Former Lebanese PM Taken Out

Yesterday the former Prime Minister of Labanon, Rafik al-Hariri, was murdered. Al-Hariri served two terms as Lebanon's Prime Minister, viewed as a man of peace and credited with bringing to an end a 15-year civil war.

"...was widely credited with getting the country back on its feet after the devastating 15-year civil war."

"Using his financial clout, the billionaire entrepreneur attracted foreign investment and set up private redevelopment firms to rebuild the business heart of Beirut."

BBC News Online article Rafik Hariri: Billionaire Politician

"Hariri, 60, had been a leading figure in Lebanon's reconstruction in the aftermath of that country's long and devastating civil war and was appointed prime minister five times, most recently in 2000.

CNN article Hariri: Vision of Prosperous Lebanon

The media would like you to believe this was some radical group wanting to kill a successful, capitalistic politician. Perhaps, even the work of some suicide bomber.

But... the level of sophistication involved in the explosion has the signature of a group with far more expertise and access to materials than your average radical group. Looks more like a well-organized intelligence organization. Here's an excerpt from The Economist:

Some detect the work of an intelligence service—if not Syria’s, some other foreign power’s—in the method of the attack. Certainly, the size and sophistication of the bomb suggest it was the work of a well-organised and experienced group, or a government. The blast was big enough to leave a huge crater and shatter windows hundreds of metres away. Moreover, it was sophisticated enough to defeat jamming mechanisms, which the billionaire Mr Hariri’s convoy always used while travelling, to forestall such remotely triggered attacks. Mr Hariri, who made his fortune in construction in Saudi Arabia, knew he had many enemies and took what countermeasures he could.

Economist article Hariri’s Killing Shatters Lebanon’s Calm

Go read the compilation of news articles at Signs-of-the-Times, yesterday's and today's (this one is especially revealing!), for a perspective which draws on sources from throughout the world. Several key observations and comments are presented which one would do well to seriously consider.

As for my opinion? Here are some things about this event which make no sense to me:

• Why would someone remove an individual trying to spur economic growth in the region?
  
• Why would someone assisinate a voice for peace in the region?
  
• Why try to associate the event with a suicide bomber when the evidence clearly indicates a more sophistication and organized execution?
  
• Why the pressure on Syria when no link has been found between Syria and the bombing?
  
• Is this the beginning of the setup to go after Syria?
  
• Who benefits from continuing to destabilize the region?
  

Food for thought.