something to make you go hhhmmmm

[ensho]

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/24F4810C-61CB-4284-AB2B-CCA786434016.htm


Saudis urged to leave Lebanon


The Saudi Arabian embassy in Beirut has called on its nationals to leave Lebanon a day after a US warship was positioned off the country's coast.

The embassy on Saturday sent SMS messages to Saudis living in Lebanon urging them to leave the country as soon as possible, Al Jazeera's correspondent said.

-snip-

Fouad Siniora, the Lebanese prime minister, has denied asking the US to deploy the warship USS Cole and two support ships amid the country's continuing political deadlock.

Siniora reportedly summoned the US ambassador on Friday for an explanation.

Siniora said: "We did not request any warships from any party."

He also stressed the importance of Lebanon's independence and sovereignty "so that it will not become an arena for the conflicts of regional and international powers".

Siniora said there are no warships in Lebanese territorial waters, except Lebanon's small navy - made up of patrol boats - and the 12 warships belonging to a UN peacekeeping force.

-snip-

Nabih Berri, the parliament speaker, who is aligned with the opposition, has linked the deployment of the warships to Israel's raids in the Gaza Strip.

"The target is Gaza. It is aimed to allow what must happen in Gaza to happen without anyone moving to support ," he said.

-snip-

Earlier, Richard Murphy, a former US ambassador to Syria, told Al Jazeera that the move was a sign that the US did not know what to do about Lebanon.

"It is gunboat diplomacy. I think it would be more useful for the US to find a way to engage with the conflicting parties in Lebanon.

"We have no dialogue with Syria and this is a moment for dialogue."
-snip-
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[meegbear]

1. hhhmmmm

[SpiralHawk]

2. hmmm? hmmm?