Lebanon's Pro-Syrian Gov't Resigns

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  • Nickdfresh
    SUPER MODERATOR

    • Oct 2004
    • 49335

    Lebanon's Pro-Syrian Gov't Resigns

    Lebanon's pro-Syrian PM resigns
    Monday, February 28, 2005 Posted: 12:30 PM EST (1730 GMT)


    Karami said he was resigning to avoid blocking peace.
    Image:


    BEIRUT, Lebanon (CNN) -- Lebanon's pro-Syrian prime minister has announced his resignation and that of his government amid protests over the assassination of former PM Rafik Hariri, who criticized Syria's presence in the country.

    Following Monday's statement by Prime Minister Omar Karami in a special speech to parliament, a Lebanese opposition figure called for popular protests in Beirut to continue until Syria leaves.

    "The battle is long, and this is the first step, this is the battle for freedom, sovereignty and independence," opposition MP Ghattas Khouri told a cheering protest in central Beirut, according to Reuters.

    The opposition has raised its rhetoric in recent days, taking its cue from international pressure -- led by the U.S. and France -- to force Syrian troops from Lebanon following Hariri's killing.

    Karami, whose speech was broadcast by Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation, said he would have won a no-confidence vote scheduled for later in the day, but was resigning to avoid making his government a stumbling block to peace.

    "I'm afraid we will have a vacuum in the country," said House Speaker Nabih Berri, who asked for the floor. "I should be allowed to say something." He was not given the floor.

    Earlier Monday, tens of thousands of demonstrators defied a ban and poured into Beirut's city center Monday to protest against Syria's military presence in Lebanon.

    "We are asking for Syrian withdrawal," said opposition leader Camille Chamoun of the National Liberation Party, which has helped orchestrate numerous protests in recent days.

    "The Syrian occupation forces and their security systems have to go back to Syria.

    "We don't want anything against the Syrian people," said Chamoun, whose grandfather, also named Camille Chamoun, was president of Lebanon from 1952-58.

    "We are not a nation that likes war. We just want everybody to be on his own side."

    An estimated 50,000 people gathered Monday in Beirut's Martyr Square despite an order a day earlier by Lebanon's Interior Ministry for military forces to "use all necessary means" to make sure the demonstrations did not take place.

    CNN's Brent Sadler described Monday's protests as non-confrontational.

    "There is a standoff that is not in any way tense," he reported. "It is a mild-mannered ... standoff. The army and the police ... have ringed off a very large area in downtown Beirut."

    The demonstrations have focused on whether Syria played a role in Hariri's death on February 14.

    Since then, thousands of demonstrators have peacefully protested Syria's military presence in Lebanon.

    "The free world is really helping Lebanon restore its sovereignty," Chamoun said. "I imagine there is quite a bit of pressure on Syria to leave. I hope they leave in a peaceful way."

    Chamoun accused the Lebanese government of taking orders from Syria.

    "They have taken over our parliament with making bad elections three times consecutively," he said. "They have taken over power in Lebanon. The people in government in this country are their allies and obey unconditionally any orders from Damascus."

    The Rest
  • ODShowtime
    ROCKSTAR

    • Jun 2004
    • 5812

    #2
    Things sure are moving over there lately. This really is a big day!

    Syria is on the ropes!
    gnaw on it

    Comment

    • ODShowtime
      ROCKSTAR

      • Jun 2004
      • 5812

      #3
      Looks like ol' Arlen and I are on the same page again:

      U.S. Senator Arlen Specter, a Republican from Pennsylvania, was not impressed.

      "I thought those responses were weak," he told CNN. "When she talks about redeployment, it's an excuse for 'no withdrawal.' We know that Syria has housed the terrorists in Damascus for decades."

      He added: "I think Syria is in deep trouble, unless they make big changes, and right away."
      gnaw on it

      Comment

      • ELVIS
        Banned
        • Dec 2003
        • 44120

        #4
        Lookout Syria!

        BOOM !!


        Comment

        • Nickdfresh
          SUPER MODERATOR

          • Oct 2004
          • 49335

          #5
          Originally posted by ELVIS
          Lookout Syria!

          BOOM !!


          Shut up hick!

          Comment

          • Viking
            Veteran
            • Jan 2004
            • 1774

            #6
            The Big One is going to be when the general Iranian populace strings up the Weird Beards by their necks. I'll break out a bottle of champagne for that one.

            Comment

            • Nickdfresh
              SUPER MODERATOR

              • Oct 2004
              • 49335

              #7
              Originally posted by Viking
              The Big One is going to be when the general Iranian populace strings up the Weird Beards by their necks. I'll break out a bottle of champagne for that one.
              They already tried a general uprising and sadly it was put down.

              Comment

              • ODShowtime
                ROCKSTAR

                • Jun 2004
                • 5812

                #8
                Originally posted by Viking
                The Big One is going to be when the general Iranian populace strings up the Weird Beards by their necks. I'll break out a bottle of champagne for that one.
                That would be quite a treat.
                gnaw on it

                Comment

                • DrMaddVibe
                  ROTH ARMY ELITE
                  • Jan 2004
                  • 6686

                  #9
                  All of this because our President dared to keep the UN honest to their word.

                  The libs bad-mouth him, but history is being written right here and now...The Middle East is clamoring for Freedom, the Dems have talked about it and some have even received Nobel Peace Prizes but their efforts amounted to a whole lot of nothing.

                  History will be kind to the man from Texas!
                  http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x...auders1zl5.gif
                  http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c4...willywonka.gif

                  Comment

                  • Nickdfresh
                    SUPER MODERATOR

                    • Oct 2004
                    • 49335

                    #10
                    Originally posted by DrMaddVibe
                    All of this because our President dared to keep the UN honest to their word.

                    The libs bad-mouth him, but history is being written right here and now...The Middle East is clamoring for Freedom, the Dems have talked about it and some have even received Nobel Peace Prizes but their efforts amounted to a whole lot of nothing.

                    History will be kind to the man from Texas!
                    No. This happened because the Syrians assassinated the opposition leader and got caught.

                    Comment

                    • Warham
                      DIAMOND STATUS
                      • Mar 2004
                      • 14589

                      #11
                      It just proves Bush's foreign policy actually gets things done that have a positive lasting impact, instead of just paying lip service like someone I won't mention.

                      Iran will be next, and we won't have to bomb or attack them with our troops. Our vocal support for their revolutionaries, the success in Afghanistan and Iraq, now Syria. The Middle East is changing, for the better.

                      Last edited by Warham; 03-01-2005, 04:18 PM.

                      Comment

                      • Nickdfresh
                        SUPER MODERATOR

                        • Oct 2004
                        • 49335

                        #12
                        Originally posted by Warham
                        It just proves Bush's foreign policy actually gets things done that have a positive lasting impact, instead of just paying lip service like someone I won't mention.
                        Getting Americans killed in Iraq?

                        Comment

                        • Warham
                          DIAMOND STATUS
                          • Mar 2004
                          • 14589

                          #13
                          I guess getting Americans killed in Europe between 1942-45 wasn't worth it either, right?

                          Comment

                          • Nickdfresh
                            SUPER MODERATOR

                            • Oct 2004
                            • 49335

                            #14
                            Originally posted by Warham
                            I guess getting Americans killed in Europe between 1942-45 wasn't worth it either, right?
                            We were attacked by them, so we didn't have a choice.

                            Comment

                            • Warham
                              DIAMOND STATUS
                              • Mar 2004
                              • 14589

                              #15
                              So why didn't we send troops to Japan then, Nick?

                              Comment

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