Lebanese groups reject Syria pullout

[CHIMO]

Lebanese movements loyal to Damascus have rejected international calls for an immediate and full withdrawal of Syrian troops from the country.

Hizb Allah chief Shaikh Hasan Nasr Allah said on Sunday that the groups will demonstrate in Beirut on 8 March to denounce foreign interventions and to express gratitude to Syria.

He invited opposition groups - which have staged protests to demand a Syrian pullout since the 14 February assassination of former prime minister Rafiq al-Hariri - to join the rally.

The troops entered Lebanon in 1976 under an Arab League mandate to try to restore peace during that country's 15-year long civil war which finally ended in 1990 under the Taif agreement.

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/AC32EC1E-A9A1-4DA0-BF06-620AAA25A050.htm

[cser]

1. Why do people post articles

without commenting on them? Does anyone really thin that the Lebanese want to be occupied any more than the Iraqi people?

[Ms. Clio]

2. Or the Palestinians, of course n/t

[Maple]

3. Syria was called in to help Lebanon

stop a civil war.

A timetable for withdrawal was set up back then and signed.

Everything has been proceeding according to plan.

Syria isn't in the wrong here and never was.

One assassination...and 'whodunnit' it is the question...and somehow the world gets the idea that Lebanon is throwing out some foreign occupiers because of a newfound will to democracy. It's entirely likely the civil war has restarted, and the world is now tying Syria's hands in preventing it.

People really should stop 'discovering' things at the last minute...it allows for the most ridiculous spin.

[seriousstan]

4. Could you provide a link to this timeline that is being followed?

[Imperialism Inc.]

6. I'm not sure that there was a strict time line

in the Taif agreement, merely "suggestions". The Taif agreement was signed in 1989 to "end" the civil war and outlined changes in Lebanese government. It did call for Syrian troops to be redeployed(back to the borders) by 1992 but I think this was at the discretion of the Lebanese government which has been pro-Syrian, and thus "forgiving", up to this point.

[anakie]

5. I see Syria in Lebanon similar to how Vietnam went into Cambodia

to stop the atrocities of the Khmer Rouge which they did only to be criticised for occupying Cambodia.

Syria went in to stop the civil war in Lebanon which may or may not have been fuelled by Israel; which by the way occupied southern Lebanon for many years following the 1982 war. Under Syrian protection (call it what you will) the civil war ended and Lebanon gained back some of the prestige it had leading up to 1975.

Hezbollah is a legitimate political organisation within the Lebanese parliament. Is this now going to be the US's next target. Who will now stop the not unlikely situation of the recurrence of the civil war - which was long and nasty.

Syria will be blamed for the civil war or any other violent actions (already happening) allowing your illustrious leader to go into Syria thus attempting to consolidate a route for the pipeline for pumping Iraqi oil.