I couldn't help myself, I had to hear what our (ex-)friend Michel Aoun had to say about all that has transpired the past two days.
As it turns out Aoun, on NBN, limited himself to politically correct condolensces and calls for national unity. Absent were the declarations that the government was "void", "dictatorial", and - my favorite one of all given his political alliances - "a militia." Could it be that perhaps he is discovering a limit to how many dishonorable and devious policies his constituency will tolerate? If so, they should have burned his pictures long ago.
Keep it up Michel. Although I except you to return to form as soon as the wave of rightful Christian anger passes.
Thursday, November 23, 2006
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Debbie Livni, Israel’s flamboyant foreign minister, just gave an interview to reporters in Jerusalem: interestingly, she said Israel supports the “moderate” coalition government of Lebanon led by Prime Minister Fuad Saniura [recall: that’s the sinister assortment of Neo-Nazi Christians and pro-Saudi Islamist technocrats].
This is what she had to say:
"The news from Lebanon is another example of the kind of region, the kind of
neighborhood we are living in," Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said. "This
is between moderates and extremists."
Notice the use of the “tough neighborhood” metaphor used by Donald Rumsfeld back in March 2003 to justify the inaction of US troops standing idly while looters pillaged museums at will and burned Catholic churches and Sunni mosques across Baghdad.
This expression is actually a staple of American rightwing discourse: the south side of Chicago and the suburbs of Detroit are “tough neighborhoods” infested by Niggers and Ayrabz living lazily off welfare subsidies while honest (read: White) blue collars are working overtime!
Interestingly, Debbie Livni happens to be the daughter of Eitan Livni, a Polish-born member of the Irgun terrorist group, and one of the cofounders of the rightwing Likud party.
You may recall that Irgun was an openly Fascist Jewish organization, armed and funded by the Duce Benito Mussolini during World War II…
2nd Generation Fascists of the world unite!
Huh? What is your point?
It's Tsipi Livni my friend. Not Debby.
Can I help you by the way...?
Muhammad,
Not to give this guy/girl/x publicity or anything, but have you seen this guy's/girl's/x's blog?
Now there's a case for instituting controls on the internet.
haha, what victorino is saying is something along the lines of the follwing:
my uncle woke up and went to the washroom to wash his face. Like my uncle, our village carpenter also washes his hands after work everyday. The carpenter walks past the farm on his way home. The farmer who is my uncle's brother in law usually tends to his fields and just as well he washes his hands and face after work. Notice all these people use "water" to wash, so they are all sea people.
--
Sorry about the lame analogy. But victorino, please, spare us next time.
Victorino, at which university did you get your PhD?
Hot dog, Hassan! Now I just gotta read your blog!
Aoun has served his purpose. If he hadn't, they would not have struck at such a Maronite figure. I don't say that because Pierre Gemayel is such a prominent leader, but because the family he comes from is so significant, and because killing a Gemayel is such a raw nerve in the Maronite collective memory. For the Syrians to strike the Maronites so harshly is to completely disregard Aoun, and now he may have woken up to it. Or am I being too optimistic?
Firas,
I think you might be on to something... and I also think, that Aoun, not Berri, is in a place as tight as kiss al 3a2rabeh (forgive me, I couldnt resist). Maybe this assassination will give him enough cover to begin distancing himself from Hezbollah... but he has to realize that the political game he started about a year ago has cost him dearly, and will cost him even more in the not so distant future.
Guys,
You make a good point, this is a big blow to Aoun in terms of being 'ma7soob' with the syrians. I think Silent is right in saying that Aoun can use this to distance himself from Hizbullah. Even Aoun is not pig-headed enough to miss that.
Right...?!?!
He's definitely leaving his options open. Aoun was pained to point out that, unlike Lahoud and Hezbollah, he tried several times to contact Amin Gemayel to offer his condolences. Aoun also encouraged the FPM to participate en masse in the funeral.
On the other hand, he made a point of saying that accusing parties left and right of the assassination was irresponsible, and that the fact that his pictures were burned and that demonstrators had many choice words for him was part of an incitement conspiracy against him for doing the right thing and signing the 'Memorandum of Understanding' with Hezbollah.
This could swing both ways. Amin Gemayel, former President and father of the deceased, categorically refused to receive his calls, and asked that the FPM not to send an official delegation to the funeral for fear of clashes that may result in such a heated environment. I think Gemayel was wrong on the first count but right on the second. If Aoun wants to jump ship, a crack in the door should be left open.
Faysal,
Right? RIGHT!?!?!
Firas,
You pretty much covered it.
Guys, you're all very optimistic. An egoist like him? he'll be back in no time, sadly enough.
I strongly object, I am no optimist :) You'll notice that at the end of my post, I inserted a little 'caveat'.
It seems am and Faysal were right. I just read his interview with al Jazeera. He reiterated the same demands about the national unity government (without mentioning the veto-wielding third), challenged March 14 to try to topple the President, and said that he has his own political reading of the assassination that 'cannot be revealed'. He also implied that after a week's mourning period demonstrations are likely. He's basing laying low for the storm to pass and then he'll get back to his good old self.
I knew he wouldn't let us down :D
:(... there goes my plan. Of course, it's my bad for assuming the presence rational actors.
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