora looks ynhappy,as he is dissed by the two others that seem tro enjoy the show….

    Posted by Ado | August 2, 2008, 6:19 am

  6.  

    VOR,

    I agree with you, the problem is I don’t believe any of the Lebanese “political parties” (read sects) want a strong army. They never did and it never was.

    Posted by burger | August 2, 2008, 7:02 am

  7.  

    Th army should be beefed up!!!! That will be correct if the those who entered the army did so out of patriotism and not because of the benefits the army gives (and I am talking about a vast number of soldiers but not ALL). The Army also contains a number of ex militia men and thugs.
    In my opinion the army needs a complete reshuffle, even if this will mean it will be reduced in size (I sure hope so), for it to grow bigger in the future on much better and solid basis.
    But then again that is my own opinion.

    Posted by marillionlb | August 2, 2008, 8:30 am

  8.  

    While this “army” marches on, I read Hezbollah is “close to adopting practical measures that will force Israel to cease the overflights.”
    How many of these well dressed “soldiers” have Canadian passports? They should ready them!
    And Musta thinks Giora Eiland is a nutjob for saying:
    “Israel would have no choice but to fight against the state that is encouraging aggression in practice.”

    Posted by Abu Borat | August 2, 2008, 9:27 am

  9.  

    As long as the army is infiltrated by Hezbullah sympathizers don’t expect much progress in creating a tough, efficient and independent fighting machine. The security services hold the key. Clean them up, get reliable (that is, loyal to the nation, not to some idealogical group), bring in outside professionals to provide training and advice, and then apply lessons learned to the army. Also, form military alliances to help the army with training and assistance in obtaining equipment. Of course nothing will happen without the proper leadership.

    Posted by Bronx-man | August 2, 2008, 10:32 am

  10.  

    Dawleh tojleeta…the real power is elsewhere…
    Yes, Sanioura is in a bad mood, and Ziad Baroud is staring at him…and Berri wears his wife’s sunglasses, and Sleiman looks like a robot…

    Posted by Kheireddine | August 2, 2008, 1:13 pm

  11.  

    Ado,
    Sectarianism has really hurt the army since independence and the army has also been used and abused to serve selfish interests, and that’s why it has failed in its mission to keep the country united.
    Nevertheless, we must keep in mind that without it, all is lost as it has been proven in the past.

    Marillonlb,
    Most armies around the world provide benefits to encourage citizens to enroll…there is nothing wrong with benefits and oportunities that otherwise might not be available elsewhere as long as once part of the military establishment, you pledge all of your dedication to its mission to defend the country and its people.
    Now, that is where the problem is for all lebanese. Unfortunately, as a nation we just fail to understand the concept of “we7de wataniyé”, we just like to talk about it.

    Posted by VOR | August 2, 2008, 4:24 pm

  12.  

    Haaretz agrees with “nutjob” Giora Eiland:

    ” Every state bears ultimate responsibility for what takes place in its sovereign territory, and what emanates from it. A government’s weakness does not absolve it from exercising its authority. This logic is what guided the Bush administration to topple the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, which had provided a safe haven for Al-Qaida.

    Yet, in July 2006, that same Bush administration denied Olmert the chance to follow through on then-IDF chief of staff Dan Halutz’s reasonable proposal to respond to Hezbollah’s aggression by striking at Lebanese government targets, thus challenging the Siniora government to restrain Hezbollah and move forward in implementing signed agreements calling for the decommissioning of all armed militias in Lebanon.

    All groups abided by those agreements, with the exception of Hezbollah. Israel thus surrendered to the facade of the good Lebanon headed by Siniora alongside the bad one manipulated by Hassan Nasrallah and his patrons in Tehran. The result was a tie that was depicted as a victory for Hezbollah. Israel should only deal with one address in Lebanon: the government. Siniora’s survival was of no benefit to Israel. He has made common cause with Hezbollah.

    Suleiman, Siniora and Nasrallah play with fire in their display of belligerent arrogance. Perhaps this can be attributed to the twilight of the Bush and Olmert administrations. Lebanon must know that these provocations are dangerous, and that it will bear the cost of an unfortunate renewal of violence.”

    Posted by Abu Borat | August 3, 2008, 7:30 am

  13.  

    Israel’s only concern is the destruction of lebanon’s economy under the guise that it is fighting the enemy. I don’t buy it. Israel had a chance to take on Hizbullah when they were not as strong and deal with them the same way they effectively dealt with the PLO…but instead, they allowed for HA to get strong and are now hoping that their weapons turn against their fellow lebanese so as to keep Lebanon in a state of perpetual chaos. Unfortunately, no one of Lebanon’s neigbors want to see a strong and prosperous state…their actions speak louder than words, and shame on us as a nation for allowing it to happen!

    Posted by VOR | August 3, 2008, 6:45 pm

  14.  

    politics is a game, very much like the board game “monopoly”, or like hide-and-go-seek, or like hopscotch, often offering not much more benefit than the aforementioned games. in lebanon, it will always remain only a game, taking a back seat to the struggle with israel.

    all lebanese politicians understand that this scenario is the basic reality on the ground. there are three types of politicians who play the game: the first type play the game in order to do away with the struggle with israel, because they would like to be friends with israel. the second type play the game in order to take advantage of the situation, because they like their pockets the most, more than lebanon or anything else. they are basically thieves. the third type play the game in order to keep the struggle with israel going, because they hate israel.

    some of the people like the current scenario, others don’t. it all depends on how much you hate israel. golda meir said: “We will have peace with the Arabs when they love their children more than they hate us.” the mentality of this forked-tongue type of propaganda disinformation basically aims to dehumanize arabs only because they chose to fight against israel, and raises israelis to an higher moral level as if they did not aggress against the arabs and as if they did not usurp arab land and rights, therefore only they can love their children. the mentality pf this propaganda has crept into the psyche of many in lebanon who would give up everything only to have a settlement with israel, no matter what the settlement is, i.e. the same type of settlement that the egyptians & jordanians got, which completely emasculated egyptian and jordanian strength and put israel in a controlling role within the settlement.

    this will never happen in lebanon because we have some politicians who masterfully play the lebanese political game in order to keep the struggle with israel going, because they love their children so much that they deservedly hate israel and its expansionist apartheid nature, which will always be opposed by the arab populations who refuse to succumb to the idea of a settlement with a power that wants to humiliate them and dominate them, as we see with egypt, jordan and the west bank.

    other than that, all lebanese politics is just a game, with a lot of money being stolen in the mean time, by sanyoora, saad, joonblat, ant the like.

    Posted by mahmoodat | August 4, 2008, 1:07 pm

  15.  

    “with a power that wants to humiliate them and dominate them”

    You humiliate yourself all on your own, and you are dominated by your own hate.

    Posted by Abu Borat | August 5, 2008, 7:57 am

Hello, my name is Mustapha and I blog in The Beirut Spring about Lebanese society and politics. I started in February 2005 after the killing of P.M. Rafik Hariri.

Subscribe
Subscribers so far:

Latest Posts

“Hi Kifak Ca Va” Pride
March 1, By Mustapha
The Future of February 14’s Celebrations
February 15, By Mustapha
Test Post – Please Ignore
February 14, By Mustapha
In God We Don’t Trust
November 16, By Mustapha

Lebanese Bloggers

Middle Eastern Bloggers

Blog Featured In


 

Today In Lebanon (NOW)

Naharnet RSS Feed

  • Berri Describes as 'Very Dangerous' the Alleged Signing of Saniora Government of Security Agreement with U.S. Embassy
  • Biden Says U.S. to Keep on Supporting Lebanon Institutions, 1701 Implementation to Disarm Hizbullah
  • Suleiman: Israel's Settlement Expansion Plan Makes Peace Futile
  • Lebanese Tycoon, Choueiri, Buried in Hometown
  • Russian Ambassador: Time for Lebanese to Take Reins of Government
  • Parliament Not Eager to Adopt Proportional Representation Elections
  • New Appointments in Fatah Leadership, Maqdah Excluded
  • Ex-Lebanese Policeman Files Lawsuit against 4 Syrian Officers
  • Cabinet Forms Committee Tasked with Submitting Ideas on Appointments Mechanism
  • Syria Turns Blind Eye on Trials in Absentia for Lebanese Officials
  • Hariri to Visit Damascus for a Second Time in as Many Months
  • Gemayel Fears Lebanon May Become 'Lab for Israeli, Iranian Weapons'
  • Qassem Says Hizbullah Has Succeeded through Armed Resistance but Doesn't Oppose Diplomacy
  • Berri Meets Families of Plane Crash Victims, Promises Financial Aid
  • Soaid after March 14 Meeting: All Lebanese Responsible for Protecting Lebanon, Not Only Certain Group
  • Arslan Visits Gemayel in Bikfaya
  • Naharnet Exclusive: Guy Says 'No Imminent War on Lebanon, We Expect More from Syria'
  • Administrative Appointments High on Cabinet Agendas
  • Barak: Israel Not Looking for Confrontation but Lebanon Responsible for Any Attack
  • Israel Calls Off Maneuvers Near Lebanon, Syria after U.S. Pressure
  • Jumblat Says he Left Dialogue Session because of Hunger and Sleep
  • March 8-14 Differences Shackle Progress on Defense Strategy Talks
  • Asarta Says Tripartite Meeting Essential Coordination Mechanism
  • Aoun: We Fought a War with Israel as Syria Intervened to Aid Us, But We Haven't Joined Any Axis
  • Businessman Antoine Choueiri Dies after Long Battle with Illness
  • Sayyed: Mirza Committed Flagrant Violation of Judicial Deal with Syria
  • 3.8 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes off Sidon
  • Jumblat Favors Gradual Solution to Resistance Issue
  • Army Arrests Killers of 70-Year-Old
  • Hariri, March 14: Defense Strategy Only Item for Discussion
  • National Dialogue Adjourned Barely 2 Hours after it Convened
  • Lebanese Judiciary Dismisses 'Improperly Issued' Syrian Summons
  • Qassem Says Dialogue Won't Discuss 'Weapons' as They are Defense Strategy 'Outcome, Not Source'
  • Phalange Party Hopes Dialogue Would Lead to 'One Vision for Future of Security, Stability, Independence'
  • Jumblat Urges Media to Ensure Accuracy before Publishing Syria Visit News
  • Yalibnan RSS Feed

    Latest Lebanese News

    RSS Subscribers

    Categories

    • No categories