Fighters loyal to the government gather in a Sunni neighborhood during heavy fighting with pro-Syrian fighters allied with Hezbollah at the northern city of Tripoli, Lebanon, Monday, May 12, 2008. Heavy fighting broke out between government supporters and opponents Monday in Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli, after soldiers quelled similar battles that killed at least 16 people in mountains overlooking the capital, security officials and paramedics said.


Fighters loyal to the government flash a 'V' sign in a Sunni neighborhood during heavy fighting with pro-Syrian fighters allied with Hezbollah at the northern city of Tripoli, Lebanon, Monday, May 12, 2008. Heavy fighting broke out Monday in Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli after soldiers quelled similar battles that killed at least 16 people in mountains overlooking the capital, security officials and paramedics said.


Militants of the Shiite Amal opposition group take to the streets during heavy clashes with pro-government fighters in Shwayfat in the Druze mountains southeast of Beirut. Fierce fighting has erupted in northern Lebanon, further exacerbating tensions after days of deadly sectarian battles that have driven the nation to the brink of full-blown civil war.


A Lebanese army conscript walks home through debris blocking a street in Beirut. Fierce fighting has erupted in northern Lebanon, further exacerbating tensions after days of deadly sectarian battles that have driven the nation to the brink of full-blown civil war.

__________________

Join Bush Country - PoliticalForum.com's Largest Member Community

If I could fall into the sky
Do you think time would pass me by
Cuz you know I would walk a 1000 miles just to see you
Tonite.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (L) makes remarks during a meeting with members of the Advisory Committee on Democracy Promotion at the State Department in Washington, DC. Rice on Monday praised Arab countries for rejecting militia attacks in Lebanon as illegitimate, but acknowledged that the situation there is "very fragile.


Sunni Muslim gunmen block the main road to Syrian borders with sand and barricades in the Masna'a area east of Lebanon May 12, 2008.


Lebanese army soldiers in armored personnel carriers patrol a street past burnt cars after clashes in Shwayfat area in Mount Lebanon May 12, 2008.


A Lebanese Druze man runs across a street which was attacked by Hezbollah militants in Chouweifat, South of Beirut, Lebanon, Monday, May 12, 2008. Lebanese army continued its deployments into the area of Chouweifat, Lebanon's mountains overlooking the capital Monday, a day after heavy fighting between pro and anti-government supporters left at least 11 people dead.

__________________

Join Bush Country - PoliticalForum.com's Largest Member Community

If I could fall into the sky
Do you think time would pass me by
Cuz you know I would walk a 1000 miles just to see you
Tonite.

The Sunni Future Movement and it's Christian and Druze allies got completely trashed by Hezbollah, the government itself admitted Hezbollah easily occupied West Beirut with barely a fight and their was nothing they could do about it.

Terrorists really go for that Adidas stuff.

I forget who are the bad guys here?

West Beirut is mainly Shi'ite occupated. The Sunnis reside in the East.



As you can see. The government dominated areas are surrounded by mainly Sunni dominated areas.

__________________

Join Bush Country - PoliticalForum.com's Largest Member Community

If I could fall into the sky
Do you think time would pass me by
Cuz you know I would walk a 1000 miles just to see you
Tonite.

those are great edited photo's

The real test here will be the resolve of the military. That is their ability to get involved and thwart the threat to sovereignty. It would be like if the Democrats invaded DC with their paramilitaries and took half the city. This is a real test for Lebanon, hopefully they can keep a lid on it because we do not want an all fight with Hezbollah. If the US and Israel both attack Hezbollah then we are effectively at war with Iran and we will be one step closer if not actually fulfilling Osama's prophecy.....

Don't the GOP or anyone understand Osama's/Islamic Fundamentalists reason for attacking us? They knew they single handedly could not beat us so they lured us into the Middle East which has proven for all other Westerners to be a never ending quagmire. Finish our existing engagements and then we need to get out.

Lebanon has to sort this one out itself.

__________________
'May no obstacles arise on the path of enlightenment!
May the enlightened intention of Those Gone to Bliss, past, present and future, be realised,
May I neither be bewildered in migratory existence
Nor I lulled by the solitary quiescence [of nirvana]!
But may I liberate beings throughout the expanse of space!'

- Tibetan Book of the Dead by Padmasambhava

Monday Night Update:

Lebanese soldiers on armoured personnel carriers advance to deploy in a street in Tripoli in northern Lebanon May 12, 2008.


A Sunni Muslim gunman sits near a Lebanese soldier after clashes in a street in Tripoli, northern Lebanon May 12, 2008.

__________________

Join Bush Country - PoliticalForum.com's Largest Member Community

If I could fall into the sky
Do you think time would pass me by
Cuz you know I would walk a 1000 miles just to see you
Tonite.

Hezbollah has already retreated. They got all the concessions from the government, including control of airport surveillance and the continued use of their own private phone network to condinate their army.

The lebanese army is a barely functional unit after over 10 years of Syrian control. What would of taken a few days took weeks when they tried to clear out a palestinian refugee camp of pro-syrian militants.

This is all a dog and pony show now.

I think its time to start kicking some terrorist butts over there except I wonder how many members of Lebanon's armed forces are actually members of the terror groups

__________________

Join Bush Country - PoliticalForum.com's Largest Member Community

If I could fall into the sky
Do you think time would pass me by
Cuz you know I would walk a 1000 miles just to see you
Tonite.

The problem is, is that if we invade another country in the Middle est (because that it how any involvement in this will be viewed) we will kick off the never ending insurgency. The only way we could forseeably win if we involved ourselves in Lebanon as well is if we started the draft and sent over like 1.5 million more troops to the region. We could do this but it would bankrupt us.

__________________
'May no obstacles arise on the path of enlightenment!
May the enlightened intention of Those Gone to Bliss, past, present and future, be realised,
May I neither be bewildered in migratory existence
Nor I lulled by the solitary quiescence [of nirvana]!
But may I liberate beings throughout the expanse of space!'

- Tibetan Book of the Dead by Padmasambhava