Qifa Nabki
Ahmad al-Assir
Motives & Mysteries: Tripoli Edition
Whenever a bomb explodes in Lebanon, conversations both public and private revolve around an old parlor game that we might call: “Motives & Mysteries”. For those unfamiliar with the genre, here’s a snippet: Abu Michel: Terrible, the news from Tripoli. Abu Samir: Just awful. Abu Michel: A bunch of jihadi dogs and salafist mercenaries. I … Continue reading
Nick Blanford and Mitch Prothero Respond to Queries about Hizbullah Involvement in Sidon
A commenter on my last post asks the following question, which many others have been asking today in the wake of two pieces written by Nicholas Blanford and Mitchell Prothero about Hizbullah’s alleged participation in the Lebanese Army’s confrontation with Shaykh Ahmad al-Assir’s supporters in Saida: “I can’t believe the claim Hizballah was involved. TV … Continue reading
Hizbullah: Special Forces of the Lebanese Safavid Zoroastrian Persian Army?
The talking point de jour among the more Gandalfy fringe of the Sunni commentariat is to refer to the Lebanese Army as a “Safavid“, “Majusi“, “Batini” fighting force under the sway of Hizbullah and its Iranian patron. Medieval mud-slinging is in, big time. Dust off your Shahrastani if you want to have any chance of sorting out … Continue reading
Reactions to the Conflict in Saida on Kalam Ennas
The Lebanese political talk show Kalam Ennas with Marcel Ghanem will be broadcasting a special episode this evening about the confrontation between the Lebanese Army and Ahmad al-Assir’s followers in Saida. I’ll be live-blogging and translating some of the salient bits, providing the webcast holds up. ** 8:48: Program begins. Questions: Are we facing a new Shaker … Continue reading
Assir’s Gamble: Blunder or Breakthrough?
Translation: “To all of our supporters: we are coming under attack from the Lebanese Army, which is Iranian-[controlled] and sectarian, and also from the shabbiha of Hassan Nasr al-Lat and Nabih Berri. I call on all our supporters: the peaceful ones should go and block the streets. And I call on the honorable men — both … Continue reading
Qifa Nabki 
And the people say…