Qifa Nabki
Lebanon
Scudding Right Along
DAMASCUS, Syria — U.S. and Israeli officials have reacted negatively to reports that Syria has transferred Scud missiles to the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. Israel has called the development a “game-changing” move by Syria which has the potential to tip the region into a military conflagration. “Syria claims it wants peace while at the same … Continue reading
War Games
Today marks the 35th anniversary of the event traditionally considered to have provided the spark for the beginning of Lebanon’s Civil War. Lebanon’s politicians are commemorating it with a friendly game of soccer. The game starts at 6:30 PM Beirut time, and apparently will have no spectators. Does anyone know if it will be televised? … Continue reading
Feltman to Speak at Harvard
Apologies for the radio silence over the past week. I was in New Orleans attending the annual conference of the American Comparative Literature Association, and the lure of great music, great seafood, and great company proved more irresistible than Lebanese politics. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs and former U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon, … Continue reading
Nasrallah To Discuss Hariri Tribunal Tonight
Hizbullah secretary-general Sayyid Hasan Nasrallah will be interviewed this evening on al-Manar at 21:30 PM Beirut time (14:30 PM EST, 18:30 GMT). I expect it to be an important exchange, and the choice of an interview format (rather than a formal address) may suggest that Nasrallah is aiming to defuse tensions resulting from all the … Continue reading
Defense Strategy, STL, Democracy
A few notes: 1. Defense strategy: Mara Karlin, the former Pentagon Levant director, has an interesting piece about U.S. military assistance to Lebanon, in The Daily Star: “One year ago, my first effort after leaving the US Defense Department was to publish a piece in a major Israeli newspaper explaining why Israel should support a … Continue reading
Qifa Nabki 
And the people say…