Lebanon joins volatile Med gas scramble

Lebanon has raised the stakes in the high-octane poker game under way in the natural gas-rich eastern Mediterranean by approving a law to administer offshore exploration and drilling, joining Israel, Cyprus and Turkey in a potentially explosive race for energy riches. The Beirut government laid down the regulations for the emerging energy industry Wednesday. "If all goes as scheduled," said Cesar Abi Khalil, an Energy Ministry adviser, "the licensing round will be held this year. "The companies will have six months to bid and then the winners will be chosen and exploration will begin." Energy expert Roudi Baroudi estimates that Lebanon's reserves total three times those of Libya's 54 trillion cubic feet. That's probably a major overestimate. But it's certain to heighten tension in the region triggered by Israel's discovery of major gas fields off its coast, a drive by nearby Cyprus to follow suit and Turkey's threat to send in its navy to stop the other two from joining forces to exploit the region's energy riches.

Lebanon joins volatile Med gas scramble

The March to War: Iran and the Strategic Encirclement of Syria and Lebanon

For half a decade Washington has been directing a military arms build-up in the Middle East aimed at Iran and the Resistance Bloc. It has sent massive arms shipments to Saudi Arabia. It has sent deliveries of bunker busters to the U.A.E. and Israel, amongst others, while it has upgraded its own deadly arsenal. U.S. officials have also started to openly discuss murdering Iranian leaders and military officials through covert operations. What the world is facing is a pathway towards possible military escalation that could go far beyond the boundaries of the Middle East and suck in Russia, China, and their allies. The Revolutionary Guard have also made it clear that if conflict is ignited with Iran that Lebanon, Iraq, and the Palestinians would all be drawn in as Iranian allies.

The March to War: Iran and the Strategic Encirclement of Syria and Lebanon

Lebanon defense minister documents Qaeda activities

“There is information that militants from al-Qaeda are entering Lebanon pretending they are members of the Syrian opposition and smuggling arms into the country,” Ghosn said in an interview covered by the London-based al-Hayat.

Lebanon defense minister documents Qaeda activities;