Posted on 03/09/2005 5:56:06 PM PST by bamaborn
Walid Jumblat | WP | February 24, 2005:"It's strange for me to say it, but this process of change has started because of the American invasion of Iraq," explains Jumblatt. "I was cynical about Iraq. But when I saw the Iraqi people voting three weeks ago, 8 million of them, it was the start of a new Arab world." Jumblatt says this spark of democratic revolt is spreading. "The Syrian people, the Egyptian people, all say that something is changing. The Berlin Wall has fallen. We can see it."
How many potential voters are Christian expatriates?
Thanks
I have to second that. And thanks those who took the time to explain things. How nice to get correct answers from those who are not looking to spin the story. I've got to sit and digest it all.
The interesting thing is that Hezbollah felt compelled to have a demonstration vs. operate in their usual manner - terrorism. They're operating with one fist tied behind their back because for the first time in their sorrid history, they're concerned about their standing in world public opinion.
It's the equivalent of a serial murderer, temporarily stopping what he does and now suddenly concerned about "getting a bad reputation".
The majority of them are pro-American.
If Lebanese Christians expatriates are added to the voting block, the Lebanese Christians will make over 50% of the voting population in Lebanon.
Amen!
It is a positive development that Hezbollah demonstrated. Demonstrations are after all a tool of democracies. To those who are depressed about the demonstration, just remember that it changes nothing in the will of George W Bush to kick Syria out of Lebanon. In fact, it probably strengthens his resolve if that's possible!
I've been telling my compatriots not to say anything negative about Hezbollah. Syria would love it if we Lebanese start attacking each other even in words. Syria has been playing us against each other for years. I hope this time we'll keep discipline and focus on Syria.
These kind of games were played with great success in the middle east during the 20th century. Syria does not realize things have indeed changed and the Lebanese people are done with the games.
Also, are the Christians in Lebanon armed? Do they have access to significant firepower if Syria and Hizbollah try to come after them?
Unfortunately the Lebanese Christians do not have any arms. In fact in 1991 their arms were taken by the Syrian government and its Lebanese puppet government, in a supposed action to disarm all the Lebanese factions and restore the peace in the civil war that the Syrians kept going for 15 years (1975-1990).
Of course they left Hizabllah with all his arms and in fact they got more and more arms and now they are the only armed group in Lebanon. The Syrian terrorist regime and the Lebanese government kept Hizballah arms under the excuse of "resistance against the Israel". In their delusional mind they believe that Hizballah defeated Israel militarily and forced her to withdraw from a small region in Souther Lebanon. Nothing farther from the truth since if Israel believes that staying in Lebanon is vital to them, all the arab armies combined could not move them one inch.
To summarize Syria is always using Hizballah to scare the opposition inside Lebanon, and they can use it as well to destabilize the region by creating troubles on the Lebanese- Israeli borders.
All these deadly games by the Syrian terrorist regime will not work anymore because they have President Bush to deal with now. President Bush will force Syria to withdraw from Lebanon very soon, because it is very crucial for his Greater Middle East project to have a free Lebanon so the wind of freedom will blow all the way in the whole Middle East including Iran and Syria.
And because of this, the Syrian terror regime will fall within a year from when they will be forced to withdraw their troops and their brutal intelligence apparatus from Lebanon.
Nice to meet you too :).
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