The Political Scene in the Middle East as Seen from the USA
A cartoon depicting the heavy censorship by the White House of an opinion piece on Iran written by a former subordinate of the US President, The New York Times, New York, December 22, 2006.

The Political Situation in Lebanon
Huge crowds occupying the main squares in Beirut's center to support the national oppostion parties call for the resignation of the cabinet and the formation of a government of national unity, Sunday, December 10, 2006 (See related story)

The Political scene in the Middle East as viewed from Washington through its involvement in Iraq
American President George W. Bush meeting with members of the Iraq Study Group headed by Baker and Hamilton, and promising to take their recommendations very seriously, December 6, 2006.

The Political Situation in Lebanon
Huge crowds of Lebanese gathering in down town Beirut before the Grand Serail (Prime Minister's offices) to demand the resignation of the cabinet and the installation of a clean government of national unity, December 1, 2006.

Practice of religion in the Middle East
Some 180,000 Muslims prayed at the Al Aksa mosque compound in Jerusalem today, the final Friday of the holy month of Ramadan.

The Political Scene in Lebanon
Crowds of Lebanese coming from all parts of Lebanon, with numbers estimated from hundreds of thousands to over one million, gathered in South Beirut for a victory celebration called by Hizbullah and to listen to Hizbullah's leader deliver a rousing speech, September 22, 2006. (see related news article).

The Political Scene in Lebanon
Thousands of Lebanese demonstrated to protest the visit by British Prime Minister Tony Blair to Beirut, accusing him of having supported the Israeli war on Lebanon and permitted American arms supplies to israel to pass through British airports, Beirut, September 11, 2006 (see related news article).

The Political Scene in Lebanon as seen from South Beirut
Mr. Kofi Annan was heckled and jostled in an afternoon visit to a badly bombed South Beirut. Protesters chanted Hizbullah slogans and angrily waved posters of Sheihk Hassan Nasrallah, as Mr. Annan and his security detail and aides moved through a World War II tableau of muddy streets lined by collapsed and soot-scarred apartment buildings, Monday, August 28, 2006.

History repeating itself? The political scene in Lebanon on the heal of the Israeli withdrawal of May, 2000.
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan meeting with Hizbullah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah against a backdrop of flowers (As a U.N. press release put it at that time, “They talked of cooperation between Hizbullah and the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Southern Lebanon. The Secretary-General thanked the Sheikh for the restraint shown by Hizbullah during Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon.”), Beirut, June 20, 2000.

The war scene in Lebanon as seen from London
Demonstrators in London on Friday blamed British Prime Minister Tony Blair and President Bush for the war in Lebanon. (August 15, 2006)

The war scene in Lebanon
Survivors of a residential building at the Shiah suburb of Beiurt, destroyed by Israeli airstrike on Monday evening, are rescued. Over 30 residents are so far confirmed as dead. The attack was closest to Beirut's center so far and within less than one kilometer from the residence of the French Amabassador to Lebanon. (August 7, 2006)

The political scene in Lebanon as seen from Baghdad
Huge demonstrations of Iraqi protesters in support of Hizbullah and Lebanon filled 20 blocks of a wide boulevard and dozens of side streets in the Sadr City section of Baghdad (August 4, 2006).

Lebanon Under Attack
Rescuers and residents inspect a bombed bridge at Halat on the Tripoli expressway linking Beirut to Northern Lebanon (August 4, 2006). (see news article)

The Political Scene in the Middle East
as seen from Nebraska, USA
Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Nebraska, called the current crisis in the Mideast "madness." (see news article)

The political scene in the Middle East
hours after the second Qana massacre
Staying the course of war: Tzipi Livni of Israel greeting Condoleezza Rice of the USA at the start of their meeting in Jerusalem on Sunday, July 30, 2006.

The Political Scene in the Middle East
Demonstrators in Cairo on Wednesday, cordoned off by hundreds of policemen, condemned the killing by Israel of hundreds of Lebanese civilians and expressed support for Hizbullah.
(see news article)

War vs. peace in the Middle East
Condi Rice of the USA hugging Fouad Siniora in Beirut, July 24, and posturing with Ehud Olmert in Jerusalem, July 25, 2006. The US government has openly thrown its weight behind Israel and is widely believed to have given the Israeli army more time to march on Lebanon and seize a chunk of Lebanese territory for bargaining purposes before a cease fire is declared.

The Political Scene in Lebanon
Lebanese civil population and infrastructure under Israeli air and sea bombardment, July 12, 2006.

Israeli troops roll on a road near the Israeli-Lebanese border.
July 12, 2006.

The Political Scene in Lebanon as seen from Syria
Lebanese Speaker of Parliament and strong man of the regime Nabih Berri calling on Syrian President Bashar Assad, Damascus, June 28, 2006.

The Political Scene in the Middle East (including Lebanon)
A hot selling poster in Damascus carries a composite of the portraits of the Syrian and Iranian presidents plus the leader of Hizbullah
(See news article)

The Legitimacy Scene in Lebanon
Members of the newly reconstituted higher judiciary council adding evidence to the disputed legitimacy of President Emile Lahoud by appearing for a photo opportunity with him and Justice Minister Charles Rizq after taking the oath of office before President Lahoud at the presidential palace, Baabda, June 14, 2006.

The Political Scene in Lebanon
'National dialogue' participants reconvening in Beirut, June, 8, 2006, discussed a 'code of honor' among themselves, and adjourned their 'dialogue' meeting to June 29, 2006.

The Rule of Law Scene in Lebanon
Human rights activists picketing the Bar Association at Beirut and demanding strict respect for the rule of law and for the exercise of the freedom of expression and criticism by all lawyers, Beirut, June 1, 2006.

The Political Scene in Lebanon
Hizbullah led a funeral procession in honor of Youssef Mohammad Alaeddine, 36, a resistance fighter from the Bikaa town of Sohmor who fell on Sunday in the Israeli attack on Hizbullah positions, Monday, May 29, 2006.

The Political Scene in Lebanon
Tens of thousands of Lebanese workers, students and teachers, rejecting government economic plans they fear will increase taxes and deprive civil servants of their benefits and employment security, marched to Downtown Beirut, May 10, 2006.

The Political Scene in Lebanon: Advice and Consent
American Ambassador Jeffrey Feltman calling on Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Cardinal Sfeir, shortly before he issued a statement giving the official American position on the future of the Lebanese presidency, Bkerke, Lebanon, April 27, 2006

The Political Scene in Lebanon
Sultan Abul-Aynain, 'Brigadier General' in the Palestine Liberation Organization/Fatah, in charge of Lebanon's Palestinian refugee community and commander of the PLO/Fatah forces in Lebanon, calling on Mr. Saad Hariri, MP, and titular head of Lebanon's parliamentary majority, to thank him for his support, Beirut, April 4, 2006. Abul-Aynain had been summoned, tried and acquitted in Lebanon's military court last Thursday, March 30th, all within 30 minutes.

The Political Scene in Lebanon from a European Perspective
Lebanon's Association Agreement with the EU came into full force on April 1, 2006. Its Article One calls for full respect for human rights and democracy. In a press conference held at the prime minister's office on April 3, 2006, Ambassador Patrick Renauld, chief of the EUC delegation to Lebanon, had this to say: 'The Association Agreement ... may help Lebanon to implement reforms in such essential fields as justice, human rights, business judicial framework.'

The Political Scene in Lebanon
PLO 'brigadier general' Sultan Abul Aynan grinning after he surrendered to Lebanon's military court, tried, found not guilty and let go within a record 30 minutes, Beirut, March 30, 2006.

The Lebanese-Syrian Political Scene as Seen from the Sudan
Presidents of Syria and Lebanon embracing warmly at the Arab Summit Meeting, Khartoum, March 27, 2006.

The Political Scene in Lebanon
Remains of long missing fallen soldiers exhumed, honored and sent home for final rest, Beirut, March 18. 2006.

The Political Scene in Lebanon on a long day
Twelve political bosses, sub-bosses and quasi-bosses, jointly and collectively self-styled as constituting the super ruling class in Lebanon, somehow in the tradition of a "revolutionary command council", were convened by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri in an ad hoc conference on "national dialogue" to deal, over one full week, with the impossible choices they face in implementing UNSCR 1559, and are seen with eachother in various photo opportunities, Beirut, March 2, 2006.

The Political Scene in Lebanon
Twelve political bosses, sub-bosses and quasi-bosses, jointly and collectively self-styled as constituting the super ruling class in Lebanon, somehow in the tradition of a "revolutionary command council", were convened by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri in an ad hoc conference on "national dialogue" to deal, over one full week, with the impossible choices they face in implementing UNSCR 1559, and are seen with their close aides, Beirut, March 2, 2006.

The Political Scene in Lebanon on a long day
American Secretay of State, in Beirut for a few hours on Thursday February 23, to push for the disarming of Hizbullah and the holding of new Lebanese presidential election, (from top to bottom) calls on allies Walid Jumblat and Saad Hariri at Jumblat's Beirut residence, and on the leader of the Maronite Church Nasrallah Cardinal Sfeir in Bkerki, holds a joint press conference with prime minister Fouad Siniora at the Grand Serail with American and Lebanese flags in the background. In parallel, Hizbullah's leader Hassan Nasrallah addressed huge crowds chanting calls for death to America.

The Political Scene in Lebanon
Crowds participating in February 14 Day, commemorating the first anniversary of the assassination of former prime minister Rafik Hariri, led by Saad Hariri, Walid Jumblat and Samir Ja'Ja' (inset). The occasion was marked by fiery speeches calling for revenge, and including public accusations and threats, against Syrian President Bashar Assad and Lebanon's President Emile Lahoud, among others.

The Political Scene in Lebanon
Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, in violation of the most elementary democratic principle of separation of state and church, hosting at the Grand Serail, Beirut, a gathering, dubbed 'summit', of leaders of fourteen Christian churches and two Muslim mufties, Thursday, Februay 9, 2006.

The Political Scene in the Lands of Islam
Leaders of 57 Muslim nations, gathered in Mecca, performing the ritual at the Holy Kaaba. Prominent on their agenda is how to deal with the crisis arising from the offensive Danish cartoons, February 9, 2006.

The Political Scene in Lebanon
MP Michel Aoun, leader of the Free Patriotic Party, met with Hizbullah's leader Hassan Nasrallah, at Mar Mkhaiel Maronite Church, Shiah, a southern suburb of Beirut, and issued a joint statement, February 6, 2006.

The Political Scene in Lebanon
Islamic rage against offensive Danish cartoons engulfed dozens of cities, including Beirut, where the weak structure of government was badly shaken, February 5, 2006.

The Political Scene in the Middle East from an American Perspective
American Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice congratulating US President George W. Bush after his State of the Union address before US Congress, Tuesday, January 31, 2006. In this speach, Bush said that "America is addicted to oil" and set a goal of replacing 75 percent of Middle East oil imports to the United States..

The Political Scene in the Middle East
The Islamic flags of Hamas rising in Palestine: Hamas won a clear majority of the seats in the new Palestinian Legislative Assembly (January 26, 2006).

The Political Scene in Lebanon
Protestors against the visit of David Welsh burning the American flag, Beirut, January 15, 2006.