Years of Resistance ─ The Mandate of Emile Lahood, the Former President of Lebanon

As a key figure and one-time president of the Lebanese Kataeb Party (better known in the US as the Phalange) until his resignation in 2008, the author engaged in weekly meetings to discuss Lebanese political developments with Emile Lahood during the latter's tenure as Lebanon's President (1998-2007). Those conversations provide the basis for Pakradouni's review and friendly assessment of Lahood's tenure in office, which he divides into three distinct periods: a strong beginning in which he committed to reform and the protection of Hezbollah and was instrumental in the withdrawal of Israel from southern Lebanon (1998-2001); a period marked by stability in security but tempestuous domestic political relations with Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri (2001-2004); and the period following the 2005 assassination of Hariri, which witnessed the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon, the re-invasion of Israeli forces, and numerous assassination attempts directed at Lahood. Distributed in the US by International Publishers Marketing. Annotation c2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)