Blogs of War

Israel appears to be nearly paralyzed as the threats mount.

“The era of justice and Islamic rule have arrived” in Gaza, a spokesman for the Hamas militia was quoted as saying on Thursday.

Press reports said Hamas fighters — Islamic radicals — are winning their battle with the Fatah faction, which is loyal to Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas.

Hamas fighters, who are said to be better armed and trained, want an Islamic Palestinian state in all of Gaza, the West Bank, and Israel. They stormed one of Fatah’s key security installations in the Gaza Strip on Thursday, reportedly dragging Fatah gunmen from the building and executing them one by one in the street.

Broadcasting from inside the P.A.’s Preventive Security Services headquarters in Gaza City, Hamas television displayed weapons it said were smuggled into Gaza by Israel and the U.S. over the last months to aid Fatah.

Fatah forces are paying a heavy price:

Fatah officials said seven of their fighters were shot to death in the street outside Preventive Security. A witness, Jihad Abu Ayad, said the men were being killed in front of their wives and children.

“They are executing them one by one,” Abu Ayad said. “They are carrying one of them on their shoulders, putting him on a sand dune, turning him around and shooting.”

Some of the Hamas fighters kneeled down outside the building, touching their foreheads to the ground in prayer. Others led Fatah fighters out of the building, some of them shirtless or in their underwear, holding their arms in the air. Several of the Fatah men flinched as the crack of gunfire split the air.

Carl in Jerusalem has a plan for a Hamas-controlled Gaza:

What should Israel do? Israel should seal off the crossings from Gaza into Israel completely and let the ‘Palestinians’ rot. Nothing comes in and nothing goes out on our side. Let the Egyptians deal with them. Unless they start shooting Kassams. Then we can let the helicopters deal with them.

Israel will be condemned for that action, of course, but what sane country would expose its population to Hamas controlled border crossings?

This is a serious problem but not a life threatening one. There’s an almost 2 month supply of oxygen available and the station crew has the option of returning to Earth if the problem cannot be resolved.

Russian computers that control the international space station’s orientation and supply of oxygen and water have failed, potentially extending the space shuttle’s mission — or cutting it short.

Russian engineers aren’t sure why the computers stopped working. A failure of this type has never occurred before on the space station.

The station is operated primarily by the Russian and U.S. space agencies, with contributions from the Canadian, European and Japanese space agencies.

“We have plenty of resources, so we have plenty of time to sort this out,” said Mike Suffredini, NASA manager of the space station program.

Science@NASA has the scoop on the station’s life support systems.

Blogs included in this roundup are maintained by Lebanese nationals or writers who are known to focus much of their attention on the country.

Lebanese Political Journal
I was on the scene for a number of the bombs in 2005, including Hariri’s assassination. It took the Army, at least, half an hour to arrive. This time, the security forces were amazingly professional. I was astounded. They were outstanding. We soon found out that 14 March Parliamentary Representative Walid Eido, his son, his two bodyguards, and at least two bystanders were killed. I was horrified that they had planted a bomb next to a children’s park. We knew there had to be bystanders killed, but we thought it was just another random bombing.

Across the Bay
So, where does that leave us? March 14 started with 72 MPs out of 128. They have now technically lost four, bringing their number to 68. If they lose 4 more, they will lose the simple (50+1) majority and thus the ability to elect a President (a top priority for Syria) or pass anything in parliament for that matter as long as Emile Lahoud remains in office. This is not to mention that this assassination comes three days after the tribunal went into effect and one day after the UNSC condemned Syria’s violation of UNSCR 1559. The message? Syria doesn’t give a damn. It will continue killing and terrorizing until it gets what it wants: full control over Lebanon and the termination of the tribunal. This is a war against the international community, not just Lebanon.

Beirut Spring
Yet another Anti-Syrian MP was savagely killed…Ohh, but the “Alqaeda” did warn this morning that they wanted to kill Lebanese politicians didn’t they? I guess the thugs in Syria have nothing to do with it then, what were we thinking?..

Michael J. Totten
Those who “engage” tyrants for a living need to pay more attention. The Syrian regime has had the same modus operandi almost as long as I have been alive. It’s time to catch up.

From Beirut to the Beltway
This is a message not only to Saad Hariri, but also to the Saudis and French, who thought they could ignore the Syrian factor and focus on resurrecting “dialogue” between the Lebanese parties. How many times do we have to say “we told you so”. As I type these words, Walid Eido’s body lies in an car on the Manara. The “future movement” deputy lost his life, and his slain son lost his future. Two Lebanese soldiers were killed earlier today by Syrian-sponsored terrorists. Who is afraid of the terrorist Assad regime?

Blacksmiths of Lebanon
Walid Eido will forever be remembered for his bravery, for being the first man to sound out the call of Enough!, for extending his hand to all Lebanese and bringing them together in a revolution of the street, and a liberation of the land and the mind. His body will be missed, but his voice will always ring loud and true.

Ya Libnan
We were in a cafe next to Luna Park enjoying the late afternoon next to the sea after an intense day. Children were playing on the equipment under the setting sun. Mothers were holding their babies. Old men were smoking argile. BOOM!!! Everyone hit the floor, except the group of European tourists who just looked surprised. Waiters dived under the tables. Mother grabbed their crying babies. Human flesh landed in the children’s play area.

The Daily Star
Wednesday’s attack was part of a campaign being carried out by Damascus to change the balance of power in the Lebanese Parliament, Telecommunications Minister Marwan Hamadeh said. “It is the same serial killer who wants to liquidate the parliamentary majority; it is a physical liquidation by the Syrian regime,” he said. Another member of the anti-Syrian camp, former President Amin Gemayel, described Eido’s assassination as having been “part of the criminal attacks that have targeted leaders and personalities of the ‘Cedar Revolution’” that ended Syrian domination in Lebanon. “This crime will not deter us … and what happens today highlights the importance of the international tribunal,” said Gemayel, father of the industry minister slain in November.

Naharnet
The March 14 alliance has blamed the Gemayel assassination on Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime. Syria has denied the charge. The alliance says Syrian intelligence agents are out to assassinate majority MPs to prevent the bloc from electing an anti-Syrian president succeeding Lahoud. Lahoud’s term was extended for three years in Sept. 2004 by a Syrian-orchestrated constitutional amendment. The majority blames Syria for a series of assassinations targeting Lebanese politicians, beginning with the powerful blast that killed ex-Premier Rafik Hariri on Feb. 14, 2005. Also killed were MP Gebran Tueni, MP Bassel Fleihan, Journalist Samir Qassir and former Communist Party leader George Hawi.

Now Lebanon
“Mothers started grabbing their children, and gathering in groups to decide what to do,” added his companion, Kristen. “It was such a beautiful day … I heard they found body parts in our café.”