I guess that's the new thing, huh?
So when does Bush formalize our military rule?
"Lebanese president exits without successor, Lahoud orders army to secure the country; White House urges a quick resolution" by Anthony Shadid and Alia Ibrahim/Washington Post November 24, 2007
BEIRUT - Hours before stepping down, President Emile Lahoud, ordered the already mobilized army to take control of security in the country. The army had been deployed across the uneasy capital since morning in jeeps and armored personnel carriers.
The missed deadline appeared more of a symbolic moment for a faltering state, marking yet another institution paralyzed by the yearlong crisis that has already circumscribed the work of the Cabinet and Parliament.
In a brief decree read on Lebanese television by a spokesman, Lahoud entrusted security to the army, perhaps the country's most popular institution, saying that Lebanon faced the elements of a state of emergency. It became clear during the day that both sides had agreed not to escalate the crisis.
Nawar Sahli, a Hezbollah member of Parliament: "I'm really not concerned. The situation is stable now, and no one has an interest in things falling apart."
Except USrael!
Under the constitution, if the president is not replaced by Parliament, power is supposed to pass to the Cabinet of Prime Minister Fuad Saniora. Opposition lawmakers said yesterday that they would not oppose the Cabinet fulfilling stopgap duties for now.
Ali Hassan Khalil, an opposition lawmaker with Nabih Berri, the Parliament speaker and a Syrian ally:
"It is a caretaker government and they shouldn't try to do more than that."
In practical terms, Lahoud's decree probably will do little to change the political landscape. The army had already taken charge of security.
In Washington, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the United States and its allies will not waver in their support for Lebanon attempting to resist foreign interference and intimidation."
Then how about USrael and its Saudi friends quit dickin' around in there?
"Vote Is Postponed as Lebanese President Leaves" by THANASSIS CAMBANIS and NADA BAKRI
BEIRUT, Lebanon, Saturday, Nov. 24 — The departing Lebanese president, Émile Lahoud, asked the military to take charge of the nation’s security on Friday.
Ahmed Fatfat, a cabinet minister and an outspoken critic of Syria: “It is dangerous. We do not want to go to a confrontation.”
The Hezbollah-led parliamentary opposition sought to calm fears of civil strife, promising not to send supporters into the street against the caretaker government as long as it refrains from issuing any major policies.
Nawar Sahili, a Hezbollah member of Parliament: “For us, there is no government now. But we want stability, so we will tell our followers to wait until next Friday.”
Aren't you getting tired of patient, nonviolent Shia, readers?
One of the opposition’s main demands is that Hezbollah be allowed to keep its militia under a new president and new cabinet. Opposition members of Parliament said they hoped it would be easier to reach a deal on a new president after the Middle East peace conference scheduled to take place next week in Annapolis, Md.
Members of the governing coalition said that with the crisis coming to a climax, momentum at the negotiating table could shift in favor of the pro-Western bloc.
Saad Hariri, who is the front-runner to take over as prime minister in a new government: “We are for consensus and we will remain for consensus.”
Gee, look who would be benefiting from a new election and take over of the government!
Hussein Hajj Hassan, a Hezbollah member of Parliament: “The crisis remains unresolved because the fake majority refuses to share power with the opposition. [If the majority took] any unconstitutional measure, it would be tantamount to a coup and we will respond with a coup.”
In the end, the governing coalition refrained from making a power play, and the opposition said it would not challenge the caretaker government’s authority."
Those unreasonable Hezbollahs, huh?
