"There's electricity in the air. Beirut is a sea of emotion now. 'Revolution' is on everyone's lips," according to an editorial in the Lebanese daily "Al Mustakabal," a newspaper owned by former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, whose slaying last week brought on a wave of popular demonstrations.
Lebanon woke up Tuesday to a new era of uncertainty sparked by what is being called, "The Cedar Revolution."
Government criticism rose to a crescendo Monday, causing Lebanese Prime Minister Karami to resign,
and prompting Syrian President Bashar Assad to consider firing his intelligence chief Rostan Razala.
According to reports, the move is meant to calm the rising tensions in Lebanon, and Assad is considering appointing General Munir Jaloud in Razala's stead.
Jaloud is supposedly more palatable to Lebanese opposition leaders. Razala and his intelligence apparatus were fiercely criticized by the Lebanese opposition.
The Qatar-based "A-Sharq" newspaper reports that Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk Shaara has notified senior Syrian government officials that the government would soon
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be withdrawing its troops from Lebanon, as per the Taif Agreement.
The withdrawal would take place even before the Arab summit on March 22-23 in Algeria.
The Taif Agreement, signed in 1989, stipulates that Syria will withdraw the bulk of its troops to the Bekaa valley area in Lebanon.
Yedioth Ahronoth columnist Guy Bechor says
Beirut's popular revolution may have succeeded, but Lebanon is not yet free.
Western governments prepare a new strategy for Lebanon
Western leaders are closely following developments in the Lebanese political arena.
A senior French diplomatic source told the London-based "A-Sharq al Awest" that, the "U.S., France and Great Britain are in contact to coordinate a common strategy whose goal is to force Syria to implement U.N. Resolution 1559, which calls for a complete withdrawal from Lebanon."
The source went on to say that Britain and other nations agreed to U.S. and French demands that a joint international decision must be made "despite their objections due to the uncertain results of such a decision."
There are, however, those who defend the Syrian position: British
Foreign Minister Jack Straw said, "there are some doubts as to whether the decision to murder Rafik Hariri actually originated in Syria."
In an interview with "A-Sharq al Awest", Straw said he believes pressure on Syria to withdraw from Lebanon will increase.
The U.S. is doing its part to keep the pressure up on Damascus.
On Monday the White House announced that President George W. Bush has invited Maronite patriarch Cardinal Nasrallah Sappir for a visit on March 16 to discuss the Lebanese crisis.
U.S. sources told Lebanese daily "A-Nahar" that inviting Sappir, a well-known supporter of the Lebanese opposition, came up even before Hariri's assassination, but has now taken on greater urgency and importance.
According to the report, Deputy Secretary of State for Middle East Affairs William Barnes personally extended the invitation for the Washington visit.
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