March 14 Now Appear Like Sore Losers

While one side in Lebanon, it is said, threatens civil peace with its weapons arsenal, the other threatens Lebanon’s new government with international and regional isolation and vows to bring it down. From behind the skirts of the international community, they snipe with bile-and-venom-laden words at the new Prime Minister and his Cabinet.

Former PM Fouad Siniora personally delivered what the ‘forteeners’ hoped would be a coup de grace that would finish off Hezbolah, Aoun and Mikati politically in one fell swoop. Instead, the forteeners came off as uncharacteristically aggressive, even violent, while the long awaited government is harshly and unjustly attacked over the form of words.

The fact is the Mikati Government's ministerial statement is sane and conciliatory and the forteeners' strong objections to it and the new government makes them look like sore loosers. The fact is the democratic wheels turned and they lost, now they are in opposition.

A few tracts from the ministerial statement:

"...the government is keen to reveal and expose the truth regarding the crime of the assassination of Martyr Prime Minister Rafic Hariri and his companions. The government will follow the track of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon that has been established in principle to prevail truth and justice away from any politicization or revenge in respect of avoiding any negative impact on Lebanon’s stability, unity and civil peace."

As far as I can tell its business as usual. The word 'in principle' only refers to what the new government hopes is true, but of which it cannot be too certain, or so I gather.

"The government also confirms its commitment to the UN Security Council Resolution 1701 in all its articles and appeal to on the United Nations to stop permanent Israeli violations and threats of Lebanon's territorial integrity and sovereignty in order to fulfill the implementation of the resolution and move from stopping aggressive actions to reaching permanent cease fire..."

So what exactly is the M-14's and Siniora's objection? I think they are just pissed off that they had to leave the Serail, I think it still hasn't sunk in yet that they lost, that they are not in control of the country any more. I hope people will just give the new government a chance to prove itself. I personally refuse to pass judgement before I see what they can do.

I was raised abroad so I do not hold fixed political opinions on local politics; I tend to judge politicians on what they can do to improve my life and the lives of the rest of their citizenry.

While it’s true I returned to this country in the wake of what appeared to me at least to be a mass popular political reawakening in 2005, but I have long since moved on and so has my mother.

I mention my mother because she was a die hard Geagea and Boutros Harb supporter, being from Becharri it’s not surprising. But yesterday she said something that really caught my attention: "Arba3ta3sh Azar Saqato Min 3aini." Simply translated it means she no longer held the March 14 camp in the same high regard as before.

I haven’t seen much of what this new government can do, but what I did see seems encouraging. Ashrafieh is getting solar powered street lamps for the first time. I saw the workmen the other day fitting the panels near Hotel Dieu and the AUST campus. This will save a lot of electricity that we can ill afford to waste and thus save more power for homes, hospitals and hotels this summer. But this will only work if all street lamps in Lebanon are eventually converted to solar power.

The solitary APC at the southern approaches to the Grand Serail is now gone, in its place a freshly painted wooden guard house and some sand bags. The new government is clearly not worried about the 'Camisa Negras' taking the seat of executive power by force, but then again the forteeners seem to think the CNs have already taken the Serail in a Jumblatt-backed pseudo-democratic bloodless coup.

Change is most certainly afoot and it is a good, movement is good, in any direction. Most people are putting politics in the attic for the summer along with their wooly jumpers and everyone is getting ready for a rowdy, party-hardy summer the likes of which revolution-riddled Arabia has never seen before! Now that is some good news for a change.


MORE ON FOOD


Two days in a row I had less than perfect experiences at local eateries, both on Hamra Street. To me food is not just the act of stuffing ones face until satiety sets in; it is far more complex and involved. Mood matters, decibel level matters, service and courtesy of the staff matters a great deal as does the quality and presentation of the food, whether in sourcing the best ingredients or hiring the best chef.

At one eatery the food was delayed by 30 minutes, eventually I could wait no longer and walked out after giving the waiter a piece of my mind. As for the other experience, the delay was less severe but the service and quality of the food was far less than expected.

A summery of my most recent unpleasant food experience: my soda had a strange taste and was flat, the ice had all but melted, as if someone else had ordered it changed their mind and returned it then it was sent my way. The curly fries I ordered, a favorite snack, came without its dip and even after reminding the waiter I got a dutiful ‘yes sir’ but no dip (never followed up on the dip which never came). The curly fires come in a bowl. The top of the bowl was brimming with large, hot, fresh and golden crispy fries, but under that layer the bowl was crammed with bits and pieces of brown, hours-old fries that gave me an instant heart burn. The chicken in the salad was ok but it still had too many pieces of cartilage which was annoying.

These are two eateries I shall not be going back to, ever.


THE BACKPACKERS’ GUIDE TO THE LEBANESE UNIVERSE, PART II


It is worth keeping in mind that everyone looses their cool at some point when traveling through Lebanon. Much like wading through raw sewage, even without contributing to the putrid soup you are invariably splashed by it and some of it does stick. I found myself walking down a street cursing the Lebanese at a loud volume, as if they were a single ugly homogenous mass. Naturally, I never thought how I must appear to others in this state, but then again Lebanon is full of people you meet walking down busy roads talking to thin air. It’s just that kind of a country.

There are those who can handle the unique stresses of life here, those who can’t and leave and those who can’t and stay and eventually go insane. There is no question about it, spending too much time in Lebanon is unhealthy, here you play Russian roulette with both your physical and mental health every single day.

When eating out, never expect too high a standard of food safety and hygiene, so avoid eating raw vegetables and uncooked meat, like Kebbe nayeh, a local specialty. If you must try Kebbe nayeh then do so only at the home of someone you know who in turn knows his butcher well and the source of his meat.

Food poisoning for new comers and old timers too come to think of it, is a summer time routine, so don’t be surprised but be prepared. In fact, my advice for the summer is try not to eat out unless you are certain of the quality, usually that means the place is overpriced, but better pay through the nose than vomit from the mouth!

Avoid crossing the street unless wearing a suit of armor. Do not expect vehicles to stop at red signals. Beware of scooters; they will come at you from every direction. They will travel in the opposite direction to traffic, cross streets diagonally and ride on pavements forcing pedestrians to jump out of their way.