World: Mess in Lebanon

Was listening to Dennis Prager's radio show and telephone guest was Michael Young, opinion editor of the Daily Star, an English language newspaper published in Beirut.

Prager asked him a whole bunch of questions to get a handle on the situation over there.

The main ideas I got was that Lebanon's government is divided into pro- and anti-Syria factions. The Prime Minister is anti-Syria, the President is pro-Syria and there are 24 cabinent ministers with most being anti-Syria.

However, a government will be in constitutional collapse if 9 cabinet ministers depart from the government either by resignation (the entire pro-Syrian wing has resigned) and there have been assasinations of several anti-Syrian ministers.

Prager asked, why can't new ministers be named to replace those resigned and assassinated?

The reporter said, they must gain the approval of the pro-Syrian President!

As it stands, if two more ministers resign or are assassinated, the government will be constitutionally non-viable.

Young fears that the USA will give into the Syrians in exchange for help in Iraq which would leave Lebanon once again totally dominated by the Syrians.

I hope somehow the USA can help both the Iraqis and Lebanese get their countries back from radicals.