April 27, 2005

BOO! RIGHT BACK:

With Syria out, Lebanon clout grows: The last Syrian troops left Lebanon Tuesday, ending 29 years of military domination. (Nicholas Blanford, 4/27/05, The Christian Science Monitor)

Elite Syrian paratroops in pressed camouflage uniforms and red berets marched alongside their Lebanese counterparts at an old airfield here Tuesday in a colorful farewell ceremony that formally ended Syria's 29-year military presence in Lebanon.

The departure of the last batch of Syrian troops was a historic moment for the Lebanese and underlined just how dramatically and quickly Syria's grip on this tiny Mediterranean country has weakened after 15 years of near-total domination.

With the pro-Syrian establishment in Beirut continuing to unravel by the day, any hope that Damascus might have harbored of retaining some level of influence in Lebanon appears to be fading fast. "The question should be what influence will Lebanon have on Syria," says Michael Young, a Lebanese political analyst.

"Syria was stronger militarily but it was never stronger politically, economically, culturally ... in all the domains Syria imposed its order through force," Mr. Young says. "At this point, to my mind, Lebanon is stronger."


From the Nazis to the various Communist regimes to the Ba'athists to the tyrants of Africa, Eastern Europe, Asia and beyond--folks are always surprised afterwards that the monster turned out to be so easily disposed of once someone decided to confront it.

Posted by Orrin Judd at April 27, 2005 12:00 AM
Comments

"Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain."

That's a fairly subversive notion, ya know.

Posted by: ghostcat at April 27, 2005 1:36 AM

The Nazis were "easily disposed of?" Pray tell. what would have been hard?

Posted by: Brandon at April 27, 2005 4:25 AM

US involvement in WWII was only about four years. During that time, the US had the only industrialized economy that not only grew, but boomed in the process. At no time (unless you want to count those silly balloon bombs) was the US mainland ever in peril. I'm not saying it was a cakewalk, but defeating the Nazis was a lot easier than anyone at the time had ever expected.

Posted by: Governor Breck at April 27, 2005 6:29 AM

ghost:

No emperor ever has any clothes.

Posted by: oj at April 27, 2005 8:00 AM

"Elite Syrian paratroopers"?!?

Probably right hard boyz when they're terrorizing unarmed women and children, otherwise they're what's known in historic terms as "cannon fodder". Just ask the Israelis.

Posted by: H.D. Miller at April 27, 2005 11:36 AM

"... folks are always surprised afterwards that the monster turned out to be so easily disposed of once someone decided to confront it."

Only when there's a substantial US force sitting next door with a couple of "madmen" in control who usually do what they said they would.

Posted by: Genecis at April 27, 2005 11:43 AM

The Boston Globe dead tree edition has a front-page photo of Syrian troops returning to Syria in a ticker-tape (actually flower-petal) parade. A rather inspiring picture. It's not that the Globe doesn't want to honor the troops, after all.

Posted by: Bob Hawkins at April 27, 2005 3:02 PM

oj -

Emperor. Clothes.

That kid has been a role model for moi since a disgustingly early age.

Posted by: ghostcat at April 27, 2005 6:27 PM

It was pretty easy for us. We let Stalin do all the work.

It wasn't so easy for him.

Posted by: Harry Eagar at April 29, 2005 6:46 PM

No one but you cares about him.

Posted by: oj at April 29, 2005 8:03 PM
« TIME FOR A REDEAL (via Tom Corcoran): | Main | HARD TO MAKE THE WRONG CASE, BUT MAKES THE ACTUAL ONE: »