Something’s Happening in Lebanon!
March 2, 2008
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LEBANON: U.S.S. Cole heads toward Lebanese coast
Is the U.S. beating the war drums in Lebanon? U.S. officials revealed Thursday the unexpected deployment of American warships off the Lebanese coast "to bolster stability" in the region. But in Lebanon, the move was slammed as a military threat to the Shiite Muslim militant group Hezbollah and its backers, Syria and Iran.
According to media reports, the famous U.S.S. Cole was heading toward Lebanese waters from Malta. The stated reason was said to be growing concerns in Washington over the political deadlock in Lebanon and Syria's meddling in Lebanese internal affairs.
"The presence is important. It isn't meant to send any stronger signals than that but in fact it does signal that we're engaged, we're going to be in the vicinity," Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters at the Pentagon.
Hezbollah denounced the American decision as a "failing attempt by the U.S. administration to support its [Lebanese] allies with its military apparel." Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah told one local newspaper that this "proved the real confrontation [in Lebanon] is with decision makers in Washington."
A drawn-out political crisis has pitted the U.S.-backed Lebanese government against the Hezbollah-led opposition supported by Iran and Syria. As a result, the country has been without a president for the past three months. Tensions between the two feuding factions are rising on the streets.
Local pro-Hezbollah newspapers attacked the U.S. show of force. One virulent headline talked about "a direct military threat" and one editorial slammed the Bush administration for repeating its "humiliating" deployment of warships along the Lebanese coast in 1982. The U.S. pulled out its troops then from Lebanon after deadly attacks against its embassy and its Marine barracks in Beirut.
"It is wishful thinking if the US thinks that the Lebanese people will adore this exhibition of military force," wrote a French-Lebanese blogger at Les Politiques.
Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora tried to diffuse the impact of the U.S. move. He told reporters that "there are no foreign warships in Lebanese waters," adding that the government did not request any military support.
— Raed Rafei in Beirut
SATURDAY, MARCH 01, 2008
19:16 MECCA TIME, 16:16 GMT
Saudis urged to leave Lebanon – USS Cole Deploys Off Coast of Lebanon
Lebanon's prime
minister denies asking the US for the warship's deployment. The Saudi
Arabian embassy in Beirut has called on its nationals to leave Lebanon
a day after a US warship was positioned off the country's coast.
The embassy on Saturday sent SMS messages to Saudis living in Lebanon
urging them to leave the country as soon as possible, Al Jazeera's
correspondent said.
Saudi Arabia issued an advisory last month urging its citizens not to
travel to Lebanon because of deteriorating political and security
conditions.
Kuwait and Bahrain followed with similar calls.
Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia is a major supporter of the Sunni-led
government in Lebanon which has been locked in a 15-month-old
political standoff with an opposition led by Iranian-and-Syrian backed
Hezbollah.
'Conflict' fear
Fouad Siniora, the Lebanese prime minister, has denied asking the US
to deploy the warship USS Cole and two support ships amid the
country's continuing political deadlock.
Siniora reportedly summoned the US ambassador on Friday for an
explanation.
Siniora said: "We did not request any warships from any party."
He also stressed
the importance of Lebanon's independence and sovereignty "so that it
will not become an arena for the conflicts of regional and
international powers".
Siniora said there are no warships in Lebanese territorial waters,
except Lebanon's small navy - made up of patrol boats - and the 12
warships belonging to a UN peacekeeping force.
US position
According to Gordon Johndroe, a White House spokesman, Washington has
had "regular consultations" with Siniora and other US allies in the
region.
"There's constant communications at various levels," he said.