In continuing fall-out from the assassination of a former Lebanese Prime Minister two weeks ago, the Lebanese government resigned, bowing to internal and international pressure.
Tens of thousands of Lebanese citizens protesting outside and watching the debate on TV let out a roar that reverberated throughout Lebanon, and indeed, throughout the region as the Prime Minster announced the resignations. The Lebanese people want their freedom restored, they want the Syrian occupation forces removed from their soil, and they want a government that is free from Syrian influence and a political system that is not influenced by Syrian military intelligence forces.
The changes taking place over there are astonishing; a few short years ago, such happenings would have been put down harshly by the Syrians, but the West has taken a strong interest in investigating the murder of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, who was killed by a massive car bomb. That bombing has led to Syria being put under tremendous pressure to get their military out of Lebanon and to come clean on their activities with regards to terrorism in the region.
Syria handed over Saddam Hussein’s half brother Sab'awi Ibrahim al-Hasan al-Tikriti, who was #36 on the U.S. military’s list of most wanted men for his human-rights violations while Saddam was in power and for his role in leading the insurgency in Iraq. This is an attempt to get some of the pressure off, but it won’t work.
Lebanon appears headed for independence from Syria and all Syria can do is moan about how they’re being treated by the international community. Get over it, Damascus, and be part of the solution instead of part of the problem.
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