Qifa Nabki
Hezbollah
The New Cabinet: Observations & Projections
The dust still hasn’t settled on the new cabinet — partly because some ministers are actively trying to kick it up — but it’s worth remarking briefly on some of its features, and on the challenges facing PM Hariri over the next week or so. 1) The Kata’eb Defection: As we’ve all heard by now, … Continue reading
Lebanon’s Cabinet Lineup
** See below for continuing updates ** At approximately 8PM Beirut time, President Michel Suleiman signed the following decrees, dissolving the current cabinet and appointing the new one. Decree #2837: The cabinet led by Prime Minister Fouad Siniora is now resigned. Decree #2838: Saad al-Hariri is hereby appointed Prime Minister. Decree #2839: Pursuant to the … Continue reading
Almost Half a Year Later, Lebanon Finally Has a Cabinet
Well, it took five months (almost to the day) but Lebanon seems to have finally turned the page on the historic parliamentary elections held on June 7, 2009. Not to jinx things, but the media is rife with reports that efforts to form a national unity government have succeeded, with the majority March 14 Forces … Continue reading
Building an Army, One Pistol at a Time
This just in from Naharnet: apparently the FBI has caught yet another pair of dangerous criminal masterminds who were allegedly trying to replace Iran as Hezbollah’s main military benefactor. Patrick Nayyar, 45, an Indian citizen living illegally in the United States, and Conrad Mulholland, 43, were charged by federal prosecutors with agreeing to supply an … Continue reading
All for None
I’ve written an opinion piece on the senselessness of consensual politics for The National. It will be out in print this Friday, but the editors at The Review have agreed to put it up a couple of days early on the website, given the timeliness of the subject matter. The first few paragraphs are below. … Continue reading
Qifa Nabki 
And the people say…