When the Left is "Right" in Lebanon: THE LEFT is ALIVE in Uruguay, but dead in...LEBANON. It is worse in Lebanon; there is a small group of former leftists who claim that they constitute the "new left." I have written in an article in As-Safir that they are more the like "old right." They share the same slogans of the fascistic Phalanges Party from the 1970s, and they see no fault in Hariri's aggressive and cruel capitalism which impoverished large segments of the Lebanese population. They also are not shy from expressing prejudicial attitudes towards the Syrian People (as was expressed by Samir Franjiyyah in an interview on New TV). The Lebanese Communist Party is doing what it does best: being useless, obsolete, and ineffective. I am suffocating. I said repeatedly that the Hariri's assassination was a hineous crime, and it killed scores of innocent people. But we need a perspective that sets the record of Hariri straight. Look at Antwan Haddad's study of poverty in Lebanon under Hariri. It has reached an all time high. What about Hariri's habit of buying off people, and using massive bribing in elections, and engaging in blatantly sectarian agitation. When Hariri came to power in Lebanon, Forbes estimated his wealth at $ 2 billion. As of now, Hariri's wealth is estimated at $ 6 billion. By contrast, Lebanon's foreign debt when Hariri came to Lebanon, was $2 billion, and it is now estimated at $40 billion. So please, do not listen to reports about Hariri "building Lebanon". Also, regarding the Hassan Fattah of the New York Times Watch. I have been told that he was dispatched to Iraq after the US war and occupation to edit a pro-occupation newspaper. I have not been able to confirm that. (H.: if you are reading this, knowing that you know. Please, send me an email to confirm or not confirm that.) Inquring minds want to know, NOW. Oh, and Bashshar Al-Asad (and his father before him) tried to isolate the Lebanese Communist Party from Lebanese political life. But a few weeks, an invitation was dispatched to the party to meet with Bashshar. And he said nice things about them. He needs them now. They do not need him.