The Cool Blue Blog

Daily Dish

Will the reign of the criminal thug (and friend of Chriac) Robert Mugabe finally end today? If voters in Zimbabwe have anything to say about it, this result is likely. But the fact of the matter is that the elections, while not plagued with violence as it was last time, is unlikely to reflect the wishes of the voters.

The election was called unfair by both the

United States and the European Union, whose observers have been barred from monitoring the poll.

Approximately 5.8 million voters were registered for the poll, but independent researchers claim hundreds of thousands of them could be duplicates -- or dead.

Hmmm, sounds like some Democrat Party districts in the last few elections.

And even if by some miracle Mugabe's party, the African National Union - Patriotic Front, somehow loses power, Mugabe has ruled out power sharing with the opposition party the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

But Zimbabwe does not live in a vacuum. The citizens there have seen what is going on in the world. They saw what has happened in the Ukraine, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Belarus, and Kyrgyzstan

And it seems Iraq has influenced them as well.

"I want a change," said Shepherd Muroyiwa, 56, a baker in the eastern town of Marondera, where Mugabe's Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) has held the parliamentary seat. "We're expecting some new ideas from someone, not these old ideas from someone who's been there for 20 years."

Several other voters, identifiable by the purple dye on their left pinkies, expressed similar sentiments, but most said they were too frightened of retribution by the ruling party to allow their names to be published.

The fact that so many have decided that this election is important, could mean that they are not likely to stand for their vote being nullified by corruption.

Will they march in the streets if Mugabe wins?

We'll be watching.

With autocrats and dictators being challenged world wide, is the bottom falling out of the post-War political system?

The Belmont Club observes:

These developments are widely presumed to favor the United States; and in the narrow sense that collapsing empires play into the hands of the nation which holds the balance of power, this must be true. But first and foremost, they are evidence of dysfunction: proof that the Soviet model, Middle Eastern authoritarianism and to a certain extent transnational liberalism have lost their grip. In that respect the sudden and unexpected weakening of the United Nations is less the result of Kofi Annan's individual shenanigans than a symptom that the bottom has fallen out of the whole postwar system.

Read the whole thing.

Daily Dish

New video information discredits the official story that former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri died as the result of a car bomb. It now appears that the explosives were pre-positioned in the road and detonated remotely. This new evidence gives added weight to a recent UN report on the incident which blamed the Syrian backed Lebanese security forces for the attack and fell a few millimeters short of blaming Syria directly. Further investigations have been called for; investigations that give investigators subpoena powers.

For the first time, Syria has committed to a withdrawal timetable saying that they will withdraw all Syrian military and intelligence assets in Lebanon before the elections in May. The recent violence in Lebanon, three bombs in Christian sections in eights days, did not produce the desired results; a call for Syria to stay and provide security. Instead, Syria was blamed for the violence. And while the pro-Syrian Prime Minister Omar Karami has announced he will resign, again, President Emile Lahoud is vowing to end the violence. And Lebanese Nationalists are saying I don't care what you people do, just hold the elections as scheduled.

It appears that against all odds, progress is being made.

When thousands protested the fixed elections in Kyrgyzstan, President Askar Akayev fled the country. Today, he resurfaced in Russia claiming he didn't resign and he's still the big cheese in Kyrgyzstan. Unfortunately for him, someone has taken his place temporarily. And acting President Kurmanbek Bakiev has some words of advice for Mr Akayev: "Don't come back." With a new Parliament in place, the US has offered assistence in get the country's political house in order. But Russia is not reacting too well to the offer.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov ... warned against outside interference in the political affairs of former Soviet nations.

Given that this is the third former Soviet state that has had Russian friendly governments swept from power by popular uprisings against fixed elections in the last 18 months, I'd say that Russia has to worry about internal meddling more than outside interference.

 

Theresa

People write to me and think I should comment on the hullabaloo surrounding Terri Schiavo.

To tell you the truth, I am so pissed off about the whole thing I was afraid I wouldn't be able to keep a civil tongue about it.

And I very well may not.

So if you are a parent or a guardian, you had best read this through first and make decisions appropriate to your duties.

And that's what this Terri Schiavo thing is about, isn't it? There is no doubt in my mind that people have been granted the right to refuse medical treatment if they so choose. There is no doubt that if the individual is so incapacitated that they can not choose, their legal guardian in many cases have been granted the ability to assume that right for the incapacitated individual.

Now I know there have been questions regarding the integrity of the decisions made by her husband Michael. OK. Fine. So Congress granted the parents a review of the case by the Federal court system who determined that everything is in order i.e. Terri is in a permanent vegetative state and the husband has the standing to make the decision regarding her treatment.

So that's settled.

But I swear to god that every time I hear a Democrat say that by calling for that review, Tom Delay is a hypocrite because of his pending ethics review, I say: shut the fuck up: it's not about Tom Delay.

And every time I hear a Republican say that Terri is experiencing her "Palm Sunday" and will not be forsaken as a result, I say: shut the fuck up it's not about religion its about the law.

And every time I hear someone say that the Federal court review is a violation of Federalism, I say: shut the fuck up: it is not anti-Federalist to have a disinterested set of eyes to assure murder is not being committed. And since many of the people saying this are anti-Federalists to begin with, I say what the hell do you care about Federalism?

And every time I hear someone say this is a right to life issue, I say shut the fuck up. What are you talking about? Are you saying that as medical science advances and we at some point get to the point where we can make enough machines to virtually keep anyone alive forever that's what we should do? That is so absurd I say again, shut the fuck up.

And every time I hear someone say that this reflects the death of America I say: shut the fuck up. The rule of law still applies. The Federal review of the cases did not change any standing law and in fact followed the law. No laws have been changed to suit this case against the wishes of the people to whom our Federal leadership is responsible. Some may wish the law to change, but they are in the minority and will not prevail. And if they become the majority and do change the law, well that's Democracy too.

And every time I hear someone vilify Michael Schiavo as a heartless criminal guilty of murder I say: just please, for heaven's sake, shut the fuck up. You don't know Michael and neither do I. Maybe he's a slimeball and maybe he's a saint. But either way it matters not one bit to what is going on. Umpteen courts have reviewed the situation and that is all we have to go on so give it a fucking rest already and mind your own fucking business.

All of you trying to make political hay out of Terri's situation: fuck you and the horse you rode in on.

All of you wearing your religion on your sleeve: fuck you and the horse you rode in on.

And all of you reporters who think you are doing some solemn duty by showing Terri's face 24/7, you're surely not; so fuck you and the horse you rode in on.

Terri Schiavo is a person not an icon. She had a life, not an agenda. She was what she was, not what you want her to represent.

So all of you, let her die in peace and shut the fuck up about it.

Guess I wasn't able to keep a civil tongue.

You were warned.

Daily Dish

As China's economy posts rapid growth, on the order of 9.5% last year, so does its military. Recently, the Chinese government approved a 12.6 percent increase in its defense spending; spending that has increased by double digits for the last 15 years. And most Western analysts say that the actual spending by China on defense is three for four time greater than the official number.

Ever since the incident at Tiananmen  Square in 1989, when pro-Democracy demonstrators were brutally put down by the Chinese military, the US and the EU have enforced an arms embargo on China. Recently, the EU has been inclined to lift that embargo and once again sell arms and advanced weaponry to one of the most rapidly growing economies in the world. But when China passed a law that would allow them to take military action against Taiwan if it seceeded, the EU reconsidered.

Well most of the EU, that is. France and Germany are still pushing for a lifting of the arms embargo, and not only is the US opposed, but Japan is not too happy about it either.

Oh, and by the way, neither is Richard Gere.

Democracy is a process not an event. In Iraq, the StrategyPage points out that neither terrorism, nor crime, nor political instability are the biggest problems being faced by the country:

All of those are easy to solve compared to the biggest, and most persistent problem; corruption. Lack of fair and efficient government has been a problem in this region for thousands of years.

The successful pro-Democracy movement in Kyrgyzstan is aslo finding that installing democratic institutions is not as easy as it looks.

Widespread reforms are desperately needed to wipe out corruption and soften the authoritarian regime bequeathed by President Askar Akayev’s 14-year rule.

But Kyrgyzstan’s new rulers, preoccupied with political infighting and a battle against mobs of looters, appear to be getting a slow start on reforms.

Perhaps the slow grinding pace of creating consenus and coalitions along with rooting out corruption and making public figures accountable is why dictators have such good success: people tend to want to see things get done without a lot of fuss.

But as R.J. Rummel points out, political and economic freedom give people what they want: security and affluence. This is why people want to immigrate to the US. And this is why people want to change their own governments.

The current wave of pro-Democracy uprisings is having varying results. In Lebanon, Syria is striking back by creating social instability. In Belarus, the iron fisted government is jailing demonstrators. Iran is not so tolerant either. And Egypt is not sure which way it wants to go.

Yet despite this, more countires are becoming inclined to gain what we in the US have; and Mongolia is the newest member of this rapidly growing club.

But the road is long and hard. Longer than the term of the current President.

And I hope that this country will continue to elect Presidents that are willing to support these fledgling movements.

Because you can't rely on the UN to do it.

Daily Dish

The primary justification Syria uses for maintaining their presence in Lebanon is security. They claim to be stabalizing the area after a bloody civil war that ended 15 years ago. But a recent UN fact finding report on the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri concludes:

"Lebanese security services and Syrian military intelligence bear the primary responsibility for the lack of security, protection, law and order in Lebanon."

And while the UN report does not claim to have enough evidence to blame anyone specifically for the assassination, it notes that Syria's President Assad threatened Hariri with physical harm if he did not get in line and support Syria's continued occupation of the country.

The main reason why the UN's report was not more specific is because they were not granted the right to subpoena witnesses and had to rely on internal investigations made by the Syrian security forces to suppliment what they could dig up on their own. Lebanon's pro-Syrian President responded to the report by calling for an international, independent investigation. And while this is a shift in the official position, Lebanese Nationalist leader Walid Jumblatt, a Druze, responded that the Syrian-backed security chiefs should resign so that a full investigation could take place.

"It is not possible to carry out a just, serious, clear and transparent investigation if the heads of the agencies remain in their place."

Why not remove them? Its pretty obvious Syria is no longer acting to prevent unrest and increase stability in the country.

If they ever did....

In other Democracy news, after successfully throwing out a man who won a severly tainted election in Kyrgyzstan, pro-Democracy protestors are not accepting his replacement either. Thousands planned to march today in support of new, clean elections. The Parliament has set June 26th as the date for these new elections.

Arthur Chrenkoff has more.

In neighboring Belarus, thousands march to protest the Soviet-style government there. But here, pro-Democracy forces were met with Soviet-style resistence.

The Belarussian Foreign Ministry assailed the Kyrgyz opposition, warning that protests that drove Kyrgyzstan's longtime leader, Askar Akayev, from power could destabilize the entire Central Asian region.

Well, if you consider autocratic rule by despots to be a sign of stability, then it would seem that more instability is precisely what's needed. However, it seems clear that the current government in Belarus is going to be a tough nut to crack.

The Gateway Pundit has more (via Instapundit)

In Iran, a soccer match provided the excuse for anti-government demonstrations. After the Iranian soccer team defeated Japan, the Student Movement Coordination Committee for Democracy in Iran reports that

Several demonstrators have been killed and hundreds have been injured or arrested in most Iranian cities, especially in the Capital,

While they claim that the Iranian government is admitting to three deaths.

In Taiwan, hundreds of thousands take to the streets to protest China's new law that allows it to use military force to prevent the island nation from seceeding.

"China is a violent country. We want nothing to do with it," said protester Wu Chao-hsiung, a carpenter from Taipei. "We have to insist on the freedom to determine our own fate."

I didn't think they'd do it, but it seems I was wrong.

Good on them.

Meanwhile in France, the government is being blackmailed by terrorists again. After paying to get journalists released in Iraq, terrorists are now threatening attacks in France if they are not paid money. Now France has always been a supporter of terrorists, most natably Arafat and his criminal organization, but this raises the term "donar nation" to a whole new level.

Maybe the more appropriate term now is "mark".

In Iraq, the Financial Times reports that the "insurgents" are looking for an exit strategy. Beautiful. And Blackfive reports that women in combat situations are doing just fine thank you.

Arthur Chrenkoff has a report on the Tsunami relief status three months on...

Daily Dish

A US backed resolution in the UN Security Council is approved by unanimous consent resulting in the dispatching of 10,000 peace keeping troops to Sudan. Now, if the UN can keep their "Peacekeepers" from raping and sexually exploiting the people they are protecting, this will much more than the Arab League has been able to accomplish.

A Canadian court has refused to grant asylum to Army coward (and deserter) Jeremy Hinzman.

"Removal to the U.S. would not subject [the Hinzman family] personally to a risk to their lives or to a risk of cruel and unusual treatment or punishment," said the ruling, posted on the board's website.

"Hinzman has brought forward no evidence to support his allegation that he would not be accorded the full protection of the law pursuant to the court-martial process."

And that's pretty much because such evidence doesn't exit.

Hopefully he'll be back in the US and we can apply the gentle and usual punishment afforded to deserters.

Daily Dish

The Arab League Summit in Algeria has ended a session that marked the 60th Anniversary of the body. Nine leaders sent representatives instead of attending in person. So what happened there?

Did they deal with their errent brother Sudan telling it in certain terms that the killing in Darfur must stop?

Uh, no.

Did they deal with Syria and tell them to stop supporting terrorism and get the hell out of Lebanon?

Um, no.

Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi did call the Palestinians and Israelis "idiots", so that was amusing.

"I cannot recognize either the Palestinian state or the Israeli state. Don't be angry, Abu Mazen, but the Palestinians are idiots and the Israelis are idiots," Gadhafi said, addressing Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas. "The solution I think is to have a single state. We cannot have two states."

And he also asked some uncomfortable questions.

Gadhafi also asked why Palestinians hadn't established a state between 1948 and 1967, when the West Bank was under Jordanian sovereignty and Gaza under Egyptian control.

And made uncomfortable observations

"Terror is identified with Islam." He dismissed the argument that poverty is at the root of violence by Islamists, and put the blame on "oppression, injustice, arrogance, insults, contempt and the humiliation of this [Arab] nation."

As a result of stating the obvious, he has been reprimanded by the Palestinians and told to apologize.

The Arab League also had a public cat fight about who should present an Arab peace plan to Europe and the US.

Wait! Arab peace plan?

Well, yes. Though they rejected a Jordainian proposal that would offer peace to Israel in anticipation of withdrawal from Palestinian territories, they did more formally adopt the Saudi plan first proposed two years ago that offers peace to Israel in exchange for withdrawal.

Their final statement not only included this, but additionally offered support for Iraq. Um, moral support that is.

the declaration said the Arab leaders underlined their respect for Iraq's unity and sovereignty and the necessity of non-interference in Iraq's internal affairs.

However, such tepid measures were met with hyperventilation by the enemies of peace and prosperity.

  Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahhar said,...."The summit proved that Arab leaders are being drawn to the side of Israeli and American criminals and trying to bring our resistance movement to submission."

Sounds like the rhetoric of the Western left, doesn't it?

But when Zahhar says resistance movement, he means sanctioned psychopathic slaughtering. And when he says Israeli and American criminals, he means champions of Liberalism whose principles run counter to the fascism proposed by the criminal terrorist organizations.

The bottom line is, the Arab League is about as effective and important as the UN; which is not.

It seems that China overplayed its hand when they passed a law saying it was illegal for Taiwan to seceed from the nation. Whereas before it was looking like the EU might drop trade barriers preventing the EU from selling arms to China, the measure is now being reconsidered. Whether this reversal is primarily due to the Presidents private talks with European leaders when he visited last month or not, it is clear that China did not help itself by passing legislation that was viewed by most as a measure legalizing agression agains Taiwan.

Democracy is being demanded in yet another area of the world. In Kyrgyzstan, widespread public action has taken place against yet another regime that has tried to fix elections. The result? President Askar Akayev has resigned.

Daily Dish

A bomb explodes in a shopping mall in a Christian section of Beirut killing innocent people. This comes at a time when the Lebanese Nationalist forces were beginning to soften their position so as to assure elections happen on time. But unlike in the bad old days of sectarian religious wars that tore apart Lebanon, giving Syria the excuse to move troops in and effectively occupy the country, Syria itself is being blamed. Again.

"It is clear that those who carried out this attack are targeting the security and stability of the country,"opposition parliament member Faris Bouez told reporters.

"It is a political message to the (anti-Syrian) independence uprising."

And according to Lebanon's Daily Star

The blast occurred in the Alta Vista commercial center in Kaslik that houses shops, a night club and an amusement hall.

The aspect of this attack that attempts to make people not feel safe pursuing their leisure-time activities reminds me of attacks on Israel. And the aspect of the attack that attempts to promoted sectarianism and civil war reminds me of attacks in Iraq. The difference is, of course, there is no religious aspect to Syria's interest in Lebanon: it is pure control.

But then again, al Qaeda and their ilk, for all their religious posturing, just want control as well.

Because no real Muslim would do these things.

Meanwhile, the UN team investigating the murder of former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri has completed its work and returned to New York.

"Within the next few days I expect to release the report of themission of inquiry I established in the wake of the killing. A more comprehensive investigation may well also be necessary," Annan said in Algiers.

This should be interesting.

In Iraq, Government Commandos overran an insurgent base and killed 45 bad actors, while in Baghdad, regular citizens use their right to bear arms to kill three anti-Iraqi militants.

A forceful citizen response is rare, but not unheard of in a country where conflict has become commonplace and the law allows each home to have a weapon. Early this month, police said townsmen in Wihda, 25 miles south of Baghdad, attacked and killed seven militants who were part of a group believed to be planning to raid the town.

It must be clear who has won the hearts and minds and who has lost them.

The Belmont Club, now at their new digs, asks Is the Iraqi Insurgency Dying? here and here.

And Arthur Chrenkoff fact checks the New York Times.

R.J. Rummel has more on the correlation between political/economic freedom and quality of life.

Daily Dish

There is little doubt that Jordan's King Abdullah is a friend of the US and a supporter of Democratic reforms. Yet there are problems that must be addressed. Certainly Iraq is having problems with their neighbor. And the public perception of Jordan on the Iraqi "street" is at a low point. Not only is the main terrorist killer of Iraqis the Jordanian Zarqawi, but a recent suicide bombing in the Iraqi town of Hilla was found to have been effected by a Jordanian. The bad part was that there was seen to be celebrations in the streets of Jordan when it happened. Athena of Terrorism Unveiled notes:

Jordanians, for the most part, are extremely peaceful, and an important partner to bring stability and democracy to the region.  While many Jordanians are against terrorism, there is certainly a number who have terrorist sympathies.

The news of the celebration sparked angry protests at the Jordanian Embassy in Baghdad. Clearly Iraqis are not on the side of the Terrorists. And it is also clear that at least some of the blame for  Iraq's trouble with terrorism is falling on Jordan.

In the latest development, Jordan and Iraq have recalled their ambassadors. There is evidence that many of the anti-US, anti-Democracy factions are contained within the country's labor unions. Combatting these groups is fraught with peril for the path of Democracy.

But it is clear that Jordan has to do something in order to be seen as a friend of Iraq and not its enemy.

Meanwhile, Jordan proposes peace with Israel and the Arab League isn't listening. Just like they don't listen about their buddy Sudan.

In Europe, France is accused of German xenophobia. What?! The French xenophobic?

Kofi Annan proposes changes to the Security Council. The biggest problem with the Security Council is the veto, not the number of members. However

Annan also wants the Security Council to draw up guidelines for the use of force to settle international disputes, and for the U.N. to agree on a universal definition of terrorism -one making it clear that no cause whatsoever justifies the deliberate targeting of civilians.

Arab-Muslim nations have resisted this in the past, arguing that a violent Palestinian response to "foreign occupation" was legitimate.

Yeah, well, I'll believe it when I see it. But what difference would it make anyway? It is clear that what is going on in Darfur is genocide but the UN refuses to admit it. In fact, only the US will say it. So what good is it if you have a definition of terrorism that the UN will never use?

Arthur Chrenkoff has Good News on the Democratic front for the Islamic world and a new poll from Iraq.

R.J. Rummel of the Democratic Peace blog has data that shows that political and economic freedom are the antidote for most of the world's troubles.

Political and Economic freedom not only go together, but also they are an engine of a people’s wealth and welfare. Add this to the fact the democratically free countries never have had a famine, virtually never murder their own people, have the least internal violence, and never any wars between them, and you have freedom as the closest thing to a general solution to humanity’s ills.

Amen.

Daily Dish

A deal has been reached about the status of Kirkuk which now clears the way for the forming of a new government in Iraq which will likely take place next week. The US has been pointedly avoiding brokering a deal between the sides, preferring instead to make the new Iraqi governing congress come to grips with the dealmaking and compromises necessary in a Democracy. And it appears that many in the region "get it" as this op/ed piece from the Khaleej Times Online indicates.

The prime minister and the president of the caretaker government that oversaw the election process-Iraq’s first tryst with democracy in several decades-are not the ones who tasted victory. Both Iyad Allawi and Ghazi Al Yawar have less reason to be cheerful, as they are not the major winners. New alignments and new leaders are in the making to lead Iraq.

This shows impatience will not work in a democratic set up. Those who showed patience and wholeheartedly participated in the election are getting an opportunity to share power and lead the people. Those who boycotted the elections have lost out; at least for now. It might be that, by good sense, the winning side would involve them too in the governance. That’s how a nation can stand united and reconstruction made easy. Lots of people had thought the elections in Iraq would be a bogus one. If so, it would have been Iyad Allawi and his team who won them hands down, for the simple reason that it was they who oversaw the entire process. Many thought Americans will put the same people into power through a sham elections. But, the results proved otherwise.

Indeed. But many in Europe and the US do not get it; or in some cases do get it and just don't like it. However, it seems that the protests planned to mark the two-year anniversary of the War in Iraq turned out far fewer people than they did on the eve of the war. This could indicate that many more people than before are at least willing to take a cautiously optimistic attitude or are simply not willing to be in the position to stand against the democracies which seem to be busting out all over. Us baby boomers who lived through the Civil Rights marches and such felt we were living through momentous times, but it seems to me that this was nothing compared to what is happening today. What is happening in our children's generation. And even if they don't realize it now, our children have lit a fire that could very well revolutionize not just the US, but the whole world. And if things work out, no generation since the generation that participated in World War Two can make such a claim.

"Today we are seeing hopeful signs across the broader Middle East. The victory of freedom in Iraq is strengthening a new ally in the war on terror, and inspiring democratic reformers from Beirut to Tehran.."

President Bush said.

And we have our children to thank for that.

Meanwhile, things continue to improve in Iraq. And while some continue to focus on the roadblocks preventing progress, others see these same things as challenges to be met and overcome. Summarizing the accomplishements of the last two years takes a whole website. Check it out. And Captain Ed notes that the Iraqi "insurgency" is fading.

Jordan sentences terrorist sociopath and al Qaeda funkie Abu Musab al-Zarqawi to 15 yeas in prison in absentia for "conspiring to carry out terrorist  acts" against Jordanian and American targets in Iraq. Fifteen years? What? Have they gone European?

The Arab League summit is being shunned by some of its important participants. Jordan's King Abd Allah II is too busy meeting with investors to play with racist dictators, Lebanese President Lahud has Syrian caused problems at home to which he must attend and UAE President Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayid Al Nahayan is busy too. The key proposal before the body is peace with Israel which Jordan proposed through the Saudi's back in 2002 and which faces stiff opposition by other members. But why bother even talking to these people as events are overtaking the cabal of jew-hating dictators? How about this? The Arab League sits down and condemns Sudan and decides to intervene on behalf of the black Christian people being erased in Darfur? After all, Sudan is an Arab League member. Whaddaya think?

Pro-Syrian forces in Lebanon may engage in more high profile assassinations if the Lebanese Nationalists don't come to the table to compromise. OK, so that's not the spin the Turkish Press puts on it, but that's what it sounds like to me. How 'bout you?

Opposition figures led by veteran Druze politician Walid Jumblatt rejected an appeal for talks that President Emile Lahoud issued Saturday after a bomb blast in a Christian quarter injured 11 people and sparked fears of a return to sectarian violence here....

The opposition rejection means that an ominous standoff between anti-Syrian opponents and the current leadership is set to continue in an atmosphere of mounting political tension that followed the assassination February 14 of former prime minister Rafiq Hariri.

My guess is that if Jumblatt is in fact assassinated, there will be no saving Syria.

And Beirut shopkeepers are complaining that all this protesting is bad for buisness. It seems Syrian security forces are allowing workers to get to the shops but no one else. As a result, some shopkeepers are seeing a 90% decline in buisness.

Few expect business to pick up before elections, due in May but threatened with delay unless a new government is formed soon and an electoral law passed.

There is no reason to delay elections. Elections will result in a new government by default.

Publius Pundit has a great Lebanon roundup.

Arthur Chrenkoff has more on the anti-war protests around the world.