Article

2007-12-12 Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Explosion Kills 4, Including Military General, in Christian Suburb of Beirut

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Posted by GolfBravoUSMC 2007-12-12 04:31|| || Front Page|| [3 views ] Top

#1 Gen. Hajj must not have been a supporter of the Syrian candidates for 'leading' Lebanon.

Posted by Glenmore">Glenmore 2007-12-12 07:58|| 2007-12-12 07:58|| Front Page Top

#2 Guess he's not going to be Suleiman's successor, either.

Posted by Fred 2007-12-12 08:21|| 2007-12-12 08:21|| Front Page Top

#3 Message to Suleiman?

Posted by danking70 2007-12-12 10:50|| 2007-12-12 10:50|| Front Page Top

#4 No good deed goes unpunished.

He was the general who banged up Fatah-al-Islam at the battle for Nahr el-Bared over the summer.

He was also a Christian.

Posted by Seafarious 2007-12-12 10:53|| 2007-12-12 10:53|| Front Page Top

#5 Debka's spin:
The huge explosion outside the presidential palace in the Christian village of Baabde east of Beirut left at least five dead and dozens injured, and was powerful enough to topple buildings and smash many vehicles. The targeted officer was Lebanese army operations chief Brig Gen. Francois al-Hajj, named to succeed as chief of staff after Gen. Michel Suleiman is elected president. A Mercedes rigged as a car bomb detonated as the Brig al-Hajjsâ vehicle passed by.

The terrorist attack undermines a key corner of Washingtonâs evolving understanding with Tehran and Damascus. They are demanding payment in Lebanon and in Palestinian-Israeli coin for slowing their support for the Iraqi insurgency. While the US accepted the pro-Syrian Hizballah sympathizer Gen. Suleiman as next Lebanese president, his parliamentary endorsement has been held up by the demand for a pro-Damascus reshuffle of government. They want the pro-Western Fouad Siniora replaced as prime minister and the foreign affairs, justice and internal security portfolios handed to Hizballah.

US ambassador to Beirut Michael Feltman has been recalled for consultations.

Syrian president Bashar Assad is furthermore holding out for the dismantling of the tribunal for trying the perpetrators of the 2005 assassination of ex-PM Rafiq Hariri. A trial would place members of his inner family and political circles in the dock. While the presidential election has been delayed eight times since Emile Lahoud ended his term in November, most recent Lebanese history has been written in seven lethal car bombings attributed to Syrian military intelligence, for which no one was brought to account.

To elect the Lebanese chief of staff as president, parliament must amend the constitutionâs requirement of a cooling-off period for military candidates.

The attack in Baabdeh threatens to derail the process of electing a new president, by tradition a member of the Maronite Christian community, until Syrian and Iranian terms are met.

Posted by 3dc 2007-12-12 20:59|| 2007-12-12 20:59|| Front Page Top

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