<DIV>With all due respect:</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>(1)</DIV>
<DIV> it's such a conspiracy theory statement to say that the UN is "unofficially and virtually a US operated organization". The reps of over 50 countries who met in 1945 to put together the U.N Charter were not brought together by your so called "unofficial" U.S organization, they were brought together for an ideal (maybe too ambitious if you want) to achieve and work on international peace and security, yes they may have failed at times, but they are still looked at as an unbiased body. Do not forget the U.N resolutions condemning Israel for the many atrocities against Palestenians--The U.S always vetoed and Israel always declined voting-- And so the U.N was always looked at as a body that at least attempts to put things back in persepective-- We look up to the U>N because they at least have a security resolution that demands the Syrians to leave Lebanon and if it weren't for them none of the Arab countries would dare say such a thing in public.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>(2)</DIV>
<DIV>The thousands of young men and women sitting in Martyr square are not holding signs that say "U.S in" they are holding signs that say "Syria out". So why in the world whenever for once we stand up to ask for something that is our absolute right, all of a sudden we are accused of inviting foreign intervention to a "sister" country? so I really do not see the link here, as for your question why do we seek outside help if we really believe in Freedom and independence? Well that's because my fellow Lebanese if we did indeed learn anything from history that will be that our week quasi-Syrian government will never stand up to Syria and if we get the help of the international community to claim our rights then you know what? By all means, I would a zillion times rather get the help of the Americans to kick the Syrian out, then to stay for another 30 years under occupation with a so called Lebanese Government that does not even consider that we are under Syria's occu!
pation
and it repeats to us the stupid, cliche, ignorant claim that "Syria is our sister country". Nobody is asking for military intervention, nobody is asking for another occupation, if anything the demonstrations taking place are the most peaceful we have ever seen, apart from the "ignorant few" who carried guns in Tripoli and those ignarant other few who were photographed with knives and tattoos of the Syrian president during the demonstration called for by Nasrallah.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Here are a few questions for you to seriously think of:</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Our bad economy? Syria plays the lead role in it. Do you forget the BILLIONS of dollars Syria makes from Lebanon every year just by maintaining its grip over us? </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Did you ever wonder WHY IN THE WORLD does Syria not maintain an Embassy in Lebanon? Did you ever wonder Why Lebanon does not have an embassy in Syria? How in the world can two countries not maintain diplomatic ties with each other unless there is no respect to the sovereignty of the coutries? I'll tell you why, Syria has ALWAYS and WILL continue to consider Lebanon a part of its own, and until it realizes that we are very far from being Syrian, it will refuse to maitain diplomatic ties by having an official embassy in Lebanon.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>And about the Batrak not taking the Sheikh with him to the U.S?????????? I'm sorry I didn't know they are supposed to escort each other on official visits!!!! since when does the Batrak have to let the Sheikh know "hey buddy wanna catch a flight to the U.S with me?!!" I am sure if the Sheikh desires a trip to the U.S then nothing would stop him, there shouldn't be any pouting I would think!</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>(3) It really is uncalled for to poke fun at the fact that pple prayed in their own way and brought candles to show unity and support. This was and is the most spontaneous act that all the Lebanese have ever engage in that your remarks serve nothing but to undermine the will of people who felt so enraged at what happened they decided to do something about it instead of staying home and bitching about it. </DIV>
<DIV>You may think they are wasting their time downtown but to the whole world they have written history and pessimist views like your own have never and will never serve Lebanon.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><BR><B><I>saad mneimneh <saad@engr.smu.edu></I></B> wrote:</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=replbq style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid">Hi everyone,<BR><BR>Some of you might remember me, I was active in the Lebanese Club at MIT<BR>few years ago.<BR>In light of what is happening, I would like to say a few words about the<BR>situation.<BR><BR>... And just to put everything into perspective, I am Muslim Sunni for<BR>those interested in knowing.<BR>But I consider myself to be really Sunshimarorthodruzy.<BR><BR>Few points:<BR><BR>(1)<BR>The consolidation of lebanese people around one cause "A free lebanon"<BR>is a very shallow one. A majority of "leaders" in this movement did not<BR>like Hariri to begin with. But we Lebanese like so much the concept of<BR>leaders... If fact, we are the leaders... of anything... Now let's drop<BR>this fact and say that this is ok because, well, Hariri is a human being<BR>after all and he is one of us, and what happened is so major... and<BR>what's wrong in finding a common ground f!
or all of
us to stand on? Very<BR>good. So we want independence, freedom, and all these nice things...<BR>And we are together... Excellent... So we call USA and UN (which is<BR>unofficially and virtually a US operated organization) for help and we<BR>sing the French National Anthem! Contradiction? Noooo of course not, who<BR>can dare to say something like that...?<BR><BR>(2)<BR>But not to worry, as I said, we have Leaders... Let's just follow our<BR>Leaders... Fortunately or Unfortunately, we are the leaders in the whole<BR>universe in implementing the concept of divide and conquer... except<BR>that we implement it for others on ourselves....And very willingly and<BR>easily too... Why do we always seek outside "help" if we truely believe<BR>in freedom and independence. I don't think we really know what we<BR>believe in... And haven't we learned from history that countries like<BR>USA care just about an epsilon about the people of the middle east? Or<BR>maybe we do not consider oursel!
ves part
of the middle east, because<BR>Libnan Ya It3et Sama! Do we not have a vision? Do we want to kick Syria<BR>out no matter what the cost is? And why not distinguish between the<BR>Syrian regime and the syrian people...? Maybe they are not human beings<BR>like us and suffered as much as we did? Let's put our hands into the<BR>hands of Bush... His is a cool cowboy... Me must identify with him so<BR>that the world will look at us as modern.... Let them bomb Syria if they<BR>refuse to leave... Let them destroy the oldest city on Earth, like they<BR>did to Bagdad.... Let them make the Syrian people suffer, as if we do<BR>not know anything about suffering...! Is this what we really want? Syria<BR>out? maybe yes, but USA in? definitely NO!<BR><BR>(3)<BR>Consolidation.... I don't think that was consolidation in any way. The<BR>young generation does not know much about the history. In fact it was so<BR>confusing that even old people do not really understand what happened...<BR>The youn!
g poeple
woke up today, for them the war is maybe centered<BR>around few things, like the syrian presence in lebanon. They know some<BR>names from the past, they heard their parents talking about... They<BR>often confuse past and present because those names are still the same...<BR>They think they know the history... Well they definitely know elissa,<BR>nancy, and hayfa... and few other stupid things... They know the $$ not<BR>the LL, they know how to speak English and French, not Arabic... They<BR>know how to jump around on bicycles in downtown...<BR><BR>"Yes, we young lebanese really like to go to Downtown, and we are<BR>experts in wasting time, so we might as well participate in this "war",<BR>why not if we can achieve peace, and hey bring some candles, and by the<BR>way why not also pray each in his own way... wow that looks cool and<BR>nice... let's do it often.... we are now united...! How about we go and<BR>listen to hayfa after we are done with this demonstration?"<BR><BR>Ar!
e we
united? Of course we are, this is why the Batrak goes to USA<BR>alone without the Sheikh? Now who truely believes that we are united? I<BR>wish we are.<BR><BR>(4)<BR>And what is this concept about people who love lebanon and people who<BR>don't? So for instance, and speaking in general about ordinary people,<BR>why would anyone in lebanon not love lebanon? Well yes sometimes we<BR>don't love that country in the sense that<BR><BR>"F*** this economical situation where I cannot raise my family, or F***<BR>this educational system where I cannot compete with the developed world,<BR>or F*** this pollution covering the city, or F*** this traffic that<BR>holds me for hours in my car, or F*** and F*** and F***"... Now does<BR>this make me a hater of lebanon?<BR><BR><BR>100% of what I predicted happened: The goverment will resign, another<BR>almost identical one will emerge.<BR>Not a surprise... The names are the same since 30 years ago, and we,<BR>lebanese people, like the concept of
leaders... What do you expect? just<BR>a regular guy or girl from the street to become president or minister...<BR>WOW! WHAT A CONCEPT!<BR><BR><BR>saad.<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>_______________________________________________<BR>Lebanon-Articles mailing list<BR>Lebanon-Articles@mit.edu<BR>http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/lebanon-articles<BR></BLOCKQUOTE><p>__________________________________________________<br>Do You Yahoo!?<br>Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around <br>http://mail.yahoo.com