snapped shot

Charles Malik has more on Hezbullah's non-coup in Beirut:

Hezbollah has no interest in ruling other sects or doing the day to day management of Lebanon. Their goal is simply to get whatever they want from the Lebanese state, which is exactly what has happened for the last few years. Of course, this means that no other sect or group gets to do what they want.

The Lebanese government and people (including the Shia) should never, according to Hezbollah, do anything that impinges on Hezbollah's actions, or which might cause negative repercussions to Hezbollah's allies in Syria and Iran.

If Hezbollah decides to take actions which negatively affect Lebanese citizens - for example, starting a war with Israel that creates massive destruction, all other Lebanese must keep their mouths shut and allow Hezbollah to do whatever it decides is the best route forward. After the war, Hezbollah will kindly rebuild Hezbollah infrastructure, provide social welfare to their most loyal supporters in the Shia sect, and maybe throw pennies at the rest of us. However, they will expect the rest of us not to complain about the war, destruction, or the pittance they provide for us after the war (if we are even alive), and blame everything that happened on the Zionist enemy and the American conspiracy against Lebanon, which are the only reasons why bad things happen here.

For a bunch of "brave warriors," Hezbullah sure does behave like a bunch of spoiled 4-year-old girls, don't they?

Abu Kais is reporting that another bomb has exploded in Beirut, this time onboard a bus outside of an abandoned building. No word on the damage or casualties yet - I'll be following up when I learn more.

Update: According to LBC, 7 were injured, none are reported dead. Still waiting on details.

Update: Sometimes, you have to hit faraway sources to get the news. I still haven't seen word one about this bombing on CNN, nor on the front pages of Google or Yahoo news.

But in the evening a bomb ripped through a public bus in Christian east Beirut wounding at least seven of the people on board, a security source said.

The explosion in the mixed residential and industrial district of Sed al-Baushrieh was the fourth to rock Lebanon since the clashes between the army and the Islamists broke out on May 20.

Footage broadcast by Lebanese television showed that the bus had been burned out by the force of the explosion.

Several parked cars and the facade of a nearby shopping centre were also badly damaged.

AFP's on the story, at least. Still waiting for the photo wires to catch up.

Update: Photos are starting to come in. I'll be posting them shortly.



Update (5-Jun): The latest pictures have been added from the wire. Continue reading »