CROSS PURPOSES

Ahmed sits on a plastic chair on the side of a quiet street.A large empty bypass stretches overhead in the direction of the wealthy Hamra district.In the darkness above, a tank can be seen sitting stationary on the road.One soldier is manning the gun turret, another stands guard beside the vehicle.Their weapons are pointed in Ahmed's direction,or more accurately, over his head.Ahmed is also on guard,but he is only equipped with a walkie-talkie.At 19,he is an idealistic member of Hizbullah and at midnight he can be found sitting at the entrance to the protest camp which lies beneath Prime Minister Fuad Saniora's palace in the city center.Along with the other dwellers in the hundreds of tents pitched there,he is waiting for Saniora's downfall.He says that he is protesting because of his love for Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah,the leader of Hizbullah.He trusts him to install a more suitable leader in the beautiful palace behind him.Like many of his peers,Ahmed shows great dedication to following his leader.He says that he hardly ever listens to music because Nasrallah has said that it is much better for him to read the Koran.However there are two exceptions:classical music and music that incites him to fight against Israel...
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As in the days of Noah...