Arab Governments sending weapons/equipment to Lebanon

[Sami Zaatari]

The Arab rulers never cease to expose their hypocrisy and kufr:


Palestinian factions were scrambling to find a negotiated solution to end the siege and avert what many fear would be a bloody battle over the Nahr el-Bared camp, where thousands of civilians remain in the line of fire.

Defense Minister Elias Murr said he was "leaving room for political negotiations," which he said must lead to the surrender of the fighters from the Fatah Islam militant group inside the camp.

"If the political negotiations fail, I leave it to the military command to do what is necessary," he told reporters.

The military was gearing up for a fight, rolling more troops into place around the camp in northern Lebanon, already ringed by hundreds of soldiers backed by artillery and tanks. Fatah Islam has claimed to have over 500 fighters, armed with automatic weapons, mortars and rocket-propelled grenades.

At least a dozen more armored carriers and a battle tank were seen headed for the area Friday.

Sporadic gunfire at Nahr el-Bared camp kept tensions high, but a truce that has halted three days of heavy artillery and rocket bombardment since Tuesday held.

An all-out assault on the camp would risk sparking unrest and violence elsewhere in the country, where some 400,000 Palestinian refugees live, most in camps that are rife with armed groups.

A deputy Fatah Islam leader, Abu Hureira, told the pan-Arab Al Hayat daily by telephone from Nahr el-Bared that "sleeper cells" in other Palestinian camps and elsewhere in Lebanon were awaiting word for a "violent response" if the army struck.

The U.S. military aid could also attract other militants into what they see as a battle against the West and its allies. Extremist groups were already using the battle at the camp as propaganda.

A group billing itself as al-Qaida's branch in Syria and Lebanon vowed "seas of blood" if the Lebanese army resumes its attack. In a video posted on the Web Friday, a spokesman for the group threatened bomb attacks on Lebanon's vital tourist industry. Earlier, a Palestinian group called the Army of Islam also threatened attacks. The capabilities of the two groups are not known.

The airlift from the United States and Arab countries boosts the military in what could be a tough urban battle inside the camp, a densely built town of narrow streets.

But the U.S. aid is sensitive in a nation deeply divided between supporters of a pro-Western government and an opposition backed by America's Mideast foes, Iran and Syria. The opposition accuses the government of Prime Minister Fuad Saniora of being too closely allied to Washington.

Between late Thursday and early afternoon Friday, five military transport planes landed at Beirut airport, including one from the U.S. Air Force, two from the United Arab Emirates and two from Jordan.

The military refused to comment on the shipments, but media reports said they included ammunition, body armor, helmets and night-vision equipment.

U.S. military officials said Washington would send eight planes of supplies, part of a package that had been agreed on but that the Lebanese government asked to be expedited.

About half of Nahr el-Bared's population of 31,000 fled the camp during the truce, flooding into the nearby Beddawi camp. At least 20 civilians and 30 soldiers were killed in the fighting earlier this week. The Lebanese military says 60 Fatah Islam fighters were killed, though the group put the toll at 10.

The truce also gave Palestinian mediators a chance to maneuver. But prospects for a peaceful settlement appeared dim, with the government determined to finish off the militants, Fatah Islam vowing to fight to the death and major Palestinian factions unable to agree on how to take charge of camp security.

"We want a solution that pleases both sides. We don't want dead people on both sides," said Ghassan Ahmed, 35, a camp resident who was hospitalized with shrapnel in the leg and arm. "They should send Fatah Islam to another country. Maybe there they can find another life."

___

Associated Press writers Lolita Baldor in Washington and Sam F. Ghattas in Beirut contributed to this report.

(http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070525/...banon_violence)

Amazing isnt it? how these arab goverments and the lebanease politicians act so strong now, but when israel was destroying lebanon they were all as weak as an ant especially that coward of a man Fouad Siniora who was crying on national tv and begging israel to stop and the world to help him, now look at him, acting all big and strong!

[Keltoi]

The Lebanese army, or what passes for it, doesn't have the supply line of ammunition and other military equipment like other national militaries. The U.S. is actually sending most of the ammo and supplies to Lebanon, through Jordan. Like it or not, Arab governments don't want Al-Qaeda in their territory...call them crazy. Everyone, with sense, is hoping the Lebanese can crush Fatah Islam.

I was watching live coverage of the firefight last night and the reporter mentioned the fact that normal Lebanese citizens were grabbing weapons and joining the Lebanese army as they fired upon the Al-Qaeda fighters.

[Zman]

/Peace To All

Subhan Allah. This is absolutely amazing.

Those governments didn't lift a finger to aid Lebanon and Hizbullah during Israel's last destructive bombardment of that nation. But now, those mighty "lions" of the Middle East have finally woken up from their slumber and decided that it was apprpriate to help the Lebanese government against this "mighty foe."

As for the Lebanese government, they won't defend Lebanese soil nor air space due to Israel's many violations; they didn't help Hizbullah in the last Israeli invasion; and they sat back as Israel destroyed it's infrastructure & kmurdered its civilians; But now, they have suddenly found their manhood to take on Palestinian refugees.

Isn't Fatah al-Islam, the same Sunni group Bush, Israel and some secular Arab government's recently & covertly armed to take on Hizbullah?

[Sami Zaatari]

The Lebanese army, or what passes for it, doesn't have the supply line of ammunition and other military equipment like other national militaries. The U.S. is actually sending most of the ammo and supplies to Lebanon, through Jordan. Like it or not, Arab governments don't want Al-Qaeda in their territory...call them crazy. Everyone, with sense, is hoping the Lebanese can crush Fatah Islam.

I was watching live coverage of the firefight last night and the reporter mentioned the fact that normal Lebanese citizens were grabbing weapons and joining the Lebanese army as they fired upon the Al-Qaeda fighters.

ok this is just too lame and stupid, al-qaeda? these men arent al-qaeda, it seems everyone is fond of bringing up al-qaeda now to justify their own goals, these men arent al-qaeda and never were al-qaeda and never claimed to be! this whole bandwagen al-qaeda thing is getting very old now, do you know there were thousands of groups before al-qaeda? these groups are all over the place with their own leaders and fighters, nothing to do with al-qaeda. these men are fatah al-Islam an offshoot orginization from the original fatah, they have nothing to do with al-qaeda, i really suggest you go learn about these people and groups because you obviously dont, so dont be ignorant and go calling everyone al-qaeda when you have no understanding of these ppl or the country, and trust me i do because i happen to have had members of my familly (aunt grandma uncle) who used to live in the refugee camps particularly ain hilweh in sidon. there is no al-qaeda here, they are millitant groups, but not al-qaeda, it seems u want lump all groups who want to fight israel and bring sharia as al-qaeda! how conveniant.

[Keltoi]

Fatah al-Islam started as a Syrian backed Palestinian group. So no, the U.S. had nothing to do with it. The leader of this group says their intention is to bring Sharia law to the Palestinian refugee community in Lebanon and then confront Israel.

[Keltoi]

ok this is just too lame and stupid, al-qaeda? these men arent al-qaeda, it seems everyone is fond of bringing up al-qaeda now to justify their own goals, these men arent al-qaeda and never were al-qaeda and never claimed to be! this whole bandwagen al-qaeda thing is getting very old now, do you know there were thousands of groups before al-qaeda? these groups are all over the place with their own leaders and fighters, nothing to do with al-qaeda. these men are fatah al-Islam an offshoot orginization from the original fatah, they have nothing to do with al-qaeda, i really suggest you go learn about these people and groups because you obviously dont, so dont be ignorant and go calling everyone al-qaeda when you have no understanding of these ppl or the country, and trust me i do because i happen to have had members of my familly (aunt grandma uncle) who used to live in the refugee camps particularly ain hilweh in sidon. there is no al-qaeda here, they are millitant groups, but not al-qaeda, it seems u want lump all groups who want to fight israel and bring sharia as al-qaeda! how conveniant.

The leader of this group did have ties with Abu Zarqawi, which is why I just call them Al-Qaeda. I know they don't call themselves Al-Qaeda...which is why I called them Fatah al-Islam. However, they share the same ideology, and to me that is what Al-Qaeda is at this point, an ideology.

[Sami Zaatari]

The leader of this group did have ties with Abu Zarqawi, which is why I just call them Al-Qaeda. I know they don't call themselves Al-Qaeda...which is why I called them Fatah al-Islam. However, they share the same ideology, and to me that is what Al-Qaeda is at this point, an ideology.

so having ties to zarqawi makes them al-qaeda? i guess the house of al-saud must be americans or the bush familly must be saudi since they both have very very strong connections! plz stop using weak weak claims to use this silly everyone is al-qaeda.

secondly another misconception, zarqawi NEVER had contact with bin laden or zawahiri, he had always operated seperately from them, it was not until october 2004 that zarqawi mentioned bin laden in a statement, and then bin laden endorsed zarqawi. the connection between zarqawi and the former leader of fatah al islam was BEFORE zarqawi ever pledged allegiance to bin laden in october 2004.

secondly fatah al Islam's goals are to only fight israel and establish islamic law in palestinian camps, Al-qaeda's goals is a world wide jihad against every country that attacks muslims, so no the ideology is not even the same. they share some common goals which is fighting israel and establishing islamic law but even to call them al-qaeda based on similar ideology is still a propaganda tool that many ppl like u now use for ur own political agenda, basically when u claim that muslims who want to fight israel and establish sharia law become al-qaeda u are painting a very negative picture of them because in todays world if ur al-qaeda ur outlawed and seen as something very very evil, so ur commiting a smeer campaign against several legitimate muslims who are fighting for just causes and trying to follow the Quran and Islam for establishing sharia. so again your wong, muslims who fight ppl who attack them and muslims who seek to establish an islamic state are not al-qaeda or following an al-qaeda ideology, they are simply following islam.

[Zman]

Fatah al-Islam started as a Syrian backed Palestinian group. So no, the U.S. had nothing to do with it. The leader of this group says their intention is to bring Sharia law to the Palestinian refugee community in Lebanon and then confront Israel.

You really need to quit your Job as an Oracle, because You're not good at it.

Hersh: Bush Administration Arranged Support For Militants Attacking Lebanon

By David Edwards and Muriel Kane
Published: Tuesday May 22, 2007
RawStory

In an interview on CNN International's Your World Today, veteran journalist Seymour Hersh explains that the current violence in Lebanon is the result of an attempt by the Lebanese government to crack down on a militant Sunni group, Fatah al-Islam, that it formerly supported.

Last March, Hersh reported that American policy in the Middle East had shifted to opposing Iran, Syria, and their Shia allies at any cost, even if it meant backing hardline Sunni jihadists.

A key element of this policy shift was an agreement among Vice President Dick Cheney, Deputy National Security Advisor Elliot Abrams, and Prince Bandar bin Sultan, the Saudi national security adviser, whereby the Saudis would covertly fund the Sunni Fatah al-Islam in Lebanon as a counterweight to the Shia Hezbollah.

Hersh points out that the current situation is much like that during the conflict in Afghanistan in the 1980's – which gave rise to al Qaeda – with the same people involved in both the US and Saudi Arabia and the "same pattern" of the US using jihadists that the Saudis assure us they can control.

When asked why the administration would be acting in a way that appears to run counter to US interests, Hersh says that, since the Israelis lost to them last summer, "the fear of Hezbollah in Washington, particularly in the White House, is acute."

As a result, Hersh implies, the Bush administration is no longer acting rationally in its policy.

"We're in the business of supporting the Sunnis anywhere we can against the Shia. ... "We're in the business of creating ... sectarian violence."

And he describes the scheme of funding Fatah al-Islam as:

"A covert program we joined in with the Saudis as part of a bigger, broader program of doing everything we could to stop the spread of the Shia world, and it just simply -- it bit us in the rear."

RUSH TRANSCRIPT:

HALA GORANI: Well, investigative journalist Seymour Hersh reported back in March that in order to defeate Hezbollah, the Lebanese government supported a Sunni militant group, the same ones they're fighting today. Seymour joins us live from Washington. Thanks for being with us. What is the source of the financing according to your reporting on these groups, such as Fatah al-Islam in these camps of Nahr el Bared, for instance? Where are they getting the money and where are they getting the arms?

SEYMOUR HERSH: The key player is the Saudis. What I was writing about was sort of a private agreement that was made between the White House, we're talking about Richard -- Dick -- Cheney and Elliott Abrams, one of the key aides in the White House, with Bandar. And the idea was to get support, covert support from the Saudis, to support various hard-line jihadists, Sunni groups, particularly in Lebanon, who would be seen in case of an actual confrontation with Hezbollah -- the Shia group in the southern Lebanon -- would be seen as an asset, as simple as that.

GORANI: The Senora government, in order to counter the influence of Hezbollah in Lebanon would be covertly according to your reporting funding groups like Fatah al-Islam that they're having issues with right now?

HERSH: Unintended consequences once again, yes.

GORANI: And so if Saudi Arabia and the Senora government are doing this, whether it's unintended or not, therefore it has the United States must have something to say about it or not?

HERSH: Well, the United States was deeply involved. This was a covert operation that Bandar ran with us. Don't forget, if you remember, you know, we got into the war in Afghanistan with supporting Osama bin Laden, the mujahadin back in the late 1980s with Bandar and with people like Elliott Abrams around, the idea being that the Saudis promised us they could control -- they could control the jihadists so we spent a lot of money and time, the United States in the late 1980s using and supporting the jihadists to help us beat the Russians in Afghanistan and they turned on us. And we have the same pattern, not as if there's any lessons learned. It's the same pattern, using the Saudis again to support jihadists, Saudis assuring us they can control these various group, the groups like the one that is in contact right now in Tripoli with the government.

GORANI: Sure, but the mujahadin in the '80s was one era. Why would it be in the best interest of the United States of America right now to indirectly even if it is indirect empower these jihadi movements that are extremists that fight to the death in these Palestinian camps? Doesn't it go against the interests not only of the Senora government but also of America and Lebanon now?

HERSH: The enemy of our enemy is our friend, much as the jihadist groups in Lebanon were also there to go after Nasrullah. Hezbollah, if you remember, last year defeated Israel, whether the Israelis want to acknowledge it, so you have in Hezbollah, a major threat to the American -- look, the American role is very simple. Condoleezza Rice, the secretary of state, has been very articulate about it. We're in the business now of supporting the Sunnis anywhere we can against the Shia, against the Shia in Iran, against the Shia in Lebanon, that is Nasrullah. Civil war. We're in a business of creating in some places, Lebanon in particular, a sectarian violence.

GORANI: The Bush administration, of course, officials would disagree with that, so would the Senora government, openly pointing the finger at Syria, saying this is an offshoot of a Syrian group, Fatah al-Islam is, where else would it get its arms from if not Syria.

HERSH: You have to answer this question. If that's true, Syria which is close -- and criticized greatly by the Bush administration for being very close -- to Hezbollah would also be supporting groups, Salafist groups -- the logic breaks down. What it is simply is a covert program we joined in with the Saudis as part of a bigger broader program of doing everything we could to stop the spread of the Shia, the Shia world, and it bit us in the rear, as it's happened before.

GORANI: Sure, but if it doesn't make any sense for the Syrians to support them, why would it make any sense for the U.S. to indirectly, of course, to support, according to your reporting, by giving a billion dollars in aid, part of it military, to the Senora government -- and if that is dispensed in a way that that government and the U.S. is not controlling extremist groups, then indirectly the United States, according to the article you wrote, would be supporting them. So why would it be in their best interest and what should it do according to the people you've spoken to?

HERSH: You're assuming logic by the United States government. That's okay. We'll forget that one right now. Basically it's very simple. These groups are seeing -- when I was in Beirut doing interviews, I talked to officials who acknowledged the reason they were tolerating the radical jihadist groups was because they were seen as a protection against Hezbollah. The fear of Hezbollah in Washington, particularly in the White House, is acute. They just simply believe that Hassan Nasrallah is intent on waging war in America. Whether it's true or not is another question. There is a supreme overwhelming fear of Hezbollah and we do not want Hezbollah to play an active role in the government in Lebanon and that's been our policy, basically, which is support the Senora government, despite its weakness against the coalition. Not only Senora but Mr. Ahun, former military leader of Lebanon. There in a coalition that we absolutely abhor.

GORANI: All right, Seymour Hersh of "The New Yorker" magazine, thanks for joining us there and hopefully we'll be able to speak a little bit in a few months' time when those developments take shape in Lebanon and we know more. Thanks very much.

HERSH: glad to talk to you.

Source:
http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Hersh_...ants_0522.html

[Zman]

/Peace To All

Who's Behind The Fighting In North Lebanon?

Inside Narh al-Bared and Bedawi Refugee Camps

By FRANKLIN LAMB
May 24, 2007
CounterPunch

Tripoli, Lebanon.

...After three days of shelling and more than 100 dead and with no electricity or water, Nahr el-Baled reeks of burned and rotting flesh, charred houses with smoldering contents, raw sewage and the acrid smell of exploded mortars and tank rounds.

Press figures of 30,000-32,000 are not accurate. 45,000 live in Bared! Contrary to some reports food and water still not being allowed in.

15 to 70 percent of some areas destroyed. Some light shooting this morning and afternoon. Army shelling at rate of 10-18 shells per minute from 4:30 am to 10 am on Tuesday. Army will not allow Palestinian Red Crescent to move out civilians because they don't trust them. Only the Lebanese Red Cross is allowed. It is possible to enter Bared from the back (east side). The Army taking cameras of journalists they catch. The Lebanese government is controlling the information and don't want extent of damage known yet. Still unrecovered bodies. 40 per cent of the camp population have been evacuated. The rest don't want to leave out of fear of being shot or that they are losing their homes for the 5th time or more for some.

No electricity and cell phone batteries are dying. Relatives who fled are telling families to stay because there are not enough mattresses at Bedawi Camp. Bared evacuees are living up to 25 in one room in Badawi schools etc. 3,000 evacuees in one school in Bedawi. UN aid is starting to arrive at Badawi but workers not able so far to deliver it to Bared due to attack on relief convoy on Tuesday.

Now Some Background About Nahr el-Bared:

Like the other Palestinian camps in Lebanon, it is inhabited by Palestinians who were forced from their homes, land, and personal property in 1947-48, in order to make room for Jews from Europe and elsewhere prior to the May 15, 1948 founding of Israel.

Of the original 16 Refugee camps, set up to settle the more than 100,000 refugees crossing the border into Lebanon from Palestine during the Nakba, 12 official ones remain. The camp at Tal El-Za`tar was ethnically cleansed by Christian Phalange forces at the beginning of the 1975-1990, Lebanese Civil War and the Nabatieh, Dikwaneh and Jisr el-Basha camps were destroyed by Israeli attacks and Lebanese militia and not rebuilt. Those remaining include the following which currently house more than half of Lebanon's 433,276 Palestinian refugees:

Al-Badawi, Burj El-Barajna, Jal El-Bahr, Sabra and Shatilla, Ain El-Helwa, Nahr El-Bared, Rashidieh, Burj El Shemali, El-Buss, Wavel, Mieh Mieh and Mar Elias.

Nahr el-Bared is 7 miles north of Tripoli near the stunning Mediterranean coast and is home to more than 32,000 refuges many of whom were expelled from the Lake Huleh area of Palestine, including Safed. Like all the official Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon, plus several 'unofficial' ones, Nahr el-Bared suffers from serious problems including no proper infrastructure, overcrowding, poverty and unemployment.

Tabulated at more than 25%, Nahr el-Bared has the highest percentage of Palestinian refugees anywhere who are living in abject poverty and who are officially registered with the UN as "special hardship" cases. Its residents, like all Palestinians in Lebanon are blatantly discriminated against and not even officially counted.

They are denied citizenship and banned from working in the top 70 trades and professions (that includes McDonald's and KFC in downtown Beirut) and cannot own real estate. Palestinians in Lebanon have essentially no social or civil rights and only limited access to government educational facilities. They have no access to public social services. Consequently most rely entirely on the UNRWA as the sole provider for their families needs.

It is not surprising that al-Qaeda sympathies, if not formal affiliations, are found in the 12 official camps as well as 7 unofficial ones. Groups with names such as Fateh al-Islam, Jund al-Shams (Soldier of Damascus) , Ibns al-Shaheed" (sons of the martyrs) Issbat al-Anssar which morphed into Issbat al-Noor - "The Community of Illumination" and many others.

Given Bush administration debacles in Iraq and Afghanistan and its encouragement for Israel to continue its destruction of Lebanon this past summer, the situation in Lebanon mirrors, in some respects, the early 1980's when groups sprung up to resist the US green lighted Israeli invasion and occupation.

But rather than being Shia and pro-Hezbollah, today's groups are largely Sunni and anti-Hezbollah.

Hence they qualify for US aid, funneled by Sunni financial backers in league with the Bush administration which is committed to funding Islamist Sunni groups to weaken Hezbollah.

This project has become the White House obsession following Israel's July 2006 defeat.

To understand what is going on with Fatah al-Islam at Nahr el-Bared one would want a brief introduction to Lebanon's amazing, but shadowy 'Welch Club'.

The Club is named for its godfather, David Welch, assistant to Secretary of State Rice who is the point man for the Bush administration and is guided by Eliot Abrams.

Key Lebanese members of the Welch Club (aka: the 'Club') include:

1. The Lebanese civil war veteran, warlord, feudalist and mercurial Walid Jumblatt of the Druze party( the Progressive Socialist Party or PSP)

2. Another civil war veteran, warlord, terrorist (Served 11 years in prison for massacres committed against fellow Christians among others) Samir Geagea. Leader of the extremist Phalange party and its Lebanese Forces (LF) the group that conducted the Israel organized massacre at Sabra-Shatilla (although led by Elie Hobeika, once Geagea's mentor, Geagea did not take part in the Sept. 1982 slaughter of 1,700 Palestinian and Lebanese).

3. The billionaire, Saudi Sheikh and Club president Saad Hariri leader of the Sunni Future Movement (FM).

Over a year ago Hariri's Future Movement started setting up Sunni Islamist terrorist cells (the PSP and LF already had their own militia since the civil war and despite the Taif Accords requiring militia to disarm they are now rearmed and itching for action and trying hard to provoke Hezbollah).

The FM created Sunni Islamist 'terrorist' cells were to serve as a cover for (anti-Hezbollah) Welch Club projects. The plan was that actions of these cells, of which Fatah el-Islam is one, could be blamed on al Qaeda or Syria or anyone but the Club.

To staff the new militias, FM rounded up remnants of previous extremists in the Palestinian Refugee camps that had been subdued, marginalized and diminished during the Syrian occupation of Lebanon. Each fighter got $700 per month, not bad in today's Lebanon.

The first Welch Club funded militia, set up by FM, is known locally as Jund-al-Sham (Soldiers of Sham, where "Sham" in Arabic denotes Syria, Lebanon, Palestine & Jordan) created in Ain-el-Hilwa Palestinian refugee camp near Sidon. This group is also referred to in the Camps as Jund-el-Sitt (Soldiers of the Sitt, where "Sitt" in Sidon, Ain-el-Hilwa and the outskirts pertain to Bahia Hariri, the sister of Rafiq Hariri, aunt of Saad, and Member of Parliament).

The second was Fateh-al-Islam (The name cleverly put together, joining Fateh as in Palestinian and the word Islam as in Qaeda). FM set this Club cell up in Nahr-al-Bared refugee camp north of Tripoli for geographical balance.

Fatah el-Islam had about 400 well paid fighters until three days ago. Today they may have more or fewer plus volunteers. The leaders were provided with ocean view luxury apartments in Tripoli where they stored arms and chilled when not in Nahr-al-Bared. Guess who owns the apartments?

According to members of both Fatah el-Islam and Jund-al-Sham their groups acted on the directive of the Club president, Saad Hariri. So what went wrong? "Why the bank robbery" and the slaughter at Nahr el-Baled?

According to operatives of Fatah el-Islam, the Bush administration got cold feet with people like Seymour Hirsh snooping around and with the White House post-Iraq discipline in free fall. Moreover, Hezbollah intelligence knew all about the Clubs activities and was in a position to flip the two groups who were supposed to ignite a Sunni *Shia civil war which Hezbollah vows to prevent.

Things started to go very wrong quickly for the Club last week.FM "stopped" the payroll of Fateh el-Islam's account at the Hariri family owned back.

Fateh-al-Islam, tried to negotiate at least 'severance pay' with no luck and they felt betrayed. (Remember many of their fighters are easily frustrated teenagers and their pay supports their families). Militia members knocked off the bank which issued their worthless checks. They were doubly angry when they learned FM is claiming in the media a loss much greater than they actually snatched and that the Club is going to stiff the insurance company and actually make a huge profit.

Lebanon's Internal Security Forces (newly recruited to serve the bidding of the Club and the Future Movement) assaulted the apartments of Fatah-al-Islam Tripoli. They didn't have much luck and were forced to call in the Lebanese army.

Within the hour, Fatah-al-Islam retaliated against Lebanese Army posts, checkpoints and unarmed, off-duty Lebanese soldiers in civilian clothing and committed outrageous killings including severing at four heads.

Up to this point Fatah-al-Islam did not retaliate against the Internal Security forces in Tripoli because the ISF is pro-Hariri and some are friends and Fatah al-Islam still hoped to get paid by Hariri. Instead Fatah al Islam went after the Army.

The Seniora cabinet convenes and asks the Lebanese Army to enter the refugee camp and silence (in more ways than one) Fatah-al-Islam. Since entrance into the Camps is forbidden by the 1969 Arab league agreement, the Army refuses after realizing the extent of the conspiracy against it by the Welch Club. The army knows that entering a refugee camp in force will open a front against the Army in all twelve Palestinian refugee camps and tear the army apart along sectarian cracks.

The army feels set up by the Club's Internal Security Forces which did not coordinate with the Lebanese Army, as required by Lebanese law and did not even make them aware of the "inter family operation" the ISF carried out against Fatah-al-Islam safe houses in Tripoli.

Today, tensions are high between the Lebanese army and the Welch Club. Some mention the phrase 'army coup'.

The Club is trying to run Parliament and is prepared to go all the way not to 'lose' Lebanon. It still holds 70 seats in the house of parliament while the Hezbollah led opposition holds 58 seats. It has a dutiful PM in Fouad Siniora.

The club tried to seize control of the presidency and when it failed it marginalized it. Last year it tried to control of the Parliamentary Constitutional Committee, which audits the government's policies, laws and watch dogs their actions. When the Club failed to control it they simply abolished the Constitutional Committee. This key committee no longer exists in Lebanon's government.

The Welch Club's major error was when it attempted to influence the Lebanese Army into disarming the Lebanese Resistance led by Hezbollah. When the Army wisely refused, the Club coordinated with the Bush Administration to pressure Israel to dramatically intensify its retaliation to the capture of the two soldiers by Hezbollah and 'break the rules' regarding the historically more limited response and try to destroy Hezbollah during the July 2006 war.

The Welch Club now considers the Lebanese Army a serious problem. The Bush administration is trying to undermine and marginalize it to eliminate one of the last two obstacles to implementing Israel's agenda in Lebanon.If the army is weakened, it can not protect _over 70% of the Christians in Lebanon who support General Aoun's Free Patriotic Movement. The F.P.M. is mainly constituted of well educated, middle class and unarmed Lebanese civilians. The only protection they have is the Lebanese Army which aids in maintaining their presence in the political scene.

The other type of Christians in Lebanon is the minority, about 15% of Christians associated with Geagea's Lebanese Forces who are purely militia. If the Club can weaken the Army even more than it is, then this Phalange minority will be the only relatively strong force on the Christian scene and become the "army" of the Club.

Another reason the Club wants to weaken the Lebanese Army is that the Army is nationalistic and is a safety valve for Lebanon to ensure the Palestinian right of return to Palestine, Lebanese nationhood and the resistance culture led by Hezbollah, with which is has excellent relations.

For their part, the Welch Club wants to keep some Palestinians in Lebanon for cheap labor, ship others to countries willing to take them (and be paid handsomely to do so by American taxpayers) and allow at most a few thousand to return to Palestine to settle the 'right of return' issue while at the same time signing a May 17th 1983 type treaty with Israel with enriches the Club members and gives Israel Lebanon's water and much of Lebanon's sovereignty.

Long story short, Fatah el-Islam must be silenced at all costs. Their tale, if told, is poison for the Club and its sponsors. We will likely see their attempted destruction in the coming days.

Hezbollah is watching and supporting the Lebanese army.

Franklin Lamb's recent book, The Price We Pay: A Quarter Century of Israel's use of American Weapon's against Lebanon (1978-2006) is available at Amazon.com.uk. Hezbollah: A Brief Guide for Beginners is expected in early summer.

Dr. Lamb can be reached at [email protected].

Source:
http://counterpunch.org/lamb05242007.html

[Keltoi]

Links to articles from Seymour Hersch are really wonderful and all...but I can find opinion pieces that backup anything I want from the internet. My information on Fatah al-Islam comes from these source, not an opinion piece.

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exer...B5526CE911.htm

http://siteinstitute.org/bin/article...&Subcategory=0

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/...-Militants.php

http://terrorism.about.com/od/groups...h_Al_Islam.htm

http://www.reuters.com/article/newsO...40032020070520

[Cognescenti]

/Peace To All

Subhan Allah. This is absolutely amazing.

Those governments didn't lift a finger to aid Lebanon and Hizbullah during Israel's last destructive bombardment of that nation. But now, those mighty "lions" of the Middle East have finally woken up from their slumber and decided that it was apprpriate to help the Lebanese government against this "mighty foe."

As for the Lebanese government, they won't defend Lebanese soil nor air space due to Israel's many violations; they didn't help Hizbullah in the last Israeli invasion; and they sat back as Israel destroyed it's infrastructure & kmurdered its civilians; But now, they have suddenly found their manhood to take on Palestinian refugees.

Isn't Fatah al-Islam, the same Sunni group Bush, Israel and some secular Arab government's recently & covertly armed to take on Hizbullah?

The Lebanese Army is in no shape to fight the IDF..nor do I think the Lebanese government as presently configured is in any hurry to help Hizbollah, which is, in effect, the quasi government of the quasi state of South Lebanon. There are many Lebanese who would be happy to be rid of the Syrians and Iranians. In fact, I suspect there are many that would be happy to see the Palestinians go away too.

Fatah al-Islam sound like a street gang that are ticked off because their checks bounced.

Mideast politics make my head hurt. It is amazing that Lebanon, which until recently, seemed to be a functioning goverment, now seems to be stumbling toward civil war again. I chiefly blame Iran for bringing in thousands of rockets and funding Hizbollah, who are now throwing around Iranian cash in South Lebanon to gain loyalties.

What a mess.

[Zulkiflim]

The Lebanese Army is in no shape to fight the IDF..nor do I think the Lebanese government as presently configured is in any hurry to help Hizbollah, which is, in effect, the quasi government of the quasi state of South Lebanon. There are many Lebanese who would be happy to be rid of the Syrians and Iranians. In fact, I suspect there are many that would be happy to see the Palestinians go away too.

Fatah al-Islam sound like a street gang that are ticked off because their checks bounced.

Mideast politics make my head hurt. It is amazing that Lebanon, which until recently, seemed to be a functioning goverment, now seems to be stumbling toward civil war again. I chiefly blame Iran for bringing in thousands of rockets and funding Hizbollah, who are now throwing around Iranian cash in South Lebanon to gain loyalties.

What a mess.

Salaam,

I agree the Lebanese army are eak and becasue they are weak in arms they are weak in wills.

that is why when Lebanese are bing massacred by Isrealis bombing the US backed goverment just wept instead of fight.

Such pragmatism that their tear can stop the war only fool themselves.

In the end the people who fight against GREAT WEAPOSN sponsored by the US,are fell down by simple missiles.

The will to fight does not end when you run outm of bullets,it end when you die or your enemy is cpatured or killed.

Fight to the last breath for your own life land and love.
Inshallah...

[NobleMuslimUK]

The Arab governments have chosen their masters as US and Israel, just like Pakistan has. What a shame. May Allah guide them or destroy them so badly (like the previous oppressive nations) along with their kuffar allies as an example and lesson for the whole of mankind. Ameen.

[Cognescenti]

The Arab governments have chosen their masters as US and Israel, just like Pakistan has. What a shame. May Allah guide them or destroy them so badly (like the previous oppressive nations) along with their kuffar allies as an example and lesson for the whole of mankind. Ameen.

Tell it brother! Tell it! That's right!

[wilberhum]

The Arab governments have chosen their masters as US and Israel, just like Pakistan has. What a shame. May Allah guide them or destroy them so badly (like the previous oppressive nations) along with their kuffar allies as an example and lesson for the whole of mankind. Ameen.

Or maybe they chose not to side with bank robbing Islamic militants.

[NobleMuslimUK]

Its not about choosing sides, its about choosing who's orders you follow... They choose to follow man's orders more than Allah, truly they are losers.

[wilberhum]

Its not about choosing sides, its about choosing who's orders you follow... They choose to follow man's orders more than Allah, truly they are losers.

Surly you are not saying Allah approves of robbing banks.

[NobleMuslimUK]

Surly you are not saying Allah approves of robbing banks.

Willber stop trying to twist what I say, and you know very well Allah swt doesnt approve of robbing.

[wilberhum]

Willber stop trying to twist what I say, and you know very well Allah swt doesnt approve of robbing.

So why do you say not siding with bank robbers is siding against Allah?

[Sami Zaatari]

So why do you say not siding with bank robbers is siding against Allah?

siding with kaffir goverments/millitary like usa and israel is siding against Allah, and anyone who does so becomes an apostate under this verse:

005.051
YUSUFALI: O ye who believe! take not the Jews and the Christians for your friends and protectors: They are but friends and protectors to each other. And he amongst you that turns to them (for friendship) is of them. Verily Allah guideth not a people unjust.

the word correctly translated should say allies/protectors, so basically muslims should not take jews and christians (usa & israel) as allies and if done so then whoever does it becomes of them, basically becomes a non muslim, and an apostate. so all these arab goverments are apostates according to this verse, well not all, syria is the only one i know off that isnt an ally to the usa, the rest are all sell out apostates.