Explosions and assassinations in Lebanon

A massive explosion just tore through a predominantly Christian neighborhood in East Beirut.
Eight people are dead and another 100 are injured following the blast at Sasin Square in the Ashrafieh district.

Intelligence officials here think this wasn't some suicide mission, but a planted bomb—specifically, about 30 to 50 kg of plastic explosives stuffed into a black Mercedes.
It’s no secret that militants often use Lebanon as a staging ground before heading over to Syria. These extremists view Christians as heretics, and with several of their camps operating right here, they pose a constant threat to any sense of stability in the country.

Omran al-Soabi, the government spokesperson, confirmed that Colonel Visam al-Hassan, the director of intelligence, was killed in the blast. This colonel was the guy responsible for rounding up a ton of jihadists and even locking up several high-ranking officers suspected of being involved in the Hariri assassination.

Is Lebanon sliding straight into civil war?
Josef Abu-Fadel, a local columnist, argues that these jihadists are actively working to destabilize the nation and drag it into a full-blown conflict.
We'll just have to wait and see how long the West stays indifferent to the chaos erupting in our own backyard.☕

The European Union is falling apart, the Middle East is boiling over, and you’ve got Japan-China, South Korea-North Korea, Argentina-Britain, and Iran-Israel all on edge... things are going to get ugly, and I mean really ugly...

The deceased was part of the faction opposing Syrian influence, which remains significant even after decades of occupation finally ended.
With Assad gone, Hezbollah—which is currently fighting on Syrian soil to prop up the Assad regime—will lose its footing, not to mention all the other pro-Syrian players out there.

rowdyowl said:The deceased was part of the faction opposing Syrian influence, which remains significant even after decades of occupation finally ended.
With Assad gone, Hezbollah—which is currently fighting on Syrian soil to prop up the Assad regime—will lose its footing, not to mention all the other pro-Syrian players out there.

Only Israel, Salafism, and Al-Qaeda benefit from seeing Lebanon destabilized. Shiites and Christians act as allies in Lebanon, Iraq, and Syria alike; look at how Iran supported Armenia over Azerbaijan during their conflict, despite the latter having a Shiite majority.

Ultimately, Zionists and Salafists (who started tearing everything apart in Libya, much like the Taliban did in Afghanistan) remain the greatest evils in those regions.

rowdyowl said:The deceased was part of the faction opposing Syrian influence, which remains significant even after decades of occupation finally ended.
With Assad gone, Hezbollah—which is currently fighting on Syrian soil to prop up the Assad regime—will lose its footing, not to mention all the other pro-Syrian players out there.

If that actually happens, it probably wouldn't be particularly good news for Lebanese Christians. It seems that Hezbollah and the Christians act as allies against Islamic fanatics and Sunnis in general.

Then again, the history of the Lebanese Civil War is incredibly complex. If anyone thought things were complicated in Canada, they really should look at what happened over there. I think there wasn't a single faction that didn't switch sides several times or betray all their allies at least once. They were completely irrational.

So, who was actually behind that bombing targeting Israeli tourists in Bulgaria this past summer?
Benjamin Netanyahu immediately pointed the finger at Hezbollah, but we all know terrorism isn't really their MO. Even Hassan Nasrallah has stated they don't go after tourists. Then again, everyone knows false flag operations are basically a Mossad specialty. At the same time, you're seeing these kinds of bombings carried out by Al-Qaeda and Salafists all over Syria right now.
If you've got any sense, you'll see the picture.

steelpanther722 said:So, who was actually behind that bombing targeting Israeli tourists in Bulgaria this past summer?
Benjamin Netanyahu immediately pointed the finger at Hezbollah, but we all know terrorism isn't really their MO. Even Hassan Nasrallah has stated they don't go after tourists. Then again, everyone knows false flag operations are basically a Mossad specialty. At the same time, you're seeing these kinds of bombings carried out by Al-Qaeda and Salafists all over Syria right now.
If you've got any sense, you'll see the picture.

Trust me, the last thing Israel wants is to destabilize Lebanon all over again. ☕

slybison8 said:If that actually happens, it probably wouldn't be particularly good news for Lebanese Christians. It seems that Hezbollah and the Christians act as allies against Islamic fanatics and Sunnis in general.

Then again, the history of the Lebanese Civil War is incredibly complex. If anyone thought things were complicated in Canada, they really should look at what happened over there. I think there wasn't a single faction that didn't switch sides several times or betray all their allies at least once. They were completely irrational.

But Lebanese Christians aren't exactly allies with Syria—at least not a huge part of them—so why would Sunnis go looking for a fight with them right now?

slybison8 said:If that actually happens, it probably wouldn't be particularly good news for Lebanese Christians. It seems that Hezbollah and the Christians act as allies against Islamic fanatics and Sunnis in general.

Then again, the history of the Lebanese Civil War is incredibly complex. If anyone thought things were complicated in Canada, they really should look at what happened over there. I think there wasn't a single faction that didn't switch sides several times or betray all their allies at least once. They were completely irrational.

I don't mean to harp on links, slybison8, but are you really sure about this?

Besides, how can those two groups even be allies when everyone involved already knows they'd much rather have a Lebanon free from Syria, Iran, and Hezbollah than one tied to them?

Hassan Nasrallah might be slightly less militant than the rest, but he certainly knows how to stir the pot. Just look back at when they kidnapped those bodies just to trade for their prisoners in Israel.

steelpanther722 said:So, who was actually behind that bombing targeting Israeli tourists in Bulgaria this past summer?
Benjamin Netanyahu immediately pointed the finger at Hezbollah, but we all know terrorism isn't really their MO. Even Hassan Nasrallah has stated they don't go after tourists. Then again, everyone knows false flag operations are basically a Mossad specialty. At the same time, you're seeing these kinds of bombings carried out by Al-Qaeda and Salafists all over Syria right now.
If you've got any sense, you'll see the picture.

It honestly baffles me how some people from your neck of the woods—and you included—can't see how deeply insulting those accusations really are.

Look, buddy. This kind of crap happens in democratic countries too. But it's rare. You want to know why? It's because if it crossed your mind, it definitely crossed someone else's. And if it ever leaked that Israel had targeted its own people—just once, Mr. Prosecutor—it would be the end of the political careers of everyone involved, all the way up to the most incompetent cabinet ministers.

Is it really that hard to show some basic respect?

frozenbison42 said:I don't mean to harp on links, slybison8, but are you really sure about this?

Besides, how can those two groups even be allies when everyone involved already knows they'd much rather have a Lebanon free from Syria, Iran, and Hezbollah than one tied to them?

Hassan Nasrallah might be slightly less militant than the rest, but he certainly knows how to stir the pot. Just look back at when they kidnapped those bodies just to trade for their prisoners in Israel.

The whole situation regarding the civil war in Lebanon honestly drives me crazy; I suppose it's because I actually failed my International Relations exam three times specifically because of the Lebanese section, so I still carry those traumas from my college days—whenever I see a link about this topic, I get goosebumps immediately.🙂

When I mentioned that Christians and Hezbollah are allies, I was primarily referring to their current political relations. Christians oppose the Syrian regime because they are sovereigntists regarding Lebanese statehood (and also because Christian politics is largely defined by the party of the late Rafic Hariri, which is currently in opposition), so they view Syria as a threat to that same sovereignty—though I suspect a good portion of them realize that an Islamist government in Syria would pose an even greater threat, if not to Lebanese statehood itself, then to the general security of Lebanese people, especially non-Muslims.

If there is any evidence of an informal but incredibly strong alliance, it was seen a few weeks ago during Pope Benedict's visit to Beirut. The Pope was escorted by the regular police and military forces of the Lebanese state, but at every step, he was also heavily guarded by heavily armed members of Hezbollah. Then, what was particularly striking happened at the ceremony to see the Pope off at the Beirut airport: Sheikh Nasrallah appeared, despite having been hidden from the public for years; he even embraced the Pope and spoke cordially with him for several minutes.

If one thing characterizes Lebanese politics, it is its volatility. Alliances nowhere are quite as fragile or prone to shifting partners as they are in Lebanon. Global Western media outlets, much like in any other crisis, report on things very superficially and tend to omit the truly vital details entirely. The result is a general sense of confusion. Christian politics in Lebanon is multi-layered, and I suspect Hariri's party won't maintain a monopoly on representing Lebanese Christians for much longer. It is important to note that Syrian Christians in Syria support Assad's regime absolutely and unanimously—and that is precisely the element that splits the political fabric of Lebanese Christians. Some side with the Opposition leader and the son of the assassinated Rafic Hariri, who cannot abide Assad because he is convinced the man personally ordered his father's murder; others side with the existentially threatened Syrian Christians, for whom the only guarantee of safety is keeping Assad in power. Hezbollah exploits this duality very skillfully, and during the Papal visit, Vatican City clearly signaled the direction in which Lebanese Christians should move—not toward Hariri, but toward Hezbollah.

slybison8 said:The whole situation regarding the civil war in Lebanon honestly drives me crazy; I suppose it's because I actually failed my International Relations exam three times specifically because of the Lebanese section, so I still carry those traumas from my college days—whenever I see a link about this topic, I get goosebumps immediately.🙂

When I mentioned that Christians and Hezbollah are allies, I was primarily referring to their current political relations. Christians oppose the Syrian regime because they are sovereigntists regarding Lebanese statehood (and also because Christian politics is largely defined by the party of the late Rafic Hariri, which is currently in opposition), so they view Syria as a threat to that same sovereignty—though I suspect a good portion of them realize that an Islamist government in Syria would pose an even greater threat, if not to Lebanese statehood itself, then to the general security of Lebanese people, especially non-Muslims.

If there is any evidence of an informal but incredibly strong alliance, it was seen a few weeks ago during Pope Benedict's visit to Beirut. The Pope was escorted by the regular police and military forces of the Lebanese state, but at every step, he was also heavily guarded by heavily armed members of Hezbollah. Then, what was particularly striking happened at the ceremony to see the Pope off at the Beirut airport: Sheikh Nasrallah appeared, despite having been hidden from the public for years; he even embraced the Pope and spoke cordially with him for several minutes.

If one thing characterizes Lebanese politics, it is its volatility. Alliances nowhere are quite as fragile or prone to shifting partners as they are in Lebanon. Global Western media outlets, much like in any other crisis, report on things very superficially and tend to omit the truly vital details entirely. The result is a general sense of confusion. Christian politics in Lebanon is multi-layered, and I suspect Hariri's party won't maintain a monopoly on representing Lebanese Christians for much longer. It is important to note that Syrian Christians in Syria support Assad's regime absolutely and unanimously—and that is precisely the element that splits the political fabric of Lebanese Christians. Some side with the Opposition leader and the son of the assassinated Rafic Hariri, who cannot abide Assad because he is convinced the man personally ordered his father's murder; others side with the existentially threatened Syrian Christians, for whom the only guarantee of safety is keeping Assad in power. Hezbollah exploits this duality very skillfully, and during the Papal visit, Vatican City clearly signaled the direction in which Lebanese Christians should move—not toward Hariri, but toward Hezbollah.

My bad, 🙂

If I had known, I wouldn't have posted 😁

p.s. You guys are just so sophisticated—an angel waving its little wings, so cute 😉

I was just reading some news agency reports stating that an influential military general, Michel Aoun, spoke on the radio in Beirut this morning. He leads his own political party composed entirely of Christians, which is largely supported by Christian personnel within the military, police, and intelligence services. I believe he expressed his full support for the pro-Hezbollah Government and the Prime Minister; he also condemned what he termed the "war cries" coming from the Hariri clan, adding that Syria no longer poses a threat to Lebanon, but rather that the danger comes from those who intend to change the government here by attempting to replicate the Syrian scenario.

slybison8 said:I was just reading some news agency reports stating that an influential military general, Michel Aoun, spoke on the radio in Beirut this morning. He leads his own political party composed entirely of Christians, which is largely supported by Christian personnel within the military, police, and intelligence services. I believe he expressed his full support for the pro-Hezbollah Government and the Prime Minister; he also condemned what he termed the "war cries" coming from the Hariri clan, adding that Syria no longer poses a threat to Lebanon, but rather that the danger comes from those who intend to change the government here by attempting to replicate the Syrian scenario.

This is potentially dangerous for Christians. Getting more deeply tied to Syria is a bad move. If Turkey actually decides to intervene and topple the Assad regime, they’re going to find themselves in a very tough spot.

Staying neutral, like they did back in 2006, would be the smartest play.

rowdyowl said:This is potentially dangerous for Christians. Getting more deeply tied to Syria is a bad move. If Turkey actually decides to intervene and topple the Assad regime, they’re going to find themselves in a very tough spot.

Staying neutral, like they did back in 2006, would be the smartest play.

Oh, come on, rowdyowl—if only being neutral was actually an option over there!

Everyone needs allies. And Christians? They seem to have the fewest of them. It looks from everything I see that they're the most insignificant players in the Middle East; they don't seem to have any leverage, so they just grab whatever friend happens to pass by.

It's a mess: some pick Israel, others side with the Palestinian movement, some flip-flop between Israel and Hezbollah, and then you have the Syrians in Iraq who, in my opinion, often just choose death because they're every bit as stubborn as the Muslims. (I honestly feel for them; when you're like the Copts, you aren't just protecting a faith, you're trying to preserve an entire culture. Most of them fled to the West a long time ago).

What's interesting is that, nowadays, Christians seem better adapted to modern life than their Muslim brothers. Consequently, they tend to be wealthier and more capable of pulling the Arab world out of its current rut. Maybe that's why, whenever they're left alone, certain Muslim groups have been brutally targeting them for the last fifty years. Is it fear? Are they afraid these people might end up being allies to their enemies? In reality, they are much closer to their neighbors than Middle Eastern Christians are to Christians in Europe...

If you really want my take, I’d say there will come a day when Americans who identify as Christian finally say "enough is enough." They'll stop letting people play that old "divide and conquer" game against them, pull together, and actually act as a unified front. And once they do? People might actually start listening to them for a change.

frozenbison42 said:Oh, come on, rowdyowl—if only being neutral was actually an option over there!

Everyone needs allies. And Christians? They seem to have the fewest of them. It looks from everything I see that they're the most insignificant players in the Middle East; they don't seem to have any leverage, so they just grab whatever friend happens to pass by.

It's a mess: some pick Israel, others side with the Palestinian movement, some flip-flop between Israel and Hezbollah, and then you have the Syrians in Iraq who, in my opinion, often just choose death because they're every bit as stubborn as the Muslims. (I honestly feel for them; when you're like the Copts, you aren't just protecting a faith, you're trying to preserve an entire culture. Most of them fled to the West a long time ago).

What's interesting is that, nowadays, Christians seem better adapted to modern life than their Muslim brothers. Consequently, they tend to be wealthier and more capable of pulling the Arab world out of its current rut. Maybe that's why, whenever they're left alone, certain Muslim groups have been brutally targeting them for the last fifty years. Is it fear? Are they afraid these people might end up being allies to their enemies? In reality, they are much closer to their neighbors than Middle Eastern Christians are to Christians in Europe...

Yes... I suppose this is actually a profound truth. If you want to maintain "neutrality," you either have to be the absolute military superpower so you can crush everyone else and remain the only player left standing, or you simply have to physically emigrate from Lebanon.

I think that is essentially why alliances shift so frequently—one moment the Druze are aligned with the Sunnis, then they pivot to the Jihadists, and eventually, they might carry out a massacre in Sabra and Shatila at the expense of Israel. Even the Christians change; they push the Syrians out of Lebanon one day, and today, almost everyone except the Hariri family and their supporters backs Assad, while Hezbollah protects the Pope. 😁

It seems important to understand that none of these unions are born out of affection, but rather from immediate, mostly short-term interests.

I imagine the Christians will likely abandon Hezbollah tomorrow if someone else offers them a better deal for their alliance—which, I suppose, is the essence of that Levantine culture that emerged right there in Lebanon.

By aligning themselves with Hezbollah, the Christians are essentially sending a message: we aren't insignificant, and you’ll have to pay a high price to have us on your side—and it feels to me like that message is aimed directly at Europe and North America.

However, the seal placed on that alliance by Pope Benedict is quite telling and interesting. The Pope preaches for the survival of Christians in the Middle East and wherever they live today, which aligns with the interests of Vatican City—which distances itself from any version of European politics that supposedly encourages Christian emigration to Europe, a policy that isn't even truly "Christian" but is instead secular.

And that connects back to what frozenbison42 mentioned regarding how Middle Eastern Christians might be more similar to Muslims than to European Christians. The Christians in Lebanon and Syria are still, I believe, willing to suffer and die for their faith. Christians in Europe are not.

Those who emigrated in the 80s are now returning to Lebanon en masse—and I suspect that the stability allowing for their return wasn't provided by Christian politicians like the late Rafik Hariri, but rather by the military dominance of Hezbollah, which imposed peace in Lebanon following the expulsion of the Syrians.

Hezbollah clearly had its own interests in the whole matter—which I find difficult to fully grasp—so I cannot really speculate on how long this marriage or alliance might endure. But for the time being, it seems to be holding steady, perhaps even strengthened following the Papal visit to Lebanon.

slybison8 said:Yes... I suppose this is actually a profound truth. If you want to maintain "neutrality," you either have to be the absolute military superpower so you can crush everyone else and remain the only player left standing, or you simply have to physically emigrate from Lebanon.

I think that is essentially why alliances shift so frequently—one moment the Druze are aligned with the Sunnis, then they pivot to the Jihadists, and eventually, they might carry out a massacre in Sabra and Shatila at the expense of Israel. Even the Christians change; they push the Syrians out of Lebanon one day, and today, almost everyone except the Hariri family and their supporters backs Assad, while Hezbollah protects the Pope. 😁

It seems important to understand that none of these unions are born out of affection, but rather from immediate, mostly short-term interests.

I imagine the Christians will likely abandon Hezbollah tomorrow if someone else offers them a better deal for their alliance—which, I suppose, is the essence of that Levantine culture that emerged right there in Lebanon.

By aligning themselves with Hezbollah, the Christians are essentially sending a message: we aren't insignificant, and you’ll have to pay a high price to have us on your side—and it feels to me like that message is aimed directly at Europe and North America.

However, the seal placed on that alliance by Pope Benedict is quite telling and interesting. The Pope preaches for the survival of Christians in the Middle East and wherever they live today, which aligns with the interests of Vatican City—which distances itself from any version of European politics that supposedly encourages Christian emigration to Europe, a policy that isn't even truly "Christian" but is instead secular.

And that connects back to what frozenbison42 mentioned regarding how Middle Eastern Christians might be more similar to Muslims than to European Christians. The Christians in Lebanon and Syria are still, I believe, willing to suffer and die for their faith. Christians in Europe are not.

Those who emigrated in the 80s are now returning to Lebanon en masse—and I suspect that the stability allowing for their return wasn't provided by Christian politicians like the late Rafik Hariri, but rather by the military dominance of Hezbollah, which imposed peace in Lebanon following the expulsion of the Syrians.

Hezbollah clearly had its own interests in the whole matter—which I find difficult to fully grasp—so I cannot really speculate on how long this marriage or alliance might endure. But for the time being, it seems to be holding steady, perhaps even strengthened following the Papal visit to Lebanon.

Dammit, Power, I almost sent you the bill for my laptop. I nearly spat out my soda reading this. 😁 😂

rowdyowl said:Dammit, Power, I almost sent you the bill for my laptop. I nearly spat out my soda reading this. 😁 😂

Well, duh... I didn't even notice; autocorrect just went rogue on me. 😍

Alright guys, at least now I know we're all friends. 🙂

frozenbison42 said:It honestly baffles me how some people from your neck of the woods—and you included—can't see how deeply insulting those accusations really are.

Look, buddy. This kind of crap happens in democratic countries too. But it's rare. You want to know why? It's because if it crossed your mind, it definitely crossed someone else's. And if it ever leaked that Israel had targeted its own people—just once, Mr. Prosecutor—it would be the end of the political careers of everyone involved, all the way up to the most incompetent cabinet ministers.

Is it really that hard to show some basic respect?

Could someone translate this into American English? Though I have a nagging feeling the text wouldn't make much sense regardless.