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Source: http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2013/12/who-behind-beirut-bombing-2013122865822454701.html
Who Killed Mohamad Chatah?
(Al-Jazeera) Lina Khatib - The assassination of former Prime Minister Saad Hariri aide and former minister Mohamad Chatah in Beirut on December 27 is about more than internal Lebanese affairs. Saudi Arabia's allies in the country, the March 14 Alliance, are fragmented, weak, and have been the targets of a series of political assassinations that began with the killing of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in 2005. On the other hand, Iran's allies, namely Assad's regime and Hizbullah, feel that they are winning the day. Iran, meanwhile, sees in negotiations with the U.S. a glimmer of hope in achieving global recognition for its position as a regional leader in the Middle East with a "legitimate" stake in other countries' affairs. Chatah's assassination, as a key March 14 figure, is also about political pressure on a regional scale, with Iran asserting itself in the face of Saudi Arabia. The writer is director of the Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut.