Clashes raged in Lebanon over the weekend, with Hizbollah forces briefly taking over West Beirut. Five days of fighting have killed forty-four people. The street battles between Sunnis and Shia spread to the mountains overlooking the besieged city, followed by more clashes in Tripoli. The road to Rafik Hariri international airport remains under Hizbollah control. Druze leader Walid Jamblatt, allied to the pro-American government, televised a short speech calling on peace and coexistence. However, shortly after midnight this morning, intense gun fire exchange was heard in the Hamra commercial area of Beirut.
The toD verdict: Since November, the country has been without a president as a 17-month stalemate between Hizbollah and the Lebanese government failed to reach agreements through dialogue. When the Lebanese government decided to cut out Hizbollah's private telecommunications network, the Shia group took the battle to the streets. Lebanese officials are now accusing Hizbollah of rescinding its promise to only use weapons against Israel.
According to middle east correspondent Robert Fisk Lebanon is not on the path to another civil warn or a coup d'etat. In his view, the clash between the Sunnis and Shia is about the "political legitimacy of the Lebanese government and its pro-American support." He likens the current situation to that of Hamas. Elected to govern, Hamas was rejected by the US and then took over the Gaza Strip by force. Also rejected by the US, Hizbollah still became a minority part of the Lebanese government but eventually withdrew its Shia ministers in protest of the American-backed policies of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora. The fighting, he argues, is part of a larger struggle directed against the US.
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The numbers are staggering. From several hundred to now over 200,000 missing, the tragedy of Cyclone Nargis is accentuated by the intransigence of the Burmese military junta, a lack of infrastructure, and time. "Given the gravity of the situation including the lack of food and water, some partners have reported fears for security, and violent behaviour in the most afflicted areas," said the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. To make matters worse, the very first boat shipping relief supplies to a delta town where 80% of the homes were destroyed sunk. In the meantime, the military junta busied itself with a weekend referendum to roadmap democracy in the upcoming 2010 "elections".
Darfur takes battle to Khartoum
The Darfur rebel leader Khalil Ibrahim said today he will continue to launch attacks against Sudan's capital until its government collapses. The statement follows a series of attacks on Khartoum over the weekend by the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), the first of its kind in decades. The rebels blitzed across 600 km of desert to reach the capital. Sudanese security forces have cordoned off areas within the city and is said to have chased a group of rebels into a building. According to the United Nations, over 200,000 people have been killed since 2003. Khartoum says 9,000 have died. Sudan is accusing Chad of supporting the rebels and has cut diplomatic ties. Chad denies the charge.
Energy - New Pentagon Conflict Strategy
Senior US officials and strategists are honing in on the potential looming energy crisis and competition over raw materials. The U.S., like China, depends on imports of oil and fossil fuels. Several indicators point to this new strategy. According to Michael T. Klare of the Nation, the Pentagon is requesting funds to launch Africa Command (Africom) in a bid to protect oil interests and prevent China's expanding African influence. In Eurasia, Washington is unsettled at the prospect of Russia's dominating hold over oil and natural gas. Klare writes that similar US policy initiatives and interest represent a major shift from conventional conflict stratagems to one over the control and distribution of the world's dwindling resources.
Mogadishu under fire
A fresh spate of gun fire and clashes between opposition fighters and the army are wrecking havoc in a city already suffering from years of neglect. Residents report heavy damage to property as soldiers guarding a palace launched artillery fire into the city. Over thirty people are reported killed in attacks that have lasted two days. This was on Friday. The following day in Djibouti, peace talksbetween Somalia's interim government and opposition exiles are making slow progress. The United Nations envoy to Somalia, Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah remains optimistic that peace and stability will eventually replace the chaos.