LEBANON'S ARMY GETTING READY TO NEUTRALIZE HIZBALLAH - WITH THE USA'S HELP

GUARDIAN:

The US will "beef up" the Lebanese army to disarm Hizbullah fighters and resist Iranian and Syrian influence in the region, President George Bush has pledged on the eve of a Middle East tour that is likely to be his last before leaving office. ...

With Lebanon the freshest crisis in the region, Bush lambasted Hizbullah and its supporters for "destabilising the country and turning against the Lebanese people". "The international community will not allow the Iranian and Syrian regimes, via their proxies, to return Lebanon to foreign domination and control," he said.

Washington would help Fuad Siniora, the embattled Sunni Lebanese prime minister, by strengthening his armed forces as they step up patrols to restore order after a week of violence initiated by the Shia militia. "It's probably the most practical way that we can get some help to him quickly," Bush told al-Arabiya TV.

The destroyer the USS Cole has been sent back to patrol the Lebanese coast to underline US support.

ABC-OZ: Lebanon army ready to use force to halt fighting

A precarious calm returned to Lebanon overnight after the army warned it was ready to use force to restore order after six days of sectarian bloodshed that have shaken the nation.

US President George W Bush, on the eve of a trip to the Middle East, warned Iran and Syria that the international community would not allow Lebanon to fall under foreign domination again and vowed to shore up the Lebanese military.

The fighting, which has left at least 62 people dead and close to 200 wounded, is the worst sectarian unrest since the 1975-1990 civil war and has stoked fears the country was headed for another all-out conflict.

After being ordered not to intervene to protect its neutrality in deeply divided Lebanon, the army said it was prepared to resort to force to disarm gunmen and bring an end to the violence between supporters of the Western-backed Government and Hezbollah-led opposition fighters.

EVEN SAUDI ARABIA IS WARNING IRAN.

TOGETHER THESE FUNCTION AS A GOOD ULTIMATUM.

PREDICTION: IF HIZBALLAH AND SYRIA AND IRAN DON'T CLIMB DOWN, THEN THERE WILL BE A MAJOR CONFLICT - ONE WITH REGIONAL ARAB AND UNSC SUPPORT, AND WITH THE USS COLE PROVIDING AIR SUPPORT.

*******UPDATE: WASH POST: MANY LEB POL'S AGREE! EXCERPT:

Politicians in Lebanon's Western-backed governing coalition criticized the United States on Monday for not doing enough to counter the opposition Hezbollah movement's recent takeover of West Beirut.

At the same time, President Bush, who will visit the Middle East this week, vowed continued support for the Lebanese government and its military, which announced that it would take a greater role in containing violence.

Christian, Sunni and Druze politicians -- members of a coalition known as March 14 -- said U.S. statements on the crisis have been too weak and called for more pressure on Hezbollah and its Syrian backers. The politicians said they felt abandoned by the United States.

The coalition members also want the United States to take the initiative in broadening a U.N. resolution that would place Beirut's airport and harbor in the hands of international peacekeeping troops.

"We need the U.S., but we are hearing nothing substantial from them," said Nayla Mouawad, a cabinet minister and leading member of the March 14 coalition.

Hezbollah is ideologically inspired by Iran, which backs the organization financially and militarily. "Iran is turning Lebanon into a Mediterranean forward post," Mouawad said.

Bush, in a statement Monday, promised continued U.S. support for Lebanese President Fouad Siniora and Lebanon's military. "The international community will not allow the Iranian and Syrian regimes, via their proxies, to return Lebanon to foreign domination and control," Bush said.

In an earlier interview with the al-Arabiya television network, Bush said he personally admired Siniora. "We will help him," Bush said.

One March 14 politician, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, called for "tactical strikes" against Syria to pressure the government to rein in Hezbollah.

LET'S GET IT ON!