Sunday, December 03, 2006

A New Lebanese Civil War is Brewing Lebanon's crisis continues to worsen as Hezbollah and its allies stage huge rallies in Beirut, seeking the overthrow of the government.  Unlike the 1975-1990 Civil War which pitted Christians against Muslims, the current crisis splits the Muslim and Christian communities.  Pro-government forces include the Sunni faction led by the son of assassinated Rafik Hariri, and the Christian faction led by the Gemayal family, who lost a son, Pierre Gemayal, when he was assassinated recently.  The anti-government forces include Hezbollah and its Shiite ally, Amal, as well as Christians led by General Aoun.  The protests claimed a life on Sunday Dec. 3, as one man died in a clash between Sunni and Shiite groups. Also of interest is the recent (over the past year), doubling of the Lebanese Army, as it takes in more Christian and Sunni recruits.  This expansion is funded by the Sunni leaders of the United Arab Emirates, who seek to counteract the rise of Shiite power. It looks like another Lebanese Civil War is brewing.  More reports to follow... 2:48:42 PM    comment []

Ethiopia-Somali Peace Talks: Long History of Conflict Mostly Christian Ethiopia and Muslim Somalia have fought two full-fledged wars in the second half of the Twentieth Century, along with numerous border clashes (see Ethiopia-Somali War and Conflicts). Today, Ethiopian troops stand on Somali soil in support of the weak government of President Abdullahi Yusuf, a Somali warlord and long-time ally of Ethiopia. The Ethiopian leader, Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, is seeking to prevent the rival Somali forces of the Union of Islamic Courts from gaining control over the country. Ethiopia is supported by the United States, who fears that the Islamic Courts are a front for al-Qaida and other Islamist forces hostile to the U.S. and to the West. Ethiopian and Islamic Courts representatives met recently to hold talks aimed at preventing all-out war. The odds are long on a peaceful resolution, given the ugly history between the two nations, and the Christian vs. Muslim aspect to this issue. Ethiopians meet Somali Islamists: Ethiopia's Deputy Foreign Minister, Tekeda Alemu, has held direct talks in Djibouti with senior representatives of Somalia's Union of Islamic Courts. 1:52:18 PM    comment []

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