Saturday, February 26, 2005

Why Not Here? Indeed!

It is rare that you will find be heralding a New York Times Commentary. I am not really sure of the particular political leanings of the author, David Brooks, but I surely agree with Mr. Brooks as he ponders the question being asked in nations around the world. Why not Democratic reform here? The question has been asked in Georgia and Ukraine (both former Soviet Block countries) as well as in the Palestinian Territories and now even Egypt. Mr. Brooks breaks down the recent changes in Lebanon:

The question is being asked now in Lebanon. Walid Jumblatt made his much circulated observation to David Ignatius of The Washington Post: "It's strange for me to say it, but this process of change has started because of the American invasion of Iraq. I was cynical about Iraq. But when I saw the Iraqi people voting three weeks ago, eight million of them, it was the start of a new Arab world."

So now we have mass demonstrations on the streets of Beirut. A tent city is rising up near the crater where Rafik Hariri was killed, and the inhabitants are refusing to leave until Syria withdraws. The crowds grow in the evenings; bathroom facilities are provided by a nearby Dunkin' Donuts and a Virgin Megastore.



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