This much is known: that some of the shots were fired by the Lebanese army who clashed with protesters and that several of the victims, if not most, were unarmed. The bloody confrontation raised fears of widespread fighting like never before. Much of the disturbance occurred at former civil war front lines between Christian and Shiite neighborhoods. It also coincided with a follow-up meeting of Arab foreign secretaries to discuss the progress (or lack thereof) of the Arab initiative regarding the presidency deadlock.

The disturbances come after all international and regional initiatives to resolve the impasse have hit a dead end. What the politicians seem incapable of resolving is blowing up in chaotic bouts on the street. A politically charged environment and an apparently genuine lack of concern on behalf of all political parties to the plight of ordinary people is proving to be an explosive formula. In this instance, questions were raised about the role of the army. The military establishment is the only institution in the country to be perceived as neutral as of late. The entering of its top commander General Michel Suleiman into the fray of presidential elections and the events at Mar Mikhael, where the casualties were members or supporters of the Shiite opposition groups Hizballah and Amal, have led many to believe that a rift between the resistance and the army is in the making, and if that happens, civil war is only a few more riots away.

Read More