Rice to Kouchner: "Your 'mediation' is weakening our allies and strengthening Hezbollah"

Nicholas Nassif, in Al Akhbar, here

"... Aoun's "unfolded hand" included a National Unity government of 30 ministers, divided as such: 15 to M14, 4 to President Michel Sleiman (?) 5 to Michel Aoun and 6 Shia'as. [a 60-40% ratio] ... Hezbollah & Berri DID NOT humor Aoun with the following: A shortened Presidential mandate and his (Aoun) refusal of Hariri's premiership. (Some believe, and perhaps rightly, that Hariri should be burdened with the rebuilding of confidence between Beirut & Damascus.)

Apparently, MANY in M14 did not like what they saw, and hurriedly called Washington through their usual conduits to ask for support. Consequently, Secretary Rice called Minister Kouchner while he was still in Beirut to tell him that his "draw" weakened the US allies in M14 and strengthened Hezbollah's hand ... "

FLC knows Nassif's "source", and let's just say that it is as French and as Official as a Quai D'Orsay Ratatouille!