Those For Freedom From Syria Launch Biggest Street Protest To Date

Now this is the throws of Democracy. Like a baby coming into the world, it's dirty yet awe inspiring.

Hundreds of thousands of opposition demonstrators chanted "Freedom, sovereignty, independence" and unfurled a huge Lebanese flag in Beirut on Monday, the biggest protest yet in the opposition's duel of street rallies with supporters of the Damascus-backed government.

Crowds of men, women and children flooded Martyrs Square, spilling over into nearby streets, while more from across the country packed the roads into Beirut - responding to an opposition call to demonstrate for the removal of Syrian troops from Lebanon.

"We are coming to liberate our country. We are coming to demand the truth," said Fatma Trad, a veiled Sunni Muslim woman who traveled from the remote region of Dinniyeh in northern Lebanon to take part.

The assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri exactly one month ago sparked the series of protests against Syria, the dominant power in Lebanon.

So 1st the anti-Syrians launched a protest and it was big. Then the terrorist group Hezbollah and pro-Syrians launched an even bigger protest. And now we have this one, the biggest of them all put on by the people of Lebanon that want to design their own future! I love it!

UPDATE: The Associated Press seems to believe that completely withdrawing all troops and intelligence assets from Lebanon will not get Bashar Al-Assad off the hook completely:

Even if Syria does in the end fully withdraw from Lebanon, Syrian President Bashar Assad may not be off the hook. Instead, U.S. pressure is expected to shift to issues of reform, cross-border infiltration into Iraq and Syrian links to militant Arab groups.

Squeezing Assad further could present the young Syrian leader with serious domestic problems at a time when some question the extent of control he has over his Arab nation.

"The pressure will continue until Syria achieves every U.S. goal," said Ayman Abdel-Nour, a prominent member of Assad's ruling Baath party. "Syria will be left alone only when it no longer has a regional role, its influence in Iraq is gone, it severs links with Hamas, Jihad, Iran and Hezbollah," he said from Damascus.

Here's hoping and praying!

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