The Lebanese Army moved in and contained the fighting. By the end it had escalated to what some media sources are referring to “medium calibre” weaponry. While “medium calibre” is a description that is wide, wide open, a friend of ours who lives nearby claimed there were RPGs going off on a regular basis.
The groups released a statement claiming that the matter was personal and that it spiraled out of control and held discussions with the Lebanese Army after the Army had moved into the area.
A Few Points:
1. How does one define a “personal matter”? This escalated into the use of rocket propelled grenades in the streets.
2. What role, exactly, do the security services play, including the Lebanese Army and police, if not to engage people fighting in the streets of the capital? – The impression I got was that they didn’t act proactively.
3. Why was it not reported, at the time, to the extent that it deserved?
Sayed Nasrallah was on TV talking about a range of issues when all this was happening. One was that it was vital that all responsible parties work together to create a stable state. The irony is, hopefully, not lost.
The Army does not appear to have engaged in combat. This is, presumably, out of fear of repercussions. How can one create a “stable” state if the security apparatus is afraid of the citizenry?
The obvious answer to this is the fear of civil war. Fine, I understand that. The flipside is, there’s absolutely no accountability when a group decides to go out and kill someone.
Some commentators are claiming that the event stole Sayed Nasrallah’s thunder. However, that wasn’t my impression. Flicking around the channels last night, there was a either, a., a live broadcast of Sayed Sayed Nasrallah’s speech, or., b., regular programming – including a performance by Nancy Ajram. All my information came from the Internet. Did I miss something?
The whole situation, re. Hizballah’s statements on the STL and the general unease created by the situation hints that this clash was more than a personal matter. However, the one plus point is that the two groups do not appear to wish the affair to escalate. Why else claim that it was personal matter?
