France-Lebanon: Disturbing Similarities
Marc Saikali 02/09 14:24 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
For over forty days, France has been under the management of a caretaker government. Surprisingly, 40% of those polled are indifferent to this situation. Could this be a symptom of Lebanese contagion? Not quite, but with persistence, it might get there. Lebanon, having gone nearly two years without a president and with a government in caretaker ...
Iran Will Fight Until the Last Arab
Marc Saikali 24/08 10:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Tehran’s brief statement reads: “Israel may be waiting a long time for Iran’s counteraction.” The regime’s staunch supporters see this as a shrewd strategic move to fray Israeli nerves, which they believe are consumed with worry. Yet, the more skeptical consider that Iran might delegate response to its proxies like Hezbollah, Hamas, and ...
The Last to Leave Switches the Lights Off...
Marc Saikali 18/08 09:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
This sentence was once scrawled along the road to Buenos Aires airport. At that time, amid a crisis, Argentina was experiencing a massive wave of emigration. In Lebanon, innovation is in full swing. While the last Lebanese hasn't quite left yet (but we’re getting there), the power has been shut off. Today, the state’s electricity, or ...
Emergency… A Plan Needed !
Marc Saikali 16/08 09:45 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Not a day passes without the Lebanese government unveiling new contingency plans for various sectors—education, communications, health, refugee assistance. It almost feels like we’re living in a real country, where leaders pretend to care about the people. But in truth, it’s all talk and no action. This isn’t surprising, given that the ...
‘Proof of Their Simple-Mindedness’
Marc Saikali 08/08 10:39 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
With this statement, Hezbollah's Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah kicked off one of his usual Castro-style speeches on Tuesday. A speech that was free of any opposing views, which is far easier than an interview or a debate. Oh, yes! The “simple-minded” are the Israelis, according to Nasrallah's view — who is far from simple ...
Syria: How Many Divisions?
Marc Saikali 07/08 11:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
The days when the Syrian army terrorized the Lebanese population and relentlessly bombarded the neighborhoods of Beirut and Zahlé instead of fighting Israel are long gone. The days when this army was part of an international coalition against Saddam Hussein during the first Gulf War are long gone. Nothing in the Near East could happen ...
The Nahr al-Kalb Stelae Syndrome
Marc Saikali 01/08 13:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
This article should be read by anyone who believes they can take control of Lebanon. A few months ago, I was talking to my friend Frédéric Domont, who has sadly recently passed away. I shared my recent experience in Lebanon, having always lived in France, and the challenges of dealing with Lebanese people on a daily basis. This great expert on ...
Did They Hit Yet?
Marc Saikali 29/07 19:52 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
In the streets of Beirut, night and day, people are glued to their smartphones, constantly on the lookout for any bit of news. It's fair to say the Lebanese could compete in the Olympics for staying connected to information and sweep all the medals. Every resident of this unique country has a dozen apps on their device, flooding them with a ...
Resolution 1701 Back on the Table
Marc Saikali 29/07 19:11 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
As the drums of war grow increasingly deafening, a few small statements offer a glimmer of hope. The comment from Lebanese Caretaker Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib almost went unnoticed amid the maelstrom of threats: “Hezbollah is ready to withdraw behind the Litani River if Israel stops its violations.” And so, we are back to the ...
From 'Had I Only Known' to 'It's Not Us'
Marc Saikali 28/07 18:32 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Well, there you have it: the dreaded miscalculation has finally happened. Then again, with so many missiles being fired, it was only a matter of time before one caused civilian casualties instead of just hitting the three useless antenna towers on the other side of the border. Misfire, missile misdirected by Israel's own defense… The ...
Thy Will Be Done
Marc Saikali 23/07 13:56 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
It was a Saturday in June 2021. Just like every Saturday, we would have a man'ouche in Paris’ 15th arrondissement. On this particular day, and for the first time, he brought up what would, five months later, become Ici Beyrouth – his project. That day, his clear, expressive eyes revealed the passion that defined him. Whenever the topic of ...