middle east

Lebanese Cheer Collapse of Syrian-led Government

By John Waage
CBN News Sr. Analyst

CBN.com – (CBN News) - Thousands of Lebanese celebrated their street revolution, one that has led to the downfall of the pro-Syrian government there. But the protesters say there is much more to do.

And the celebration in the streets of Beirut was a rare one for most of the Middle East -- people openly celebrating the downfall of a government they did not want.

Two weeks of large and peaceful street protests followed the car bomb murder of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri on February 14th. That sent a strong signal to the Syrian occupiers of Lebanon that the genie of freedom may be out of the bottle in Beirut.

On Monday, pro-Syrian Prime Minister Omar Karami made the surprise announcement that the government would be dissolved. That touched off a joyous reaction from his opponents.

Before collapsing in the Parliament, the government was clinically dead and the government collapsed in the streets.

The current changes in Lebanon almost certainly would not have happened without the powerful U.S. presence in Iraq. Syria is now feeling the heavy hand from Washington to get its 15,000 troops completely out of Lebanon.

It is now time for Syria to fully comply with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1559. That means Syrian military forces and intelligence personnel need to leave the country.

But Syria may not be likely to get out quickly or quietly. And not everyone in Lebanon wants to see them go. Some pro-Syrian demonstrators in a city north of Beirut marked the fall of their government by brandishing guns and burning tires, a sign that Lebanon's struggle for freedom will not be free of violence.

But the pictures of the Lebanese speaking out and demanding change from their leaders is being watched throughout the Arab world. It is a scene that could be repeated in other parts of the Middle East.

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