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Are the Fath al-Islam clashes linked to the establishment of the UN Tribunal? Yes 55.1% No 32.2% Not Sure 12.7% Total Votes: 118

It’s a Bird. It’s a Plane. No! It’s the “Truth”
By Shadi Tabbara, Editor-in-Chief

Beirut, Lebanon – Long after the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri in February 2005, and further to the request of the Lebanese government of the establishment of the international Tribunal that is set, not only to reveal the “Truth” about who was behind Hariri’s assassination, but to unveil the axis of evil behind the endeavor of killing the members of the [anti-Syrian] March 14 coalition, the Lebanese were awaiting for the prevalence of the international tribunal on Wednesday, May 30, 2007, in an attempt to fight for their sovereignty and honor.

The Journey was hard and long, and the Lebanese people have suffered to a great extent. However, the crossing is still in its early stages and the Lebanese will have to sacrifice some more in their fight for justice. While most of us cannot remember the tragedy we have been through, here is a small reminder to justify the need for the international tribunal…

The Bombings: The Lebanese Victims

The year 2005 was one of the toughest years that Lebanon has ever been through: More than 14 major bombings occurred, and more than six prominent Lebanese activists were assassinated. Here is a list of the dreadful events that we [Lebanese] have faced in the last couple of years:

For the sake of Lebanon and for the sake of these influential political heroes, we need the international tribunal to bring all this misery and loss to an end.

One-Minute Silence

The timing of the clashes is certainly suspicious. One might wonder why the Fath al-Islam episode appeared just two weeks prior to the agreed date of the International Tribunal. Other questions may arise when trying to understand how and when Fath al-Islam established themselves and how come the Lebanese government did not react earlier. While rumors are still spreading about the source of financing, some proclaim that Saudi Arabia are providing this militia with financial aid to fight the Shiite [Hezbollah] expansion plan (CNN), while others believe that it is al-Qaeda backed by Syria to derail Lebanon from the initiation of the tribunal.

Regardless of the source and nationalities of these terrorists, from Lebanese, Saudis, Yemenis, Algerians, Tunisians, to Moroccans (Al Arabiya), this militia has killed more than 75 people (including civilians and Lebanese soldiers). While the dialogue of the deaf with the different Lebanese political coalitions is still going on, the [united] army seems to have tightened grip on Nahr al-Bared. Not only did it maintain the political stability relative to the heavy weight of the situation, but the army managed to keep its secular status ideally in a country where sectarian prevails:

“We, the Team Members of ANMag present our deepest condolences to the civilians and to the military victims that defended our country and are currently fighting for the safety and sovereignty of the Lebanese citizens”

Chapter 007

The Lebanese parliament was supposed to vote for the planning of the international tribunal; however, with Nabih Berri, the Lebanese pro-Syrian parliament speaker, the voting could not be done since the parliament was and still remains inactive. Some media justified the acts of Berri by stating that Syria’s Assad has conveyed a message to Berri, after hearing him planning to discuss the international tribunal. Berri is believed to have been threatened by Assad. (As-Siyasah)

But regardless of the choice of Berri, we [Lebanese] face severe consequences since the International tribunal will be formed under Chapter seven. These are some examples why we should be alerted:

Article 43

1. All Members of the United Nations, in order to contribute to the maintenance of international peace and security, undertake to make available to the Security Council, on its call and in accordance with a special agreement or agreements, armed forces, assistance, and facilities, including rights of passage, necessary for the purpose of maintaining international peace and security.

2. Such agreement or agreements shall govern the numbers and types of forces, their degree of readiness and general location, and the nature of the facilities and assistance to be provided.

3. The agreement or agreements shall be negotiated as soon as possible on the initiative of the Security Council. They shall be concluded between the Security Council and Members or between the Security Council and groups of Members and shall be subject to ratification by the signatory states in accordance with their respective constitutional processes.

Article 44

When the Security Council has decided to use force it shall, before calling upon a Member not represented on it to provide armed forces in fulfillment of the obligations assumed under Article 43, invite that Member, if the Member so desires, to participate in the decisions of the Security Council concerning the employment of contingents of that Member's armed forces.

Article 45

In order to enable the United Nations to take urgent military measures, Members shall hold immediately available national air-force contingents for combined international enforcement action. The strength and degree of readiness of these contingents and plans for their combined action shall be determined within the limits laid down in the special agreement or agreements referred to in Article 43, by the Security Council with the assistance of the Military Staff Committee.

The material of “Chapter 007” was extracted from UN.org

The End, the Beginning

Whenever we hear the famous slogan “It’s a Bird. It’s a Plane. No! It’s Superman,” the legendary Man of Steel appears and saves the day. After all, what Lebanon and its citizens have been through, it is time to stop the chaos; it is time to step up for what is wrong and fight for what is right. While we are still unsure about the effect of the international tribunal, let us hope that it will save the day as superman does and assist in the establishment of a stable and growing Lebanon.

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