On Friday, Lebanon will commemorate the 20th anniversary of Rafic Hariri’s assassination. This provides an opportunity to examine the former prime minister’s legacy, but also reflect on the failings of the international investigation to uncover all his assassins.
When he came to power in 1992, Mr Hariri did so in large part through an understanding between Saudi Arabia and Syria. The Saudis had played a key role in negotiating the Taif Accord that served as the basis of the constitutional changes that redistributed power among the Lebanese sects and ended the civil war. Syria, in turn, was the de facto hegemonic power in Lebanon, after its army had ousted Michel Aoun and the military government he headed.
Mr Hariri’s task was to lead Lebanon’s economic recovery and physical reconstruction, given the confidence he enjoyed internationally, particularly among financial institutions. The Syrians maintained considerable sway over Lebanon’s political and security affairs, and imposed an exception to the disarmament of post-war militias: Hezbollah was allowed to retain its weapons and pursue its resistance against Israel’s occupation of south Lebanon.
The Syrian aim in doing this was mainly to retain a pressure point against Israel at a time when Damascus was engaged in negotiations with the Israelis over the Golan Heights, following the Madrid conference of 1990. Syria’s president at the time, Hafez Al Assad, sought not only to regain the occupied Golan, but also retain control over Lebanon.
Mr Hariri would struggle with this situation for years, which created an anomalous duality of a state trying to regain its sovereignty and an independent armed group that undermined this sovereignty. He also faced another major problem in having to direct reconstruction in a country in which the wartime militia leaders, Syrian allies all, still retained much power.
This compelled Mr Hariri to help put in place a system in which party leaders or members were given ministries, which they often ran as personal fiefdoms, while the prime minister concentrated rehabilitation and reconstruction decisions in his hands. This did not mean that the ministries were marginalised. Projects that were run through these ministries allowed for considerable corruption and the plunder of national resources.
It’s not easy to summarise Mr Hariri. In many regards, his time in office brought out the best and worst in Lebanon
The man who would secure the financing for such activities was Riad Salameh, the central bank governor. Salameh, who is now in prison, began a process of issuing high-interest domestic debt to attract capital to the country, which helped fund reconstruction, and imposed a fixed (and costly) peg on the local currency to the US dollar. When this system reached a crisis stage in 1998, Lebanon began issuing foreign debt to avoid a default.
One can praise Mr Hariri for leading a very thorny reconstruction process that would have overwhelmed most other prime ministers. However, he also oversaw the precarious foundations of Lebanon’s financial system that collapsed in 2019. Perhaps he had no other choice if his aim was to rebuild Lebanon, but his assassination also removed the one individual who might have been able to introduce corrective measures to avert the worst.
By 2004, Mr Hariri was chafing that the Syrians had extended the mandate of then Lebanese president Emile Lahoud, whom they had imposed in 1998 to contain Mr Hariri, among other reasons. Mr Hariri played a behind-the-scenes role in pushing for UN Security Council Resolution 1559, calling for a Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon and a disarmament of all militias. There were also signs he was about to form lists against Syria’s candidates in the elections of 2005, secure a parliamentary majority, and put himself in a position to ask Syria to pull out its forces.
This was the background to Mr Hariri’s assassination. It underlined both the man’s ability to manoeuvre among contradictions and the considerable influence he wielded domestically and internationally, which ultimately made him a target. The positive upshot, however, was that he left behind a country that was significantly rebuilt after 15 years of war. This was something he could point to, even if his plans did provoke criticism from some quarters.
The last thing we will remember about Mr Hariri is that his killing led to the first UN tribunal to deal with terrorist crimes. However, the UN investigation that preceded the tribunal did very little investigating after 2005, apparently fearing the political consequences, in the end bringing an indictment that allowed many of those involved to remain free. What was supposed to be a judicial process to end impunity for political crimes was nothing of the sort as political assassinations continued.
It’s not easy to summarise Mr Hariri. In many regards, his time in office brought out the best and worst in Lebanon, while his death divided the country even more, when it should have united it. But as we survey post-war Lebanon, few men have moved the country forward as he did, while his death brought about a long interregnum of stalemate, violence and devastation in national affairs. That alone explains why his absence is regretted.
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The five pillars of Islam
SCORES IN BRIEF
Lahore Qalandars 186 for 4 in 19.4 overs
(Sohail 100,Phil Salt 37 not out, Bilal Irshad 30, Josh Poysden 2-26)
bt Yorkshire Vikings 184 for 5 in 20 overs
(Jonathan Tattersall 36, Harry Brook 37, Gary Ballance 33, Adam Lyth 32, Shaheen Afridi 2-36).
Liverpool's all-time goalscorers
Ian Rush 346
Roger Hunt 285
Mohamed Salah 250
Gordon Hodgson 241
Billy Liddell 228
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Tributes from the UAE's personal finance community
• Sebastien Aguilar, who heads SimplyFI.org, a non-profit community where people learn to invest Bogleheads’ style
“It is thanks to Jack Bogle’s work that this community exists and thanks to his work that many investors now get the full benefits of long term, buy and hold stock market investing.
Compared to the industry, investing using the common sense approach of a Boglehead saves a lot in costs and guarantees higher returns than the average actively managed fund over the long term.
From a personal perspective, learning how to invest using Bogle’s approach was a turning point in my life. I quickly realised there was no point chasing returns and paying expensive advisers or platforms. Once money is taken care off, you can work on what truly matters, such as family, relationships or other projects. I owe Jack Bogle for that.”
• Sam Instone, director of financial advisory firm AES International
"Thought to have saved investors over a trillion dollars, Jack Bogle’s ideas truly changed the way the world invests. Shaped by his own personal experiences, his philosophy and basic rules for investors challenged the status quo of a self-interested global industry and eventually prevailed. Loathed by many big companies and commission-driven salespeople, he has transformed the way well-informed investors and professional advisers make decisions."
• Demos Kyprianou, a board member of SimplyFI.org
"Jack Bogle for me was a rebel, a revolutionary who changed the industry and gave the little guy like me, a chance. He was also a mentor who inspired me to take the leap and take control of my own finances."
• Steve Cronin, founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com
"Obsessed with reducing fees, Jack Bogle structured Vanguard to be owned by its clients – that way the priority would be fee minimisation for clients rather than profit maximisation for the company.
His real gift to us has been the ability to invest in the stock market (buy and hold for the long term) rather than be forced to speculate (try to make profits in the shorter term) or even worse have others speculate on our behalf.
Bogle has given countless investors the ability to get on with their life while growing their wealth in the background as fast as possible. The Financial Independence movement would barely exist without this."
• Zach Holz, who blogs about financial independence at The Happiest Teacher
"Jack Bogle was one of the greatest forces for wealth democratisation the world has ever seen. He allowed people a way to be free from the parasitical "financial advisers" whose only real concern are the fat fees they get from selling you over-complicated "products" that have caused millions of people all around the world real harm.”
• Tuan Phan, a board member of SimplyFI.org
"In an industry that’s synonymous with greed, Jack Bogle was a lone wolf, swimming against the tide. When others were incentivised to enrich themselves, he stood by the ‘fiduciary’ standard – something that is badly needed in the financial industry of the UAE."
Things Heard & Seen
Directed by: Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini
Starring: Amanda Seyfried, James Norton
2/5
The biog
Favourite films: Casablanca and Lawrence of Arabia
Favourite books: Start with Why by Simon Sinek and Good to be Great by Jim Collins
Favourite dish: Grilled fish
Inspiration: Sheikh Zayed's visionary leadership taught me to embrace new challenges.
Match info
Premier League
Manchester United 2 (Martial 30', Lingard 69')
Arsenal 2 (Mustafi 26', Rojo 68' OG)
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Oppenheimer
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Roger Federer's 2018 record
Australian Open Champion
Rotterdam Champion
Indian Wells Runner-up
Miami Second round
Stuttgart Champion
Halle Runner-up
Wimbledon Quarter-finals
Cincinnati Runner-up
US Open Fourth round
Shanghai Semi-finals
Basel Champion
Paris Masters Semi-finals
EPL's youngest
- Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal)
15 years, 181 days old
- Max Dowman (Arsenal)
15 years, 235 days old
- Jeremy Monga (Leicester)
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16 years, 30 days old
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The specs: 2018 Mazda CX-5
Price, base / as tested: Dh89,000 / Dh130,000
Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder
Power: 188hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 251Nm @ 4,000rpm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.1L / 100km
How they line up for Sunday's Australian Grand Prix
1 Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
2 Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari
3 Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari
4 Max Verstappen, Red Bull
5 Kevin Magnussen, Haas
6 Romain Grosjean, Haas
7 Nico Hulkenberg, Renault
*8 Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull
9 Carlos Sainz, Renault
10 Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes
11 Fernando Alonso, McLaren
12 Stoffel Vandoorne, McLaren
13 Sergio Perez, Force India
14 Lance Stroll, Williams
15 Esteban Ocon, Force India
16 Brendon Hartley, Toro Rosso
17 Marcus Ericsson, Sauber
18 Charles Leclerc, Sauber
19 Sergey Sirotkin, Williams
20 Pierre Gasly, Toro Rosso
* Daniel Ricciardo qualified fifth but had a three-place grid penalty for speeding in red flag conditions during practice
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
SPECS
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Small Victories: The True Story of Faith No More by Adrian Harte
Jawbone Press
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Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
Result
6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-3 – Group 1 (PA) $65,000 (Dirt) 2,000m; Winner: Brraq, Ryan Curatolo (jockey), Jean-Claude Pecout (trainer)
7.05pm: Handicap (TB) $65,000 (Turf) 1,800m; Winner: Bright Melody, James Doyle, Charlie Appleby
7.40pm: Meydan Classic – Listed (TB) $88,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Naval Crown, Mickael Barzalona, Charlie Appleby
8.15pm: Nad Al Sheba Trophy – Group 3 (TB) $195,000 (T) 2,810m; Winner: Volcanic Sky, Frankie Dettori, Saeed bin Suroor
8.50pm: Dubai Millennium Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $130,000 (T) 2,000m; Winner: Star Safari, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
9.25pm: Meydan Challenge – Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: Zainhom, Dane O’Neill, Musabah Al Muhairi
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Fly Etihad or Emirates from the UAE to Moscow from 2,763 return per person return including taxes.
Where to stay
Trips on the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian cost from US$16,995 (Dh62,414) per person, based on two sharing.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre supercharged V8
Power: 712hp at 6,100rpm
Torque: 881Nm at 4,800rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 19.6 l/100km
Price: Dh380,000
On sale: now
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