Lebanese P.M.: Hezbollah Staged A Coup

12 Gunmen Dead In Clash; Army Appears To Compromise On Some Demands Of Shiite Militants

(AP)  Lebanese security and hospital officials say that at least 12 gunmen are dead and 20 wounded in a gun battle between pro- and anti-government groups in a remote region of northern Lebanon.

Saturday's gun battle occurred in the town of Halba in Akkar, a remote Sunni region in northernmost Lebanon when fighters loyal to Sunni leader Saad Hariri and the government clashed with members of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party, a secular pro-Syrian group allied with the Shiite Hezbollah.

The pro-government fighters stormed the office of the SSNP and set it ablaze after the gun battle.

The number raises to 37 the death toll since Shiite-Sunni sectarian violence erupted in Beirut on Wednesday and spread to other regions - the worst sectarian bloodshed since the 1978-90 civil war that killed 150,000 people and left Beirut divided along religious lines.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah TV says that Hezbollah-led opposition forces will withdraw all their gunmen from Beirut in compliance with an army request.

An opposition statement says the move comes after the army called on gunmen to get off the street and reopen the roads.

The Lebanese army command had ordered its troops Saturday to establish security, calling on all parties to withdraw their gunmen from the streets while offering the opposition Hezbollah a compromise.

An army statement said that the airport security chief, whose firing precipitated the latest crisis, will be reinstated. The statement also said that Hezbollah's controversial communications network will be put under army supervision instead of being dismantled. The measures are seen as conciliatory to Hezbollah and meet some of their demands.

But the Hezbollah statement said that a "civil disobedience" campaign will continue until its demands are met.

"An Armed And Bloody Coup"

Earlier today, a Shiite Muslim shop owner opened fire on a funeral procession Saturday, killing two people and wounding six others in a Sunni neighborhood, police and witnesses said.

The attack came a day after Shiite Hezbollah gunmen seized most of the capital's Muslim sector.

Prime Minister Fuad Saniora accused Hezbollah of staging an "armed coup" against Lebanese democracy, and called on the army to restore law and order and remove gunmen from the streets.

In a nationally televised address, he called on the army "to impose security on all, in all areas, deter the gunmen and immediately remove them from the street ... to restore normal life."

"Hezbollah must realize that the force of arms will not intimidate us or make us retreat from our position," he said in his first comments since the fighting began.

In Beirut's western Muslim sector, most of the Hezbollah gunmen had pulled out of Sunni-dominated neighborhoods by Saturday morning, leaving just small bands of Shiite allies carrying assault rifles to patrol the streets.

Though most of Beirut was calmer Saturday, the shooting underlined the lawlessness that has engulfed the seaside city since Sunni-Shiite violence first erupted four days ago.

On Friday, Iranian-backed Hezbollah gunmen took over large swaths of western Beirut from Sunnis loyal to Lebanon's U.S.-backed government. Many later pulled back, but tensions remained high between supporters of the Shiite militant Hezbollah and the country's Sunni Muslims.

But Hezbollah's show of military power was certain to both strengthen its own political position in Lebanon and deeply worry a Middle East and Western world that are nervous about Iran's growing influence and its intentions in the region.

An Associated Press photographer who witnessed Saturday's shooting said the attack came as a procession of 200 people marched toward a cemetery to bury a 24-year-old man killed by a sniper's bullet earlier this week. Two people were killed and six wounded in the shooting, police said.

The shooting occurred even though the Lebanese army had positioned armored personnel carriers and jeeps at every intersection. The neighborhood, Tarik Jadideh, was one of the few Sunni areas Shiite militants had not seized Friday because the army had deployed in large numbers.

Police said troops later captured the gunman. Neighborhood residents identified him as a Shiite shop owner, who opened fire after the procession passed his store. After the attack, angry residents stormed the shop and set it on fire.

Though the capital was quiet overnight, violence spread to other areas of Lebanon. Police said Saturday that seven people were killed in the mountain town of Aley east of Beirut on Friday. Another civilian died in the clashes in the southern city of Sidon, police said.

The army, which has stayed on the sidelines of the political crisis that has paralyzed Lebanon for more than a year, deployed heavy armor and troops to seal off neighborhoods after Hezbollah militants pulled back.

Hezbollah seized the Sunni neighborhoods of Beirut after its leader, Hassan Nasrallah, on Thursday accused the U.S.-backed government of "declaring war" on the militant group.

Lebanon's Cabinet had sought to rein in Hezbollah by ordering the removal of an airport security chief over alleged ties to militants and demanding the dismantling of the movement's private phone network.

Along with seizing neighborhoods, militants also have shut Lebanon's airport by barricading the road leading to it. The seaport also was closed.

The Shiite fighters' swift success dramatically empowered the hand of the Hezbollah-led opposition in the bitter political struggle with pro-Western factions over who will guide the country.

The rout of government supporters also was a blow for Washington, which has long considered Hezbollah a terrorist group and condemns its ties to Syria and Iran. The Bush administration has been a strong supporter of Saniora's government and its army the last three years.

[yongamerica]

Prinzowhales views are obvious slanted to the Iranian backed Hezbollah terrorists. For decades Iran has tried to take control of Lebanon through its proxy Hezbollah army, using terrorist tactics as shown by its rising violence in Beirut. The world recognizes Iran''s attempts to control it''s bordering nations governments. The world recognizes Iran as the worlds largest supporter of international terrorism. The world''s patience is wearing thin and Iran is going to get an international whipping. Iran''s quest for one religon and one religon for the world is just a small indication of the insanity of its leaders.

[prinzowhales]

Funny how an organization that only came into existence as a response to the Israeli invasion and occupation of southern Lebanon and the murder of thousands in the bombardment of Beirut and the Israeli supported Phalangist rape, torture and murder of Palestinian women and children in the refugee camps of Sabra and Shatila can be described as "terrorist".

Interesting also is the fact that the friends of the lying Neo-Cons claim on the one hand that ''al Qaeda'' is being supported by Iran...while on Lebanese TV, it is reported that ''al Qaeda'' has declared war on Hezb'' allah.

There was relative peace and quiet in Lebanon until the Israeli catspaw in Beirut tried to damage Hezb''allah. The Lebanese realize who is acting in their interests and who defended Lebanon against the wanton aggression of Israel--and it was not the government in Beirut. The US is trying to weaken the Hezzies with their Saudi money and remaining Phalangist terrorist dogs who still run at the heels of their Israeli masters...despite the cuffs and kicks of the Zionists who don''t even consider them as human beings.

[johngoodnews]

I wonder what the peoples of the world would do if tomorrow they woke up and understood clearly and completely that there was no loving and kind god who proffers salvation in exchange for being a good human, but instead, there is no purpose to life whatsoever, and that the earth and all of its critters are just a a fluke, a contingency in a universe that will snuff itself out in a few gigabillion years. I wonder if some Hezzie tough guy shooting some punk kid in the guts understands that what he is doing is meaningless. Truly meaningless.

[prinzowhales]

earth56--Where did I mention the Lebanese Civil War?
Hezb''allah was founded in 1982 to drive the Israelis out of southern Lebanon.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hezbollah

It is typical of the Zionazis to set up straw dogs and then slay them...good luck with that.

[trishab4]

Hmm, funny how you omit the fact that the Lebanese Civil War started in 1975 and had nothing to do with Israel.

Do you have any more revisionist history to give us ?

Your funny allright ! and a clown to boot !
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Posted by earth56 at 11:53 AM : May 10, 2008

-I guess this started with the creation of Israel. History elements say the pressure created by inserting the Palestinians into the Lebanese population, on the Christian group that had the presidency of the country as per its constitution. This insertion lead to the Muslims outnumbering the Christians since most of the Palestinians refugees in Lebanon were of the Muslim Denomination.

-That''s why Lebanon hasn''t signed a peace agreement, and I guess it won''t as long as the Lebanon Palestinians fate is not settled in Palestine/Israel, which is the breaking point of many negotiations dealt a blow in the past, because of Israel''s refusal to resettle back the Palestinians on their occupied territory.

-Israel''s only fear is the population/religious majority of Jews being inferiored by a massive inflow of Muslim Palestinians. It would hardly be a security matter.

[mcvet]

The world''''s patience is wearing thin and Iran is going to get an international whipping. Iran''''s quest for one religon and one religon for the world is just a small indication of the insanity of its leaders.


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Posted by yongamerica at 10:39 AM : May 10, 2008
+ report abuse

LOL Right and YOUR fuhrer, Bush is going to lead the world in this effort! ROFLMAO IF that isn''t funny I don''t know what is... Bush couldn''t find a friend in the world without paying them off if his confederate flag was about to burn!! ROFLMAO Sieg Heil Bush

[prinzowhales]

...not to mention that part of Lebanon is still occupied by the Israelis...Shabba Farms...and, if memory serves, there are still Lebanese civilians in Israeli custody which they took with them from their torture facilities when they withdrew from the rest of Lebanon...these were people that the Hezzies wanted to trade the IDF terrorists they had captured.

[prinzowhales]

earth56--I didn''t ''start history'' with Hezb''allah... I was posting about Hezb''allah...its origins were in the early 1980s--years after the war began in response to the Israeli occupation.

The invasion of Lebanon was unprovoked. There had been not been a rocket attack in months. The alleged reason for the attack was the alleged attempt on Israel''s London ambassador''s life. The real reason, as HAARETZ, reported was that the Zionists did not want to negotiate peace with the PLO.

Here is a short article with shorts from mainstream articles regarding the wanton and murderous assault on Lebanon by the Zionist terrorist entity.

http://www.doublestandards.org/rose1.html

[yongamerica]

McVet, your Supreme Leader will get his just deserts. An international force will end your leader''s plot for world domination.

By the way if there is any political figure that closest resembles Adolf Hitler it is your Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. He wants to finish what Hitler started with the irradication of Jews and world domination. So keep clicking your sandals and raise your azz prostrate to your but buddy.

[prinzowhales]

I wonder why CBS''s board makes it so difficult to enter and paste other websites. :) ''speakingup'', in one of his lucid moments, recommended "TinyURL.com" to compact web addresses so they could be cut and pasted on one line.

[prinzowhales]

Israel does want peaceful settlement...if the Palestianians are willing to give over peacefully the rest of their lands assigned to them by the UN in 1948 and water rights as well.

Israel has yet to declare its boundaries, making it the only nation in the world not to do so...it still has its evil Zionist heart set on further expansion which can only come from war.

[prinzowhales]

The Palestinians fled Zionist terror, exemplified by the Irgun murder of all the inhabitants of the village of Dair Yasin. The Arab armies entered only lands assigned to the Palestinians. The Zionists leadership ordered their forces to seize as many mountain tops as they could...everything they could take, they would keep.

[trishab4]

Why is Jordan not Palestine since it encompasses the majority of the British Mandate and has a 90% Palestinian majority ?

The PLO was kicked out of Jordan in 1971 after "Black September" and tried to overthrow the monarchy.
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Posted by earth56 at 12:32 PM : May 10, 2008

-Why are you jumping like a monkey from Koweit to Khartoum to Jordan... You asked about Lebanon and I think it was due to Israel''s refusal to admit Lebanon''s Pals refugees back in Palestine/Israel. Stubborn attitude fromt he Zionist decision makers in Washington and Jerusalem, despite the fact Israel may regret this attitude not integrating, dissolving in the Masses of Muslim Arabs entities surrounding it. Confrontations are counter-productive for Israel and Arabs. Look at Egypt who is a great and formidable neighbor with its 80 million population.

-Israel needs to settle with the Palestinians in order to diminish it''s confictual pressure from outside and neighbors. Jews have always been creative and I''m sure they can come up with some formulation of a compromised political structure that''ll protect their cultural identites and as well as the others''. Extremists from all sides should be put to neutrality and work out something nice with ALL of them.

[prinzowhales]

Prinz
http://www.doublestandards.org/

rose1.html

and you don''''t think there are self hating Jews or self hating Catholics in the world ?

Many of those articles and books conveniently omit or distort how conflicts started by starting at a date that is like starting at page 44 instead of 1

earth56
-------------------------------------
I don''t think that the international banking family that controls the WASHINGTON POST and NEWSWEEK are "self-hating Jews"...nor the Sulzberger family that controls the NYT...are self-hating Jews, as you call them, or Neo-Nazis...your last accusation against them...

[trishab4]

Trisha

They are not back into Israel because they simply want to kill the Jews.

If I wanted to kill your entire family tommorrow would you invite me for milk and cookies ?
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Posted by earth56 at 01:04 PM : May 10, 2008

-This is the very idiotly stubborn attitude I was speaking of earlier. I flush you down the sink and I''m polite here cause I could flush you down the toilet. Your reply was lacking intelligence...

-FLUSSSHHHHHHHHHH good bye...

[titletrack]

The Palestinians did not lose title to their lands simply because they fled Zionist terror

Posted by Prinzowhales at 12:57 PM : May 10, 2008


What are you going to do about it? Cry about it on CBS?

[titletrack]

They bulldozed hundreds of Arab villages...cemetaries and mosques...and, after driving the Arabs out, they poisoned the wells--as recorded by an Israeli military historian of the war.

Posted by Prinzowhales

So what are you going to do about it? You talk a lot but do you walk the walk? Maybe you should join the ISM..

[titletrack]

Prinzo is full of it - another self righteous jew hating "progressive" liberal. No wonder he is so unhappy with his life

[titletrack]

and just what is "Progressive" about Progressive liberals anyways ?

Posted by earth56

It defines who you are allowed to hate - Yourself (only if you are white), Jews, anyone with a different point of view. I am pretty sure hating yourself is the key though.

[titletrack]

I just want to know what action Prinzo is taking to right the perceived wrongs he talks about. I am sure complaining on CBS is a big help

[randynason]

Our opening of "Pandora''s Box" has spilled over into virtually every country in the Middle East. George "choke-on-a-pretzel" Bush thought the idea sounded a lot easier than it''s proving to play out, obviously.

[prinzowhales]

If the Americans, Brits and Israelis are so gung ho to be after ''terrorists'', why don''t they hunt up Boris Berezovsky in the UK? He admitted in the French press to financing Chechen terrorists...yet, he is granted UK citizenship by the Crown.

[bgwinnett]

If the Americans, Brits and Israelis are so gung ho to be after ''''terrorists'''', why don''''t they hunt up Boris Berezovsky in the UK? He admitted in the French press to financing Chechen terrorists...yet, he is granted UK citizenship by the Crown.

Posted by Prinzowhales at 01:56 PM : May 10, 2008

Money talks eh?

[prinzowhales]

bgwinnet--Indeed, it does. The Russians were lucky to get V. Putin. If he didn''t do anything else for Russia, he did curb the rapacity of the oligarchs--Berezovsky and his ilk--that the drunken Yeltsin, his Western money-men and their cronies unleashed on Russia. Unfortunately, America doesn''t appear to have a successor to our own ''Yetsin''...and no one is discussing how splendid it would be if the Anglo-American financiers who are driving our nation into the dirt were themselves driven from the land.

[bgwinnett]

Prinzowhales -- The oligarchs are still -- over 100 Billionaire''s in Moscow with the latest count -- there, but only after they agreed to stay out of politics, after Putin made an example of Khodorkovsky.

[prinzowhales]

bgwinnett--Oh, yes...but, they are less attracted to the anti-Russian strategy of milking the land for the sake of foreign interests...I have nothing against the rich per se, but when they, in league with foreign interests, loot and damage the nation, then I have no use for them--just as I have no use for the Rockefeller b*stards and their internationalist ilk...the Obamas, the Clintons and the McCains...in this country who are driving America into the dirt. Someone needs to come down on them and I mean, HARD!

[bgwinnett]

Prinzowhales -- The problem is with such "dekuakizations", is everyone tends to suffer.

[prinzowhales]

These fellows were hardly kulaks...and, personally, I think Putin was, if anything, too easy on them...happily, it is Russia''s problem...The UK and US shouldn''t be serving the interests of their ''investors'' who might have come up short in their attempt to loot Russia.

[wrightsdeman]

Prinzowhales, J. Loserman, Randy the Salvation Army Sgt. and Obama all richly deserve each other.

Too bad that they don''t join their boyfriend Nasrallah in the roach-infested part of West Beirut.

[prinzowhales]

wrightsdeman--And to think, Obama just announced that his support for Israel was "unshakeable"...now you want him to live with roaches in West Beirut.

[husein_pasha]

The army must take the power and to declare a matrial law

[husein_pasha]

until the order is recovered

[prinzowhales]

The Lebanese Army is a joke...it had a fight to the death on its hands with the denizens of a refugee camp a few weeks ago and suffered heavy casualties.... I think Hezb''allah even had to help them out.

[husein_pasha]

The sunnis support the government of Lebanon, so they should help. I don`t know much about Lebanese politics, although we are in the same region, but somebody must protect the country from the Islamist danger.

[prinzowhales]

The Sunnis and the Christians are going to have to convince their fellow congregants to stop serving the interests of foreign powers--the Saudis and the US/Israelis. Hezb''allah has Sunni and Christian contingents...It is content to let sleeping dogs lie...the Beirut government that never served southern Lebanon can fatten on taxes and bribes, its army can hold parades and its air force busy itself elsewhere when the Israelis sortie at will in Lebanese air space...so be it...but when these parasites interfere with the secure communications systems of those who saved Lebanon, they are going to get their nose bloodied. Old Nas'' has been mighty patient with them and his patience and the patience of the Lebanese people is wearing thin with the foreign entanglements of the Beirut Regime.

[husein_pasha]

Logical, in our Islamist party we have Christians, too. But most of the Christian electorate votes for the pro-regime candidates

[prinzowhales]

Husein_Pasha--These guys are generally pretty good in their coverage of Lebanon...along with Robert Fisk.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article19894.htm

This is what old Nas'' had to say:

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article19890.htm

[soshljustic]

jgn-dont you perchance think humaans will find another way to insert power and hierarchy thru the classic animistic dopaminergic and egocentric rush of power and control over other humans to boost sense of self to godly levels, that most obsessive of human natures, which requires the result of human extinction or lack of variability among the human race(s)-again extinction because it is the mirror which the human god is most adoring of-the same to be said for inhumane power/control man who screams into the universe,he is significant,the lowly pissant bacteriopahage of planet earth-simply food, on the food chain,wholeheartedly animal/non cognitive/pitiful.

[husein_pasha]

Especially in South Lebanon (Unfortunatelly!)

[it_oldtimer]

The ongoing escalation of this ancient and never-ending blood-feud between the Sunnis and the Shiites is good news for the rest of the world. I hope it goes on until there''s only one bloody muslim fanatic left standing.

[clestes-2009]

This is not good. Just another sign of the instablilty of the middle east and if shrub is convinced by Cheney that bombing Iran is a good idea, the whole middle east could go up in flames, or a goodly portion of it.

I know there were other US presidents that were as inept and unqualified as shrub, but they did not have the power dumbo has and never had the opportunity to bring ruin on the US as he can.

Just watch, this incident will be included in a long list of reasons why Iran needs to be attacked.

[j-whitman]

IT_Oldtimer,,,, Personally, I think it would be better to start getting things right in the 1st place & actually do something to solve the problem.

Islam is just Christian Evangilism, only with a different prophet & both religions breed dangerous radicals

[prinzowhales]

Hezb''''''''allah deserves the support of all Lebanese patriots and should be supported against the efforts of the Beirut regime to sabotage its most excellent efforts on behalf of freedom and against Israeli aggression and foriegn occupation.

Posted by Prinzowhales at 01:50 PM : May 10, 2008
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So why don''''t you just join them and be a patriot instead of cowering in your mommys safe basement ?
Posted by earth56 at 07:06 PM : May 10, 2008
------------------------------------
Perhaps because I''m not Lebanese which rather precludes be from being a Lebanese patriot...not to mention the fact that I have never lived in a home with a basement.

Do you little war piggies and Moslem haters have some kind of central committee that writes your stale observations and attempts at humor after making sure that they are completely devoid of any factual content or relevance?

If I were Lebanese, you can be sure I would proudly stand, as a Christian, with Hezb''allah...

[j-whitman]

earth56,,,, Plenty of religious idiots here who do cause problems, anthrax mailings, most school shooters come from Christian families, abortion clinic bombers & other terrorists, even gangs & supremists wrap themself in the cross & flag.

[prinzowhales]

j-whitman--The anthrax mailings came from someone closely connected to and with access to weaponized anthrax...this was not something some simp'' could cook up...Note that the very first victim was the editor, Robert Stevens of the tabloid, the SUN...he''d published material on the drunken doings of the Bush offspring.

The Federal Bureau of Incompetence concentrated its efforts on some poor schmuck, Dr. Hatfield...while leaving the Zionazi Dr. Zach alone...He, of course, had only harrassed an Egyptian colleague and been allowed into the facility on occassions by his female former colleague at the facility after he was removed.

The Regime members had been getting a propylactic dose of antibx prior to the attacks--Cipro--...now was not that fortuitous!?

[bluestardad]

SO LETS GET THIS STRAIGHT???

WE ARE FIGHTING THE SUNNIS IN IRAQ? OR WHO EVER THREATENS OUR OIL...

WE ARE FUNDING THE SUNNIS IN LEBANON TO DESTABLIZE THAT COUNTRY???

BUSH IS SENDING AID TO ISRAEL IN THE BILLIONS...

BUSH IS SENDING AID TO THE PALESTINIANS IN THE MILLIONS THRU ISRAELI BANKS???

16 OF THE 19 HIJACKERS WERE FROM SAUDI...

CHENEY AND HALIBURTON ARE TIGHT WITH THE SAUDIS...

RUMFELD BROKERED CHEMICAL WEAPONS TO SADDAM IN THE 80S...TO FIGHT IRAN

WE ATTACHED IRAQ TO GET RID OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS...

RICHARD PEARL A DUEL PASSPORT HOLDING ISRAELI AMERICAN NEOCON IS BROKERING AN OIL DEAL WITH THE KURDS...

TURKEY IS FIGHTING THE KURDS...

BILLIONS OF AMERICAN TAX DOLLARS ARE GOING TO THE MIDDLE EAST!

4000 PLUS AMERICANS HAVE GIVEN THEIR LIVES FIGHTING A CHANGING ENEMY WHO ONE DAY CHANGES FROM ONE SIDE TO THE NEXT...AND WHOS POLITICIANS ARE ON THE TAKE AS BAD AS AMERICAN POLITICIANS ARE?

MISS NO ACTIONABLE INTELLIGENCE CONDI RICE IS RUNNING THE STATE DEPARTMENT!

WHO IS RUNNING THIS MIDDLE EAST TRAIN?

START WAR CRIMES NOW!

AMERICA STAND UP OR SHUT UP!

[titletrack]

START WAR CRIMES NOW!

AMERICA STAND UP OR SHUT UP!

Posted by bluestardad

What are you doing about it Blue? Besides complaining on CBS that is..

[prinzowhales]

bluestandard--Seven of the ALLEGED hijackers came from Saudi...but the big hole in the case against these men being ''suicide hijackers'' is that seven of them are still alive.

Its little wonder that the FBI does not want Osama bin Laden for 9-11--there spokesman said that they have no case against him...to bring a case, would bring the fake confession video back into the public eye.

And, antoher interesting article on Beirut from Robert Fisk...

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article19897.htm

[titletrack]

f I were Lebanese, you can be sure I would proudly stand, as a Christian, with Hezb''''allah...

Posted by Prinzowhales

OK, So you are a religious nut case - that is cool. Besides talking a lot, what else do you do?

[prinzowhales]

titletrack--Nothing "nutty" about standing up for your country and people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, s.ex, etc..