According to Nassrallah Tuesday shall be THE DAY! The start of the second phase, in which the opposition will continue its campaign to topple the government. He called for a general strike and several opposition leaders’ explicitly spoke of roads closing and civil disobedience, while Frangieh in another verbal attack, similar to when he insulted the Christian Patriarch, threatened anyone even thinking of going to work!
However, 14 March are standing firm, they ordered the army to keep roads open and asked its supporters to consider Tuesday as a normal working day.
In other words, it will be a showdown in the streets, between those who want to work, study and live normally against those who want to close roads and business by force and paralyze the country. In a futile effort to up the pressure on the government and pushed to offer its resignation.
The consequences of these escalations are, of course, trivial to the opposition. They will even blame 14 March for them. In the end everything pale in front of their “divine” goals and plans.
Finally, I will try to keep you abreast of tomorrow’s main events!
12 comments :
This is turning very ugly! I think what is happening on the streets is enough we do not need to bring it in here. I am sure that we can keep this conversation decent and proper even in these hard times.
So
Blame it on me, my bad! And I apologizes to all!
Reboot and restart!
Now can we now plz refrain from any personal allusion or insinuation whatsoever! Just stick to the ideas and rational behind them.
Calling for a general strike tomorrow,closing roads,threatening people who choose to do otherwise and god knows what else is a clear sign of frustration and desperation.Taking the country in this direction,especially at this critical time is ill advised.Is this responsible??
Yes, our legitimate government lead by Mr.Senioura is standing firm and will not bow to bullying or intimidation.
kamal
HA and its supporters are failing to acknowledge that the government has its supporters too. So, when you go against it you are going against masses of people who will not sit idle while the roads and businesses are being closed and threatened. There will be time when enough is enough, and HA will be to blame. They fooled us once,shame on them ,fooled us twice shame on us. NO MORE.
faisal
Unfortunately in Lebanon, we confuse politics and polemics.
Nowhere else in the world would you find a people so bent to bring back their masters. Whethre they want to or not is irrelevant; this would be the net effect of their actions.
Lebanon has an ugly confessional system and we should get rid of it as soon as possible.
Until then, governments should respect the pact of honor in place since 1943 and include major sects and political powers or else we are risking civil war, specially when elections were made with an unfair electoral law cooked in Damascus and enforced in a rush by Feltman. This government is legal but it is illegitimate by all means.
Why people are supportive of this government is beyond me. It is the most corrupt ever, and failed miserably on all levels: politicaly, strategically, militarily, economically...
When a CEO heads a company and a few months later has protests, demonstrations, sit ins, strikes, the responsible is...the CEO, not the employees.
He is responsible for the situation, not the people. Napoleon once said "Il n'y a pas de mauvaise armee il n'y a que de mauvais generaux".
To help shore some support this government and its allied media portrayed asking siniora to share power as an attack on sunnis. Walla? Is part of my family against itself???
This is unacceptable sectarian blackmail. I have 4 different sects in my family non is shiite and not a single one in my family supports this government.
The same leaders who are giving us lessons today are the ones constantly changing allegiances, cooperating with Syria yesterday, the US today, just to stay in power.
The situation is critical very critical and that's why we need to be united more than ever to face an incredible explosive mix of internal and external threats.
What is so unacceptable with sharing power? In Irak and Palestine (were there is no Hezbollah) we have the same scenario been played out.
Why? because the US and former colonial powers are playing the same old game of divide and conquer. They are trying to continue what they started in 1918 which is dividing the region into separate and warrying ethnic and religious entities: christians against muslims, kurds against arabs and now, as we needed this, sunni against shii. When there is only mostly one sect (Palestine) they try to find a way to divide people still into warrying factions by using the ugliest economical means of pressure.
The spectacle of Feltman and foreign diplomats from former colonial powers going daily to plot our future in the sarail should be sending alarm bells to every Lebanese regardless of what sect he or she comes from.
I don't agree with blocking streets but for me more than a right it is a duty for every Lebanese to go on strike and tell this government that the country is going in the wrong direction.
I respect the right of some Lebanese to not agree with my assessment but they are also required to respect the Lebanese (and I claim it is the majority) that think like me.
Lebanese might disagree on the means but people in the opposition like Lebanon more than anything else...just like you.
Sam,
By the mere fact that you state that "people in the opposition like Lebanon more than anything else", you negate any claim of objectivity and succumb to "polemiking"... One needs to be on neither "side" in this farce, to fear that such statements put us on on a dangerous slippery slope that leads to revolutionary tribunals and the Gulag.
Jeha,
Mazbout, I accept your latest remark. Let me say it differently:
I love Lebanon more than anything else...just like you!
Bravo, Rabie Halad!
May I add:
I don't want to stay outside Lebanon, I've stayed outside Lebanon for too long. I want to go back to Lebanon to work and live normally.
To All:
I wonder if "blogging" had existed back in 1975 on the eve of the last Lebanese Civil War, if the conversations would be much different from the ones playing out on this thread?
To side step each of the smaller arguments, I'd say focus on the largest ones.
Like in previous history, foreign powers are planning to play out their proxy wars on Lebanese territory.
Syria always has an essential need in cultivating diress in Lebanon to help shift its own population from its anger at its own oppressive government. For example, this Syrian dissident blog:
http://amarji.blogspot.com/
But, weighing in more heavily, is Iran who, according to a confidential internal Iranian government memo leaked to the press (probably by the anit-mullah group: NCRI)
"Le Monde said the Iranian government report showed that sanctions could cost the oil-rich state between $1.5-$2 billion in lost revenues a year."
And more importantly:
""Iran would be forced to change its national priorities, and to use most of its resources to prevent any major social unrest, which could lead to a deterioration in the living conditions of a major part of the population," it said, according to Le Monde."
http://www.iranpressnews.com/english/source/019932.html
Not to mention further sanctions being discussed that would cut off gasoline shipments to Iran, which is 40% dependent on foreign refineries.
This is certainly ironic, especially with falling oil prices putting Iran in no position to counter with a cut in oil output since it would only hasten the regime's financial collapse.
Point being, Iran has a great deal to gain in Lebanese unrest because it would obviously shift focus, from problems at home by both the UN and its own people.
That's not saying the US & Israel don't have an angle in Lebanon.
The US (& Israel) have a strong desire to see Lebanon under March 14th succeed to have something to point to in the Middle East that hasn't become a seemingly violent abyss like in Iraq (and to a lesser degree Afghanistan).
To avoid continually playing the proxy fighter, Lebanon in the current situation truly needs to find a peaceful resolution.
This constant one-ups-manship between the opposition taking to the streets and March 14th ignoring it only seems to harden positions and raise the temperature on boiling anger on both sides until a violent explosion becomes impossible to avoid.
Now citing Sam's reason for striking:
>"When a CEO heads a company and a few months later has protests, demonstrations, sit ins, strikes, the responsible is...the CEO, not the employees."
An important example to keep in mind is the UPS (United Parcel Service) strike of the summer of 2000 in which the union leaders of UPS wanted to hold out for more benefits for its employees than the upcoming benefit increase package was making available.
The strike went on for the entire summer and, aside from UPS employees ending up with less than they would've gotten if they had gone ahead with accepting the initial benefits package, the strike allowed the nearest competitor, FedEX, to seize considerable market share as the only other shipping alternative during the strike.
Point here is, just because you can strike, doesn't mean it will benefit you.
The opposition's strike doesn't have any forseeable advantage, other than currently wreaking havoc to the Iranian and Syrian governments' favor.
If you're going strike and make it successful, IT NEEDS TO BE FOR SOMETHING.
Throwing out the current government doesn't magically fix all the problems imbedded in the system after years of colonial rule, followed by Syrian occupation and wars, and finally a brief stint by an independent government.
Throwing out March 14th due to corruption doesn't fix anything given HA's corruption, namely its siphoning of electricity and other services for free to its constituency along with its receiving of illicit funds gained from various tobacco smuggling and illegal loan schemes inside the US, based out of Charlotte, NC.
http://www.meib.org/articles/0308_l1.htm
[Source for HA sectarian corruption through utilities]
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,244002,00.html
[Source for HA illicit crimes in US]
What's required are significant policy changes.
For starters, you need to:
PRIVATIZE YOUR UTILITIES
-Well run and efficient utilities provide energy and services necessary to keep small, medium, and large businesses growing. Thus creating jobs.
-To avoid to large a foreign hand in things, make it limited to domestic Lebanese ownership only, but do allow for foreign contractors and consultants to help you keep it as modern and up to date as possible.
TAX CUTS
-Raising taxes in the middle of a poor economy has historically been shown to not work out, often exasperating the problem.
-Impose tax cuts across the board, a few hundred per taxpayer.
It sounds crazy, but the tax cuts helped get the economy going again after the recession that followed the September 11th attacks in the US.
Just make sure that your version of the Federal Reserve doesn't keep the interests rates artificially low for too long or you'll end up with a housing boom followed by a quick bust.
CREATE SMALL BUSINESS TAX INCENTIVES
-Despite government often being credited or blamed for job creation, they really have little to do with it.
The most a government can ever do is foster an environment that business can prosper in.
It's up to the businesses to make it work, and that's a whole struggle in itself. Making it easier for someone with some extra cash to take the plunge and try their luck at a small business instantly creates a demand for business cards, advertising, and employment.
Even if the original small businessman doesn't succeed, he's contributed to the Lebanese economy through his purchases of startup materials from other Lebanese businesses.
And if he does, all the better. Something like the creation of an S-CORP option for new businesses is good place to start(if you don't already have the option in place).
Another good idea, would be a reduction or waiving of certain taxes and fees for the initial six months of the new businesses. The money that isn't going into the government's coffers gets pumped directly back into the local economy creating more jobs.
BUSINESS COURSES IN PUBLIC EDUCATION
-Hating the rich is often a reflex of not understanding how they got their in the first place.
There may be a lot of wealthy people who were born into money or had family connections, but showing each generation in their formative years how to make it in business and how difficult that task truly is, will dissolve a great deal of class envy that fuel anger between groups.
REPAIRING INFRASTRUCTURE
-Start up some of the job corp projects similar to the ones inacted in the "New Deal" during the American Great Depression during the 1930's.
The government paid people to build new roads and upgrade older fixtures, buildings, and bridges. Lebanon could benefit from the same kind of project. It was a temporary initiative that provided a lot of financial relief to those in need at the time.
-TOURISM
The phrases "I LOVE LIFE" & "I LOVE LIFE IN COLORS" can also be put to use as tourism slogans.
If both sides can agree to a cessation in hostilities, you might want to focus on pushing for a major ad campaign in Europe and the Middle East rewelcoming tourists back to the country of Lebanon, known for its unique position as the gateway between "The East and West".
-WHERE WILL YOU GET THE MONEY FOR ALL OF THIS?
France's Chirac is desperate for something positive to add to his legacy on his way out of the French government in May and he has a particular focus on helping Lebanon.
So much so, that the architect of the late December UN sanctions resolution against Iran, gained the ire of the West and his own government when Chirac made an attempt to convince Iran to ease up on Lebanon and allow March 14th to enjoy some stability while they make the effort to stabilize the country:
http://www.iranpressnews.com/english/source/019709.html
If you can put forth a clear vision on what you wish to achieve in Lebanon, and allow Chirac to take credit in his own country for providing French aid to Lebanon, you've got a great shot at securing a temporary loan source for these projects.
ECONOMIC TESTS FOR POLITICAL OFFICIALS
-Before they are eligible to run for office, require them to take a pass/fail basic economics test and an advanced economics test that lays out their vision for the Lebanese economy along with how they would react in certain situations like recessions.
STANDARD ELECTIONS
-"One person one vote" despite ethnic or religious quotas.
This is the only way to ensure the best man for the job and a curb on sectarian patrianism.
It would be a catastrophe to try and inact them now, but three to five years from now, when Lebanon is back on stable ground economically and politically. In fact, make it dependent on Lebanon being in stable condition. Think of it as a reward for keeping to the path of peace and responsibility.
These are just a few ideas on how to change things and get them going in the right direction, and there are also more like the:
4 Day - 40 Hour Work Week: Increase business efficiency while allowing workers more time off which leads to less stress and lower medical costs while being consumer purchasing(done mostly on the weekends).
"Local" Government: Using technology, make all the politicians who normally meet in the Lebanese Capital telecommute through video conferencing from offices inside the districts they represent.
This way, they have to look their constituents in the eyes every day which will make them less likely to consider corrupt practices.
Plus, lobbyists will now have to spend their bribe money that would've given directly to a corrupt politician on the costs of traveling from district to district.
There are more ideas out there to solve all the problems you're facing in a peaceful constructive manner.
You're not the first country to come out from under colonialism and occupation, you know (Eastern European & South American countries for example).
If everybody enjoys conflict so much, you can still get a whole lot of it in a peaceful democratic setting without the risk of constant civil war.
There's an Act II you guys haven't even encountered yet(on a mass scale, at least) involving the tensions of an ever changing global economy, insurance rates, credit cards, sustainable social security programs, etc.
Make the choice to make it work. Romania's done it, Chile's done it, why not Lebanon? You've certainly got a lot going for you.
Don't you think it's about time Lebanon GROWS UP?
Yes the DAY is here, and yes the showdown has started!
I would like to share with you all my sorrow. This morning I wanted to go work and to send my kids to school!! This is my choice and every other decent compatriot should respect it but unfortunatly the opposition didn't. I have tryied to reach school but it was impossible all roads are closed !!! so shame on you all!!
We couldn't breath in the car and there is a big black smog covering beirut.
I never belonged to any party before and respected all, but recently I thought 14 of march are better than the others and today I had the reassurance of that choice and sure after today I will never respect a party that opresses me and takes from me the right to live freely.
I realy don't understand how anyone can see democracy coming in the hands of such people.
I live in Lebanon, I have always lived here and never thought of leaving. I want to stay in Lebanon but I fear the opposition will make us all leave!!!!!!
What a sad day !!!!!!!
Lily
Lily,
First let me tell you that I sympathise with you and I'm against blocking roads.
Second I ask you to put things in perspective. This team in government has been failing for over a decade and we don't even have jobs to go to because of them but that doesn't seem to bother you the least, you even support them. Some people block the streets to your work for a day and it's the end of the world!
Sam,
At the end of the day, you're going to see what you're going to see.
If the job situation in Lebanon was bad last June, HA's "Adventures in Warfare" for the rest of the summer did far more damage than any government corruption.
Changes in the government's economic policies are needed, not a coup'de tat by a band of Iranian & Syrian funded guerilla fighters.
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