(Washington Institute for Near East Policy) David Schenker - On July 10, Lebanon's parliamentary speaker announced that retired Christian general Michel Aoun's Free Patriotic Movement would be leaving the Hizbullah-led "March 8" bloc in parliament. Since 2006, the FPM's alliance with Hizbullah has facilitated the Shiite militia's political dominance of Lebanon. If the new split persists, it will represent a significant shift in the country's political dynamics. Without Aoun's party, Hizbullah is left with a narrowly Shiite bloc at a time when Syria-related sectarian strife is spiking in Lebanon.
2013-07-17 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive