Lebanon is a heavenly haven on earth. Its habitants are cultured, kind and beautiful. How come it is so cursed. Unlike vast and resource-rich Congo, it does not have any of the precious earth resources. No oil either! Could neighborhood be the cause or the curse itself. The recent history proves just that!

Historically, Beirut had been destroyed by tsunami, Crusaders and femine. It had been conquered by Romans, and Turks. And had been occupied, as garrison town, by French, British, American, and Syrian troops.

During the fall of 1982, Israelis, aided by Lebanese surrogates, butchered several hundred Palestinian men, women & children at Sabra and Shatila refugee camps. And that under the command and control of Ariel Sharon! During lost fifteen years of the last century, one hundred and fifty thousand Lebanese, were killed in civil war mascares.

Fatefully, I am initaiting this piece on the 25th of July. On this day in 1993, the Israelis launched their massive "Accountability" attack on Lebanon – which took twenty thousand innocent lives. This July of MMVI, they have repeated their most brutal attack. Total Lebanese infra-structure has been pulverized and a million Lebanese have already fled as hapless refugees. The airport has been bombed and sea port has been blocked by Israeli Navy.

This is the same model infra-structure, that Rafik Hariri had so lovingly built during the first five years of this millennium. He had given his personal – in addition to sovereign guarantees – to the Arab investors. His person & convoy dis-integrared in a dreadful blast, on 15th of Feb. 2006, right in the centre of his beautiful city!! The political environment of this globe has been polluted. The atmosphere has been laden with gun powder and depilated uranium. If a dark cloud mushroomed up from the ground, it indicated that the target is smoldering. And if it looked dusty, it suggested that a bunker buster had been used.

Beirut had been the focal point of all such atrocities – more and longer than – any other capital of this world. It was presumed to be the worst hit, till the end of the last century.

The tremendous progress, resilience and harmony that it exhibited, thereafter, was spectacular. The strife was considered thing of the past, till the assassination of Premier Rafique Hariri. The silver lining of Syrian forces’ departure thereafter, from Lebanon was not to be as thus. And at that price!

People certainly deserve to know more about Lebanon than what the recent headlines have been telling. War, anywhere, makes a very good copy, sound bite or a gory riveting video clip. But it is very painful to write details of the ghoulish atrocities. I can just hope and pray that the global good sense prevails and this painful chapter of history comes to an end.

Somebody has to step on the burning fuse wire – which may lead to the fissile Mushroom cloud. We place on record our gratitude to The French. They are earnestly pleading for peace and prudence. We do also appreciate the prismatic reporting by our young ladies and gentlemen journalists. They have generated a lot of goodwill for Pakistan.

We all must praise Rev. Abdul Sattar Eithi for the charity work he is performing in Lebanon. We must also make our contributions to his great humanitarian cause.

God Save Global Sanity
Mirza Ikram Baig.