Aounism

Being an "aounist" used to mean something in the 1990s. An "aounist" liked to think of himself as someone patriotic, someone who is against foreign intervention and also someone who opposes secterianism just like the general Aound did.
What does it mean to be "aounist" today ? It is clearly nothing more than being a follower of Aoun, the man who used to have well defined principles while trying to acheive some not-so-well-defined objectives and became today the leader who has one clear objective ( presidency ) but ill-defined principles.

The Lebanese Predicament

The Lebanese problem is Aoun forming a close alliance with those who benefit from a foreign intervention, the same one that once forced him into exile. The Lebanese problem is Aoun and Al tayyar always getting along.

The Lebanese problem is Samir Geagea, once sentenced to life, leaving prison to become yet again a Lebanese leader.

The Lebanese problem is that being a war criminal was never sufficient to get at least isolated from political life.

The Lebanese problem is for Hezbullah that what is unconstitutional is not always unjustified.

The Lebanese problem is that there is a limit to the power of the constitution but not to the power of money and arms.

The Lebanese problem is the low expectations people have became to have for themselves; Low expectations to the point of claiming victory when it is only their cities that have been ravaged by fire while their leaders were either on the run or crying for help.

The Lebanese problem will only cease when people will understand it.

Robert Fisk on Saddam's verdict

This Was a Guilty Verdict On America As Well
Robert Fisk/The UK Independent, November 6, 2006.
Click on the link above. The article is accessed through the Blog of Pierre Tristam.