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Lebanese PM quits

MONDAY FEBRUARY 28 2005 11:55 AM

Submitted by adjunct. Edited By Sean.

Lebanon's Prime Minister Omar Karami announced he will step down, just ahead of a possible vote of no confidence being debated in the Lebanese parliament.

His announcement came after a break in the parliamentary debate, which was being televised live.

A cheer went up among more than 10,000 protesters who had gathered in Martyrs Square to demand the resignation of the government and the withdrawal of Syrian troops.

Karami's government, heavily backed by the Syrian government and their occupying military, will step down and make way for an interim government, which would be replaced following elections scheduled for this spring.

Despite this, Syria refuses to withdraw from Lebanon:

Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa has rejected calls for a full withdrawal from Lebanon, saying this is something not even the Lebanese want.

Perhaps Damascus should ask al-Sharaa to stick his head out the window and give a closer listen to what those protesters are shouting.

10 Comments

Michael_J_Totten

Iraq

February 2004

FEB 28, 2005 12:11 PM

This is Assad's worst nightmare. Purple fingers in Iraq, and now this. He is having a very bad day.

theseeman

Asheville, NC

December 2002

FEB 28, 2005 02:00 PM

when will the new elections be held?

Capt_Sparrow

Russian Federation

January 2004

FEB 28, 2005 02:10 PM

i thought the said lesbian. hahaha im an ass

Michael_J_Totten

Iraq

February 2004

FEB 28, 2005 03:05 PM

theseeman said:
when will the new elections be held?

The US demands elections in the Spring. Spring begins in three weeks. Doesn't mean it wil happen, obviously, but we'll see.

luckyride

Portland, OR

May 2003

FEB 28, 2005 03:06 PM

i blame society.

ps. this is great news.

effstop

Las Vegas, NV

June 2004

FEB 28, 2005 05:14 PM

i feel the winds of change a blowin.

stockula

Anchorage, AK

May 2003

FEB 28, 2005 05:22 PM

Yep, thanks to one George W. Bush.

waldo

I'm lost

June 2004

FEB 28, 2005 05:34 PM

Indeed. Let's hope they blow in a peaceful direction.

I seem to remember that the Syrians went in in the first place because there was no effective government and no consensus to build one on.
Does it seem likely that the Lebanon can constitute itself as a viable state, without Syrian forces?

If not, why not?

[Edited on Feb 28, 2005 by waldo]