Elegant buildings lie in ruins. The heady scent of gardenias gives way to the acrid stench of bombed-out oil installations. And everywhere terrified people are scrambling to get out of a city that seems tragically doomed to chaos and destruction. As Beirut - 'the Paris of the East' - is defiled yet again, Robert Fisk, a resident for 30 years, asks: how much more punishment can it take?
Paradise Lost, it's an elegy for Beirut written by Robert Fisk. A beautiful piece of writing.
Also check out the site where the article's posted in full: Lebanon Rising if you're interested in the perspectives of some Lebanese on what's going on there now.
Upyernoz regularly follows events in the Middle East and has had some very good posts of late. This one, in particular, includes a letter from people about to leave Lebanon that I think is well worth reading.
One year ago at TTaT: Casuistry, a word for our times (as much today as a year ago)
tags: Lebanon, elegy+for+Beirut, Robert+Fisk
While I'm pretty pro-Israel in their actions, it's definitely sad that Lebanon is in the middle of war yet AGAIN.
ReplyDeleteNeil: I understand what Israel's doing, but I fear that even if they successfully destroy all Hizballah strongholds and weaponry that they're just creating a new generation of hatred among previously moderate Lebanese. Something I'd guess would take about 10 years to fester... that seems to be the pattern. It's very sad for both sides.
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