Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Nayla Moawad is one of the most outspoken critics of Hezbollah
Ms. Moawad's husband Rene was assassinated in 1989 shortly after he was elected president. His killing was never resolved, and attracted relatively limited attention by the major powers. Many assume that Syria was the author of death. His widow is the Social Minister in the Lebanese government.
While her views are not prevailing, as evidenced by the negotiations underway in Qatar, her perspective is representative of sentiments that may be found in pro-government circles in Lebanon.
SPIEGEL ONLINE Interview with Lebanese Minister Nayla Moawad: 'Hezbollah Wants to Force its Ideology on Lebanon' - International - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News
Friday, May 16, 2008
"Wise, insightful and accessible": Hezbollah: A Short History
"Best recent study on Hezbollah"--Fareed Zakara (Newsweek). "Norton deserves praise for writing an insightful and multilayered work accessible to a wide...readership."—Rula Abisaab (Journal of Palestine Studies). “This short, authoritative book, based on first-hand experience, efficiently analyses [Hezbollah's] status"—Iain Fianalayson (The Times). "America's leading scholar on Hezbollah"—Joshua M. Landis. “A cogent analysis of [Hezbollah's] emergence and impact on Lebanese politics”—Sheldon Kirsher (Canadian Jewish News). “Highly informative, jargon-free book...An objective account of the genesis and development of Hezbollah....Highly recommended.”—N. Entessar (Choice). “A good, concise survey by a perceptive student of the Lebanese Shia”—David Gardner (Financial Times). “Thorough, articulate portrait of Hezbollah”—Publishers Weekly. “Norton's timely Hezbollah chronicles that dramatic evolution and its sweeping implications for the region and beyond”—Jonathan Finer (Washington Post Book World). "Everyone who wants to understand the complexities of the Middle East . . . should read this book”—Bruce Elder (Sydney Morning Herald). “Recommended”—Harvard Bookstore. “Norton elucidates . . . domestic and international complexities in Hezbollah”—Allen McDuffee (In These Times). "He ends on a tentative note, voicing hope that Hezbollah will play a "constructive" role in Lebanon. One can only hope he's right."—David Rosenberg (Bloomberg News). “Short personal anecdotes from his time in Lebanon add both color and authority to the book”—Beryl C.D. Lipton (Harvard Crimson). “An excellent summary that ends with a dramatic question: ‘What next?’"—Kail C. Ellis (Middle East Journal): “Most fluent survey of Hezbollah to date_covers the Lebanese resistance group from its inception to the current Lebanese political crisis”—Margeret Hall (Washington Report on Middle East Affairs). : “In an easily read, easily comprehended book, Norton traces the origins and history of Hezbollah”—Suzi Brozman (Atlanta Jewish Times) (“The many complex and often changing dimensions of Hezbollah are presented in the book in a clear, concise manner”—Rami G. Khouri (Daily Star). "Suggested reading"--(NPR). "There is no better person to address these questions…than Norton, who has been studying Lebanon, and especially the Lebanese Shiites, for longer than Hezbollah has been in existence. He offers here a brisk and balanced history"—L. Carl Brown (Foreign Affairs).
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Six-point Plan in Beirutp
The Daily Star - Politics - Dialogue to resume in Doha under Arab League watch BEIRUT: The efforts of the Arab League ministerial committee visiting Lebanon proved successful Thursday, with the announcement of a six-point plan to implement the Arab initiative on electing a head of state as well as containing recent clashes throughout Lebanon. In light of the discussions held by the committee with leaders of the country's feuding political factions, while taking into consideration the Lebanese Constitution and the Taif Agreement, the following agreement has been reached: 1. Things would return to the state they were in prior to the events which occurred after May 5. This should include: l Welcoming the government's decision to accept the army command's proposal regarding the two decisions related to the airport security apparatus and Hizbullah's telecommunications network. l The immediate ending of all armed presence and the complete withdrawal of militants from the streets, and opening all roads as well as the Rafik Hariri International Airport and the Beirut seaport. l Life returning to normal and the Lebanese Armed Forces being responsible for preserving security and ensuring the functioning of public and private institutions. 2. Agreeing on resuming national dialogue between the different leaders and working on building trust between all parties according to the following agenda: l The formation of a national unity government l The drafting of a new electoral law for the 2009 elections The agreement on these two items would be followed by the ending of the sit-in in downtown Beirut on the eve of electing General Michel Suleiman as president. 3. After declaring this agreement and implementing its first item, dialogue would start in Doha on May 16 under the auspices of the Arab League and will not end before reaching a settlement. 4. All parties would commit to not using arms or violence in a bid to achieve political gains. 5. Starting a dialogue on enhancing the authority of the Lebanese state on all Lebanese territory and organizing its relations with the country's different political parties in a way that guarantees the security of the state and the people. Such dialogue will be launched in Doha and will be resumed under the auspices of the newly elected president and the Arab League. 6. All political leaders would commit to halt mutual accusations of treason and end political and sectarian incitement immediately. All points of this agreement are equally binding.
The Qatari-brokered, Arab League May 15 plan:
