Friday, June 24, 2005

I have met and interviewed many people already. Many officials and senior leaders talked to me at length but off the record. I wish I can share what I have learned. In fact, one senior leader specifically said that I am not to post what he told me on my site. I gave my first talk yesterday at Masrah Al-Madinah. NEW TV and Sahwa TV recorded the entire event, but I am not sure when or whether it will air. I offered my condolences yesterday to the leadership of the Lebanese Communist Party and to the family of George Hawi. I was pleased to be introduced yesterday by Nidal Al-Ashqar, and I saw Layla Khalid's sister in the audience. During the Q and A session, a woman in the audience innocently and casually asked me: "Do you know if you are on some assassination black list here in Lebanon?" "Not to my knowledge," I said. Not to my knowledge.