Mr. Mikati’s Three Major Mistakes

It is probably too early to write Mr. Najib Mikati’s political obituary. It may even be too early to write the obituary of his current government. But it is not early to point to three major negatives on Mr. Mikati’s performance evaluation ledger since he took over as Prime Minister a little less than two years ago.

Interview on LBC- Nharkom Saeed (Arabic) October 27, 2012

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Any Feeling of sympathy?

Frankly, it is difficult to feel any sympathy toward Lebanon’s foreign minister, Mr. Adnan Mansour. Following Mr. Nasrallah’s drone speech, he was quick to announce, among other things, that Lebanon was ready to bear the consequences of Hizbollah’s launching of an Iranian drone over Israel’s nuclear facilities and offshore gas platforms.

Much more than a jailbreak......

A jailbreak story is normally newsworthy but not totally unusual. It can happen anywhere, and it does. But what made the Roumieh story particularly dramatic was the appalling condition of the prison and its administration (or rather the lack of it), which became glaringly clear as the story unfolded. People could not believe that government authorities had failed to reinstall the prison doors that had been destroyed during last year's riot, or that inmates had been allowed to do the roll calls themselves instead of prison officers. That was the bigger story behind the jailbreak story.

But in reality there is yet another story behind the story behind the story that should alarm us all.

                   Interview on LBC- Nharkom Saeed (Arabic) October 14, 2012

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To Shield Lebanon or to Use it as a Shield…

I was pleased, in a way, to hear what Mr. Nasrallah had to say in his prime time television appearance two days ago. Not that I agreed with his him on much of anything. But in my view he has served everyone well by blowing away the illusions and fog surrounding the lines of demarcation on crucial issues that divide Lebanon today.



 

The Baabda Declaration Revisited

It is not an easy job to be president of Lebanon. These days, this is an understatement. The President undoubtedly recognizes the threat to Lebanon posed by a violent revolution in Syria, with increasingly sectarian overtones. He must also be worried about the threat to Lebanon from a possible escalation in the conflict between Iran and its enemies; enemies who view Hizbollah as an integral part of Iran’s power and military strategy.

Click this Link to Listen to Radio Interview (in Arabic) on Voix du Liban   

                Recorded Octorber 6, 2012

The FPM, Election Law and Christian Representation

I hesitate before I say anything regarding the election law in Lebanon. Most people are probably sick and tired of the endless television debates and arguments over this issue. Besides, if you are concerned that the preoccupation with the election law is diverting attention away from other more urgent national issues (as I am), then you would hesitate even more before you enter the fray. But I will overcome this hesitation and make one observation about Christian representation under the alternative proposals.

Radio Orient Interview (in Arabic)  September 30, 2012 

with Wardeh: Elmajalis Bil-Amanat