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Rafik Hariri killed
Former Lebanese Prime Minister, MP and leader of a
parliamentary bloc Rafik Hariri was killed on Feb. 14,
to the surprise and astonishment of most of the Lebanese
people.
Full Story |
NEWS & REPORTS
Masses shout: 'Syria out'
The number
of protesters participating in Hariri's funeral were
estimated at being close to one million, by far the
biggest number of people in such an event in the past
couple of decades.
For some Arabs, it’s
elections season
by Sami Orfali (BAGHDAD), Nada Mozaffar
(RAMALLAH),
Scott Lurie (WASHINGTON DC)
It keeps on getting better for the Middle East,
or so it seems. More than 60 percent of Iraqis dared
terrorists and turned out in millions to elect their
representatives in the first free election the country ever
witnesses. In Palestine, Palestinians elected their municipal
councils as well as Mahmoud Abbas, the person President George
Bush called President Abbas instead of Chairman during the
American President’s State of the Union Address 2005.
Opposition stiffens
anti-Syrian stance
by Elias Shartouni
The killing of former Lebanese premier Rafik
Hariri completely transformed the Lebanese opposition into a
credible group with a set of pre-defined goals, on top of them
the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon.
Murder makes US headline news
by Bahij Chaalan
(VIRGINIA)
Media in the United States covered the
assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri
extensively, shedding more light on this event than other
turning points in the Middle East history such as the death of
PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat, the Palestinian elections and the
first Iraqi free elections.
Democratic Left moves to
further organization
The Democratic Left Movement has been well on
its way to launching the promised group.
Lebanese around the world call
for Syrian withdrawal
Lebanese around
the world took to the streets to call for the Syrian
withdrawal from Lebanon. In New York, some 200 demonstrators
gathered in front of the UN. Sponsors of the protest, a grass
root organization formed as the Independence Uprising
commenced in Lebanon, said that their movement has a single
goal "Stand up for Lebanon."
Lebanese in US capital protest
murder
by Rola Abdul Latif (WASHINGTON)
A small but loud crowd gathered in front of the
Syrian embassy in Washington DC four days after the brutal
murder of former Lebanese premier Rafik Hariri to express
outrage at his assassination and call for an end to the Syrian
occupation of Lebanon.
Lebanese abroad carry on
with protests
by Samer Mo'dad (LONDON)
A small but loud crowd gathered in front of the
Syrian embassy in Washington DC four days after the brutal
murder of former Lebanese premier Rafik Hariri to express
outrage at his assassination and call for an end to the Syrian
occupation of Lebanon.
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EDITORIALS
News Bits
So many things changed
during our 11 months of interruption.
Column One
We are back!
Column Two
Walid Jumblatt’s request of the
“internationalization” of the Lebanese crisis came as a
surprise to many and gave the Lebanese authority the
justification to accuse Jumblatt and the opposition behind him
of being collaborators.
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Op-Ed
The world vs. Syria
Whether Syria killed Rafik
Hariri or did not, one certainty came to the fore: That the
Syrian presence in Lebanon came to a crossroads. The Syrian
mandate in Lebanon will either be renewed, or terminated. In
either case, the world community – especially the United
States – will play a major role.
The default
definition of terrorism
by
Guy Lucas
In the aftermath of 9/11, the world plunged
into a debate aimed at defining terrorism. More than three
years after that date, the world has still not come up with a
definition that satisfies the world’s majority of nations.
Jan. 30 said it all for the
Iraqis and Arabism
by
Sami Orfali
(BAGHDAD)
Eight million Iraqis defied violence and went
out to cast their votes. What does this say? Does it say that
Iraqis are opposed to the American-initiated democratization
of their country? Does it say that Iraqis support resistance
and are opposed to American occupation?
On the eve of when Man created God
. . .
By Sara Kalil (PARIS)
Those who preach and call others to believe in
God and live according to His will and commandments are faced
with enormous social pressure. The most common is being
labeled as those who “slow the process of human progression”
and “return us to the stone age”. These labels come from two
main beliefs: agnosticism and atheism.
Fear, hunger and oppression
By
Kamel Salim Taha (BEIRUT)
Since the blast that rocked Beirut and the
world, I have seen grim faces all around me. To the Lebanese
this meant the resurgence of their fears and anxieties, those
same feelings that dominated their lives throughout the
Lebanese war of 1975 to 1990.
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FEATURES
Syrian presence in Lebanon:
Legitimate or Occupation?
By
Anonymous (DAMASCUS), Salem Mazloum (BEIRUT),
Sami Orfali (BAGHDAD), Scott Lurie (WASHINGTON
DC)
Syrian troops entered Lebanon in 1976 as a
peacekeeping force, allegedly upon the invitation of the
Lebanese authorities. The invitation was supposedly renewed
again and again, whether upon Lebanon’s request or
international mandates, giving ample time for the Syrian guest
to meddle in all aspects of its weaker neighbor. In some
instances, the Syrian intervention, whether through their
military or through the assassination of their political
rivals, changed the course of Lebanese history.
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HISTORY & CULTURE
Khalidi warns America of becoming
imperialist
By Adnan Al-Janabi
(CHICAGO)
Rashid Khalidi warned in his latest book of the
transformation of the United States into an empire, following
in the footsteps of former Western empires whose fate was
colonial failure after a bitter and failing confrontation with
the colonies’ natives.
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Youth News
Sociodems to raise awareness in
DC
Orientalism has announced its last days in Star
Academy. For those out-dated, Star Academy is the Arab version
of the famous French program for youths seeking to be singing
pop stars.
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LIGHT NEWS
Film exposes East-West
interaction
by Rola Abdul Latif (VIRGINIA)
The difference in perspective on Middle Eastern
politics between Arabs and Americans came to the forefront in
the powerful independently produced documentary Control Room.
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