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Thousands of Hezbollah and pro-Syrian supporters have planted themselves in downtown Beirut in what is, essentially, an attempted coup aimed at Prime Minister Fouad Siniora's government. This according to Lebanese MP Walid Jumblatt, quoted here.

I cannot resist pointing out that, if everything Hezbollah and its mouthpeices in the media were telling us ad nauseum in August and September about Israel having "completely destroyed" Lebanon's infrastructure were true, then, judging by those high-rises in the picture at the right (from Xinua Online), Hezbollah for Humanity has thrown up a helluva tent city in just a few days. Not my style maybe, but not much of a burned-out bombscape, either.

One can only assume that, if the UN's and the Dearborn Press & Guide's favorite social services group can take so many members away from their good works rebuilding southern Lebanon and passing out other people's money to have a days-long sit-in, maybe they should be allowed to run the whole country. Or, at least, co-run it with Syria's benevolent assistance.

All kidding aside, we have been warning that Hezbollah's lust to rule all of Lebanon, (on behalf of Syria) has only grown, and that Nasrallah will not relent unless he is made to do so, which no one appears willing to make him do.

According to Jumblatt, "They want south Lebanon to remain an arena for an open war so that it can be a commodity used for negotiations by the Iranian and Syrian regimes."

"Jumblatt added 'I never forget Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah's answer when Siniora told him we have a promising summer and we expect to receive in Lebanon more than 2 million tourists.' Nasrallah looked at him in the eye and said 'My arms do not disrupt tourism.'

"Jumblatt said we lost the tourism business. The 6 % growth in the economy is now a 5 % deficit . The government revenue is down to zero. The hotels are empty. The only thing that is full are the foreign embassies ... full with the young Lebanese who have had enough of this mess and want to emigrate."