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Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Hezbollah seizes large parts of Beirut
2008-05-09
Hezbollah gunmen took control of large areas of Beirut on Friday in a third day of fighting between the pro-Iranian group and fighters loyal to the U.S.-backed governing coalition. Security sources said at least 10 people had been killed and 20 wounded. The thud of exploding grenades and crackle of automatic gunfire echoed overnight in the worst internal strife since the 1975-90 civil war.

Gunmen loyal to Hezbollah forced the pro-government Future News television off the air on Friday, said a senior official at the Beirut station. Future News is owned by Saad al-Hariri, a leader of the governing coalition.

The security sources said Hezbollah and fighters from the allied Amal movement -- both Shi'ite groups -- had overrun offices of Hariri's Future group across the predominantly Muslim western half of Beirut. Gunmen had also taken over the offices of Hariri's Al-Mustaqbal newspaper, witnesses said. Smoke billowed from the building's windows.

Hezbollah, a political movement with a powerful guerrilla army, took control early in the fighting of all roads leading to Beirut's international airport -- Lebanon's only air link to the outside world. The violence was triggered when the government declared Hezbollah's military communications network illegal. Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said on Thursday the government decision was a declaration of war.

Hezbollah's al-Manar television quoted an opposition source as rejecting any ideas for ending the fighting other than those proposed by Nasrallah
Hariri proposed a deal to end the violence under which government decisions that angered Hezbollah would be considered a "misunderstanding". But Hezbollah's al-Manar television quoted an opposition source as rejecting any ideas for ending the fighting other than those proposed by Nasrallah, who has demanded the government rescind its decisions.

The U.N. Security Council called for "calm and restraint", urging all sides to return to peaceful dialogue.
The U.N. Security Council called for "calm and restraint", urging all sides to return to peaceful dialogue. The White House urged Hezbollah to stop "disruptive" acts.

Fighters from Hezbollah and Amal exchanged assault rifle fire and rocket-propelled grenades with pro-government gunmen, including fighters loyal to the Sunni Future movement, in several areas of the capital.

Hezbollah, backed by Iran and Syria, has led a 17-month-long political campaign against Prime Minister Fouad Siniora's anti-Syrian cabinet. The group was the only Lebanese faction allowed to keep its weapons after the civil war to fight Israeli forces occupying the south. Israel withdrew in 2000 and the fate of Hezbollah's weapons is at the heart of the political crisis.
UNIFIL could not be reached for comment.
Posted by:Seafarious

#15  "The fate of Hebollah's weapons is at the heart of the political crisis" > NO, LEBANON's CRISES ARE NOW "SUB-CRISES" AS PER IRAN'S + RADICAL ISLAM'S DRIVE TO ACQUIRE STATEGIC WEAPONS -RETALIATORY CAPABILITIES. IMO, this is about helping to protect and empower Nuclear Iran while keeping any ISRAELI = USA, etc. GROUND FORCE RETALIATION BOGGED DOWN IN TIME-, LOGISTICS-, + ABOVE ALL POLITICS-CONSUMING, CASUALTY-INTENSIVE "WAR OF THE CITIES/RATS", ALA MIDEAT-SPECIFIC AYMMETRIC WARFARE.

Lest we fergit, CNN BLITZER SITUATION ROOM > OBAMA INTERVIEW - OBAMA stated that as POTUS he will initiate UNILATERAL PHASED, BUT MEASURED, US MILFORS WITHDRAWAL FROM IRAQ, NEGOTIATE WID IRAN, + REDIRECT US FOCII FROM IRAQ TO AFGHANISTAN-PAKI AGZ THE TALIBAN-AL QAEDA.

* BIGNEWSNETWORK > SAUDI KING CALLS FOR ECONOMIC ALLIANCE AMONG ALL MUSLIM NATIONS [includes CENTRAL ASIA states].

IOW, POTUS OBAMA 2008-2010 [2012?] = Iff POTUS Obama keeps his agenda, IRAN + RADICAL ISLAM ARE LIKELT TO GET THE LEAD TIME THEY WANT.

*SUB-IOW, IRAN + RADICAL ISLAM GET THEIR NUKES + STRATEGIC WEAPONS.

*SUB-SUB-IOW, ISLAMIST JIHAD-TERROR GET THEIR NUKES = NUCLEAR JIHAD-TERROR.

NUCLEAR JIHAD-TERROR ANYTIME AFTER 2010 or 2012???
Posted by: JosephMendiola   2008-05-09 19:35  

#14  UN Angry, declares "Strong Letter to Follow"
Posted by: Scott R   2008-05-09 18:20  

#13  i said this yesterday , we have planes that they can't see or hear that we could use a few strikes too disentegrate hezzies main control. if iran can fight a proxy war then we can too
Posted by: sinse   2008-05-09 16:44  

#12  we are lebanons ally, they just can't muster enough sthrength with iraq and afghan stuff goin on .
Posted by: sinse   2008-05-09 16:42  

#11  The friend of Totten points out that the Leb Army didn't fight at all!

Posted by: mhw   2008-05-09 15:33  

#10  Sounds like it's already over. There's a friend of Totten's in Beirut saying that Hizbullah is in control of the politically important parts of the capital. Aoun detached himself long enough to step in as a 'neutral' peacemaker.

It sucks, but I'm starting to think that Hizb won, and won fast.
Posted by: Mitch H.   2008-05-09 15:21  

#9  Leb army can't fight Hezbollah: it will disintegrate, just as it has before. They could fight the Paleos because the Paleos are 1) furriners and 2) hated. But the Hezbies are locals, for the most part, and they have plenty of support in the Shi'a south.

This isn't going to end well. I still think the March 14th movement precipitated this, thinking they were stronger than they really are. Nasrallah is going to show them.
Posted by: Steve White   2008-05-09 12:54  

#8  I think that unless Hez pushes its control pretty far they are quite vulnerable to a blockade. The anti-Hezbollah groups, supported by Leb's army could, if they were serious, potentially surround the Hez areas.

Of course the Hez would claim 'we need to eat' and get arms smuggled in with the food but it would hurt the Hez triumphalist meme.
Posted by: mhw   2008-05-09 11:50  

#7  if reporsts are to be believed, theyre taking over Sunni areas of West beirut as well
Posted by: liberalhawk   2008-05-09 10:48  

#6  Well Hezbollah has had control of much of south Beirut for many years so I'm not sure how much of a gain they have had.
Posted by: mhw   2008-05-09 10:33  

#5  The world really needs "Al Manar TV." Those rat bastards concocted the story of "4000 Jews" taking a 9-11 holiday at the WTC. Hezbollah has allies: Lebanon does not. That has to change.
Posted by: McZoid   2008-05-09 10:08  

#4  The White House urged Hezbollah to stop "disruptive" acts.

A limp wristed response if ever there was one.
Posted by: wxjames   2008-05-09 09:55  

#3  Man, the Druze are a permanent minority. They'll have to fold without the Sunni and the Christians.
Posted by: Mitch H.   2008-05-09 09:28  

#2  Send Our Man Carter.
Posted by: Perfesser   2008-05-09 09:18  

#1  Civil war is a natural state of Lebanon---the only stumbling block may be that Maronites are no longer capable of fighting. Still, I have great confidence in the Druze. Hopefully, the latest Olmert scandal will lead to early elections & prevent Israel from getting embroiled (every time Israel pulls America's chestnuts out of fire, we get rewarded with pressure to make more concessions to Paleos).
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2008-05-09 07:58  

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