Black smoke over Tripoli, Lebanon as gun battle rages

[derby378]

The little I know is that it started in a Palstinian refugee camp in Tripoli. Lebanese troops are currently engaged in a vicious gun battle with Islamic fundamentalists who may have links to al-Qaeda.

Artillery is being used on strategic positions, now. Tripoli is burning. CNN may still be running a live feed.

[spanone]

1. Everything is linked to Al-QAEDA these days. They must be HUGE.

Must make bu$hco very happy.

link: http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/05/21/lebanon.violence/index.html

[malaise]

2. Meanwhile Israel is bombing the

Palestinians. Cheney just returned from the area - surprise.

I hate the leaders of this planet.

[alfredo]

3. Little notice of the growing conflict between

Afghanistan and Pakistan. I just happened to hear about it by listening to the Harry Shearer show on NPR. There's no new links on Al Jazeera.

[dave_p]

4. They're uniters, not dividers

... it seems nobody wants this group in Lebanon: government, Fatah proper, Hezbollah and its (Christian-led) Reform & Change Bloc allies all seem to be supporting the army on this one. I wouldn't want to be in Fatah al-Islam's shoes.

This looks like a legitimate national operation against some very unsavory guests. It's tragic for those caught in the crossfire, but the country seems pretty united this time. Perhaps it'll bring government and opposition together on other issues, which wouldn't be a bad thing.

[On the Road]

5. Is This is Shiite-Sunni Conflict Seymour Hirsch Warned Us About?

[dave_p]

6. No

Most Sunni are on the same side as the Shia this time. Fatah al-Islam's an obnoxious fringe hated even by most of its coreligionists.

The present political divide in Lebanon crosses sectarian lines, and on this occasion both principal blocs are backing the army action.

[On the Road]

7. It Was the Al-Qaida Comment That Made Me Wonder

Specifically, Hersch's interview in which Nasrallah said he feared for his life over Sunni insurgent groups competing with Hezbollah.

Can you describe how the Fatah al-Islam group fits into the picture -- are they just an odd splinter group?

[dave_p]

8. Pretty much

They're a jihadi fringe based in some Fatah camps, but Fatah (being Palestinian nationalist rather than intersted in such things) hates them. Most of the faction's fighters are alleged to be non-Palestinian, suggesting an aQ-type infestation from further afield.

Domestically, most Sunni support Lebanon's governing coalition along with some Shia and the biggest Christian party, while Hezbollah opposes it alongside two smaller christian parties and Hamas-allied Sunni: so the local political scene's becoming more political and less confessional, which has to be a good thing.

This could well be the outfit Nasrallah had in mind. Lebanon's main Sunni movements are more concerned with party politics these days, while the Hamas-allied Islamic Resistance is close to Hezbollah. Hopefully a successful outcome will underline what Lebanese have in common.

[On the Road]

9. Thank You

It's hard to keep the factions straight in that country.