For about four days at least, there have been intense and bloody gun battles throughout the streets of Beirut. The fighting has between the Shiite group Hezbollah and pro-government groups. Before the fighting took place, the coalition government which is pro-Western banned Hezbollah’s telecommunications system. The telecommunications system is an unmonitored means of communication.
The government deemed it illegal.
Hezbollah called that move by the government as a “declaration of war.” The coalition government said that the telecommunications system is a tool to stage a bloody coup in order to bring back the influence of Syria and Iran. Recently, Hezbollah had taken over the streets of the western part of Beirut.
Earlier today, Lebanon’s Prime Minister Fouad Siniora accused Hezbollah of trying to execute a military coup of the capital.
Ali Hassan Khalil, spokesman of House Speaker Nabih Berri of the Amal bloc, an ally of Hezbollah, said that the real coup is the government not allowing the participation of the basic part of Lebanon’s community.
There have been some killed and more wounded as a result of the violence. Now, the Lebanese Army has decided to step in and tackle all the issues revolving around the violence. One issue will be discussed is Hezbollah’s telecommunications system. All parties were ordered to withdraw their forces and open all roads.
Hezbollah complied with the orders of the Lebanese Army. But, Hezbollah said that its “civil disobedience” will continue. In the mean time, the Lebanese Army will be in charge of maintaining security.
Since November, Lebanon has been without a president. Presidential elections kept on getting postponed.
The US White House has recently Iran and Syria for sparking the violence in Lebanon. There is a high chance that the incident in Lebanon could pop up in the US presidential race between presumed GOP nominee Senator John McCain of Arizona and the eventual Democratic nominee.
Frontrunners Senator Hillary Clinton of New York and Senator Barack Obama of Illinois are still fighting it out for the Democratic nomination. While Clinton refuses to give up, many feel that Obama will be the eventual nominee.
One thing is for certain, Lebanon’s army certainly isn’t going to take any crap from any side.
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