[Peace-discuss] Could it be Syria?

[Ricky Baldwin]

I'm sure others have more insight than I do, and I'll
admit the Iranian option is sure heating up lately,
too -- but doesn't this smell BAD?

And it's the usual choice of who represents a
country's people, of course: 70,000 Lebanese
demonstrate against Syrian presence, 500,000
demonstrate for them, and the smaller group that
happens to agree with US policy who represents "the
aspirations of the Lebanese people".

I also particularly like the hint in this article that
the Lebanese people can't have a free and fair
election WHILE THEIR COUNTRY IS MILITARILY OCCUPIED. 
Hm.  Interesting.  Funny we didn't hear anything like
that back in, say, January during the Iraqi elections,
huh?

Ricky


US shrugs at pro-Syria rally in Beirut 
3-8-05

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The White House shrugged off a mass
pro-Syria rally in Beirut led by the powerful Shiite
movement Hezbollah and insisted Damascus must end its
presence in Lebanon "as quickly as possible." 

"Syria needs to get out of Lebanon. Syria needs to
withdraw completely and as quickly as possible,"
spokesman Scott McClellan told reporters. 

In the past, Washington has said Damascus must
withdraw its roughly 14,000 troops and its
intelligence presence from Lebanon "immediately." 

McClellan downplayed the demonstration in Beirut,
where hundreds of thousands of people expressed
opposition to global demands for an end to Syria's
presence in Lebanon. 

"We always welcome peaceful demonstrations, and we
welcome peaceful demonstrations by the Lebanese
people," he said as he emphasized the importance of
May elections in Lebanon. 

"We hope that the Lebanese people will be able to see
a free and fair election where they can express their
views. They have not had the opportunity to control
their future through the ballot box up until now,"
said McClellan. 

"We believe the Lebanese people aspire to live in
freedom and aspire to control their own future, and I
think you've seen that from recent demonstrations," he
said, referring to anti-Syria protests. 

"The Syrian government needs to respond to the
aspirations of the Lebanese people and the demands of
the international community," he said. 




	
		
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