Qifa Nabki
Free Patriotic Movement
Deals, deals, deals…
Deal 1: The General’s Return I’ve been reading Karim Pakradouni’s recently published history of the Lahoud presidency (Sadma wa Sumud: ‘Ahd Imil Lahhud, 1998-2007), and I recommend it to anyone interested in a behind-the-scenes peek at Lebanese politics from the perspective of a consummate insider. I’ll mention one anecdote by way of an endorsement. Toward … Continue reading
Hizbullah Announces Candidate Lists
Update: (Spoke too soon, see below for revised conclusions.) Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah appeared on al-Manar this evening to announce Hizbullah’s candidates for the 2009 parliamentary elections. Here is the list and some quick reactions: Nabatiyeh: MP Muhammad Raad; Sour: MP Muhammad Fneish, Nawwaf al-Moussawi; Bint Jbeil: MP Hassan Fadlallah; Marjayoun: Ali Fayyad; Baalbek-Hermel: Husayn Moussawi, … Continue reading
Polls Show FPM’s Support Slipping in Metn
Lebanese daily As-Safir (which leans towards the opposition) has a very interesting analysis of the results of a poll conducted by Information International (the premier polling organization in Lebanon [see their blog here]). On the face of it, it seems to suggest that Michel Aoun’s Free Patriotic Movement and its allies are more popular than … Continue reading
Aoun on Kalam al-Nas
Marcel Ghanem interviewed Michel Aoun last night on his popular talk show, Kalam al-Nas. The general was his regular fiery self, but plain were the signs of campaign fatigue: bags under the eyes, thinning hair, and a sallow complexion. Marcel, meanwhile, was in rare form, tugging at every loose thread and goading the FPM chief … Continue reading
Those Cheeky Aounists…
Update: (See below for insight on the source of the original billboards) Those of you living in Lebanon have probably seen the strange billboards cropping up all over the place, picturing flags of various Middle Eastern countries with the title: al-arqaam ablagh min al-kalaam (more or less, “numbers speak louder than words”). Diamond had a … Continue reading
Qifa Nabki 
And the people say…