First impressions suggest another "who done it" incident. Similar ones occurred many times before. Guilty parties often get named later. Key always is cui bono?

Media scoundrels never explain what's most important. Instead, headlines like "Blast in Beirut Is Seen as an Extension of Syria's War" circulate.

The New York Times said it "devastated a Christian neighborhood (Friday), killing an intelligence official long viewed as an enemy by neighboring Syria and unnerving a nation as Syria’s sectarian-fueled civil war spills beyond its borders and threatens to engulf the region."

Instead of explaining what's likely going on, managed news misreporting like the above substitutes.

Intelligence head of Lebanon's Internal Security Forces, General Wissam al-Hasan, was killed. He appeared the likely target. He was the most high-profile death since former prime minister Rafiq Hariri's 2005 assassination. More on him below, what's really going on, and what's at stake.

At least seven others died. Information Minister Walid Daouk said 86 people were wounded. Buildings were heavily damaged.

A follow-up Times report headlined "After Attack, Lebanese Opposition Calls for New Government," saying:

Opposition pro-Western March 14 alliance officials called for "the Hezbollah-led government to resign….intensifying fears that Syria's 'civil war' could lead to a political crisis in Lebanon."

Again, dubious reporting substituted for explaining things correctly. Syria was invaded. Washington bears full responsibility. Fighting since winter 2011 reflects nothing civil. Saying so is false and misleading.

Rafiq Hariri's son Saad heads the pro-Western March 14 alliance. Hezbollah, the Amal Movement, the Free Patriotic Movement, Progressive Socialists, and other political groups comprise the March 8 alliance majority.

Washington and Israel want March 14 extremists replacing it. Killing al-Hasan appears intended for that purpose. It also advances the ball for full-scale NATO intervention in Syria.

The regional pot keeps boiling dangerously. Media scoundrels add more heat. Washington Post columnist David Ignatiuswants America openly involved in arming Free Syrian Army (FSA) death squads.

Headlining "Rethinking Syria Policy," he called for all-out US support. He played the jihadist terrorists/Syrian chemical weapons card threat.

He spent time in Syria. He met with FSA commanders. They're "solid military leaders," he said. They need more guns and money, he added. Pile it on, he recommends.

"The Free Syrian Army has a long shopping list." He named enough to blow up half the country. Washington doesn't "have to sign off on this whole war chest…." Just enough for greater conflict to topple Assad.

Mossad-connected DEBKAfile (DF) threw its own fuel on the fire. It pointed fingers the wrong way. It headlined "Syria, Iran, Hizbollah attack while US and Israel play (earlier planned) computerized war games," saying:

The East Beirut Ashrafiya district bombing "marked the brutal spillover of the Syrian bloodbath into a second Arab capital and the threat of its spread towards Israel."

Blaming Syria, Iran and Hezbollah is spurious. On October 20, the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) headlined "Russia, Iran Condemn Beirut Terrorist Blast," saying:

Moscow's Foreign Ministry said "Russia expresses solidarity with Lebanon and support to its sovereignty, territorial integrity and stability based on a Lebanese national dialogue." It added:

"What happened showed once again the importance of stopping the activities of destructive forces that are trying to drown the Middle East in chaos and sedition.''

Iran's Foreign Ministry also condemned the blast. It said "the Zionist entity is the beneficiary of instability in Lebanon."

On October 19, Press TV said Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi told his Lebanese counterpart, Adnan Mansour, that "enemies seek to increase insecurity in the region and achieve their ill intentions."

Tehran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said "the attack aimed to sow discord among different currents and social classes in Lebanon."

Reuters quoted Syria's Information Minister Omran Zoabi saying, "We condemn this terrorist explosion and all these explosions wherever they happen. Nothing justifies them."

DEBKAfile claimed General al-Hasan "uncovered a Syrian plot to destabilize Lebanon by a bombing campaign…." Pro-Assad politician and former information minister Michel Samaha was arrested "for complicity in the plot."

"The Syrian bloodbath is spreading more malignantly than ever with solid Iranian and Hizballah support and Tehran is closer than ever to realizing its nuclear aspirations."

All of the above doesn't wash. More spurious accusations followed. DF often reports inaccurately. This account was one of its worst. It was straight out of Mossad's propaganda playbook. Charges were laughable on their face.

Syria, Iran and Hezbollah have everything to lose and nothing to gain from Friday's blast. Israel, Washington, key NATO partners, and regional allies benefit greatly from further instability and conflict.

Killing al-Hasan looks very much like Hariri 2.0. Compelling visual and audio evidence identified Israel as likely responsible. Real time intercepted Israeli aerial surveillance footage showed routes Hariri took on the day his motorcade was attacked. That and more pointed fingers the right way.

Initially, Syria was falsely blamed. Hezbollah was then wrongfully accused. The assassination was typical Mossad. Killing al-Hasan looks like its latest false flag.

Press TV interviewed political analyst Ralph Schoenman. He said:

"As 1992 to today in the day bombing of Beirut the identical scenario, who benefits from attempting to divide Lebanon and spread the turmoil, who benefits destabilizing the government in Damascus, who states to destabilize Beirut and subject Lebanon to civil war, the Zionist regime (Israel), the Mossad. It is a classical operation of Mossad."

It's hard disagreeing. Mossad's entire history reflects targeted killings, false flags, and other destabilizing acts. CIA elements operate the same way.

Take nothing about these incidents at face value. Look deeper for more likely explanations than what media scoundrels and other dubious sources provide.

Washington and key allies want the last independent Arab nations destabilized, toppled, and reinvented into pro-Western ones. Ousting Assad and Hezbollah are key objectives. So is isolating Iran ahead of focusing full attention on regime change in Tehran by any means including war.

The Levant is in serious crisis. Tinderbox best describes things. Aggressors are playing with fire. Everyone may end up burned. Regional war is overreach. It assures losers, not winners.

Drawing a red line on Syria is top priority. It's up to Russia, China and other anti-war nations to make clear they'll tolerate no more.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book is titled "How Wall Street Fleeces America: Privatized Banking, Government Collusion and Class War"

http://www.claritypress.com/Lendman.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network Thursdays at 10AM US Central time and Saturdays and Sundays at noon. All programs are archived for easy listening.

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