The Bombs Come Here

A bomb exploded in the parking lot of the ABC Achrafiyeh Mall last night, killing one woman and injuring ten. Hopefully, people will stay calm.

For non-Lebanese people reading the blog, the target of this bombing is important. Achrafiyeh is a glitzy Christian neighborhood whose inhabitants are no friends of Syria. The ABC Mall, in particular, is an upscale shopping mall with Western stores and Western prices. In addition to being a convenient place where many Lebanese gather, it is symbolic of Lebanon's Westernized, affluent population who see no connection between themselves and Syria or radical Islamists.