Marianne Stigset

Lebanon’s Aoun Makes Dramatic Comeback

BEIRUT – Former exiled general Michel Aoun made a dramatic comeback in the penultimate round of Lebanon’s legislative elections, sweeping 21 seats out of the 58 contested. The Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) leader’s unexpected victory represents a major upset to Lebanon’s political landscape, setting back the anti-Syrian opposition bloc in its drive to win a … Continue reading “Lebanon’s Aoun Makes Dramatic Comeback”

Murder of Lebanese Journalist Points to Rising Crisis

BEIRUT – The prominent anti-Syrian journalist Samir Kassir was killed in a car explosion in a Christian residential neighborhood of Beirut Thursday morning, in an attack that drew widespread condemnation. The bomb was placed under the driver’s seat of Kassir’s car parked outside his house, and was likely to have been detonated by remote control. … Continue reading “Murder of Lebanese Journalist Points to Rising Crisis”

Aoun Returns to Lebanon

BEIRUT – Lebanon closed a chapter in its bloody civil war Saturday with the return of army general Michel Aoun from 14 years of forced exile in France. The staunchly anti-Syrian Christian leader’s homecoming is expected to profoundly affect the country’s political scene, changing the configuration of alliances that arose following the assassination of former … Continue reading “Aoun Returns to Lebanon”

That Wartime Feel Returns to Lebanon

BEIRUT – Lebanon‘s recent string of bomb attacks directed against Christian areas around Beirut has resulted in a war-weary population returning to old behavioral patterns. Set against the backdrop of an ongoing political crisis spurred by the assassination of former premier Rafik Hariri on Feb. 14, the late-night bombings have taken place at a regular … Continue reading “That Wartime Feel Returns to Lebanon”

In Lebanon, Fear and Hope

BEIRUT – The political upheaval that has engulfed Lebanon following the assassination of former premier Rafik Hariri has given rise to fears of renewed sectarian bloodshed – and hopes that it can be avoided. The upheaval has resulted in an ongoing standoff between government loyalists and the opposition movement, a surge in street demonstrations, and … Continue reading “In Lebanon, Fear and Hope”