Hezbollah Mobilizes Supporters for Syria

[Teaser]

Shit, meet fan:

The militant group Hezbollah, largely on the fence since anti-Syrian protests erupted in Lebanon last month, switched gears Sunday and threw its weight behind Syria and its allies calling for massive rallies in Beirut to show loyalty to Damascus.

The move by Hezbollah's powerful and politically savvy leader, Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, could prove crucial: The Iranian-founded, anti-Israeli Shiite Muslim group, which the United States calls a terrorist organization, has emerged as a key player during Lebanon's latest slide into political instability capable of tilting the balance either in favor of the pro-Syrian government or the anti-Syrian opposition.

[Ganja Ninja]

1. It's only a matter of time before this blows up in Bush's face.

Not that he cares. All this talk of Democracy breaking out is just republican premature ejaculation.

[Teaser]

2. I'm kicking this because

it's an important story and it's getting overlooked.

[Moderator]

3. kick to combine threads

[Up2Late]

4. Pro-Syrian Protest Set to Underline Lebanese Rift

(finally, this will truly show if Anti-Syria protests were all staged by the PNAC, If these do NOT get coverage, then we will know)


Mon Mar 7, 2005 06:48 PM ET

By Nadim Ladki

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Pro-Syrian protesters will take to the streets of Beirut on Tuesday in a show of strength highlighting deep divisions in Lebanon over Syria's role in the country.

Syria, under world pressure to quit its neighbor, promised on Monday to pull back its troops to eastern Lebanon this month under a two-stage withdrawal, but the United States dismissed the plan for failing to set a deadline for a full pullout.

President Bush's administration warned Syrian leaders it would "hold their feet to the fire," and Britain, Germany and Lebanon's former colonial power France also put pressure on Damascus.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad agreed the withdrawal plan in talks with Lebanese President Emile Lahoud in Damascus. Syrian forces intervened in Lebanon's civil war in 1976 and Damascus still has some 14,000 troops in the country.

Tuesday's protest, called by the Shi'ite Muslim Hizbollah group and its allies to show support for Damascus and oppose what they call Western meddling, was widely expected to attract a large turnout. Shi'ites form Lebanon's largest religious sect.
(more at link)
<http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=7831846&src=rss/topNews>

[Chicago Democrat]

5. Hezbollah is more a political force in Lebanon not a 'militant' group

there hasn't been fighting there in 10 years. I didn't realise how mainstream they are until I listened to World View today on NPR.

[Gloria]

6. I was listening to a CBC analyst today who said that it just seemed

that the US was hellbent on putting "the pedal to the metal" without really knowing what would happen as a result.

Which is a pretty appropriate thing to say about Bushco.

Bush was gunning for Syria and many people in Lebanon believe the recent murder of Harari (sp?) was "fishy" (as I heard one Lebanese woman describe it yesteray on the BBC)....there is suspicion it was our CIA. So now, we get a twofer, Lebanon and Syria under pressure. The analyst also commented on how sometimes you get what you want but it's not as great as it seems...Assad is not only under pressure from the US, but internally from the military, etc. around him. As the analyst said, we don't know who would get into power if Assad was pushed out.

On a BBC show, I heard a commentator from Lebanon said that he was optimistic that a change could take place because the country is unified against Syria being in Lebanon. But a British professor/analyst says rifts could easily open up. The Canadian I heard today said that Lebanon hasn't had a census in years and they don't even know how many people are in all the different groups. The Shia, however, are the largest group, that's for sure.

[Up2Late]

7. I'd say, about 70% of the people here think it was the CIA...

...me included. It might be time for another Poll?

If you do one, make sure you give a real choice for all the RW Trolls (disputers) to pick.

I think this "Ceder Revolution" it total BS, organized by the CIA or the neo-cons (Project for a New American Century).

Tomorrow, if it only gets covered in the Foreign Press, that will show that I, and my fellow doubters, are right.