Bang Bang

Regardless of who committed today’s atrocities, it is directed at tomorrow’s Christian crowd.

As soon as the news broke up, the blame game began.

The anti-government, pro-Syrian coalition (March 8) thinks it’s obvious who did it:
The evil Americans and Zionists are mobilizing their agents to boost their allies in the Seniora Government. They argue that the (insert CIA or Mossad here) planted these bombs to orchestrate a large public revulsion that would increase the number of participants in tomorrow’s rally.

How is it possible, they always ask, that every time March 14 finds itself in trouble, something like this comes up and boosts their popularity?

The pro-government, anti-Syria coalition (March 14) on the other hand, immediately blamed the incident on Damascus: The mischievous regime of Bashar el Assad wants to intimidate the Christians out of coming down in record numbers to commemorate Hariri’s Assassination’s anniversary.

To March 14, The objectives can’t be more obvious: The Syrians, in such an act, would achieve two goals: First, they would diminish the Christian crowd tomorrow and boost Michel Aoun’s claims of Cristian representation. Second, they would send a message to Lebanese Christians that their Sunni allies are not reliable when it comes to their security (hence the FPM’s relentless criticism of the -Sunni- Interior Minister for not properly doing his job). And that they are better off allying themselves with the Syrians.

As Saad Hariri, a March 14 leader, puts it:”[the incident is meant] to terrorize people who are willing to come to mark the second anniversary”

It is symbolic, the loyalists might point out, that the explosions took place in Bekfaya, the only place in Metn that didn’t vote for Michel Aoun but voted instead for Pierre Gemayyel, who was himself assassinated a few months ago. It is also telling that Amin Gemayel, Pierre’s father, who had a meeting with George W. Bush just a few days ago, is on his way back to Lebanon.

Quite a welcome he’s getting.