Legendary hospitality or Pulling the plug?

So much for the vaunted Lebanese hospitality. And so much for sovereignty (not that I had any illusions about that). And so much for Michel Suleiman's constant claims of the army having the entire country under control.
Apparently, a French delegate to an international socialist gathering was apprehended (kidnapped) in South Beirut, for making the mistake of driving around with a camera, looking to take in the sights.

Naharnet reports:

A French delegate to a Socialist International meeting in Beirut said on Sunday that he had been briefly detained the previous day by armed men linked to Hizbullah.
Delegate Karim Pakzad told a Beirut news conference that he was stopped on Saturday by armed men who "spoke on behalf of Hizbullah."

He said they questioned him for five hours before freeing him.
Pakzad said it happened as he was touring the capital in an open-top car with a Lebanese friend and taking pictures of a mosque along the airport road, near Hizbullah's stronghold in Beirut's southern suburbs.

"Armed men asked us 'why do you have a camera' and 'what are you doing here,'" before viewing the pictures he had taken with his digital camera, Pakzad said.

He was taken blindfolded to an unidentified location where he was kept isolated for five hours, adding that his captors took away his cell phone, wallet and medicine.


Forgive me for my cynicism, but weren't these the same asshats who demanded accountability from the army for firing on demonstrators (who happened to be firing at said army personnel at the time)? It must be nice to act holier than thou and demand the rules apply to others when you flaunt them with impunity.


And someone please inform General Michel Suleiman that his armed forces are NOT in control of security in the capital (or anywhere else for that matter), contrary to his constant claims.
Here's a little tip, General. You REALLY want to enforce security? Start by arresting these guys who kidnap tourists and hold them on no authority whatsoever. And while you're at it, arrest those guys who fire in the air everytime their zaim makes a speech. Or those folks loitering on private property downtown. And don't even get me started on the south. Let's just secure the capital first. Baby steps.


Or, maybe it's time we all get our heads out of our collective asses and stop living in denial about Lebanon. This patient has been on life support for over 50 years. This patient is brain dead. And perhaps it is time we start discussing pulling the proverbial plug. To quote my friend GK: "Even horses get put out of their misery."


The sooner we so-called "Lebanese" accept that our patient isn't going to wake up any minute now, the better we will be. It's time to move on.