LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
ِMarch 13/2011

Bible Of The Day/Praying & meekness
The Good News According to Luke 18/9-14: "He spoke also this parable to certain people who were convinced of their own righteousness, and who despised all others. 18:10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray; one was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector. 18:11 The Pharisee stood and prayed to himself like this: ‘God, I thank you, that I am not like the rest of men, extortioners, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 18:12 I fast twice a week. I give tithes of all that I get.’ 18:13 But the tax collector, standing far away, wouldn’t even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 18:14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Latest analysis, editorials, studies, reports, letters & Releases from miscellaneous sources
Two Palestinians stab to death five members of Israeli family at Itamar, West Bank/DEBKAfile/March 12/11
The tyranny of the Black Shirts/By: Hanin Ghaddar/March 12/11
Syrian Regime Unlikely to Fall/American Thinker/March 12/11
Cedar revolution redux?/By: John Hannah/March 12/11

Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for March 12/11
Process to Elect New Maronite Patriarch Underway, Predictions that he Will be Elected Today/Naharnet
Indictment Amendment Means its Release Date Will be Delayed/Naharnet
French Ambassador, Pietton: We Will Compare Ministerial Statements of Miqati and Hariri's Governments/Naharnet
France Explains to Europeans How Taif and Doha Agreements Have Been Obstructed in Lebanon/Naharnet
President Gemayel: We're Not Counting on Foreign Developments, Arms Cannot Last Forever/Naharnet
Geagea Describes March 13 Rally as 'Decisive Moment'/Naharnet
March 14 Busy Preparing for Sunday's Rally, Received Threats Warning of Similar Fate to that of Samir Kassir/Naharnet
Lebanon: Hariri Indictment Grows/New York Times
Will Syria Be the First Arab Nation to Develop a Nuclear Weapon?/Fox News
New Hezbollah's Government in Upcoming Days … Naji al-Boustani Settled Dispute between Suleiman and Aoun/Naharnet
Hariri: Lebanese army solely must defend Lebanon from now on/iloubnan.info
Lebanese caretaker PM slams Hezbollah's arsenal/Xinhua
Geagea: We want to restore normalcy in Lebanon/Ya Libnan
Soueid: March 8 raising fears over Sunday rally/Now Lebanon
Pietton: We Will Compare Ministerial Statements of Miqati and Hariri's Governments /Naharnet
Hariri: From Now on, Possession of Arms, Decision of War and Peace Should Only Be under State's Control /Naharnet
Gemayel: We're Not Counting on Foreign Developments, Arms Cannot Last Forever /Naharnet
Suleiman after Meeting Shami: We Hope Contacts Will Eliminate Obstacles Facing Government Formation /Naharnet
Berri Demands Immediate Arab Governmental Recognition of Libyan National Council /Naharnet
Cabinet Could be Formed Next Week After Reported Deal on Interior Ministry Portfolio /Naharnet

Two Palestinians stab to death five members of Israeli family at Itamar, West Bank
DEBKAfile Special Report March 12, 2011
At least two Palestinians armed with knives stabbed the mother, father and three of the children, aged, 11, three and a baby of a month in their sleep at Itamar, south of Nablus early Saturday. Two small children were not attacked. Their sister aged 12 found them when she returned home at 12:30 and called for help. Magen David Adom paramedics could only confirm the five deaths. The terrorists had broken through the electronic fence guarding the settlement without setting off an alarm. Military and police units fanned out to hunt the perpetrators and set up checkpoints. Hamas websites hailed the murder as a "heroic operation," without taking responsibility. This attack is the first of its kind in years. Hamas Websites hailed the murder as "heroic," without taking responsibility. debkafile's counter-terror sources report: There were no terror alerts prior to the attack although Hamas networks had been known to be regrouping in Judea and Samaria for the purpose of attacking and kidnapping Israelis on both sides of the Green Line. Several Palestinians were recently detained at the few remaining West Bank checkposts carrying pipe bombs, knives and fire bombs. Nonetheless the military did not recommend putting any of the checkposts back even though the Palestinian Authority's security services had slowed down their counter-terror cooperation with Israel, therefore failing to keep their side of the bargain for the removal of the checkposts.
For more than a year, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak acceded to relentless US and European pressure to grant West Bank Palestinians almost unrestricted freedom of movement and generous aid for their economic development as a means of persuading PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas to return to the negotiating table. This policy failed in its purpose while leaving Israelis vulnerable once again to terrorist attacks. Israel's government military policy makers have refrained from redeploying the Israeli military to compensate for declining the Palestinian Authority's counter terror activity, which has been a concomitant of the rising unrest in the Arab world, especially in Egypt. Israeli queries on this to the Americans and British officers running the Palestinian security services have gone unanswered. Because Palestinian traffic between Nablus in the north and Hebron in the south is to all intents and purposes unmonitored, the Israeli military is forced to fall back on intelligence informants as its only tool for preventing terrorist attacks. The result was seen tragically in Itamar Saturday morning.

Process to Elect New Patriarch Underway, Predictions that he Will be Elected Today
Naharnet/The Maronite bishops have ended their retreat ahead of the election of a new patriarch, reported the daily An Nahar Saturday. The retreat began Thursday morning and ended Friday night with the election scheduled to take place Saturday morning over a four-round process. Two stages will take place in the morning, while the last two will take place later during the day. Any bishop can run for the position of patriarch and garnering more than two thirds of the votes is enough for a candidate to become patriarch. Informed sources told the daily that the election process will likely be sped up given that the two morning rounds will determine which of the candidates are most likely to garner votes in later rounds. Sources monitoring the process predicted that a new patriarch will be elected in the next two days given that a number of bishops who arrived from abroad to take part in the election have already booked flights to return to their countries. Other sources disregarded this matter, saying that the bishops can delay their flights and extend their stay in Lebanon. Al-Akhbar reported that the election of a patriarch will be followed by the ringing of all church bells in Lebanon. Beirut, 12 Mar 11, 13:23

The tyranny of the Black Shirts
Hanin Ghaddar , March 12, 2011
Now Lebanon
When Hezbollah members gathered in Beirut and the Druze Mountain the early morning of February 18, just before Najib Mikati was designated to form a government, they were not carrying arms. But they did wear black shirts, a sign of their political identity, one that strongly suggests the potential use of arms.
Many interpreted the move as a clear message to Druze leader Walid Jumblatt, who shifted stance immediately thereafter, abandoning his fragile alliance with Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri. Jumblatt may have left the March 14 alliance in 2009, but his friendship with Hariri had continued. The “Black Shirts,” however made sure it ended.
Jumblatt, a leader of a minority that is surrounded geographically and politically by Hezbollah, decided to protect his leadership and vote for Mikati, Hezbollah’s candidate. In a way, he has forced the Lebanese to pay the price by protecting his shrinking leadership.
With Jumblatt aside, Hezbollah managed to topple the balance and ensure Mikati’s nomination. However, things did not end there. Hezbollah and its allies felt an orgasm of power that flew in the face of the freedom movement sweeping the region.
Their arms would govern Lebanon, whether the Lebanese liked it or not, while Mikati’s government, if it were ever formed, would become a tool with which Hezbollah would inject its Black Shirts into Lebanese institutions and destroy what is left of democratic Lebanon.
Last week, a group of us felt the need to support the Iranian opposition and organized a symbolic and peaceful demonstration in front of the Iranian Embassy in Beirut. Of course, none of us was delusional enough to expect the event would pass without trouble. But, when every day in Lebanon there are demonstrations in front of the Egyptian and Tunisian embassies, we thought we’d give it a go.
As expected, some of us got phone calls from Lebanese army intelligence and Hezbollah officials clearly telling us that it wasn’t “safe” to go ahead with our plan. The message was clear: You cannot protest against what is sacred, and, in today’s Lebanon, Iran’s regime is sacred.
Our demonstration was postponed – not cancelled – because many of us felt that we faced real danger and would not be responsible for anything that might happen, especially if it were not guaranteed that the security forces would protect us.
But, once again, here was the hand of the sacred power: The sacred arms, the sacred Nasrallah with his sacred finger, his sacred army and his sacred state, all of which could not be targeted, otherwise, hands would be cut off! The “sacred” power can launch attacks against innocent civilians (as happened on May 7, 2008), they can invade the Beirut airport with their guns to welcome and protect former head of internal security Jamil As-Sayyed (as happened on September 18, 2010), and they can deploy their Black Shirts on the streets to intimidate Lebanese anytime they feel like it. If anyone objects, they are immediately labeled Israeli agents or traitors.
Because he is a member of the “sacred” group, the murderer of Lebanese army pilot Lieutenant Samer Hanna, who died when his helicopter was shot at over Sujud hills in South Lebanon on August 28, 2008, spent a few months in detention and was then released.
The tyranny of the “sacred” group is worse than any dictatorship, because it is not questionable. If you question it, you are an easy target because you are simply the opposite of what is sacred: decadent, immoral and irreverent.
On another occasion, Lebanese military intelligence detained at least six Syrians, all members of the Jasem family, on February 23 and 24, 2011, after they distributed flyers calling for democratic change in Syria.
According to Human Rights Watch, their family is concerned that they might have been forcibly transferred to Syria. The Internal Security Forces told journalists that it had opened an investigation, but to date officials have made no information public, nor have they communicated any information to the men's family of their whereabouts.
Earlier this month, newspaper articles reported that Syrian opposition sources had accused Salah al-Hajj, a Lebanese security official tasked with protecting the Syrian Embassy, of "kidnapping" Jasem Meri Jasem and his two brothers.
“We fear that Lebanon may be once again doing Syria's dirty work of shutting up its critics,” said HRW Beirut director Nadim Houry. “Lebanon's judiciary should open an independent inquiry into why the Syrian men were detained in the first place and the murky events surrounding the disappearance of Jasem and his two brothers.”
The reality is that they are back. Syrian intelligence backed by Hezbollah’s arms has returned six years after its army withdrew from Lebanon. Hezbollah’s tyranny opened the door for such obvious breaching of Lebanon’s sovereignty.
Hezbollah and the Syrian regime will not stop this kind of tyrannical behavior because this is who they are, but mainly, because they can. Nobody stopped them in the past as March 14 offered one compromise after the other. Instead of a mutual consensus, Hezbollah and Syria decided to milk March 14 of everything before spitting them out of the system.
The indictments that are expected to be handed down by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon are imminent, and Hezbollah will likely react in a similarly arrogant and tyrannical way. They are offering no alternative other than asking us to ignore justice and let the murderers go. The Black Shirts will keep on intimidating those who believe in international justice.
Today, with the delicate, and probably inadequate, reawakening of March 14, maybe it is time to launch an independent civil resistance to the tyranny of the sacred party, away from any political camp. Maybe it is time to say that nothing is sacred and that the arrogant, shameless practices of Hezbollah and the Syrian regime’s security apparatus in Lebanon must be stopped.
Resistance should be aimed toward Israel’s occupation and military attacks, but when it targets the Lebanese and their state institutions, it ceases to be a resistance and becomes straightforward tyranny.
**Hanin Ghaddar is managing editor of NOW Lebanon

Indictment Amendment Means its Release Date Will be Delayed /Naharnet
Naharnet/The release of the indictment in the investigation in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri is expected to be delayed after Special Tribunal for Lebanon Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare filed an "amended indictment" on Friday for confirmation by STL Pre-Trial Judge Daniel Fransen. Sources monitoring the situation told the pan-Arab daily al-Hayat in remarks published on Saturday that this development will delay the announcement of the indictment, while international sources predicted that it may be released in May or June of this year. As Safir Saturday reported other sources following up on the investigation as saying that Fransen will have six to ten weeks to study the amended indictment. STL sources however told the paper that the pre-trial judge does not have a deadline to reject or accept Bellemare's amended indictment, meaning that the process may take several months and not necessarily weeks as has been reported. Lebanese judicial sources told the paper that the STL's Rules of Procedures and Evidence grants Bellemare the right to issue more than one indictment at various points in time and without any limits, meaning that he can submit an indictment even after the trial begins. Furthermore, he has the right to submit an indictment as long as the investigation is ongoing. On Friday, Bellemare filed an "amended indictment" for confirmation by STL Pre-Trial Judge Daniel Fransen "as a result of the gathering and analysis of further evidence," the Office of the Prosecutor announced in a press release. "This amendment expands on the scope of the indictment filed on January 17, 2011 in connection with the attack on former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and others on February 14, 2005," the OTP noted. The possibility for the Prosecutor to amend an indictment, without leave, at any time before its confirmation, is specifically provided for by Rule 71A (i) of the Tribunal's Rules of Procedure and Evidence, the OTP clarified. Bellemare "has submitted that the Pre-Trial Judge's Order of January 19, 2011 on non-disclosure of the confidential indictment should apply equally to the amended indictment and supporting materials," according to the press release. "Their unauthorized disclosure could, therefore, be considered as interference with the Tribunal's administration of justice amounting to contempt of the Tribunal in violation of Rule 60 bis(A)." Reiterating Bellemare's remarks contained in STL's 2010-2011 Annual Report, which has been recently published, the OTP noted that "the investigation continues in order to meet the evidentiary threshold required at trial and to be able to bring to justice others who may be responsible for the attack." Beirut, 12 Mar 11, 11:48

Pietton: We Will Compare Ministerial Statements of Miqati and Hariri's Governments
Naharnet/French Ambassador to Lebanon Denis Pietton stated on Saturday that he is certain that the Lebanese government will be formed soon, revealing that France and the international community will compare the ministerial statement of Prime Minister-designate Najib Miqati's government to that of caretaker Premier Saad Hariri's Cabinet.
The French official stressed the need for the new government to cooperate with the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, noting that Hizbullah is in fact cooperating with the investigation into the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri despite its calls for the Lebanese not to cooperate with it. Pietton said that the accused will have the right to defend themselves with the highest international standards.He added that Lebanon is obligated to cooperate with the STL on various levels, including the financial one where it is supposed to provide 49 percent of its budget. Beirut, 12 Mar 11, 12:38

France Explains to Europeans How Taif and Doha Agreements Have Been Obstructed in Lebanon
Naharnet/A European source revealed that European nations have received an explanation from France on the current governmental situation in Lebanon where they were informed of how caretaker Prime Minister was replaced by Prime Minister-designate Najib Miqati, revealed the pan-Arab daily al-Hayat Sunday.The manner in which Hariri was replaced has created an imbalance in power in Lebanon that had been established by the Taif Accord and the Doha agreement, "which set the rules of the political game in Lebanon for a while."
"These rules have been broken and a new balance of power has been introduced, that of the no victor, no vanquished, with the vanquished being Hariri, the Sunnis, and the March 14 camp," said the source.The French explanation stated that Miqati enjoys the respect of all sides in Lebanon "but he will have to fulfill the demands of those who appointed him," it said.
This means that he will have to sever Lebanon's ties with the Special Tribunal for Lebanon and possibly amend the changes made to the security forces under Hariri and his father's tenures as prime minister, it stated. Informed French sources revealed that some of the Europeans have no opinion on the situation in Lebanon, while others said that they will deal with the new reality, adding that the British agreed on France's explanation of the situation while the Germans are seeking dialogue with Miqati.France is also seeking dialogue with premier-designate but in order to inform him of what it expects from him, they added. Beirut, 12 Mar 11, 12:

New Government in Upcoming Days … Naji al-Boustani Settled Dispute between Suleiman and Aoun
Naharnet/The government formation process will witness intensified efforts next week aimed at addressing the demands of the concerned sides, according to informed sources.
Newspaper reports said that the dispute over the interior ministry portfolio has been settled in former minister Naji al-Boustani's favor, who received congratulations on this matter from Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun during their meeting on Thursday. The reports said that Boustani enjoys the approval and trust of all sides, and therefore suggesting him as a minister stands as a settlement of a dispute over the interior ministry portfolio that reportedly erupted between President Michel Suleiman and Aoun.
The sources told the pan-Arab daily al-Hayat in reports published on Saturday that Prime Minister-designate Najib Miqtai has agreed to grant a portfolio to Faisal Karami, the son of former PM Omar Karami, based on Hizbullah's insistence aimed at eliminating other obstacles in the government formation process. Miqati is also expected to hold talks with Aoun next week. On Friday, Miqati held talks with President Suleiman on the government formation process at the Baabda Palace. He left the meeting without making a statement, but was later reported as saying that the meeting was "good."Meanwhile, caretaker Energy Minister Jebran Bassil ruled out the possibility that the government will be formed soon as the premier-designate "has not spoken to us about the distribution of portfolios or the names of potential ministers." Beirut, 12 Mar 11, 10:36

March 14 Busy Preparing for Sunday's Rally, Received Threats Warning of Similar Fate to that of Samir Kassir
Naharnet/The March 14 forces have been preoccupied with the preparations for Sunday's rally commemorating six years of the movement's formation.The event will include three podiums, one for political speeches, another for figures from civil society, and a third for various singers and performers. March 14 General Secretariat coordinator Fares Soaid told the daily An Nahar in remarks published on Saturday that the preparations are "excellent in all regions." "The other camp has begun pressuring us with all its resources in order to intimidate the people, which will increase their motivation to take part in the demonstration," he said. The pressure included a media campaign under the slogan of "Israel also wants to eliminate the weapons" similar to the March 14 camp's slogan of wanting to end the possession of arms outside the state's authority, he continued. The threats also included "suspicious calls to a number of media figures, who published articles on the recent Bristol meeting, threatening them with a similar fate to that of slain journalist Samir Kassir should they maintain their views in their articles," Soaid revealed. He added that the number of speakers at the rally has not been determined yet, but it will be more than four speakers, allowing for "historic and central figures in the March 14 camp" to take the stage "because this is an exceptional year for the movement." On Friday, the March 14 General Secretariat warned that some influential members of the March 8 camp are printing posters of deceased and living figures, as well as provocative slogans, for its supporters to lift them during Sunday's rally. It said in a statement that such slogans and posters are aimed at "inciting hatred and strife." It cautioned its supporters and all those participating in the March 13 rally against falling victim to this "suspicious activity." "We urge citizens to exercise diligence and avoid personal insults while expressing their opinion," it added. Furthermore, it said that it will hand over this case to the concerned security and legal sides in order for the appropriate action to be taken in this issue. Beirut, 12 Mar 11, 09:52

Geagea Describes March 13 Rally as 'Decisive Moment'
Naharnet/Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Friday noted that "the importance of the March 13 rally lies in raising the issue of weapons without any fears." "The situations in Lebanon won't improve without resolving this dilemma, that's why that day will represent a decisive moment," Geagea said on the eve of an expected mass rally at the Martyrs Square to commemorate the March 14 anniversary. Geagea said that should the Hizbullah-led camp "make steps such as annulling the cooperation protocols signed with the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, then definitely new demonstrations will follow after Sunday's rally." "Stop underestimating the Lebanese army's role, no one can defend Lebanon better than the Lebanese State," the LF leader stressed. "The real problem is Hizbullah's arms, so when we solve it the problem of Syrian intervention will also be solved," Geagea added in an interview on MTV. "We want to restore normalcy in Lebanon," he said of his camp's vision. "We share a common vision for solving the problem, we have entered the second phase of our struggle through which we want to get rid of the abnormal situation and those who would like to restore normalcy must take part in the March 13 rally in Martyrs Square." Addressing March 14 supporters, Geagea said it was "not enough to complain about the current situation." "You should take part in diagnosing and solving the problem." Beirut, 11 Mar 11, 23:29

Gemayel: We're Not Counting on Foreign Developments, Arms Cannot Last Forever
Naharnet/Phalange Party leader Amin Gemayel on Friday urged the March 14 forces to "clearly declare" a stance on "the topics of truth and sovereignty, not for vengeance but rather to spare Lebanon further tragedies," stressing that Hizbullah's arms cannot last forever. "We're raising the issue of weapons because we want to preserve the existence of the Lebanese entity, and we hope all Lebanese would realize the meaning of the (March 13) rally, which will represent a broad Lebanese demand for a free, sovereign and independent country," said Gemayel, on the eve of an expected mass rally to commemorate the March 14 anniversary.
"The rally will stress the Lebanese people's right to self-determination, in the vein of the recent events in some Arab countries, where people have decided their future," Gemayel added in an interview on MTV. He described Sunday's rally as "part of the major Arab transition towards democracy." "That's why it is an opportunity for everyone to exit the big prison and let no one think that they can impede Lebanon's progress through weapons." Gemayel stressed that the March 14 coalition was not "counting on foreign developments."
"We're rather counting on our steadfastness, the thing that truly boosts the confidence of the world in us," he added. Beirut, 11 Mar 11, 23:17

Question: "Why does God allow natural disasters, i.e. earthquakes, hurricanes, and tsunamis?"
Answer: Why does God allow earthquakes, tornados, hurricanes, tsunamis, typhoons, cyclones, mudslides, and other natural disasters? Tragedies such as Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the 2008 cyclone in Myanmar, the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, and the 2011 earthquake/tsunami near Japan cause many people to question God’s goodness. It is distressing that natural disasters are often termed “acts of God” while no “credit” is given to God for years, decades, or even centuries of peaceful weather. God created the whole universe and the laws of nature (Genesis 1:1). Most natural disasters are a result of these laws at work. Hurricanes, typhoons, and tornados are the results of divergent weather patterns colliding. Earthquakes are the result of the earth’s plate structure shifting. A tsunami is caused by an underwater earthquake.
The Bible proclaims that Jesus Christ holds all of nature together (Colossians 1:16-17). Could God prevent natural disasters? Absolutely! Does God sometimes influence the weather? Yes, as we see in Deuteronomy 11:17 and James 5:17. Numbers 16:30-34 shows us that God sometimes causes natural disasters as a judgment against sin. The book of Revelation describes many events which could definitely be described as natural disasters (Revelation chapters 6, 8, and 16). Is every natural disaster a punishment from God? Absolutely not.
In much the same way that God allows evil people to commit evil acts, God allows the earth to reflect the consequences sin has had on creation. Romans 8:19-21 tells us, “The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.” The fall of humanity into sin had effects on everything, including the world we inhabit. Everything in creation is subject to “frustration” and “decay.” Sin is the ultimate cause of natural disasters just as it is the cause of death, disease, and suffering.
We can understand why natural disasters occur. What we do not understand is why God allows them to occur. Why did God allow the tsunami to kill over 225,000 people in Asia? Why did God allow Hurricane Katrina to destroy the homes of thousands of people? For one thing, such events shake our confidence in this life and force us to think about eternity. Churches are usually filled after disasters as people realize how tenuous their lives really are and how life can be taken away in an instant. What we do know is this: God is good! Many amazing miracles occurred during the course of natural disasters that prevented even greater loss of life. Natural disasters cause millions of people to reevaluate their priorities in life. Hundreds of millions of dollars in aid is sent to help the people who are suffering. Christian ministries have the opportunity to help, minister, counsel, pray, and lead people to saving faith in Christ! God can, and does, bring great good out of terrible tragedies (Romans 8:28).
Recommended Resource: Wrestling with God: How Can I Love a God I'm Not Sure I Trust? by James Denison.

Soueid: March 8 raising fears over Sunday rally
March 12, 2011 /March 14 General Secretariat Coordinator Fares Soueid said that March 8 parties are trying to raise the Lebanese people’s fears over March 14’s Sunday rally so as to have them boycott the event. “[The March 8 attempts] will only drive the people to participate more in the rally,” Soueid said in an interview with An-Nahar newspaper published on Saturday. He said that March 8 is launching a pressure-campaign entitled “Israel also wants to end arms use,” referring to March 14’s stance against non-state weapons. “Certain [March 14] media people also received [threats].”Soueid said that the number of speakers during the March 14 Sunday rally “will be unlimited.” The March 14 coalition is holding a rally at Beirut’s Martyrs Square “to reaffirm its commitment to the principles of the Cedar Revolution” following the forced collapse of Saad Hariri’s unity government. March 14 parties met at the Bristol Hotel on Thursday, after which they announced a new political document that rejects non-state arms and reiterates support for the Special Tribunal for Lebanon probing former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri’s 2005 assassination.The Foundation for Human and Humanitarian Rights in Lebanon on Friday issued a statement condemning threats against media figures and activists in Lebanon as March 14 prepares for the rally. -NOW Lebanon

Cedar revolution redux?
Posted By John Hannah
Foreign Policy/
http://shadow.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2011/03/11/cedar_revolution_redux
Friday, March 11, 2011
A word about Lebanon. Given everything else happening in the Middle East, it's easy to lose track of that country's plight. The last time most Americans tuned in back in January, Hezbollah -- backed by Syria and Iran -- had successfully engineered a bloodless coup, using threats of violence and intimidation to collapse the democratically-elected government of Saad Hariri and nominate its own candidate for prime minister. The fact that they chose to do so at precisely the moment that the pro-Western Hariri was being hosted in the Oval Office by President Obama only underscored the extent to which the maneuver was not simply an assault on Lebanon's democracy and independence, but a calculated effort to undermine U.S. interests and power in the Levant. For many, it looked to be the final nail in the coffin of Lebanon's Cedar Revolution, the popular uprising in 2005 that ended three decades of Syrian military occupation and brought Hariri's March 14th coalition to power. Lebanon, it appeared, had truly gone dark.
But not so fast. Bloodied and bruised, March 14th is not yet cowed. In mid-February, on the sixth anniversary of the bombing that killed his legendary father, Hariri strongly denounced Hezbollah's coup and declared that March 14th would re-constitute itself as a full-fledged opposition to the Iranian/Syrian/Hezbollah project in Lebanon. He vowed to fight their effort to derail the international tribunal investigating his father's murder, which is widely expected to unveil indictments in the near future fingering Hezbollah's central role in the conspiracy. Even more daringly, Hariri recently doubled down when he announced that the disarmament of Hezbollah would be resurrected as the centerpiece of March 14th's political program to save Lebanon's democracy, sovereignty, and independence. True to his word, March 14th yesterday released "Independence 2011," a new political manifesto aimed at securing Lebanon's freedom by bringing Hezbollah's arms under state control and bringing Hariri-pčre's killers to justice.
In short, rather than simply roll over and die, March 14th has courageously decided to stand and fight for their country's future by reinvigorating the Cedar Revolution. Toward that end, the coalition hopes to rally hundreds of thousands this Sunday to mark the revolution's sixth anniversary and re-energize the movement that has already once succeeded in liberating Lebanon from foreign domination.
The re-emergence of a strong and determined Lebanese ally that enjoys mass support and is again willing to take on the Iranian-led axis presents an important opportunity for U.S. interests that should not be missed. The existence of such an ally in 2005 was the essential prerequisite that empowered diplomatic efforts, led by the United States and France, to end Syria's three-decade-long suzerainty -- an accomplishment that, at the time, seemed no less remarkable than the recent collapse of authoritarian regimes in Tunisia and Egypt. Indeed, in many ways, the Cedar Revolution was the progenitor of the peaceful, youth-driven upheavals that have swept much of the Arab world the past several months. The possible revival of "people power" in Lebanon, and the potential potency of its demands for national dignity, justice, and liberty, need to be understood (and acted upon) by U.S. officials as being very much of a piece with the broader tidal wave of freedom now crashing down across the Middle East.
Critically, of course, a revitalized mass movement on behalf of democracy in Lebanon will have as its natural targets Iran, Syria and Hezbollah -- the core of the region's anti-American "resistance." Ever since the outbreak of the Jasmine revolutions, U.S. officials have been frantically looking for a way to divert the regime-change contagion away from U.S. friends and in the direction of U.S. adversaries, first and foremost the mullahs in Tehran. The scorecard so far looks somewhat bleak. Whatever other blessings they eventually confer, it's a fact that the uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia brought down longstanding U.S. allies. The rebellion against Qaddafi in Libya, while targeting a tyrant with rivers of American blood on his hands, looks in serious jeopardy of being brutally quashed. So the prospect that hundreds of thousands of young Lebanese may now once again be prepared to rush into the breach and throw Hezbollah, and its paymasters in Iran, on the defensive should be welcome news for the United States.
The Obama administration needs to be prepared to seize this opportunity. Most importantly, U.S. leadership is the sine qua non for resurrecting the powerful international coalition that originally backed March 14th and provided the Cedar Revolution with the sustained diplomatic, financial, and moral support that ensured its initial successes. Due to neglect and mismanagement, that coalition tragically began to unravel late in the Bush administration, and the deterioration rapidly accelerated under Obama. Now it needs to be rebuilt. France, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt are the keys. The U.N. secretary-general can play an important role as well, especially since the main planks in March 14th's platform -- Hezbollah's disarmament and the Hariri tribunal -- are mandated by Security Council resolutions. None of it will happen unless driven by the White House with sustained presidential involvement.
Few events better encapsulated the growing perception of waning U.S. power in the Middle East than the Iranian-backed torpedoing of Lebanon's elected government just as its prime minister was visiting the Oval Office. It was a bitter humiliation for President Obama and a strategic defeat for the United States. But remarkably, just two months later, we may have an opportunity to begin reversing the tide thanks to the courage of the Lebanese people. If, indeed, reports of the Cedar Revolution's death do turn out to be greatly exaggerated, the United States should again be ready to lead.
Alex Wong/Getty Ima