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| Lebanese opposition urges rioting supporters to go home | Lebanese opposition urges rioting supporters to go home |
| (30 days later) | |
| Lebanon's opposition bloc has urged rioting supporters to return to their homes as it steps up its campaign to oust the country's prime minister in the wake of the assassination last Friday of the security chief Major General Wissam al-Hassan. | Lebanon's opposition bloc has urged rioting supporters to return to their homes as it steps up its campaign to oust the country's prime minister in the wake of the assassination last Friday of the security chief Major General Wissam al-Hassan. |
| Clashes in the capital and in the northern city of Tripoli, a hub of the opposition, subsided on Monday, with streets largely calm for the first time since Hassan was killed by a car bomb. | Clashes in the capital and in the northern city of Tripoli, a hub of the opposition, subsided on Monday, with streets largely calm for the first time since Hassan was killed by a car bomb. |
| The leader of the opposition bloc, Saad Hariri, and other key figures in the March 14 alliance have, however, stepped up a campaign to force the prime minister, Najib Miqati, to step down, claiming his troubled 18 months in the job have given political cover to the Syrian regime, which it has accused of orchestrating Hassan's death. | The leader of the opposition bloc, Saad Hariri, and other key figures in the March 14 alliance have, however, stepped up a campaign to force the prime minister, Najib Miqati, to step down, claiming his troubled 18 months in the job have given political cover to the Syrian regime, which it has accused of orchestrating Hassan's death. |
| March 14 officials continued their attacks on the Syrian leader, Bashar al-Assad, claiming the killing of the Internal Security Forces general was part of a deliberate campaign to export the Syrian civil war to other areas of the region, including Lebanon and Jordan. | March 14 officials continued their attacks on the Syrian leader, Bashar al-Assad, claiming the killing of the Internal Security Forces general was part of a deliberate campaign to export the Syrian civil war to other areas of the region, including Lebanon and Jordan. |
| Assad has yet to comment on the assassination, the highest profile attack on an anti-Syrian figure since the killing of the country's former leader, Rafiq Hariri, in 2005, also with a large car bomb. Syria's information minister described the bombing in the east Beirut suburb of Sassine as "a cowardly act". | Assad has yet to comment on the assassination, the highest profile attack on an anti-Syrian figure since the killing of the country's former leader, Rafiq Hariri, in 2005, also with a large car bomb. Syria's information minister described the bombing in the east Beirut suburb of Sassine as "a cowardly act". |
| One former Lebanese minister said a bombing of a senior March 14 target had been anticipated and had been a key reason for Saad Hariri remaining in exile between Saudi Arabia and Paris. | One former Lebanese minister said a bombing of a senior March 14 target had been anticipated and had been a key reason for Saad Hariri remaining in exile between Saudi Arabia and Paris. |
| "Assad said 12 months ago that if Damascus burns, then so will the rest of the region," he said. "He was always going to do this. And now he has. | "Assad said 12 months ago that if Damascus burns, then so will the rest of the region," he said. "He was always going to do this. And now he has. |
| "And what we are seeing elsewhere in the region is no coincidence." | "And what we are seeing elsewhere in the region is no coincidence." |
| As the Syrian civil war grinds inexorably towards its 20th month, Jordan is steadily joining Lebanon and Turkey as neighbours with increasing border problems related to Syria. | As the Syrian civil war grinds inexorably towards its 20th month, Jordan is steadily joining Lebanon and Turkey as neighbours with increasing border problems related to Syria. |
| Jordanian intelligence officials said on Monday that they were actively exploring whether an alleged terrorist plot involving Syrian nationals and targeting shopping malls, embassies and other key sites could have links to Syrian regime officials. | Jordanian intelligence officials said on Monday that they were actively exploring whether an alleged terrorist plot involving Syrian nationals and targeting shopping malls, embassies and other key sites could have links to Syrian regime officials. |
| "This is one line of inquiry and it is a strong one," a Jordanian official said, the day after 11 suspects were arrested in a sweep. "They came from Syria, the materials came from Syria. We have been monitoring these people since the outset." | "This is one line of inquiry and it is a strong one," a Jordanian official said, the day after 11 suspects were arrested in a sweep. "They came from Syria, the materials came from Syria. We have been monitoring these people since the outset." |
| Turkey, meanwhile, has fired shells into Syrian territory around 70 times since five of its citizens were killed by a shell fired from inside Syria almost two weeks ago. Local media reports say the shelling has been in response to each separate incident, meaning the volume of incoming fire appears to be deliberate. | Turkey, meanwhile, has fired shells into Syrian territory around 70 times since five of its citizens were killed by a shell fired from inside Syria almost two weeks ago. Local media reports say the shelling has been in response to each separate incident, meaning the volume of incoming fire appears to be deliberate. |
| Asked about recent border clashes between Turkish and Syrian forces, Sezgin Tanrikulu, deputy leader of Turkey's main opposition party, the Republican People's party (CHP), said the situation was perilous. "We are on the threshold of war. Anything can happen. You just can't tell. Most people, the mainstream, oppose it [war with Syria]. Turkey should pressure the Syrian opposition, rein them in, and push for a ceasefire." | Asked about recent border clashes between Turkish and Syrian forces, Sezgin Tanrikulu, deputy leader of Turkey's main opposition party, the Republican People's party (CHP), said the situation was perilous. "We are on the threshold of war. Anything can happen. You just can't tell. Most people, the mainstream, oppose it [war with Syria]. Turkey should pressure the Syrian opposition, rein them in, and push for a ceasefire." |
| Fuat Keyman, director of the Istanbul Policy Centre and professor of international relations at Sabancı University, said the risk of a regional conflagration was growing. "As it stands, the Syrian crisis is very dangerous, not just for Turkey but also because it could spread to Lebanon and Jordan. You could 'lose' the Arab spring amid a nasty regional conflict." | Fuat Keyman, director of the Istanbul Policy Centre and professor of international relations at Sabancı University, said the risk of a regional conflagration was growing. "As it stands, the Syrian crisis is very dangerous, not just for Turkey but also because it could spread to Lebanon and Jordan. You could 'lose' the Arab spring amid a nasty regional conflict." |
| Serhat Guvenc, professor of international relations at Kadir Has University in Istanbul, said Turkey's leaders had underestimated Assad's staying power and had failed to rally Nato support for setting up border buffer zones. As a result they were moderating their anti-regime statements. "Now they are trying to lower Turkey's profile. The substance of their overall policy has not changed but their rhetoric has changed," he said. | Serhat Guvenc, professor of international relations at Kadir Has University in Istanbul, said Turkey's leaders had underestimated Assad's staying power and had failed to rally Nato support for setting up border buffer zones. As a result they were moderating their anti-regime statements. "Now they are trying to lower Turkey's profile. The substance of their overall policy has not changed but their rhetoric has changed," he said. |
| There is little mood for rhetorical compromise in Lebanon though, whose leaders, including Miqati and the president, Michel Sulieman, have tried in vain to insulate the country from the gathering crisis in Syria by disengaging from their troubled neighbour. | There is little mood for rhetorical compromise in Lebanon though, whose leaders, including Miqati and the president, Michel Sulieman, have tried in vain to insulate the country from the gathering crisis in Syria by disengaging from their troubled neighbour. |
| The country's government bloc, known as March 8, comprising the Shia political blocs, led by the powerful militia Hezbollah and half of the Christian community, has remained staunchly supportive of Syria throughout the insurrection. March 14, which is dominated by Sunni Muslims, has been implacably opposed. | The country's government bloc, known as March 8, comprising the Shia political blocs, led by the powerful militia Hezbollah and half of the Christian community, has remained staunchly supportive of Syria throughout the insurrection. March 14, which is dominated by Sunni Muslims, has been implacably opposed. |
| Miqati, who was chosen to lead the country after Saad Hariri's government was ousted in January last year, has had the difficult task of trying to steer a government through such a fraught landscape. He has regularly been accused by the vanquished bloc of refusing to oppose Syrian interests. However, March 14 has not until now publicly called for his removal. | Miqati, who was chosen to lead the country after Saad Hariri's government was ousted in January last year, has had the difficult task of trying to steer a government through such a fraught landscape. He has regularly been accused by the vanquished bloc of refusing to oppose Syrian interests. However, March 14 has not until now publicly called for his removal. |
| The leader of Lebanon's Druze sect, Walid Jumblatt, whose backing of the March 8 government has so far secured its tenure, said he was opposed to ousting Miqati. Writing in al-Anbaa magazine, he said: "Insisting on the government's resignation will lead Lebanon to a vacuum and the country into the Syrian regime's trap." | The leader of Lebanon's Druze sect, Walid Jumblatt, whose backing of the March 8 government has so far secured its tenure, said he was opposed to ousting Miqati. Writing in al-Anbaa magazine, he said: "Insisting on the government's resignation will lead Lebanon to a vacuum and the country into the Syrian regime's trap." |
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