So What’s Going On In Tripoli ?

The Northern city of Tripoli is witnessing an all-out war between the army and Islamic groups. Why is it happening?

Smoke rising from the Nahr al-Bared refugee camp(Reuters)

Of all the people listening to the news on the violence in Tripoli today, Ban Ki Moon, the United Nations secretary general, is the least surprised.

After all, the sight of Bashar al Assad, the dictator of Syria, waving his hands and threatening to “set the region on fire” from the Caspian to the Mediterranean is still very vivid in his memory.

Fatah Al Islam, “Al-Quaeda in Lebanon” and Hezb-ul-tawheed, all Sunni extremist groups, are waging a vicious war in Tripoli to save their puppeteers back in Damascus.

They don’t have demands, they just want to destroy stuff and kill as much soldiers, women and children as they could. Perhaps some dimwitted international souls will then think that the tribunal is causing the Lebanese to “kill each other”

The Tripoli incident is not isolated. The infighting between Fatah and Hamas militants in Gaza is part of the same sinister scheme. The Palestinians have been wondering in the last few days: If the leaders of Fatah and Hamas are agreeing on cease fires, why are the militants still fighting? Who are they taking their orders from?

Again, the place to look at is Damascus.

Bashar saw how Mr. Moon, at the sound of an explosion in the Iraq green zone, got frightened and ducked. He hopes that the sight of the first Palestinian and Lebanese deaths will change Mr. Moon’s mind about the Hariri Tribunal, now well in its way towards materializing, and make him duck.

Now, in Tripoli, my family is scared from the sounds of shelling and ambulances roaming about and the sight of army Tanks patrolling the streets. Some of them are not even allowed to go to the balcony to watch. 12 heroic soldiers have died so far, but we all remain steadfast and all agree: These are the desperate and last fighting breaths of a dying regime.