The ultimate question will be:
who will end up pulling this yet-to-materialize center to their side?
nothing ever remains neutral or inclusive in egoist, money-lusty lebanon.
good luck, all.
As much as we all would like them not to, eventually they will be irrelevant or polarized... Its only natural (though not necessarily fair), for I doubt that they have the foreign support or influence to have any impact on the regional dimension of this crisis. Moreover, they need to have a clear cut goal to achieve rather than just as an opposition to the status quo...
It is becoming increasingly fashionable here to say that you're neither with the (pro-western) March 14 movement nor with the (Iranian-backed) March 8 alliance..
Safer that way, I suppose. Since the Iranians are hip-deep in Lebanon, and since they learned about revolutionary techniques in Western universities, I'd be leery of "March 11" until I knew for sure that it wasn't another Iranian front, one designed to get my hopes up and then betray me once more.
Solomon is already pulling "March 11" to one side!
Welcome back Mustapha. Great to read your posts again 
Mustapha,
I hate to burst your buble but the Middle Eastern, not only the Lebanese, don't care about Economic policies, for them ideology and reiligion are more important. I will quote you Henry Kissinger in his book "Does America Need a Foreign Policy" when he was discussing US intiatives to solve the ME problems (page 26):
- The ME conflicts are most analogous to those of the 17th century Europe. Their roots are not economic, as int eh Atlantic region and the Western Hemisphere, or strategic, as in Asia, but ideological adn religious. The Maxims of the Westphalian peace diplomacy do not apply. Compromise is elusive when the issue is nto a specific grievance but the legitimacy- indeed the existence- of the other side.....
SO when we put the conflict between March14 and teh opposition as a matter of existence for each side, nobody will look at the economic policies. The existence techniques stems from spreading fears or words like the forces of "good" will prevail. We are fighting "the evil" powere. (Words used by George Bush and got the USA in the Iraq mess, and recently used by Samir Geagea, yes Samir geagea was talkingabout forces of good versus Evil ironically). Anyway, I wish and I hope your attempt to bring the attention to the economic reforms/policy would work but I doubt, we are not ready!
I support the 14 of March. From here, from Tunisia, do not think that you are alone, we support you because we love your country. Just keep united and do not give much importance to the different sects, do not give importance to religion. LEBANON FIRST!
Ouch, IBJ got me! Sure, 3/11 could be representing the "other" side. But how likely is that? In Iraq when the U.S. tried supporting rival opposition groups to Saddam the details muddied the front pages of major American newspapers. That isn't happening today when it comes to Lebanon.
That said, keep in mind I know absolutely nothing about 3/11. I'm ignorant of the present, and selectively knowlegeable about the past. But I don't want to see this trick at work again - lots of people died that way.
****
IBJ, you never answered me about selling that watercolor and similar items of yours. You have a duty to Art and you must explore putting your work on the market.
sorry Solomon, but i haven't reached the point (mentally/emotionally, and maybe artistically,) where i'm ready to sell my art. you can print it out if you want (not very large), as long as you credit me with a label.
I don't collect decorations, I collect art. Artists need to market their work if they are to develop, even if their doesn't sell.
Printing out a single piece isn't the same thing. For one thing, there isn't any texture or dimples. Moreover, you need to have available a portfolio so collectors can better judge your approach to expression.
Assuming your piece is around 20x30" with minimal dimples, properly matted and framed a collector of my tastes would purchase it for something over $250, and I assure you that I'm a real cheapskate; at auction it could go for much more. (I don't usually do watercolors, because so many artists make a mess of them.)
[Apologies for hijacking this thread, Mustapha, but he wouldn't answer me on his own blog.]
As for being ready: Hey, I wasn't either when people insisted on buying my work!
The March 11 is interesting, although personally I don't trust anyone in this country anymore, they all turn political and selfish eventually...
Plus they can afford to pay for billboards!!!!
Please, do you know how to contact this march 11 mouvement? I want to be part of it and help it join forces with other similar mouvements.
Thanks.
Excuse my silly question, but who are these people?
A Frenchy interested in Lebanon...
why are you scared from putting ur picture?
hello everyone. i was browsing through the net to read some news and got to this page.
first of all i want to thank mustapha for publishing the idea of 11 march.
and for all the people that are afraid to trust us, they have the full right because nowadays we are suffering from this in lebanon. But very soon everything will show up that 11 march will stay what it is right now. not neither personal goals nor any political achievements.
The man that came up with this idea was merhi abou merhi. i think you have heard about him through the "Abou Merhi cruises" and orient queen and many other things.
so as i can imagine this man has a clean name infront of allll lebanese people. 11march is not a 3rd political movement after 8&14 no! its just a movement or gathering for the REAL lebanese majority who got sick through all this political stuff. tomorrow 11am the 11march movement will have an interview with different tv chanels. it has already been published in many newspapers and also int he arab world well known. for more information visit us at www.11march.org to know more. i would like to repeat again our goal is march 11 where we will gather at downtown beirut to show the political people that at least 20% of the lebanese people are sick of both of you..we are not against 8&14 where with them both but we want them to solve it and think of lebanon. 2weeks ago we have started with this idea and as i see now we have reached alot this shows the trust of the people to us and we know what we are doing is for the lebanese benefit. at the end i would like to tell all the guys that still think we are starting this way and than later we will change when we have a backup. i can only say sit back and watch what will happen. elections are coming up soon and NO ONE FROM OUR MOVEMENT SPECIALLY MERHI ABOU MERHI will have anything to do with it. and again i hope to have your support and i hope that you publish our website to friends and relatives so that this idea which is lebanon first with NO personal goals will gain what it should gain. thank you very much.
Commenting by HaloScan
