Warlord in Washington

LA Times: ...This week again, Lebanese politicians — the same ones who accuse their enemies of being dupes of Syria and Iran — continued to seek the support of the U.S. government. Samir Geagea, a senior anti-Syrian politician and a former warlord, is currently making a high-profile visit to Washington. He is scheduled to meet Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Pretty accurate description of Geagea's history here by Joseph Hitti in the American Chronicle.

NB: Many Lebanese Forces supporters were more than pleased to hear about the dispatch of the US warships, and have been lauding that move with sheer patriotism hoping those warships will help them politically over other Lebanese parties. It is to be noted that Geagea himself thanked the US administration for sending those warships in a show of commitment to his coalition's frail status but later dismissed the fact that those warships have anything to do with Lebanese affairs. Pretty consistent is he?

"We are Waiting for These Sardine Cans Packed with Crusaders to be Incinerated"

Franklin Lamb from Saida (lebanon): AlQaeda mujahedeen drooling over uncle Sam's flotilla;

...According to 'Ahmad', a boyish faced middle-aged veteran fighter who arrived from Iraq some months ago, and who would fit the caricature of 'an Al Qaeda inspired salafist mujahedeen' if ever the reader would bump into one, "The US Warships will not leave Lebanon's water until they are attacked and destroyed. They are coming to wage war against Lebanon on behalf of the Zionists", he explained.

A stunning blonde woman, 'Rena' who seemed more European than Arab and appeared to be some sort of military expert explained as though she was a Pentagon spokesperson:

"The US Nassau Expeditionary Strike Group based in Naples, Italy arrived in the 6th Fleet's operational area three days ago. They may join the Cole and we are expecting eventually six ships. The Cole was re-commissioned in April 2002 and had its first post-attack deployment in November 2003."

As this observer's eyes widened, Rena continued:

"We are watching their movements carefully. Besides the Nassau, the group includes a guided missile cruiser, two guided missile destroyers and two additional amphibious ships. The amphibious ships can carry thousands of Marines and can land on Lebanon's shores at almost any point along 120 kilometers."

"How do you know all this stuff?" this observer blathered.

نزهة ريفية. - Marcel Khalife - 1983

قصتنا نزهة ريفية ممنوعة ومش قانونية
من تركيا وحكم فرنسا وحكم الصيغة اللبنانية
خلصنا من التركي وتتريكو اجت فرنسا سايكس بيكو
قسمونا بيكو وشريكو خلقوا الدولة الصهيونية
والزعما اللي أخدوا بلعة كل راعي طايفتو شلعا
بدل الوطن الحر القلعة نصبوا خيام الطائفية

منها الظلم اللي ما منريدوا

ماضي أسود سيفو بإيدو

كنا نحنا من مواليدو

ولا منرضى التاريخ يعيدو

ولما انهزّوا اجرين الكرسي جابوا كل الدول الشرسة

وربطوا الكرسي بنيو جرسي وبالمتعددة الجنسية

Theatrical diplomacy?

via Joshua Landis (Syria Comment),

...Earlier, Richard Murphy, a former US ambassador to Syria, told Al Jazeera that the move was a sign that the US did not know what to do about Lebanon.

"It is gunboat diplomacy. I think it would be more useful for the US to find a way to engage with the conflicting parties in Lebanon.

"We have no dialogue with Syria and this is a moment for dialogue."

Between the Bush administration's pirate games in the Mediterranean, PM Siniora's shaky denial of any prior knowledge of the gunboat dispatch, his nervous attitude with the press after his PC, AND Saudi Arabia's mysterious and ill-justified sms communique to its nationals in Lebanon to evacuate, things seem to be taking a rather theatrical aspect.