Thursday, April 07, 2005
What Hassan Fattah (and the Washington Post--which is busy looking for one sign thanking Bush among tens of thousands of signs that did NOT thank Bush in Lebanon) of the New York Times will NOT report tomorrow: This was reported in Lebanese TV news this evening (their time). Apparently, a cultural attache of the US embassy in Lebanon (accompanied by a whole bevy of security guards, chefs, personal trainers, translators, and potato slicers) visited the Faculty of Letters in Sidon. He proceeded to make a speech. Students started to gather, and a spontaneous demonstration followed. Students started to chant against the US and Bush. It got so loud, and it grew in size, to the point that the US delegation felt obliged to leave. The American delegation fled the scene and then went to a restaurant in Sidon (I recommend the food at the Istirahah in Sidon by the way--try the fish). As soon as they sat down to eat, a crowd gathered around them and it again grew in size. They too started to chant against the US and Bush, and the American delegation had to flee, yet again. Other than that, and based on what I read in the Washington Post, Bush is hugely popular in Lebanon (but not as popular as in Iraq where he visited for 2 hours 2 years ago and was greeted by thousands of thankful Iraqis).