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<p style='margin-left:36.0pt'><font size=3 face=Garamond><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Garamond'>“... That night in December
of 2001, after my beating at the hands of Afghan refugees enraged at the death
of the their loved ones in a US air raid, I was lying in bed in great pain, my
face stuck to my pillow with blood, when my phone rang. A familiar voice boomed
down the line. "Robert. This is Rafiq Hariri. What happened? Tell me from
the start!" And, after I had talked for five minutes, he offered to send
his private jet to pick me up in Quetta - his friend, Pervez Musharraf, would give
immediate landing permission - and bring me to hospital in Beirut. But of
course, I don't take gifts from prime ministers and I turned him down. And two
days ago, I stood at Hariri's graveside, watching Musharraf mourn his friend.<br>
<br>
...<br>
<br>
I am reminded, looking at those fresh flowers on his grave, of another
conversation, long ago, in which the unthinkable question came up. What would
happen to Lebanon if he died?</span></font></p>
<p style='margin-left:36.0pt'><font size=3 face=Garamond><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Garamond'>Hariri raised his hands in front
of me, open either side of his face. "So keep me alive!" he roared. And
of course, we did not.”<i><span style='font-style:italic'> - <b><span
style='font-weight:bold'>Robert Fisk</span></b></span></i></span></font></p>
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