Qifa Nabki
beirut
A Return to Arms
It took them a while, but Lebanon’s March 14th coalition has finally gotten around to officially opting out of Najib Miqati’s government. Let no one imagine that this has actually made Miqati’s job any easier: it has been clear for the past several weeks that the major obstacles to this latest round of cabinet formation … Continue reading
No Deal on Lebanon Tribunal: Opposition Set to Bring Down Hariri Government
NOTE: This piece is being updated as the story develops. Updates will be added to the bottom of the post. See below. The Lebanese opposition led by Hizbullah is expected to resign from PM Saad al-Hariri’s cabinet later today. Coupled with the resignation of one additional “neutral” minister, the Hariri government would be brought down … Continue reading
Back in the Saddle
A happy new year to all, and many apologies for my brief absence from the blogosphere. Judging from the lively discussion taking place in the last post, no one seemed to notice I was gone. Firstly, I’d like to thank everyone for continuing to read and participate over the past year. I’ve been amazed by … Continue reading
Damocles’s Armory
I know several foreigners who are traveling to Lebanon this summer, and so I’m routinely asked about the chances of “something happening” while they are there. I usually adopt a thoughtful expression, pause for a moment, and tell them not to worry. This seems to work. Sometimes, if I am feeling mischievous, I adopt a … Continue reading
Michael Young Comes to Hitchens’ Defense
Michael Young, opinion editor of the Daily Star, has an interesting op-ed today (“On Not Debating Christopher Hitchens”) about Hitchens’ visit to Beirut and the lecture he gave, entitled “Who are the Revolutionaries In Today’s Middle East?” In the article, Young sets his sights on a surprising target: the audience at the lecture, the majority … Continue reading
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