Saturday Morning Links

• Blacksmith Jade wrote a comprehensive history of the politicking that occurred during the 2005 Parliamentary elections, and looks forward to how the situation in primarily the Christian districts of Mount Lebanon will be altered for the rematch in 2009. Conclusion: there will be mud!

• Lebanese politicians and media continue to be optimistic about the imminent formation of a national-unity government. For about two weeks now, according to Lebanon's analysts, the birth of this government has been mere hours away. (Update: NOW Lebanon is currently running a "Breaking News" ticker that says the Cabinet has been formed, and that its makeup will be announced within hours. I am gullibly considering the possibility that this is true.)

• Britain has placed the "military wing" of Hezbollah on its terrorist list, and Mustapha questions the wisdom of trying to split the Shia militia into "good" and "bad" parts. Certainly, it is a distinction that Hezbollah neglects to make. Someone should ask the British government which "wing" of Hezbollah it is still legal to join and raise funds for.

  Nasrallah said that the UK's decision "does not surprise me," and struck back by reminding his followers that the hated Salman Rushdie has British citizenship.