CSI: Beirut.

The American government (with great fanfare (the last word is etymologically originally Arabic) in the Hariri media) has announced a substantial increase in US military aid to Lebanon. Who knows: maybe the US government will also get to train Lebanese military officers and police too. And we know how helpful that has been for the stability and peace in Iraq. Brace yourselves. Bush is now making simultaneous progress in Iraq AND Lebanon.

Amin Gemayyel was talking to Mayy Shidyaq on LBC-TV. He said that when his son Pierre was made Minister of Industry, he did not "know anything about the ministry." How nice.

The Lebanese government assigns special agents from the Security of the State apparatus--there is such an apparatus, I kid you not--to protect high government officials. As soon as the attackers showed up, the highly trained special agent...fled the scene. He later claimed that his revolver did not work.

I am not making this up. The prime minister of Lebanon yesterday said that he is "a statesman." I am not making this up.

Aghrab. This got my attention. The March 14th Movement yesterday issued a statement about the assassination of Pierre Gemayyel. It accused "al-aghrab"--foreigners of the assassination. This word was the standard word used in racist phalangist propaganda during the war to refer to "inferior" non-Lebanese Arabs, namely Palestinians and then Syrians. The word (and the ideology) is now internalized by the entire March 14th Movement. Pierre Gemayyel was himself born in Egypt.

Gemayyel family squabbles. There is no question that the Gemayyel family has played a very important role in the contemporary history of Lebanon--a lousy role, but a role nevertheless. I even acknowledged yesterday that the family has made the greatest contribution to the formation of Lebanese fascist ideology and practice. The great grandfather, Amin Gemayyel (the grandfather of Amin Gemayyel, the former president) was a peaceful man though (although most people don't know who he is and he was not known and wrote Arabic well) who founded an early conservation club in Lebanon. And then...Pierre Gemayyel went to Berlin. This highly uneducated and ill-mannered man was inspired by his own account by the Nazi movement. He felt that Lebanon needed something similar. He returned to Lebanon and founded the Phalanges Party, as a sectarian Maronite party, with the motto "God, Homeland, and Family (the Gemayyel family?)". Pierre was a pharmacist who lacked language skills and spoke Arabic like a foreigner. He was always mocked for his use of Arabic although the Phalanges Party had commanding orators (Ilyas Rababi (the key contact person with Israel since at least the 1950s), Joseph Al-Hashim, Edumund Rizq, George Sa`adah, etc). Gemayyel strongly supported the French colonization of Lebanon, although he turned against the French in the last week of the Mandate in order to save a place for himself in the future "independent" Lebanon. I met Pierre Gemayyel at my father's office as a child and shook his hand--I was too young to know better. My father knew Pierre well, and became friends with Amin when my father met him in 1970 when Amin won a seat (in a by-election) that was vacated by the death of his uncle, Maurice Gemayyel. When the war broke out in 1975, Amin hand wrote three lessez-passez forms for me and my brothers to let us move freely in East Beirut, at a time when people were being killed on the basis of their identity cards--Phalanges militia men killed Muslims at random. I never used that permit as I did not visit East Beirut--except once under circumstances that I will not discuss here. And in 1982, when Israel invaded Lebanon and after our neighborhood was bombed by indiscriminate Israeli bombing, Amin invited my father and the family to stay at the (luxurious) Bustan Hotel East of Beirut in areas under Phalanges and Israeli control. My sister and I declined, and we relocated to the village of Qulaylah south east of Tyre, while the rest of the family settled in Al-Bustan. My sister went once and visited the family in East Beirut. I could not get myself to step foot in those areas. And when I was writing my dissertation, and Amin was president, my father arranged for me to interview him for research purposes. My father insisted on coming along just in case I get out of hand, I felt. I still have a picture somewhere that the presidential photographer took with me, my father, and Amin--but I misplaced it. I remember that I had the look of somebody sitting in a dentist's chair. When I expressed my views about Gemayyel's administration, he was most restrained because the presence of my father made it into a "family" visit of sorts. That was not how I viewed it. At some point, my father would look at me with polite requests to "cool it." Gemayyel at one point said that I was "influenced by Western propaganda against his government." He specifically mentioned the US press knowing that I was studying in the US. I most remember how he spoke about Walid Jumblat during that meeting. He specifically told me that Walid Jumblat does "not amount to dust on my shoes." He used that expression which is familiar to those who speak Arabic. The relation between Amin and Bashir was most strained during the war years. There were tremendous competition and rivalry between the two. Read the account of the Phalanges killer, Joseph Sa`adah, to realize the extent to which the two brothers had rival camps. I remember that once my father called Pierre (the father of Amin and Bashir) to ask him for some thing from Bashir (Bashir's people had kidnapped some people from South Lebanon at the time, and their relatives asked my father for help) (my father later met Bashir when he became a candidate for the presidency). I remember Pierre told my father that "Bashir does not listen to me." Now the new generation of Gemayyels also face a new level of rivalries. Pierre has one surviving brother, Sami. Sami was not pleased with the prominence of Pierre, and he was clearly emulating the path of his uncle, Bashir. He played the out-of-control role. He wanted to sound as the militant and uncompromising one. In a recent account in a column by the well-informed Jan `Aziz in Al-Akhbar, Sami was seen slamming the door at his father's house, and storming out with his back pack. It was at the time when Sami resigned from the Phalanges party and started his own group, Our Lebanon (Lubnanuna). How comical it sounded. It was a reminder of the famous comment by Marx who was quoting Hegel about history repeating itself first as a tragedy and then as farce (Marx quotes Hegel (although nobody has ever been able to find the quotation in any of Hegel's writings--and I even looked one time and the closest you will find is this in his Philosophy of History: "A coup d'état is sanctioned as it were in the opinion of the people if it is repeated. Thus, Napoleon was defeated twice and twice the Bourbons were driven out. Through repetition, what at the beginning seemed to be merely accidental and possible, becomes real and established.") in his book the 18th Brumaire of Louis Napoleon that "Hegel remarks somewhere that all great world-historic facts and personages appear, so to speak, twice. He forgot to add: the first time as tragedy, the second time as farce."). Sami officially launched his Our Lebanon movement a few weeks ago, and declared himself independent of the March 14th Movement. He also made it clear that he (and all 30 of his followers) supports federalism for Lebanon. But the Sami and Pierre rivalry is not all among the new generation of Gemayyels. Solange Gemayyel (widow of Bashir) has not been happy watching Amin's sons totally marginalizing her own son, Nadim, who has not been able to chart a political space for himself. He has been taking some young people for training in the mountain, but has not been able to attract a following. He also does not handle the media well. Finally, some questions. The area where the assassination took place is very close to the Judaydah headquarters of the Phalanges Party where members have been receiving training every weekend for the last year. Also, why did Pierre keep an AK-47 and an M-16 in his trunk? Thirdly, Samir Ja`ja` spoke of assassinations last week. What was he referring to? Just asking. But the involvement of the Syrian regime can't be ruled out although I am busy finding "the truh" behind those who supported the Israeli invasion of Lebanon and those who covered up the massacre of Bayt Hanun.

The family: Pierre Gemayyel (in militia uniform and sunglasses) walking with his grandmother in 1986.

Nicholas Blanford has a new book on Lebanon. Basically, it compiles the accounts of Hariri family members. But mostly, it is an English language version of the accounts contained in the interviews with `Abdul-Halim Khaddam. And that title!

Bush called Amin Gemayyel twice today to offer his condolences. I wonder. Does Bush call the families of Iraqi victims of his brutal occupation to offer condolences?

Mini-Hariri has rejected all offers to vulgarly exploit the assassination of his father for cheap political ends. Above is a good example from yesterday.

Did you see the interview with mini-Hariri on AlArabiyya? It was a long series of "ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" sprinkled with a few words about Lebanonesia here and there.

Don't get me wrong. I am most distressed over the murder. I really would like that the killers be brought to justice. The massacre of Bayt Hanun should not go unpunished. Wait. What did you think I was talking about?

"Reform" in Saudi Arabia: "A presenter from King Saud University at an international medical seminar at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center caused a stir yesterday when he insisted that all women — including medical and media professionals — leave the room before he would enter the room to give his presentation. Initially some women expressed consternation at the request, but later relented and left the room so the doctor and orthodox man could give his presentation about Islam and the ethics of organ donation and end-of-life issues." (thanks Victoria)

CNN discovers that Walid Jumblat is Christian (thanks Marc)

All those obituaries of Milton Friedman. Did they forget to note the "sound advise" that he had given to the Pionchet's regime?

The Guardian (but not the NYT or the WP) mentions that the Phalanges are a fascist party.

"Lebanon Cancels Celebrations on Independence Day" (I did not even notice that Lebanon is independent).

Anthony Shadid is wrong here: Pierre Gemayyel did not make his notorious statement to the effect that "we have quality, and they have quantity"--in reference to Muslims in a TV interview. He made that remark in a rally speech in East Beirut.

Robert Fisk has a new cause: to support unconditionally the Sanyurah government. Do you notice that he uses the same language of the Bush administration when he talks about Lebanon? And Fisk says this about Gemayyel: "a hard-working unmarried Christian Maronite minister". In fact, his father kept pushing him to be less lazy, and he was married with two kids.

A Maronite summit. A meeting of top Maronite right-wing leaders took place in Bikfayya today: it comprised Amin Gemayyel, Samir Ja`ja`, and the US ambassador in Lebanon.

Who writes his speeches? Mini-Hariri just released a statement in which he called the funeral of Pierre Gemayyel a "wedding".

The UN Security Council today condemned the assassination of Pierre Gemayyel and considered it a "violation of Lebanon's sovereignty" (!?). The same Security Council did not condemn the Israeli invasion of Lebanon and did not consider it a violation of Lebanon's sovereignty.

I received many emails about Aljazeera's Ittijah Mu`akis today featuring Canadian-based activist, Khodr Awarki, and Hariri propagandist, George Bkasini. Everybody agreed that Awarki was most effective against Hariri propaganda. He produced non-stop salvos against prime minister boo hoo hoo and mini-Hariri. I had criticized Awarki in the past for praising Kuwait. He did not do that today.

CNN is treating the assassination of Pierre Gemayyel as if it is akin to the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

If you want a very accurate, English language version of Hariri family propaganda, please tune in to Brent Sadler of CNN. In fact, my sources tell me that Sadler travel in Hariri private jets (since Rafiq's days).

"The number of cosmetic procedures performed on Americans has risen roughly 500 percent over the past decade, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, and last year 11 million procedures were done."

"Foreign Minister Tzipi Livini, who is also currently in Los Angeles, met with actor John Voigt, Angelina Jolie's father. Voigt told Livni that Israel is very dear to him and that he is willing to assist in any way he can. During the tour of the Fox studios, the Foreign Minister also met with senior representatives from the American film industry, including Steven Spielberg." (thanks Maryam)

"Colorado attorney general in Saudi Arabia to discuss slavery case" (thanks Muhammad)

A Lebanese leftist friend of mine gets mad at those assassinations in Lebanon. He thinks that they help turn very unsavory characters into "martyrs."

A Syrian official is visiting Iraq. He said that Syria is not trying to please anyone--anyone except the Bush administration he forgot to add.

The Egyptian Minister of "Culture", Faruq Husni (whose "art" work is similar to greesy stains on a pizza box) is facing strong criticisms for his statement on the veil. He would have been credible in speaking (on anything) had he once spoken about the tyranny of his regime.

Ghassan Bin Jiddu (Beirut bureau chief) is going too far in his analysis of Pierre Gemayyel. He described him as "symbol of the youth" among Lebanese Christians. Not true. Jubran Twuayni was (until his alliance with Sa`d Hariri0--and Hariri family is despised by Lebanese Christians) but not Pierre. He really had no standing as much as his daddy wanted to make him a leader. I have to stop writing and get ready to fly back to CA now.

"Six Muslim imams were removed from a US Airways flight at Minneapolis- St. Paul International Airport on Monday and questioned by police for several hours before being released, a leader of the group said."

The US government stated that the assassination of Pierre Gemayyel is a "terrorist act." US officials added the Israeli massacre of Bayt Hanun was a "charitable act."

This is not Anthony Shadid's best work, for sure. He does not mention what the ideology of the Phalanges Party was about, he does not mention how Bashir Gemayyel was installed as president by Israeli occupation troops, and he was quite inaccurate when he stated that Pierre Gemayyel "swept into power." He certainly did not. He was losing his seat until the last-minute intervention minute by `Awn to give one seat in the district to a non-`Awn candidate. And the shooting outside of the church in `Ayn Ar-Rummanah in 1975 was NOT an assassination attempt on Pierre Gemayyel.

"40 percent of settlements were built on Palestinian land" (90 % of Israel is built on Palestinian land)

If you really like eggplants on your pizza, I strongly recommend this place in Boston.

I heard `Awn official `Isam Abu Jamra say that assassination with a revolver is the ugliest form of assassination. Was he suggesting that a car bomb is less ugly?

By the way, in the last parliamentary election of 2004, Pierre Gemayyel was going to lose his seat. The `Awn list was winning in the Northern Matn district with a landslide. But at the last minute, a deal was struck between Amin Gemayyel and Miche Al-Murri (who had aligned himself with `Awn) to allow one non-`Awn candidate (Pierre Gemayyel) to win one seat.

It is only fair that I say a word about the Lebanese Gemayyel family. No one family in Lebanon has made more contributions to the formulation of a Lebanese version of fascism than this family. Really. In this respect, one has to note that Pierre Gemayyel (the grandfather), and his son Bashir has made great efforts (with the help of Israel) to create a fascist movement for Lebanon modeled after the Nazi party. (As you may recall--search the archives below--Pierre Gemayyel (the grandfather of the assassinated minister--created the Phalanges Party after being impressed with the Nazi party when he observed it during the Olympic games of 1936.) The grandson, Pierre, had no influence in Lebanese politics, and his party, the Phalanges, has become marginal and insignificant. In fact, he was brought into the cabinet by the Harriri dynasty because they were trying to avoid appointing ministers who have bigger standing among Lebanese Christians (like the `Awn movement).

I am amazed how much attention CNN is giving to the news of Gemayyel's assassination. CNN should just turn its Middle East news organization to the Hariri family. The CNN Beirut correspondent is a Hariri functionary in all but in name.

I am still in Boston; I have no time to write elaborately on the assassination of Pierre Gemayyel. But it is rather odd. Pierre Gemayyel is now part of a tiny political movement, and has no influence in Lebanon. Of course, he engendered a lot of resentment among Muslims two years ago when he made a speech in which he talked about "quality versus quantity" which was interpreted by Muslim Lebanese as an indication of his belief in the genetic superiority of Christian Lebanese. Of course, this belief has been a cornerstone of the ideology of the Phalanges Party which was founded by his fascistic grandfather, Pierre, and is now headed by his corrupt father, Amin. Now the method of this assassination is different from the previous assassinations in Lebanon. One wonders whether the assassins are the same, or whether this is somebody who was taking matters in his/her own hands to punish Pierre Gemayyel for his his notorious speech. Of course, the Bush Doctrine and the sudden discovery of Lebanon by the US administration, the Israeli humiliation in Lebanon and the consistent Israeli sabotage in Lebanon, and the desire by Syria to restructure Lebanese politics to reward friends and to punish enemies, all that make the slide of Lebanon into instability more certain. But Lebanon may remain in a state of on-the-verge-of-civil-war for months and years to come without actually getting into civil war. I expect clashes and assassinations, but not an all-out civil war as such.

Why does the death of Pierre Gemayyel generate more attention--and certainly more sympathy--than the death of hundreds of Palestinian and Lebanese who have been killed by Israeli occupation troops?

"The top UN human rights official said yesterday Palestinians living in the Gaza strip had suffered "massive" human rights violations." (As if the Palestinians who live outside of the Gaza strip have not suffered "massive" human rights violations.)