Prime Minister Najib Mikati announced his resignation Friday evening, thereby dissolving the current government. Mikati must now present a written resignation to President Michel Sleiman; according to the constitution, his resignation announced from the Serail is still considered political, and therefore must take official status, and in this case, it is expected the president will asign him to continue as a caretaker Prime Minister until the formation of a new government. Mikati had almost resigned twice before: first over the funding for the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) and again following the assassination of intelligence chief Wissam al-Hassan last October. This time he did not bluff. The primary reason cited for the resignation was the opposition within his own government to extend the term of Internal Security Forces chief Ashraf Rifi. “It is necessary for Major General Rifi to carry on with his duties in order to protect the Internal
