Ceasefire Between Lebanese Military and Terrorists Broken (Again)

The Fatah al Islam terrorists resumed firing on Lebanese military positions, and the Lebanese military responded with heavy artillery fire. Two Lebanse soldiers were hit by sniper fire, precipitating the latest fighting.

Heavy clashes erupted Tuesday between the Lebanese Army and Fatah al-Islam militants after several members of the militia attacked an army post, sparking the most intense fighting in the area since a shaky truce took hold on May 22. The two sides exchanged fire for the second consecutive night, with the army shelling with heavy artillery in response to sniper shots and assault rifle-fire from the militants.

An attack by Fatah al-Islam on an army post Monday night wounded a soldier who died early Tuesday, bringing to 34 the number of troops killed in the fighting so far.

Various reports put the number of dead militants from 27 to as high as 60, and the number of civilians killed at 18 or higher.

Leaders across Lebanon continued to call for a diplomatic solution to the standoff, but efforts by Palestinian authorities and others to broker a peace deal have yet to bear fruit.

"Two soldiers were shot by snipers on Monday night, and one of them died of his wounds on Tuesday," an army source told The Daily Star on Tuesday.

"The militants are in attack mode again," said the source, as reports circulated of a civilian having been shot in attacks by militants Tuesday night.

Witnesses said that heavy shelling and gunfire on Monday and Tuesday nights recalled the two days of intense clashes that followed the breakout of fighting on May 20. Relative calm in the area last week was broken by sporadic exchanges of gunfire.

All this comes at a time when the UN Security Council is going to be considering a vote on the Rafik Hariri tribunal. Top level Syrian officials have been implicated in the assassination, including those closest to Bashar Assad. The draft resolution would establish the tribunal to commence on June 10. As usual, the usual suspects are lining up to oppose or abstain from the tribunal:

Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora backs plans for an international tribunal, while the mainly pro-Syrian opposition has blocked attempts to establish it.

Because of these divisions, the Lebanese government asked the Security Council to act.

The US, UK and France have pushed for the Security Council to establish the court, arguing that political assassination cannot go unpunished.

Diplomats predict a majority in favour of establishing the court, but suggest five countries - Russia, China, South Africa, Indonesia and Qatar - could abstain, says the BBC's UN correspondent Laura Trevelyan in New York.

Russia and South Africa ask why the Security Council is overriding Lebanon's sovereign parliament, our correspondent says.

There is also an argument about why the court is being set up under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, meaning it could ultimately be enforced by military action, our correspondent adds.

Let's see - Syria's leaders want to reassert dominion over the sovereign nation of Lebanon and assassinate anti-Syrian Lebanese leaders. Not only was Syria undermining Lebanese sovereignty, but were doing so by any means necessary. Lebanon was (and continues to be) under attack by Syria, and such attacks fall under the Chapter VII provisions.

UPDATE:
The Security Council voted to authorize the tribunal. China and Russia abstained. US diplomats should pat themselves on the back for that, though I wonder what they gave up in return for the two countries to sit on the sidelines while this tribunal does its work. Rick Moran, Allah and Ace all weigh in.

Many in Lebanon are celebrating this news, though one has to believe that Hizbullah is wondering what orders will filter down from Syria and Iran. Fatah al Islam may also be wondering what is in store for them next as they've been the most active terrorists lately.

However, the anti-Syrian segment of the population is out in force, and has set up love-checkpoints.

Carrying Lebanese flags and pictures of Hariri, supporters set up what they called “love checkpoints” in Sidon’s main roads and intersections handing out sweets and flowers to motorists.

Michael Totten notes that Assad's worst fears have come to pass, and it reflects the fact that the Security Council's authorization comes from Article VII:

Chapter 7 means the international community will impose enforcement mechanisms on the guilty. Assad worries it will be the first step toward internationally-sanctioned regime-change in Damascus.

This wont happen overnight, but it is a good first step. There's a long way to go before the Assad regime is tossed on the ash heap of history.