Allies rally behind Lebanon with aid (Siniora left for Paris just prior to riots)

[Flabbergasted]

PARIS - Days after Beirut was engulfed in the destabilizing flames of Hizbullah protest, a remarkably successful French-led aid conference may bring some encouragement to fragile Lebanon. Nearly 40 nations and world leaders pledged a whopping $7.6 billion here Thursday in a show of solidarity.

Donors expressed a certain esprit – not only to help undo considerable destruction in the aftermath of Israel's military incursion last summer, but expressly to aid the morale of Lebanon's people and the besieged government of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora. Mr. Siniora left Lebanon for Paris Tuesday amid burning tires and opposition anger, and Thursday, as he attended the conference, riots broke out at Beirut University.

The Paris conference, attended by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, offers an unusual model, diplomats here say. It represents a sort of quiet proxy by the international community in support of Lebanon's democratic government – by countering aid given to the opposition Hizbullah by its backers in Iran and Syria.

Ms. Rice arrived on the heels of a State of the Union speech specifically pointing to Lebanon as a state crucial to Middle East peace. Rice pledged $770 million, and the French government of Jacques Chirac will give $650 million


http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0126/p07s02-wome.html

[David__77]

1. I hope this gov't falls.

Lebanon should be led by patriotic forces who will defend the country and not simpering puppets.

[karynnj]

2. Senator Kerry, the Chair of the SFRC subcommittee that covers Lebanon

would completely disagree with you.
http://www.johnkerry.com/news/articles/newsarticle.html?id=109

[Flabbergasted]

3. Funny. That's just what Israel and Bush are thinking....eom

[ohio2007]

4. Pre Cedar Revolution days had a Syrian puppet running

the show in Lebanon. The local population rose up after an uppity political figure was killed. All he did was bash Basher and his influence in Lebanon. So much for freedom of speech in Lebanon.

History of Lebanon
The Cedar Revolution of 2005 AD

Syria kept persecuting the Lebanese leaders who resisted its occupation of Lebanon.Exiled Premier General Michel Aoun is threatened to be arrested if he tries to return to Lebanon, while the leader of the Lebanese Forces ex-militia Samir Gaegae is imprisoned in Lebanon since 1994.

Joumblat’s first aid Marwan Hamade escaped an assassination attempt by a car bomb in October 2004. Former premier Rafik Hariri was assassinated in Beirut on February 14, 2005 by a massive car bomb that killed sixteen other people.

The opposition met after Hariri's assassination later that night and publicly accused the pro-Syrian government and Damascus of being behind the assassination. They called for the Syrian troops to pullout of Lebanon, demanded an international protection for captured Lebanon, and called on the pro-Syrian illegal government to resign.


http://www.lgic.org/en/history_lebanon2005.php

Some people may post links showing a political bias behind the Cedar revolution in the future,if not already, but all you have to do is check the archives on this forum during that period in 2005.