May 9, 2008 8:46
More from Beirut
Paul du Quenoy sent another fascinating email from Beirut a few hours ago. Here it is:
The situation continues to be very tense. This morning I was able to confirm that Hezbollah and affiliated Shi’ite militias are in control of most of Muslim Beirut. The pro-government Sunni militias were bested and disarmed with what is being described as embarrassing ease. Most of the army has remained neutral, largely because it is itself religiously and politically diverse and fears for its own unity. Since Nasrallah’s forces are more or less in control, there was little sign of conflict when I awoke. When I went downstairs to go out, I found myself in a much more precarious situation. My apartment building is situated about two blocks away from Lebanon’s presidential palace. The country has had no president for 17 months, but Saad Hariri, the leader of the majority party in parliament and son of the assassinated prime minister Rafik Hariri (and a Georgetown business graduate, class of ’92), has taken shelter there. My concierge, Emad, told me that a rocket struck the palace gates last night. I had heard several close explosions and any one of them could have been the rocket. Emad said that the four or five city blocks around the presidential palace, including our own, are now completely surrounded by Shi’ite militants. In order to come to work today, which he was understandably reluctant to do, he had to cross the line of battle in what must have been a great deal of danger. He was remarkably calm and offered me coffee and a cigarette. I asked about conditions in his neighborhood, about a kilometer away, and he told me there had been a lot of damage, a large number of injuries, and one person killed. He didn’t seem to believe the official death toll of 11 and thinks it is in fact much higher. He also confirmed that the heavily armed masked men I passed on my way home last night were from a pro-Syrian leftist militia aligned with Nasrallah, called “Qoms” (for “communists”) in the local slang.
I am thus writing you under siege. I am not aware of any way I can leave the neighborhood without passing through the lines, assuming both sides would allow it without shooting at me. A brigade of pro-government troops is stationed around the neighborhood. Last night they were reinforced with armored personal carriers positioned at intersections in a 1-2 block radius from where I’m now sitting. Most buildings have rooftop snipers monitoring the streets below. From my balcony I can see one in position on the adjacent rooftop. I went outside to investigate, despite being politely cautioned not to. A few people were on the streets, mostly men in their 20s and 30s. All of them seemed to be armed with pistols tucked only slightly out of view into the back of their pants. A couple of older people were moving about, as were a pair of pretty college age girls. The local produce shop was open and still doing business. Everything else is closed, reducing me to vegetarianism, though the night time concierge seems willing to arrange to have food smuggled through the lines for a price.Just after I stopped in to visit the produce shop, the fighting resumed. One of the guys in the shop looked panicked and said in broken English “Hezbollah coming. Go now!” There was a blast of heavy machine gun fire a couple of streets away. Staying close to the buildings, I moved away from the presidential palace and toward one of the army pickets near the fighting. The streets are festooned with Lebanese flags and blue ribbons symbolizing Hariri’s party (Hezbollah’s colors are yellow and green). The air on the street smelled strongly of gunpowder and there was a big cloud of smoke rising above it. I could not see any actual fighting, but an ambulance drove by with its sirens blaring. I got closer and tried to snap some pictures. The sound of gunfire picked up and I heard close shots and bullets ricocheting off nearby buildings. I was frightened but then remembered Robert Graves writing about marching into World War I combat – if you actually hear the bullets, the experienced soldiers knew, then you haven’t been shot. After a few minutes the firing stopped. The soldiers guarding the intersections looked terrified and observed me very carefully. I had the impression I was being profiled as a potential security risk. One soldier stationed by the presidential palace followed me for a couple of blocks, ordered me to halt, and, keeping his finger conspicuously on the trigger of his M-16, asked me in a very agitated tone who I was. I had taken my passport just in case and showed it to him and told him who I am and what I’m doing here. He told me to move along and not take pictures (“Pictures – bad,” he said).
No one knows what will happen next. There are rumors that urban life beyond the siege perimeter is cautiously returning to normal. I can see civilian traffic, functioning street lights, and illuminated signs a few blocks down the contested streets. The Christian part of town is said to be completely untouched by any of the violence. We have heard through the television news that some of the roads blocked two days ago are now being reopened. I went out again around dusk. There has only been scattered shooting since the afternoon combat and the soldiers seemed more relaxed. The local people are hotly debating the next development. Some are bracing for a Shi’ite storming of the neighborhood and presidential palace. Others are hopeful that since that hasn’t happened yet, it won’t. Most just say “insha’allah” (“God willing”) followed by some variation of “it will be over soon” or “someone will help us.” From what I have gathered, Hariri wants to give over control of the city to the army’s commander, Michel Suleiman. Nasrallah has rejected this idea and called instead for immediate talks directly with the government. So we’re in a standoff. Insha’allah, I’ll have better news tomorrow. In between trips outside I’m at hope. Happily I still have water, electricity, cable, and internet access.
About Swampland
Ana Marie Cox is the founding editor of Wonkette and the author of the novel Dog Days. Read more
Joe Klein is TIME's political columnist and author of six books, most recently Politics Lost. Read more
Karen Tumulty is TIME's National Political Correspondent and has also covered the White House and Congress. Read more
Jay Carney is TIME's Washington bureau chief. He has covered the Clinton and Bush 43 White Houses as well as Congress. Read more
Jay Newton-Small has covered the Bush 43 White House and Congress since the DeLay era. Read more
Michael Scherer is a TIME Washington bureau correspondent covering the 2008 presidential campaign. Read more
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Reader Comments (13)
Jay,
Please relay to Paul that many many people here appreciate the risks he has taken to bring us this news. And then please tell him to be cautious, in an unstable situation a man with a gun and any level of fear is bad combination...tell him we are thinking of him
Posted by cbhenderson | May 9, 2008 9:02 PM
I've been an interested reader of this blogs for the political discussion (a foreigner greatly interested in the U.S. elections). But I had to sign up when I read these comments from Mr. du Quenoy.
Such insight from the ground, such a up close and personal look right where the action happens... well, this goes beyond what journalists and reporters can do. I got the mood of the street from two posts than articles I've read in previous conflicts there.
It's troubling the rapidity of the descent to chaos in that country. Sure, I heard of the political stalemates and I am not wholly knowledgable of their fragile political system. But I never thought they were that close to conflict. Perhaps I wasn't paying attention lately.
I confess I'm no expert in the many, many, intricasies of global politics, but the apparently decisive and rapid rout of the Sunni groups may have consequences. I had the opportunity of reading articles from multiple sources and nations during the Israel/Lebanon war of a couple summers ago. And I got the distinct impression that the Sunni governments in the region are very concerned with Hezbollah, mostly due to it being Shiite (it being an Iran ally, which the Sunni governments are already wary of) and the possibility of it inspiring militias in their own neighbourhoods.
Should Hezbollah control all the Muslim territory in Beirut, including the Sunni ones, while defeating the Sunni groups (which sounds like what did happen), I speak from ignorance, but I wonder if the neighbouring Sunni nations (Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Gulf states) will start providing covert support to the Sunni groups, and Iran continues supporting Hezbollah. I wonder if this could spark the regional tension between the Shia nations (led by Iran) and the Sunni nations (alot being U.S. allies) which has been said to be simmering for years into an all-out conflict. Perhaps I'm speculating, but if it did happen, I wonder if it could descend the entire region into absolute chaos, including Iraq being dragged into it. I have a feeling, from anecdotal talks with the average person that the respective populations have harboured deep resentment (or even hatred) for the other enough to fan the flames even more.
I went to school for six years with a Lebanese friend of mine who now goes to American University in Beirut. While talks with him since graduation has been very sparse, I do think of him often whenever I hear of violence in Beirut and Lebanon.
My thanks to Mr. du Quenoy for his information. He seems to have found himself in some dangerous moments, but how many people have had the opportunity to have a cup of coffee and a cigarette with Rafik Hariri's son in the midst of conflict? While him ensuring his safety is his main objective, I do hope for more information from him. And the fact that he wishes to see this through is very, very admirable.
Posted by NS | May 9, 2008 10:17 PM
What an incredible email.
Thank you for letting us see this, Jay Carney.
Thank you so much.
Posted by stuart_zechman | May 9, 2008 10:53 PM
Please relay to Paul that many many people here appreciate the risks he has taken to bring us this news. And then please tell him to be cautious, in an unstable situation a man with a gun and any level of fear is bad combination...tell him we are thinking of him.
I'd like to echo these sentiments. People like Paul are heroes.
Posted by TomT | May 9, 2008 10:54 PM
Jay - a remarkable post. Is Mr. du Quenoy at increased risk because of these posts? Reading his musings about the danger he is in, I think I'd take a hotel room in that nice cozy Christian sector for a week or two and see which way the wind blows. Please convey to him the thoughts and prayers of your readers, both for his personal safety and for that of all those in Beirut.
Posted by KathyR | May 10, 2008 5:54 AM
It truly is a shame that Lebanon has never recovered from the Syrian influence and covert invasion of 30+ years ago. I also have a very good friend, who pines for the times when he remembers going skiing in the morning and lying on the beach in the afternoon. The beauty of Beirut long gone from its days as a jet-set capitol of the world.
Hezbollah with Iran's influence is after one thing and one thing only, to dominate the entire Middle Eastern region. It is radical factions like Hezbollah that will never rest until their brand of extremism is entrenched into everyone's lives. It IS the reason we must go on in Iraq, and continue the stabilization process. I strongly believe it is critical for not only ourselves in the US, but the World in general.
Posted by Rustydog | May 10, 2008 7:15 AM
It IS the reason we must go on in Iraq, and continue the stabilization process.
Indeed -- invading a country run by Sunnis and turning over to Shiite groups was a great way to contain a Shiite group like Hezbollah. It made a lot of sense...at least to morons like Rusty.
Try not to drool on the keyboard when you write these things, Rusty.
Posted by TomT | May 10, 2008 9:11 AM
Thanks for posting the email, Jay.
Posted by Southern Bell | May 10, 2008 11:09 AM
TomT - Try not to be too hard on Rustydog. For a conservative, his comment was fairly intelligent. At least he is a notch above QH/obamish, right?
But if one were to be logical about it then it is unavoidable that Rustydog should actually be supporting the Democrats because if he thinks that stabilization in Iraq is so important then he should be supporting a candidate who at least knows the difference between Sunni and Shi'ite - let alone the crucial differences between the Shia factions.
But since Rustydog is so certain that he is correct and that everybody else is wrong, perhaps he would like to explain to us what he thinks are the important aspects of this intra-Islamic struggle?
Posted by Terrapinion | May 10, 2008 5:21 PM
Let's hear another jackass comment from "Andy from Massachusetts" about how this guy doesn't exist, only to be slapped down. That was funny.
Posted by Swampatriot | May 10, 2008 8:46 PM
If you can justify a Sunni "government", which was led by a DICTATOR as the qualifying reason to not have invaded Iraq as the difference between Sunni versus Shia, then you vote for Obama.
If you say, "I would not have invaded Iraq in the first place, and kept Sadam Hussein in power so he could continue to oppress the Kurds, the Shia, and keep his thumb on the majority of the Sunni, then you would vote for Obama.
To answer your question, Terrapinion, post-Invasion, there is a struggle by the formerly oppressed Shia, the majority living in Iraq, to be the controlling group of the government of Iraq. I truly do not see a major difference between Sunni and Shia so far as their religious views are concerned. The difference lies in who will be in power. Who will be the controlling faction within a fledgling government. Who will profit by a new Iraq.
Posted by Rustydog | May 11, 2008 7:54 AM
Rusty,
I guess by your logic we should be invading North Korea, Myanmar, Zimbabwe, Belarus, etc., since these are all DICTATORSHIPS that oppress their people. Maybe China or Russia, too.
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