Capitalist
Jeffersonian Liberal
- May 22, 2010
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BEIRUT Lebanons defense minister offered US officials advice on how Israel could defeat Hizbullah in a future war and vowed to keep the Lebanese army out of the fighting, according to secret diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks.
That memo and another secret cable that revealed US secret spy flights over Hizbullah locations in Lebanon in 2008 are sure to fuel tensions.
A UN tribunal is expected to issue indictments in the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, possibly as early as this month.
The tribunal has caused deep divisions within Lebanons government, which includes Hizbullah along with pro-Western blocs led by Prime Minister Saad Hariri, the son of the slain leader.
There are fears of an outbreak of violence if the court indicts members of Hizbullah, which claims the court is bias.
The tribunal has exacerbated tensions and a deep mistrust between Hizbullah and Hariris coalition. Hizbullah has accused members of the coalition of collaborating with the US against the group, including during the monthlong 2006 war between Israel and the group.
The diplomatic records exposed on the WikiLeaks website this week revealed a 2008 conversation between the Lebanese Defense Minister, Elias Murr, and US officials in Lebanon, in which he offered advice on how Israel could defeat Hizbullah in a future war.
That memo and another secret cable that revealed US secret spy flights over Hizbullah locations in Lebanon in 2008 are sure to fuel tensions.
A UN tribunal is expected to issue indictments in the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, possibly as early as this month.
The tribunal has caused deep divisions within Lebanons government, which includes Hizbullah along with pro-Western blocs led by Prime Minister Saad Hariri, the son of the slain leader.
There are fears of an outbreak of violence if the court indicts members of Hizbullah, which claims the court is bias.
The tribunal has exacerbated tensions and a deep mistrust between Hizbullah and Hariris coalition. Hizbullah has accused members of the coalition of collaborating with the US against the group, including during the monthlong 2006 war between Israel and the group.
The diplomatic records exposed on the WikiLeaks website this week revealed a 2008 conversation between the Lebanese Defense Minister, Elias Murr, and US officials in Lebanon, in which he offered advice on how Israel could defeat Hizbullah in a future war.
