SCOOP

The Playground
By Sofian Aly July2006

Over 20 years ago, Beirut city was the biggest intelligent agencies' playground. It was the place for those who couldn't confront each-other directly.
The Palestinian refugees and the PLO's Militia, who has already left Jordan to take Beirut and southern Lebanon as a base for their camps, was the main sparkle for the war in Lebanon.

Supported by the Syrian regime financially and militarily the PLO fighters were fighting and launching attacks deep inside Northern Israeli's Settlements. The Syrian regime couldn't confront Israel directly; hence they took the Palestinian's conflict with Israel as indirect way to fighting the Israeli Army.
When we go back to the history and how the PLO used to attack the Israeli army and hide among the Lebanese cities, that resulted of bombarding the Lebanese capital and other cities on daily bases.

When the Lebanese couldn't take it anymore and refuse to be dragged into other people conflict which could destroy their country, in addition at that time there was no a solid formulation of a government representing all the sectors of the Lebanese people, helped a lot to divide the Lebanese among themselves each one according to his belief.
With this crack between different parties at that time in the Lebanese government, other Lebanese leader started taking different directions and they were gasping and desperate to survive when the conflict went further between the Lebanese, with different directions, and the PLO Militia.
The bloody civil war blown out and Beirut became a huge and complicated war zone. The Lebanese fighting the PLO and themselves and against the Israeli Army who entered Beirut under the reason of stopping the PLO from attacking Israel.
The Communist Soviet Union, United States of America, and France were involved directly and indirect way in this horrific war and this sectarian conflict. Again everybody is fighting for his interests under some slogans of freedom and justice, with no consideration what so ever about the Lebanese innocent people themselves or their real interests!!

The scenario is now repeating once again, but this time with different aspects and circumstances. The situation is escalating towards an absolute danger direction. It could lead to massive and wide range war in the Middle East.
The involvement of Syria and Iran in this conflict through Hezbollah and Hamas Group is so complicated. Israeli attack on Beirut is legitimate reaction to Hezbollah and Hamas actions, as USA and Britain determined to perish Assad regime and the Extreme Iranian Regime.
Beirut has found herself an international playground for different powers and regimes to settle what is between them on her peaceful and graceful land.