New Lebanese Government Flexes its Muscle with Hizbullah

Conisdering all of the bad news out of Iran, its nice to see the people who won the election in Lebanaon flex their democratic muscle against the terror group. The original deal they are talking about was a power sharing agreement they had come up with as a meand to hold the peace. With the electoral winds at their back the Siniora government and coalition is attemoting to reign Hizbullah

BEIRUT: Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said on Sunday that Hizbullah's right to veto legislation would not be reinstated by the new Lebanese government. The Shiite movement Hizbullah and its Christian allies last year obtained the right to veto thanks to a deal that allocated them 11 of 30 cabinet seats.The deal was eked out to defuse a power struggle with the rival coalition of Saad Hariri, whose coalition defeated the Shiite group and its allies in a general election on June 7.

But Siniora said that the deal "has nothing to do with the Lebanese Constitution or its democratic system." Siniora was speaking after talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmad Abu al-Gheit in Cairo. The premier also met with Arab League chief Amr Moussa before returning to Beirut Sunday evening.

"This is why this formula was for a predetermined period which ends with the end of the mandate of the current government," Siniora told journalists."If a new government of national unity is formed, it will be based on partnership and not on the principle of veto."

Hizbullah and its opposition allies have demanded that their veto power over key decisions be maintained.

Of course the overal issue of Hizbullah's weapons is still unclear.