BEIRUT: The eruption of clashes in Arsal over the weekend has thrust the tiny border town into the national spotlight, with long-brewing tensions there threatening to escalate into further violence. Arsal, a town 130 kilometers northeast of Beirut, has long been an important place for smugglers, due to its rocky terrain and the presence of… اقرأ المزيد
BEIRUT: As the Lebanese Army celebrates its 69th anniversary as a fighting force, former officers and experts warned that the military faces a series of serious challenges that include containing the fallout from the crisis in Syria, maintaining the tranquility of its southern border and preserving peace in the nation’s troubled north. In the midst… اقرأ المزيد
BEIRUT: The presidential vacuum, now in its third month, has taken its toll on the military establishment, prompting the Army Command to cancel this year’s celebrations marking Army Day Friday. Speaker Nabih Berri, meanwhile, refuted reports that he and MP Walid Jumblatt were pushing for the extension of Parliament’s term. He said he had… اقرأ المزيد
BEIRUT: MP Walid Jumblatt’s recent meetings with Lebanese leaders were aimed at safeguarding civil peace and breaking the political impasse, sources said Wednesday, as rival MPs hinted another extension of Parliament’s term could become inevitable. Jumblatt, who met Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah over the weekend, visited Speaker Nabih Berri Tuesday, while former Prime… اقرأ المزيد
As Iran continues to absorb its recent setbacks in Iraq, one place where both the Islamic Republic and Saudi Arabia appear to be aiming to contain any Sunni-Shiite confrontation is Lebanon. That should be good news. Hezbollah has toned down its rhetoric of late, preferring to push to the forefront the speaker of Parliament, Nabih… اقرأ المزيد
The world has been so chaotic lately that it was easy to overlook two U.S. diplomatic maneuvers – involving the turbulent nations of Afghanistan and Iran – that avoided what could have been dangerous ruptures. The architect of these two agreements was Secretary of State John Kerry, who these days seems to be in constant… اقرأ المزيد