Tag Archives: Saad Hariri

Bottom Line: The Lebanese Government DID NOT Pay For the STL

Posted on by Mustapha
Daylight Robbery

One of the aspects that grated me most about the story that Lebanese private banks payed for the STL is the fact that the government did not end up paying. It was Lebanese private businesses who footed the bill, and it is still not clear if their shareholders got anything in return, save for perhaps “protection” from extortion.

On a symbolic level, this is bad. Remember those pesky Aounists who claimed that Hariri should pay this from his own pocket because he’s rich? Remember how we always answered that this is not about Hariri or other individuals, that this is about a commitment made by the Lebanese government to the international community on an institutional level?

This has all gone up in the wind. This is now a crude case of the merchant being extorted by the gunman. Lebanese institutions are more of a joke today than they ever were.

Update: Apparently Mr. Hariri doesn’t mind..

The Jumblat-Jalloul Spat. House Cleaning?

Posted on by Mustapha

The high-profile criticism of M.P. Ghenwa Jalloul by Mr. Jumblat could be the beginning of an electoral purge by the Future Movement.

Back in the days of Hariri the father, a young woman who taught Computer Sciences in the American University of Beirut asked for a meeting with “Sheikh Rafik”. They had never met her before, but he granted her the meeting.” Hi, my name is Ghenwa Jalloul”, the woman told him. “I just want to tell you that I’m a big admirer of yours, and this is my (impressive) CV. I would like to help”.

Impressed by her boldness, seeing in her an embodiment of his vision of Lebanon and eager to flex his political muscles, Mr. Hariri surprised everyone and put the unknown woman in his electoral list in Beirut. Mrs. Jalloul became an M.P. since then, but could this be about to change?

Years later, Hariri’s son Saad is facing a much trickier electoral landscape than his father’s. He must build his alliances wisely and chose his MPs very carefully. In today’s Lebanon, people like Ghenwa Jalloul who are loyal but lack independent support can prove to be liabilities. The days where his father could just plant anyone he likes seem so far away. Yet, unlike say Dr. Ghattas Koury, the popular lady M.P. could prove tricky to put aside.

Enter Mr. Jumblat, who out of the blue yesterday decided to deliver a stinging public criticism of Mrs. Jalloul, for simple electoral rhetoric that no one should take seriously. Significantly, the Future Movement did not rush to defend her, and Mrs. Jalloul herself remained mum.

The question is: Is Mr. Jumblat freelancing and aiming for her replacement seat? Or is he simply doing Mr. Hariri’s dirty work? Only time can tell, but it is safe to say that we can expect more acts of political “cannibalism” from now until the elections.

Beware Of Al-Quaeda

Posted on by Mustapha

All sides should try their best not to portray this as a defeat for Lebanon’s Sunnis.


Humiliated on Hezbollah TV. (Photo Credit: Yahoo!)

As Hezbollah moved into (Sunni) west Beirut and took on the moderate Future Movement, many will be tempted to portray this as a defeat for Lebanon’s Sunnis. That would be bad ideas whose repercussions will affect all parties in the country.

Unleashing the sectarian monster can seem like a good idea to Islamists allied with the Future Movement and to the Saudis, but they had better think twice before letting that genie out of the bottle. All parties, including the Future movement should actively portray this as a security and political situation, not a sectarian one.

Because before we know it, extreme elements can manipulate the sense of victimhood some Sunnis would have and target Shiaa symbols with terrorist operations that would unleash the same god-forsaken death spiral that exists in Iraq.

We don’t have to go through all what Iraq has suffered to realize that Al-Quaeda is not really what the Sunnis want for their protection.