The AK-47 Index

Where financial centers flash their Dow30, FTSE100 and CAC40, here in Lebanon we have our AK-47 index:

Officially, the only legal weapons in Lebanon are shotguns meant for hunting birds. And although much of the population was heavily armed during the 1975 to 1990 civil war, the various factions agreed to disarm their heavy weapons stockpiles, with the notable exception of Hizbollah.
[...]
But little was done about light weapons – assault rifles, rocket-propelled grenade launchers and sniper rifles – which were often stuffed into storage in homes and villages around Lebanon. And ever since, the arms dealers have used an interesting metric for judging the stability of the country: the price of the ubiquitous AK-47 assault rifle.

And what do these traders have to say about Lebanon’s current “golden period”:

[Abu Mahdi says], “Anyone who tells you that Lebanon is peaceful and stable is lying. Everyone is buying weapons; I can’t keep up.”

What does the government think about all this?

A few minutes after the Hizbollah gunmen arrive, a jeep from the Internal Security Forces, Lebanon’s federal police force, pulls up outside [Abu Mahdi's] shack but neither Mr Mahdi nor his militant customers seem worried. The police officers have arrived to pick up two assault rifles that they ordered a few weeks earlier. They seem to know the fighters and all start happily chatting and playing with the dozens of weapons stuffed in the back of Mr Mahdi’s truck.

Do these traders have any conscience?

By the outbreak of the July 2006 war between Hizbollah and Israel, [the Ak-47] had tripled to $900 as people expected either an occupation by Israel or ongoing civil strife in the aftermath. “The war was terrible for Lebanon but I made $10,000 profit in just a few weeks,” Mr Mahdi admits. “But prices just kept rising.”
[...]
“But I know there is a real problem on the streets right now not just because of the machine guns but because I am selling so many RPG (rocket-propelled grenade) launchers. People only buy grenades when they think war is coming. An RPG isn’t really a weapon you use to protect your house, but everyone is buying them anyway. Not good.”

Not much.

The AK-47

Check out these great posts:

• HA: Fear the Christians; Sunnis Are a Push-Over
• The New Islamic Resistance: Dark, Yet Transparent
• Rugby’s Rough-Up

HA: Fear the Christians; Sunnis Are a Push-Over

I usually steer clear of politics on this blog only because there are others who do a great job at tackling it than I do. But I came across this article in the UAE’s The National which I found quite interesting. The journalist is speaking to an unnamed “commander of a Hezbollah security team in Ain Al Roumanieh” following the incident yesterday (Oct. 7). Here’s what he has to say:

“Young men on scooters came from Shiyah and began circling near a restaurant in Ain al Rummaneh,” the spokesman said. “A heated exchange with local residents ensued and knives were used, leaving one dead and four injured, all from Ain al Roumanieh.”
[...]
“I was called to the scene by my commanders to investigate and the Amal youth asked Hizbollah for help,” he said. “We told them ‘No. Your people are out drinking and gambling and getting into fights with the Christians when all of Lebanon is nervous. Enough.’”
[...]
“Those Christians boys are much tougher than the Sunnis; I don’t think the Amal kids understand this. [The Christians] have a lot of training and weapons from the civil war. Hizbollah does not want to see violence with these people,” he said, pointing out that even when Hizbollah and Amal took over West Beirut in May 2008 to rid the area of Sunni militias, they intentionally avoided antagonising their Christian rivals for fear of sparking a wider conflict.

Curious to know your thoughts about this.

Check out these great posts:

• The New Islamic Resistance: Dark, Yet Transparent
• The AK-47 Index
• Breaking News – 09:43am GMT

“It’s Like Living in Beirut!”

I guess I spoke too soon:

Frightened residents being terrorised by rampaging neds in an Airdrie street have claimed – “it’s like living in Beirut!”

Around 30 youths are making life hell for families in flats at the bottom end of Springholm Drive in The Rushes.

Well since this was a collective response, an LLB Certificate will go out to Airdrie North councilor, Sophia Coyle, dedicated to the residents of the area.

Airdrie Estate is like Beirut

Check out these great posts:

• Moving Out of “Beirut”
• Its Not Beirut, There are Good People Here
• High Street ‘Looks Like Beirut’

Rugby’s Rough-Up

We all know that rugby is a pretty tough sport, but apparently its just as tough in between quarters:

A mass brawl between players of the UAE Falcons and Liban Espoir of Lebanon in the Rugby League resulted in the match being abandoned.

Similarily to our incident with the Syrian football team, we were losing:

The UAE team led 16-6 when the referee said enough was enough.

Too bad the game was played in the UAE. Had the match taken place in Lebanon, we would have been able to use our weapons to ensure our rights (or something like that). A rematch is scheduled for tonight.

Check out these great posts:

• The New Islamic Resistance: Dark, Yet Transparent
• The AK-47 Index
• SMS AFP Naharnet – Not Working

Breaking News – 05:15pm GMT

Skirmishes between Hariri and Berri supporters in Aicha Bakkar.
Special Forces brought in to restore calm.

Update 1: Fighting intensifying with RPGs used (National News Agency)
Update 2: One killed and 6 injured (Voice of Lebanon Radio) / One killed, 3 injured (OTV)
Update 3: Clashes spreading to Mar Elias district (Al Arabiya News)
Update 4: Army ordered to fire on all gunmen (New TV)
Update 5: Voice of Lebanon Radio is reporting that calm has been restored through the Army’s intervention.

View Larger Map

Check out these great posts:

• “It’s Like Living in Beirut!”
• When a Documentary Comes to Life
• The New Islamic Resistance: Dark, Yet Transparent