Lebanon: An Emerging Democracy

Fire of Liberty

Here's a good column by Amir Taheri in The New York Post on the future of Lebanon after the public face of the Syrian military/intelligence forces decamped and returned to their Ba'athist stronghold. While Lebanon is a long way from dissolving all traces of Syrian domination in their small nation, Taheri predicts that the situation will improve as long as the Shiite block can solve its differences and redefine its relationship with the Syria and Iran. If the Shi'ite block becomes more mainstream and joins the pro-reform coalition, Lebanon could indeed emerge as another freely elected democracy in the sea of autocracy known as the Middle East. I just hope the pro-reform coalition finds a way to marginalize Hezbollah or just water down this terrorist group's hold on southern Lebanon. Democracies cannot be held together by such anti-democratic forces like Hezbollah and with time the people of Lebanon will realize this as well. So expect some interesting things to occur in Lebanon in the months to come.